US09160044B2
A transmission line which allows electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency range of a millimeter waveband to propagate in a TE10 models formed by a first waveguide and a second waveguide. A resonator is formed by electric wave half mirrors fixed to the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The second waveguide has a structure in which a first transmission line forming body has a plate shape and has a square hole forming the first transmission line formed to pass therethrough from one surface toward an opposite surface, a second transmission line forming body has a plate shape and has a square hole forming the second transmission line formed to pass therethrough from one surface toward an opposite surface, and the first transmission line forming body and the second transmission line forming body are connectable and separable.
US09160041B2
According to certain embodiments, a battery heating circuit is provided, comprising a first switch unit 11, a second switch unit 12, a third switch unit 13, a fourth switch unit 14, a switching control module 100, a damping component R1, a current storage component L1, and a charge storage component C1; the damping component R1 and the current storage component L1 are configured to connect with the battery in series to form a branch; the first switch unit 11 and the second switch unit 12 are connected in series with each other and then connected in parallel with the branch; the third switch unit 13 and the fourth switch unit 14 are connected in series with each other and then connected in parallel with the branch.
US09160039B2
Disclosed herein is a battery cell constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure is mounted in a battery case formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer while the electrode assembly is connected to electrode terminals extruding out of the battery case, wherein the battery cell is constructed in a structure to accelerate heat dissipation by the heat conduction through at least some of a sealing part of the battery case where the electrode terminals are not located.
US09160030B2
Disclosed herein is a mandrel configured to be used in a winding process for manufacturing a jelly roll type electrode assembly using a long sheet type stack of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the mandrel is oval in a section perpendicular to a rotational central axis of the mandrel, a length ratio of a major axis to a minor axis of the mandrel being 1.5 or more, and a tilt of an outer side of the mandrel is continuously changed from an end of the minor axis of the mandrel to an end of the major axis of the mandrel in the section perpendicular to the rotational central axis of the mandrel.
US09160024B1
A method for enhancing a microbial environment for a fuel cell can include the initial step of oxidizing the outer surface of the fuel cell anode to establishing reactive chemical functional groups. The anode surface can be oxidized by washing the anode with a solution of 4-carboxybenzene diazonium tetrafluoroborate, followed by washing with acetone, methanol and water. Once the anode surface has been oxidized, the methods can include the step of binding a surface graft matrix to the reactive chemical functional groups (the activated carboxyl groups on the anode surface). EDAC and sulfo-NHS can be used as a surface graft matrix, to bind to the activated carboxyl groups. A biological substance, such as a biological agent or biomolecule, can be chemically attached to the outer terminal reactive groups of the surface graft matrix. The result is a microbial fuel cell with increased power generation and durability properties.
US09160019B2
A method for making membrane electrode assembly includes providing a proton exchange membrane and two electrodes. An array of carbon nanotubes is formed on a substrate. The array of carbon nanotubes is pressed by a pressing device to form a carbon nanotube film. A catalyst layer is formed on the carbon nanotube film to obtain an electrode. Two electrodes are disposed on two opposite surfaces of a proton exchange membrane, to obtain the membrane electrode assembly.
US09160017B2
Disclosed is a fuel cell startup apparatus and method, particularly, a fuel cell startup method, by which in an emergency situation such as when a high-voltage battery mounted on a fuel cell vehicle is completely discharged, fuel cell startup can be achieved without assistance of a high-voltage power source. To this end, an air supply port, which is connected to an emergency air supplier, is formed on an air supply line configured to supply air to a cathode of a fuel cell stack, and the emergency air supplier supplies the air to the fuel cell stack when complete discharge of a high-voltage battery and is removably engaged to the air supply port.
US09160012B2
According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.
US09160008B2
According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the use ratio of active sites in a catalyst having oxygen reduction activity so as to provide a cathode catalyst layer and MEA for a fuel cell with high a level of power generation performance. The present invention includes a process of introducing a functional group into a surface of the catalyst 13 which has oxygen reduction activity and a process of blending the catalyst 13 with the functional group on the surface together with an electron conductive material and a proton conductive polymer electrolyte to prepare a catalyst ink for forming the cathode catalyst layer for the fuel cell.
US09160007B2
Disclosed are an electrode for a fuel cell that includes an electrode substrate and a surface-treatment layer disposed on the electrode substrate and including a hydrophilic layer and a hydrophobic layer partially disposed on the hydrophilic layer. Also disclosed are a method of fabricating an electrode for a fuel cell, a membrane-electrode assembly, and a fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly.
US09160003B2
An electrode includes a binder and an electroactive material, wherein the binder includes a polymer including a linear polysiloxane or a cyclic polysiloxane. The polymer may be generally represented by Formula I:
US09160000B2
An active material for a battery, which has high thermal stability and low electric potential. According to the invention, an active material for a battery including an M element in Group III, a Ti element, an O element, and an S element and having an M2Ti2O5S2 crystalline phase is provided to solve the problem.
US09159995B2
Silicon-oxygen batteries comprising a silicon anode as chemical fuel, an air-cathode for dissociating oxygen and a non-aqueous electrolyte, and applications using the same are provided. The silicon-batteries may utilize air for generating oxygen.
US09159993B2
In an alkaline battery, a positive electrode 2 containing manganese dioxide, a negative electrode 3, and a separator 4 interposed therebetween are housed in a closed-end cylindrical battery case 1 whose opening 1b is sealed with a gasket. The positive electrode contains graphite in such a manner that a ratio of graphite to the positive electrode is in the range of 2.5-4.3 mass %. A half-width of a 110 plane of the manganese dioxide measured by a powder X-ray diffraction analysis is in the range of 2.00-2.40 degrees.
US09159984B2
A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly; a case containing the electrode assembly; a cap plate covering an opening of the case; and a current collecting member including a current collecting portion coupled to the electrode assembly; a terminal coupling portion extending from the current collecting portion at a corner portion of the current collecting member, the corner portion extending in a first direction along a width of the current collecting member; and a fuse portion, the current collecting member having a fuse hole formed therein adjacent the fuse portion, a centerline of the fuse hole extending through the fuse portion in a direction crossing the first direction.
US09159983B2
A battery includes a current breaking mechanism 20 provided in a battery and configured such that an external terminal 21 connecting a terminal rivet 31 connected to a power generating element 16 to an electrode terminal is provided with thick portions 48 and 49 and a breakable portion 45 so that the thick portions 48 and 49 are continuous through the breakable portion 45 only. The battery further includes: the terminal rivet 31 placed passing through a closing plate 12 forming a part of a battery case 11, a part of the terminal rivet 31 located outside the battery case 11 being placed on the thick portion 48 of the external terminal 21 in close contact relation, the terminal rivet 31 having a through hole 32; and a sealing cap 25 covering an exit of the through hole 32 on the outside of the battery case 11 and being joined to the external terminal 21 over the entire circumference of the through hole 32 or joined to both the external terminal 21 and the terminal rivet 31 across them. When the internal pressure of the battery case 11 rises, at least part of the sealing cap 25 is moved away from the battery case 11, deforming a part of the external terminal 21, thereby breaking the breakable portion 45.
US09159963B2
A stacked-type electrode assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes at least one first electrode plate including i) a first active material coating portion formed on a first base material and coated with a first active material and ii) a first non-coated portion, wherein the first electrode plate has a first width and a first length greater than the first width, and wherein the first electrode plate has upper and lower portions formed in the direction of the first length. The assembly also includes at least one second electrode plate including i) a second active material coated portion formed on a second base material and coated with a second active material and ii) a second non-coated portion, wherein the second electrode plate has a second width and a second length greater than the second width.
US09159957B2
A white organic light emitting device which has high color temperature characteristics and no change in color coordinates according to luminance change, includes a first electrode and a second electrode opposite to each other on a substrate, a charge generation layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a second stack including a second light emitting layer formed between the charge generation layer and the second electrode, and a first stack including a first light emitting layer formed between the first electrode and the charge generation layer, wherein the first emitting layer has low singlet-triplet exchange energy to change triplet excitons into a singlet state by triplet-triplet annihilation and a dopant concentration of the first light emitting layer is adjusted according to a luminance change curve of the second stack.
US09159955B1
A method for patterning an organic device includes providing a patterned product substrate and pre-defined patterned source substrate. The product substrate has a product principal surface having destination regions. The source substrate has a source principal surface having optically reflecting regions and absorbing regions arranged adjacent to each other. The source principal surface includes plurality of source regions defined at the reflecting regions. The plurality of source regions has organic materials disposed thereon. The product principal surface and the source principal surface are aligned such that each of the plurality of source regions is aligned to exactly one destination region. At least one of the product principal surface and the source principal surface includes support(s) to maintain a substantially uniform gap between them. Then temperature of the source substrate is raised above the sublimation temperature of the organic materials to redeposit at a nearest destination region.
US09159950B2
In an aspect, an organic light emitting display device is provided. The organic light emitting display device may include a substrate; an organic light emitting unit arranged on the substrate; at least one inorganic layer, which encapsulates the organic light emitting unit and contains a low temperature viscosity transition (LVT) inorganic material; and at least one adhesive layer arranged between the organic light emitting unit and the inorganic layer.
US09159949B2
An organic electroluminescent display device includes a first electrode on a substrate, an organic layer including a light-emitting layer on the first electrode, a second electrode including lower and upper conductive layers sequentially stacked on the organic layer, and an insulating pattern extending into the organic layer through the lower conductive layer.
US09159938B2
A thin film transistor is provided. The thin film transistor includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconducting layer, a transition layer, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The drain electrode is spaced apart from the source electrode. The gate electrode is insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconductor layer by the insulating layer. The transition layer is sandwiched between the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer. The transition layer is a silicon-oxide cross-linked polymer layer including a plurality of Si atoms. The plurality of Si atoms is bonded with atoms of the insulating layer and atoms of the semiconductor layer.
US09159937B2
Heteroleptic light emitting complexes having the general formula M(L1)n(L2)m, wherein a) L1 has the formula E1-E2, wherein E1 is a 6-membered heteroaryl ring bound to the metal atom M by a dative bond and containing at least one donor hetero atom and E2 is bound to the metal atom by covalent or dative bonds and is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted C5-C30 aryl and substituted or un-substituted C2-C30 heteroaryl groups, b) ligand L2 is selected from the group consisting of 1-(2,6 disubstituted phenyl)-2-phenyl-1 H-imidazole ligands or 5-(2,6 disubstituted phenyl)-1-phenyl-1 H-pyrazole ligands, and c) M is a non-radioactive transition metal with an atomic number of at least 40 and the sum of m and n is equal to half of the bond valency of metal M.
US09159936B2
Organic electroluminescent material containing iridium of the following general formula, in which R is C1-C8 alkyl, is provided. The preparation method of the above organic electroluminescent material containing iridium and the organic electroluminescent element using the above organic electroluminescent material containing iridium are also provided.
US09159929B2
A monomer for use in manufacturing a conjugated polymer, the monomer having a structure as shown formula (2): Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 are independently selected from optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl, X1 and X3 both independently comprise a leaving group capable of participating in polymerization and Z represents a direct bond or an optionally substituted bridging atom.
US09159922B2
A method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescent element that includes an anode (32), a cathode (34), a layered structure placed between the anode and the cathode and formed by stacking a plurality of organic layers including an electron injection layer (44) provided in contact with the cathode, the method including the steps of: preparing a first component (12) in which either the anode alone is or both the anode and at least a part of the organic layers to make up the layered structure are provided on a first substrate (22); preparing a second component (14) in which either the cathode alone is or both the cathode and the rest part to make up the layered structure excluding the part provided in the first component is provided on a second substrate (24); and laminating the first component and the second component to form the layered structure placed between the anode and the cathode, in which the electron injection layer that contains an ionic polymer is formed in the step of preparing the first component or in the step of preparing the second component.
US09159917B2
A nonvolatile memory element includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a variable resistance layer between the first and second electrodes. The variable resistance layer having a resistance value that reversibly changes according to an electrical signal provided between the electrodes. The variable resistance layer includes a first variable resistance layer and a second variable resistance layer. The first variable resistance layer comprises a first metal oxide. The second variable resistance layer is planar and includes a first part and a second part. The first part comprises a second metal oxide and is planar. The second part comprises an insulator and is planar. The second metal oxide has a lower oxygen deficient degree than that of the first metal oxide. The first and second parts are in contact with different parts of a main surface of the first variable resistance layer which faces the second variable resistance layer.
US09159916B2
A resistive random access memory (RRAM), a controlling method for the RRAM, and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The RRAM includes a first electrode layer; a resistance switching layer disposed on the first electrode layer; a diffusion metal layer disposed on the resistance switching layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on the diffusion metal layer, wherein at least one extension electrode is disposed in the resistance switching layer.
US09159912B2
This technology provides an electronic device and a method of fabricating the same. An electronic device in accordance with an implementation of this document includes semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory includes a lower electrode, a variable resistance element over the lower electrode, an upper electrode disposed over the variable resistance element and including metal, and a metal compound layer configured to surround a side of the upper electrode. The metal compound layer includes a compound of the metal of the upper electrode.
US09159906B2
A spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element has a high magnetoresistance and low current density. A free magnetic layer is positioned between first and second spin polarizers. A first tunnel barrier is positioned between the first spin polarizer and the free magnetic layer and a second tunnel barrier is positioned between the second spin polarizer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistance ratio of the second tunnel barrier has a value greater than double the magnetoresistance ratio of the first tunnel barrier.
US09159903B2
A piezoelectric material contains a main component containing a perovskite-type metal oxide having the formula (1); a first auxiliary component composed of Mn; and a second auxiliary component composed of Bi or Bi and Li, wherein the Mn content is 0.04 parts by weight or more and 0.400 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, the Bi content is 0.042 parts by weight or more and 0.850 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, and the Li content is 0.028 parts by weight or less (including 0 parts by weight) on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide. (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-y-zSnyZrz)O3 (1) (wherein 0≦x≦0.080, 0.013≦y≦0.060, 0≦z≦0.040, and 0.986≦a≦1.020.)
US09159898B2
An oxide superconducting thin film includes a substrate, and an intermediate layer and a superconducting layer provided in this order on the substrate. The intermediate layer has an average thickness of from 10 nm to 20 nm and a surface roughness Ra of 0.5 nm or less. The superconducting layer is formed on a surface of the intermediate layer and includes an oxide superconductor as a main component. A superconducting fault current limiter including the oxide superconducting thin film is also provided.
US09159894B2
A light emitting device includes a conductive support member, a first conductive layer disposed on the conductive support member, a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer, a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a first expansion part penetrating through the second conductive layer, the second semiconductor layer and the active layer, and includes a second expansion part extending from the first expansion part and being disposed in the first semiconductor layer. The insulation layer is disposed on the lateral surface of the first expansion part, and the lateral surface of the second expansion part contacts with the first semiconductor layer.
US09159890B2
An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes one or more light-emitting diode chips. The light-emitting diode chip has a main radiation side. A diaphragm is arranged downstream of the main radiation side along a main radiation direction of the light-emitting diode chip. The diaphragm is mounted on or in a component housing. The main radiation side has a mean edge length of at least 50 μm. The diaphragm can be switched from light-impervious to light-pervious. The diaphragm comprises precisely one opening region for radiation transmission. The semiconductor component can be used as a flashlight for a mobile image recording device.
US09159882B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer having a main surface, a plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures protruding upward from the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a transparent electrode layer covering the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures; and an insulation-filling layer disposed on the transparent electrode layer. The insulation-filling layer extends parallel to the first conductive type semiconductor layer so as to cover the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures. A selected one of the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the insulation-filling layer, which is disposed on a light transmission path through which light generated from the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures is radiated externally, has an uneven outer surface. The uneven outer surface is opposite to an inner surface of the selected one, and the inner surface faces the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures.
US09159872B2
Semiconductor structures having a nanocrystalline core and corresponding nanocrystalline shell are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes an anisotropic nanocrystalline core composed of a first semiconductor material and having an aspect ratio between, but not including, 1.0 and 2.0. The semiconductor structure also includes a nanocrystalline shell composed of a second, different, semiconductor material at least partially surrounding the anisotropic nanocrystalline core.
US09159850B2
A photovoltaic device (e.g., solar cell) includes: a front substrate (e.g., glass substrate); a semiconductor absorber film; a back contact including a first conductive layer of or including copper (Cu) and a second conductive layer of or including molybdenum (Mo); and a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate). A selenium blocking layer is provided between at least the Cu inclusive layer and the Mo inclusive layer.
US09159847B2
A schottky barrier diode includes: an n− type epitaxial layer that is disposed at a first surface of an n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a plurality of n type pillar areas that are disposed at the inside of the n− type epitaxial layer and that are disposed at a first portion of the first surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a p type area that is disposed at the inside of the n− type epitaxial layer and that is extended in a direction perpendicular to the n type pillar areas; a plurality of p+ areas in which the n− type epitaxial layer is disposed at a surface thereof and that are separated from the n type pillar areas and the p type area; a schottky electrode that is disposed on the n− type epitaxial layer and the p+ areas; and an ohmic electrode that is disposed at a second surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate.
US09159845B2
A charge-retaining transistor includes a control gate and an inter-gate dielectric alongside the control gate. A charge-storage node of the transistor includes first semiconductor material alongside the inter-gate dielectric. Islands of charge-trapping material are alongside the first semiconductor material. An oxidation-protective material is alongside the islands. Second semiconductor material is alongside the oxidation-protective material, and is of some different composition from that of the oxidation-protective material. Tunnel dielectric is alongside the charge-storage node. Channel material is alongside the tunnel dielectric. Additional embodiments, including methods, are disclosed.
US09159844B2
A nonvolatile memory device comprises a substrate, a gate electrode, a single charge trapping sidewall and a source/drain region. The gate electrode is disposed on and electrically isolated from the substrate. The single charge trapping sidewall is disposed adjacent to a sidewall of the gate electrode and electrically isolated from the substrate and the gate electrode, so as to form a non-straight angle between the substrate and the single charge trapping sidewall. The source/drain region is disposed in the substrate and adjacent to the gate electrode.
US09159838B2
A highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film over the gate electrode, a semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode with the gate insulating film positioned therebetween, a source electrode and a drain electrode that are in contact with the semiconductor film, and an oxide film over the semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. An end portion of the semiconductor film is spaced from an end portion of the source electrode or the drain electrode in a region overlapping with the semiconductor film in a channel width direction. The semiconductor film and the oxide film each include a metal oxide including In, Ga, and Zn. The oxide film has an atomic ratio where the atomic percent of In is lower than the atomic percent of In in the atomic ratio of the semiconductor film.
US09159837B2
A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.
US09159830B2
In a method for fabricating a field effect transistor, a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region are formed in a substrate. A channel region is formed between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. A gate region is formed on the channel region. Micro-cavities are formed in the substrate at least below the channel region, and the micro-cavities are oxidized.
US09159827B2
A method of forming a manufacture includes forming a trench in a doped layer. The trench has an upper portion and a lower portion, and a width of the upper portion is greater than that of the lower portion. A first insulating layer is formed along sidewalls of the lower portion of the trench and a bottom surface of the trench. A gate dielectric layer is formed along sidewalls of the upper portion of the trench. A first conductive feature is formed along sidewalls of the gate dielectric layer. A second insulating layer covering the first conductive feature and the first insulating layer is formed, and a second conductive feature is formed along sidewalls of the second insulating layer and a bottom surface of the second insulating layer.
US09159825B2
A vertical semiconductor device is formed in a semiconductor layer having a first surface, a second surface and background doping. A first doped region, doped to a conductivity type opposite that of the background, is formed at the second surface of the semiconductor layer. A second doped region of the same conductivity type as the background is formed at the second surface of the semiconductor layer, inside the first doped region. A portion of the semiconductor layer is removed at the first surface, exposing a new third surface. A third doped region is formed inside the semiconductor layer at the third surface. Electrical contact is made at least to the second doped region (via the second surface) and the third doped region (via the new third surface). In this way, vertical DMOS, IGBT, bipolar transistors, thyristors, and other types of devices can be fabricated in thinned semiconductor, or SOI layers.
US09159824B2
A device includes a substrate and insulation regions over a portion of the substrate. A first semiconductor region is between the insulation regions and having a first conduction band. A second semiconductor region is over and adjoining the first semiconductor region, wherein the second semiconductor region includes an upper portion higher than top surfaces of the insulation regions to form a semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor region also includes a wide portion and a narrow portion over the wide portion, wherein the narrow portion is narrower than the wide portion. The semiconductor fin has a tensile strain and has a second conduction band lower than the first conduction band. A third semiconductor region is over and adjoining a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin, wherein the third semiconductor region has a third conduction band higher than the second conduction band.
US09159816B2
Lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors and design structures for a lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor. An emitter and a collector of the lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor are comprised of p-type semiconductor material that is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process. The source and drain each directly contact a top surface of a device region used to form the emitter and collector. A base contact may be formed on the top surface and overlies an n-type base defined within the device region. The emitter is laterally separated from the collector by the base contact. Another base contact may be formed in the device region that is separated from the other base contact by the base.
US09159813B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory transistor includes an island-shaped semiconductor having a source region, a channel region, and a drain region formed in this order from the silicon substrate side, a floating gate arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the channel region with a tunnel insulating film interposed between the floating gate and the channel region, a control gate arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the floating gate with an inter-polysilicon insulating film interposed between the control gate and the floating gate, and a control gate line electrically connected to the control gate and extending in a predetermined direction. The inter-polysilicon insulating film is arranged so as to be interposed between the floating gate and the lower and inner side surfaces of the control gate and between the floating gate and the lower surface of the control gate line.
US09159812B1
A FinFET device includes a dielectric layer formed over a semiconductor substrate and having an upper dielectric layer surface. A fin of semiconductor material extends upwards from the substrate through an opening in the dielectric layer. A base portion of the fin, which is recessed below the upper dielectric layer surface, includes a base channel region that separates first and second base source/drain regions. An upper channel region extends upwards from the base channel region and terminates in an upper fin surface disposed above the upper dielectric layer surface. A gate electrode straddles the upper channel region and is separated from the upper channel region by a gate dielectric. First and second epitaxial source/drain regions meet the first and second base source/drain regions, respectively, at first and second interfaces, respectively. The first and second interfaces are recessed in the opening and arranged below the upper dielectric layer surface.
US09159810B2
In doping a non-planar semiconductor device, a substrate having a non-planar semiconductor body formed thereon is obtained. A first ion implant is performed in a region of the non-planar semiconductor body. The first ion implant has a first implant energy and a first implant angle. A second ion implant is performed in the same region of the non-planar semiconductor body. The second ion implant has a second implant energy and a second implant angle. The first implant energy may be different from the second implant energy. Additionally, the first implant angle may be different from the second implant angle.
US09159806B2
A highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. A semiconductor device is manufactured at a high yield, so that high productivity is achieved. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, and an insulating layer provided on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film so as to overlap with the gate electrode layer are stacked and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating layer, the chlorine concentration and the indium concentration on a surface of the insulating layer are lower than or equal to 1×1019/cm3 and lower than or equal to 2×1019/cm3, respectively.
US09159805B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate and a method for manufacturing the same and a display device. The TFT array substrate improves a structure of a TFT array substrate and has a small thickness, and process flow is simplified. The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate comprises: obtaining a gate line and a gate electrode through a first patterning process on a glass substrate; forming a gate insulating layer on the gate line and the gate electrode; forming a graphene layer on the gate insulating layer, and obtaining a semiconductor active layer over the gate electrode by a second patterning process and a hydrogenation treatment; obtaining a data line, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode which are located on the same layer by a third patterning process; and forming a protection layer on the data line, the source electrode, the semiconductor active layer, the drain electrode and the pixel electrode.
US09159800B2
An AlN single crystal Schottky barrier diode including: an AlN single crystal substrate having a defect density of 106 cm−2 or less and a thickness of 300 μm or more; a first electrode formed on one surface of the AlN single crystal substrate; and a second electrode formed on one surface of the AlN single crystal substrate while being spaced apart from the first electrode, the AlN single crystal Schottky barrier diode being provided with: a rectifying property such that an on-off ratio at the time of applying 10 V and −40 V is at least 103 even at a high temperature of 573 K; a high voltage resistance such that a voltage can be applied at least within a range of −40 V to 10 V; and a low on-resistance characteristic such that a current begins to flow at no greater than 5 V.
US09159797B2
An electronic device can include a substrate including an underlying doped region and a semiconductor layer overlying the substrate. A trench can have a sidewall and extend at least partly through the semiconductor layer. The electronic device can further include a first conductive structure adjacent to the underlying doped region, an insulating layer, and a second conductive structure within the trench. The insulating layer can be disposed between the first and second conductive structures, and the first conductive structure can be disposed between the insulating layer and the underlying doped region. Processes of forming the electronic device may be performed such that the first conductive structure includes a conductive fill material or a doped region within the semiconductor layer. The first conductive structure can allow the underlying doped region to be farther from the channel region and allow RDSON to be lower for a given BVDSS.
US09159792B2
In a method which heats a layer including nickel and titanium on a SiC substrate (1) to form a nickel silicide layer (4) including titanium carbide, the layer including nickel and titanium is formed by vapor deposition or sputtering. The nickel silicide layer (4) is heated at a temperature that is equal to or higher than 1100° C. and equal to or less than 1350° C. to generate the layer including nickel and titanium. At that time, the rate of temperature increase is equal to greater than 10° C./minute and equal to or less than 1350° C./minute and a heating duration is equal to or more than 0 minute and equal to or less than 120 minutes. These heating conditions make it possible to obtain a homogeneous rear surface electrode (8) for a SiC semiconductor device which has sufficiently low rear surface contact resistance.
US09159789B2
An field effect transistor has a plurality of cells provided on a first straight line. Each cell has a plurality of multi-finger electrodes and is connected to a gate terminal electrode and a drain terminal electrode. The multi-finger electrode has at least two finger gate electrodes, a finger drain electrode, and a finger source electrode. The gate terminal electrode connects the finger gate electrodes of two adjoining cells in common. The drain terminal electrode connects the finger drain electrodes of two adjoining cells in common. The finger gate electrode of one cell of two adjoining cells and the finger gate electrode of another cell of the two adjoining cells cross perpendicularly. The gate terminal electrode and the drain terminal electrode are provided alternately in a region where the finger gate electrodes of the two adjoining cells cross.
US09159784B2
A semiconductor structure includes a III-nitride substrate with a first side and a second side opposing the first side. The III-nitride substrate is characterized by a first conductivity type and a first dopant concentration. The semiconductor structure also includes a III-nitride epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type coupled to the first surface of the III-nitride substrate, and a first metallic structure electrically coupled to the second surface of the III-nitride substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes an AlGaN epitaxial layer coupled to the III-nitride epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type, and a III-nitride epitaxial structure of a second conductivity type coupled to the AlGaN epitaxial layer. The III-nitride epitaxial structure comprises at least one edge termination structure.
US09159776B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a substrate; and a plurality of pixels positioned on the substrate. Each pixel includes a thin film transistor positioned on the substrate, an interlayer insulating layer and a light path control layer positioned on the thin film transistor, a first electrode positioned on the light path control layer and connected to the thin film transistor, an organic emission layer positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the organic emission layer, and the light path control layer includes a first control layer, a second control layer having a larger refractive index than the first control layer, and a middle layer having the same refractive index as the first control layer.
US09159775B1
A method is provided for manufacturing an anode connection structure of an organic light-emitting diode. The anode connection structure includes: a thin-film transistor and an anode of an organic light-emitting diode arrange don the thin-film transistor. The thin-film transistor includes a low-temperature poly-silicon layer formed on a substrate, a gate insulation layer formed on the low-temperature poly-silicon layer, a gate formed on the gate insulation layer, a protection layer formed on the gate, and a source/drain formed on the protection layer. The method includes a step of forming a hole in the thin-film transistor to expose the low-temperature poly-silicon layer and a step of forming an electrically conductive layer in the hole for direct engagement with the low-temperature poly-silicon layer to serve as an anode and also the source/drain of the thin-film transistor. The anode of the organic light-emitting diode is thus directly connected to the low-temperature poly-silicon layer.
US09159774B2
A structure of an EL display device which has an increased display area is provided. Further, a structure of an EL display device which has a high definition display is provided. An auxiliary electrode is formed over a first partition and side surfaces of the auxiliary electrode are covered with a second partition. A top surface of the auxiliary electrode is in contact with the conductive film which is one electrode of a light-emitting element and has a light-transmitting property, which enables a large-area display. Further, even the distance between the adjacent light-emitting elements is shortened, the auxiliary electrode can be provided between the adjacent light-emitting elements, which enables a high definition display.
US09159762B2
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided which can suppress corrosion by chemicals in processes, while preventing generation of thermal stress on a mark. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer with a front-side main surface and a back-side main surface opposed to the front-side main surface, a plurality of light receiving elements formed in the semiconductor layer for performing photoelectric conversion, a light receiving lens disposed above the back-side main surface for supp_ying light to the light receiving element, and a mark formed inside the semiconductor layer. The mark extends from the front-side main surface to the back-side main surface. The mark has a deeply located surface recessed toward the front-side main surface rather than the back-side main surface. The deeply located surface is formed of silicon.
US09159759B2
A solid-state image pickup device 1 includes a semiconductor substrate 10, light receiving unit 14 and light shielding film 20. The solid-state image pickup device 1 is back surface incident type and photoelectrically converts light indent on the back surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate 10 from an object into electrical charges and receives electrical charges produced by photoelectric conversion at the light receiving unit 14 to image the object. The light receiving unit 14 forms a PN junction diode with the semiconductor substrate 10. The light shielding film 20 is provided over a front surface S1 of the semiconductor substrate 10 so as to cover the light receiving unit 14. The light shielding film 20 serves to shield light incident on the front surface S1 from the outside of the solid-state image pickup device 1.
US09159758B2
A color filter array is configured with a 3×3 basic array pattern repeatedly disposed in a horizontal and a vertical direction. The basic array pattern is configured with a G filter array formed by disposing a G filter in the horizontal direction, and first and the second RGB filter arrays formed by disposing RGB filters in the horizontal direction. The ratio of the pixel number of the G color is made larger than the ratio of the pixel number of each color of RB. The G filter is disposed in each filter line in the horizontal, vertical and oblique directions of the color filter array. The RB filters are each disposed in one filter line in the vertical direction of the basic array pattern, and any of the RB filters is disposed in other filter lines.
US09159753B2
Pixels for solid-state CMOS image sensor arrays may be provided that have a lateral blooming control structure incorporated in them. The lateral blooming control structure is built as a separate structure from the charge transfer gate and it is fabricated in a self-aligned manner, which is particularly suitable for incorporating into small size pixels. The blooming control structure can be used for backside or for front side illuminated image sensors. When the lateral blooming control structure is provided with a separate bias means, it may also be used for the complete or partial charge removal from the photodiode and thus used in pixels that are designed for global shutter operation.
US09159749B2
An oxide semiconductor device includes a gate electrode on a substrate, a gate insulation layer on the substrate, the gate insulation layer having a recess structure over the gate electrode, a source electrode on a first portion of the gate insulation layer, a drain electrode on a second portion of the gate insulation layer, and an active pattern on the source electrode and the drain electrode, the active pattern filling the recess structure.
US09159732B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming landing plugs over a substrate, forming a trench by etching the substrate between the landing plugs, forming a buried gate to partially fill the trench, forming a gap-fill layer to gap-fill an upper side of the buried gate, forming protruding portions of the landing plugs, and trimming the protruding portions of the landing plugs.
US09159731B2
Methods of forming capacitors and semiconductor devices including a rutile titanium dioxide material
Methods of forming a capacitor including forming a titanium nitride material within at least one aperture defined by a support material, forming a ruthenium material within the at least one aperture over the titanium nitride material, and forming a first conductive material over the ruthenium material within the at least one aperture. The titanium nitride material may be oxidized to a titanium dioxide material. A second conductive material may be formed over a surface of the titanium dioxide material. A semiconductor device may include at least one capacitor, wherein a major longitudinal portion of the at least one capacitor is not surrounded by a solid material. The capacitor may include a first electrode; a ruthenium oxide material laterally adjacent the first electrode; a rutile titanium dioxide material laterally adjacent the ruthenium oxide material; and a second electrode laterally adjacent the rutile titanium dioxide material.
US09159729B2
Capacitor of a semiconductor device, and a method of fabricating the same, include sequentially forming a mold structure and a polysilicon pattern over a semiconductor substrate, patterning the mold structure using the polysilicon pattern as an etch mask to form lower electrode holes penetrating the mold structure, forming a protection layer covering a surface of the polysilicon pattern, forming lower electrodes in the lower electrode holes provided with the protection layer, removing the polysilicon pattern and the protection layer to expose upper sidewalls of the lower electrodes, removing the mold structure to expose lower sidewalls of the lower electrodes, and sequentially forming a dielectric and an upper electrode covering the lower electrodes.
US09159724B2
An approach for providing cross-coupling-based designs using diffusion contact structures is disclosed. Embodiments include providing first and second gate structures over a substrate; providing a gate cut region across the first gate structure, the second gate structure, or a combination thereof; providing a first gate contact over the first gate structure; providing a second gate contact over the second gate structure; and providing a diffusion contact structure coupling the first gate contact to the second gate contact, the diffusion contact structure having vertices within the gate cut region.
US09159722B2
A semiconductor device includes a transistor region and diode region. A plurality of transistors is in the transistor region and at least one diode is in the diode region. The transistors include first and second body regions of a first conductivity type. The dopant concentration in the second body region is greater than the dopant concentration in the first body region. The diode includes first and second anode regions of the first conductivity type. The dopant concentration in the second anode region is greater than the dopant concentration in the first anode region. A total dopant amount in the second body region within a first block portion of the semiconductor substrate is greater than a total dopant amount in the second anode layer within a second block portion of the semiconductor substrate of the same size as the first block portion.
US09159713B1
An opto-electronic circuit board includes a substrate, a cavity, blind vias, metal layers, a first chip, a second chip, and the optical component. The substrate includes a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer, and a dielectric layer disposed between the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer. The cavity is disposed on the dielectric layer, in which the cavity extends from the first circuit layer to the second circuit layer. The blind vias are disposed at opposite sides of the cavity. The first chip is disposed on the second circuit layer with corresponding to one of the blind vias. The second chip is disposed on the second circuit layer with corresponding to the other one of the blind vias. The optical component is disposed in the cavity, in which the second surface of the optical component is connected to the first circuit layer.
US09159706B2
A device featuring a substrate configured to include an upper surface and an opposing lower surface and, in parallel, a first and an opposing second peripheral edge, the first peripheral edge being smaller in length than the second peripheral edge, one or more semiconductor chip mounted over the upper surface of the substrate, a control semiconductor chip mounted over the upper surface of the substrate, a sealing resin covering the memory and control chips, and a plurality of external terminals provided over the lower surface of the substrate, the external terminals being arranged in a line along the first peripheral edge. The external terminals are used to fit the device to an electronic apparatus. The device may be a memory card having a stacked arrangement of two or more memory chips, and with the control chip being apart from or included in the stacked arrangement.
US09159701B2
A method of manufacturing a chip package is provided. The method may include electrically contacting at least one first chip, the first chip including a first side and a second side opposite the first side, with its second side to an electrically conductive carrier. An insulating layer is formed over at least a part of the electrically conductive carrier and over at least a part of the first side of the chip. At least one second chip is arranged over the insulating layer. An encapsulating material is formed over the first chip and the second chip. Electrical contacts are formed through the encapsulation material to at least one contact of the at least one first chip and to at least one contact of the at least one second chip.
US09159699B2
An interconnection structure is provided having a substrate with at least one electric device formed adjacent to a first side of the substrate and a via hole formed therethrough. The via hole has a first opening adjacent to the first side of the substrate. A via structure is disposed in the via hole without exceeding the first opening. A first pad is disposed on the first side of the substrate and covers the via hole. A second pad is disposed on a second side of the substrate opposite to the first side, wherein the via structure extends into the second pad. The first pad is adjoined to the via structure and electrically connects with the at least one electric device, and the first pad has a protrusion portion extending into the via hole.
US09159698B2
A method for producing a semiconductor module arrangement includes providing a semiconductor module and a printed circuit board. The semiconductor module has a circuit mount populated with a semiconductor chip, an adjustment device in a first relative position with respect to the circuit mount, and a plurality of electrical connections each of which has a free end. Each of the connections is routed through a different passage opening in the adjustment device. The printed circuit board is pushed onto the electrical connections by each of the free ends being inserted into a different contact opening in the printed circuit board. The adjustment device is moved to a second relative position, which is different from the first relative position, with respect to the circuit mount.
US09159695B2
A package structure includes a chip attached to a substrate. The chip includes a bump structure including a conductive pillar having a length (L) measured along a long axis of the conductive pillar and a width (W) measured along a short axis of the conductive pillar. The substrate includes a pad region and a mask layer overlying the pad region, wherein the mask layer has an opening exposing a portion of the pad region. The chip is attached to the substrate to form an interconnection between the conductive pillar and the pad region. The opening has a first dimension (d1) measured along the long axis and a second dimension (d2) measured along the short axis. In an embodiment, L is greater than d1, and W is less than d2.
US09159692B2
Various embodiments include wafer level chip scale package (WLCSP) structures and methods of tuning such structures. In some embodiments, the WLCSP structure includes: a printed circuit board (PCB) trace connection including at least one PCB ground connection connected with a PCB ground plane; a set of ground solder balls each contacting the printed circuit board trace connection; a set of chip pads contacting each of the ground solder balls in the set of ground solder balls; a chip ground plane connecting the set of chip pads; and a signal interconnect interposed between two of the set of ground solder balls, the signal interconnect including: a signal trace connection electrically isolated from the PCB ground plane; a signal ball contacting the signal PCB trace connection; a chip pad contacting the signal ball, and a signal trace connection on a chip contacting the chip pad.
US09159691B2
A semiconductor package includes a substrate having a first surface, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and an opening formed between the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate. One or more bonding wires electrically couple a first surface of a semiconductor die included in the semiconductor package to the first surface of the substrate through an opening of the substrate. A first electrically insulative structure is disposed to substantially fill an area between the first surface of the semiconductor die, the second surface of the substrate, and one or more interconnect bumps that electrically couple the semiconductor die to the substrate. The first electrically insulative structure substantially encapsulates the one or more bonding wires and substantially fills the opening of the substrate.
US09159680B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a circuit unit on an upper surface thereof, a metal pad electrically connected to the circuit unit, and a passivation layer that covers the circuit unit and exposes the metal pad, forming a first re-wiring layer that is electrically connected to the metal pad and is formed by a printing method to extend from the metal pad on the passivation layer and forming a second re-wiring layer on the first re-wiring layer using the first re-wiring layer as a seed by using an electro-plating process.
US09159676B2
A power module includes: a base plate having a front surface provided with positioning wire bonding portions; an insulating substrate provided with hole portions accommodating the positioning wire bonding portions on a side of a back surface facing the base plate, and fixed to the base plate with being positioned with respect to the base plate by the hole portions accommodating the positioning wire bonding portions; and a semiconductor chip arranged on a side of a front surface of the insulating substrate opposite to the back surface.
US09159674B2
A first bonding material layer is formed on a first substrate and a second bonding material layer is formed on a second substrate. The first and second bonding material layers include a metal. Ions are implanted into the first and second bonding material layers to induce structural damages in the in the first and second bonding material layers. The first and second substrates are bonded by forming a physical contact between the first and second bonding material layers. The structural damages in the first and second bonding material layers enhance diffusion of materials across the interface between the first and second bonding material layers to form a bonded material layer in which metal grains are present across the bonding interface, thereby providing a high adhesion strength across the first and second substrates.
US09159672B1
A method includes forming through vias in a substrate of an array. Nubs of the through vias are exposed from a backside surface of the substrate. A backside passivation layer is applied to enclose the nubs. Laser-ablated artifacts are formed in the backside passivation layer to expose the nubs. Circuit features are formed within the laser-ablated artifacts. By forming the circuit features within the laser-ablated artifacts in the backside passivation layer, the cost of fabricating the array is minimized. More particularly, the number of operations to form the embedded circuit features is minimized thus minimizing fabrication cost of the array.
US09159667B2
An e-fuse device disclosed herein includes an anode and a cathode that are conductively coupled to the doped region formed in a substrate, wherein the anode includes a first metal silicide region positioned on the doped region and a first conductive metal-containing contact that is positioned above and coupled to the first metal silicide region, and the cathode includes a second metal silicide region positioned on the doped region and a second conductive metal-containing contact that is positioned above and conductively coupled to the second metal silicide region. A method disclosed herein includes forming a doped region in a substrate for an e-fuse device and performing at least one common process operation to form a first conductive structure on the doped region of the e-fuse device and a second conductive structure on a source/drain region of a transistor.
US09159664B2
A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to: a wiring hoard; and first and second chips stacked over the wiring board. The wiring board includes a plurality of first data terminals and a plurality of second data terminals. One of the first and second chips is sandwiched between the wiring board and the other of the first and second chips. The first chip includes a plurality of first data pads. The second chip includes a plurality of second data pads and a plurality of third data pads. The first data terminals of the wiring board are electrically connected respectively to the first data pads of the first chip and further respectively to the second data pads of the second chip. The second data terminals are electrically connected respectively to the third data pads of the second chip and electrically disconnected from the first chip.
US09159662B2
High aspect ratio trenches may be filled with metal that grows more from the bottom than the top of the trench. As a result, the tendency to form seams or to close of the trench at the top during filling may be reduced in some embodiments. Material that encourages the growth of metal may be formed in the trench at the bottom, while leaving the region of the trench near the top free of such material to encourage growth upwardly from the bottom.
US09159655B2
A lead frame for mounting LED elements includes a frame body region and a large number of package regions arranged in multiple rows and columns in the frame body region. The package regions each include a die pad on which an LED element is to be mounted and a lead section adjacent to the die pad, the package regions being further constructed to be interconnected via a dicing region. The die pad in one package region and the lead section in another package region upward or downward adjacent to the package region of interest are connected to each other by an inclined reinforcement piece positioned in the dicing region.
US09159654B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having opposed main and back surfaces; first and second electrodes in a device region of the substrate, and spaced apart from each other; a metal film on the main surface and joined to the second electrode; an air gap between part of the main surface and the metal film, enveloping the first electrode, and having an opening; a cured resin closing the opening; a liquid repellent film increasing contact angle of the resin, relative to contact angles on the substrate and the metal film; a first metal film joined to the metal film, covering the metal film and the cured resin, and joined to an outer peripheral region of the substrate, at a periphery of the device region; and a second metal film on the back surface and connected to the first electrode through a via hole penetrating the substrate.
US09159653B2
A structure and method of making the structure. The structure includes a dielectric layer on a substrate; a first wire formed in a first trench in the dielectric layer, a first liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the first trench and a first copper layer filling all remaining space in the first trench; a second wire formed in a second trench in the dielectric layer, a second liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the second trench and a second copper layer filling all remaining space in the second trench; and an electromigration stop formed in a third trench in the dielectric layer, a third liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the third trench and a third copper layer filling all remaining space in the third trench, the electromigration stop between and abutting respective ends of the first and second wires.
US09159651B2
A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip on a substrate and having a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs). A second semiconductor chip having an active layer is on the first semiconductor chip. An adhesive layer is between the first semiconductor chip and the active layer. Connection terminals extend through the adhesive layer and are connected to the TSVs and the active layer. Side surfaces of the adhesive layer are aligned with side surfaces of the second semiconductor chip.
US09159643B2
A method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a lead frame based thermally enhanced flip chip package with an exposed heat spreader lid array (310) designed for direct attachment to an array of integrated circuit die (306) by including a thermal interface adhesion layer (308) to each die (306) and encapsulating the attached heat spreader lid array (310) and array of integrated circuit die (306) with mold compound (321) except for planar upper lid surfaces of the heat spreader lids (312).
US09159640B2
At least a part of a heat radiation member (9) connected to a DRAM (11) for radiating heat of the DRAM (11) is exposed from a protection member (4) arranged to surround the DRAM and the heat radiation member (9) so as to protect the DRAM (11). Thus, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device having a preferable heat radiation performance.
US09159631B2
A method of fabricating a composite semiconductor structure includes providing a first substrate comprising a first material and having a first surface and forming a plurality of pedestals extending to a predetermined height in a direction normal to the first surface. The method also includes attaching a plurality of elements comprising a second material to each of the plurality of pedestals, providing a second substrate having one or more structures disposed thereon, and aligning the first substrate and the second substrate. The method further includes joining the first substrate and the second substrate to form the composite substrate structure and removing at least a portion of the first substrate from the composite substrate structure.
US09159625B1
Disclosed is a semiconductor device. For instance, the semiconductor device includes a main via formed on a dielectric and a ground via formed in a circular arc shape and spaced apart from the main via. The semiconductor device is superior in electric characteristics such as insertion loss or reflection loss and allows efficient use of space.
US09159616B2
A silicon carrier space transformer assembly includes one or more silicon structures, which provide space transformer scaling to permit interconnection for fine pitch input/output interconnections with a semiconductor die or wafer, and fine pitch test probe tips connected to the one or more silicon structures.
US09159605B2
A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
US09159604B2
A method includes forming a recess in a substrate and filling a dielectric layer in the recess. The method further includes forming a capping layer over the substrate and the dielectric layer. A top portion of the capping layer is then removed, while leaving a bottom portion of the capping layer over the dielectric layer. A gate structure is then formed over the remaining capping layer.
US09159596B2
Apparatus and methods for mechanically cleaving a bonded wafer structure are disclosed. The apparatus and methods involve clamps that grip the bonded wafer structure and are actuated to cause the bonded structure to cleave.
US09159583B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of electrodes on a growth substrate on which first and second nitride semiconductor layers are sequentially stacked, forming upper metal layers on the plurality of electrodes respectively, removing the growth substrate to expose a lower surface of the first nitride semiconductor layer, and forming a third nitride semiconductor layer and a lower metal layer sequentially on the exposed lower surface of the first nitride semiconductor layer.
US09159573B2
Systems and methods are provided for preparing a plurality of slurry particles. The system includes: a tank configured to contain and provide the slurry particles, a sampling module configured to sample at least one slurry particle within the tank and obtain at least one parameter related to a particle size, and a controller coupled to the tank and the sampling module, configured to vibrate the slurry particles within the tank based on the at least one parameter.
US09159564B2
A method of shielding through silicon vias (TSVs) in a passive interposer includes doping a substrate with positive ions, and implanting positive ions in an upper portion of the substrate, such that the substrate has at least a p-doped portion and a heavily p-doped upper portion. The method further includes forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) above the heavily p-doped upper portion. The method further includes forming a plurality of through silicon vias (TSVs) through the ILD and the substrate, such that the passive interposer is configured to electrically couple at least one structure above and below the passive interposer. The method further includes forming, between pairs of TSVs of the plurality of TSVs, a plurality of shielding lines through the interlayer dielectric, the shielding lines configured to electrically couple the heavily p-doped upper portion of the substrate and at least one interconnect structure above the ILD.
US09159563B2
A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a step of arranging a plurality of processing objects on a first tray and a second tray adjacent to the first tray, a plurality of application steps in which application of an application substance to the plurality of processing objects is repeated a certain number of times by emitting the application substance from an application device formed right above a contact position at which the first tray and the second tray contact each other, by swinging the application device along a first direction across the contact position, and by moving the first tray and the second tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and an interchange step of interchanging the first tray and the second tray in position without changing the directions of the first tray and the second tray corresponding to the second direction, the interchange step being executed at least one time among the plurality of application steps.
US09159557B2
The present disclosure provides methods and systems for mitigating print-out defects that result during semiconductor simulation and/or fabrication. One of the methods disclosed herein includes steps of receiving a first desired sub-layout and a second desired sub-layout and of optimizing the first desired sub-layout and the second desired sub-layout to generate a first optimized sub-layout and a second optimized sub-layout. The method further includes simulating the first optimized sub-layout and the second optimized sub-layout and of identifying one or more print-out defects in the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout. By comparing the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout it may be determined whether or not print-out defects in the simulated second optimized sub-layout are covered by the first desired sub-layout such that the first optimized sub-layout may be used to pattern material layers.
US09159555B2
A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a unit to calculate a predetermined function expression by a correction coefficient that corrects an open area of each opening for forming a beam group, wherein the predetermined function expression minimizes a sum of squared values of all the beam groups, where each of the squared values is calculated by squaring a difference between a current value measured of the beam group and a sum of products for the beam group, where each of the products is obtained by multiplying a corrected open area by the predetermined function expression; a unit to calculate the correction coefficient that corrects the open area by using the predetermined function expression and the current value of the beam, for each beam; and a unit to calculate a current density of each of the multiple beams by the predetermined function expression.
US09159542B2
An ion source apparatus for a mass spectrometer comprises a refractory metal filament operable to provide a flow of electrons by thermionic emission; an electrical current source electrically coupled to the filament for heating the filament; a vacuum chamber enclosing the filament; an ionization volume within the vacuum chamber capable of receiving the flow of electrons; a source of an oxygen-providing gas or gases; a restrictive fluidic coupling to the source of oxygen-providing gas or gases; and a gas conduit fluidically coupled to the restrictive fluidic coupling, the restrictive fluidic coupling and conduit operable to provide a flow of the oxygen-providing gas or gases into the vacuum chamber so as to maintain a partial pressure of said gas or gases within the vacuum chamber that is sufficiently high so as to inhibit the otherwise formation of a carbonaceous growth on the filament in the presence of a gaseous carbon-containing material.
US09159540B2
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
US09159536B2
A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container and a plasma generating mechanism including a high-frequency oscillator. The arrangement is configured to generate plasma within the processing container by using a high frequency wave oscillated by the high-frequency oscillator. In addition, an impedance regulator is configured to adjust impedance to be applied to the high-frequency oscillator. Further, a determining unit is configured to change the impedance to be adjusted by the impedance regulator and to determine an abnormal oscillation of the high-frequency oscillator based on (a) a component of a center frequency of a fundamental wave that is the high frequency wave oscillated by the high-frequency oscillator, and (b) a component of a peripheral frequency present at both ends of a predetermined frequency band centered around the center frequency of the fundamental wave in a state where the impedance is changed.
US09159531B2
The invention relates to a sample carrier for a transmission electron microscope. When using state of the art sample carriers, such as half-moon grids in combination with detectors detecting, for example, X-rays emitted at a large emittance angle, shadowing is a problem. Similar problems occur when performing tomography, in which the sample is rotated over a large angle.The invention provides a solution to shadowing by forming the parts of the grid bordering the interface between sample and grid as tapering parts.
US09159527B2
In one aspect the invention provides a gas field ion source assembly that includes an ion source in connection with an optical column such that an ion beam generated at the ion source travels through the optical column. The ion source includes an emitter having a width that tapers to a tip comprising a few atoms. In other aspects, the methods provide for manufacturing, maintaining and enhancing the performance of a gas field ion source including sharpening the tip of the ion source in situ.
US09159521B1
A dual-reflector assembly includes an upper reflector and a lower reflector. The upper reflector includes a proximal end and a distal end. The lower reflector includes a proximal end and a distal end. A light source is positioned between the proximal ends of the upper reflector and the lower reflector. The upper reflector surrounds at least a portion of the lower reflector. The shape and orientation of the dual-reflector assembly can be formed by placing a cup reflector having an upper edge profile and a lower edge profile a predetermined distance away from a rotational axis and at a desired orientation, rotating the cup reflector around the rotational axis, obtaining the shape and orientation of the upper reflector and the lower reflector from the rotating upper edge profile and the rotating lower edge profile, respectively.
US09159514B2
A relay connector assembly configured to electrically connect a power supply and a load includes a housing having a bottom configured to be mounted to a circuit board, the housing having contact cavities. Power contacts are received in corresponding contact cavities and held by the housing. The power contacts have relay tab ends and terminating ends having interfaces configured to be terminated to high current power conductors of either the power supply or the load. A relay is coupled to the housing. The relay has coil contacts configured to be electrically connected to a coil circuit of the circuit board used to energize the relay. The relay has relay tabs being terminated to the relay tab ends of corresponding power contacts. The relay electrically connects corresponding power contacts when the relay is energized.
US09159508B2
A switchgear device having a single-pole breaking unit which includes one of a pair of stationary contacts connected to a line-side current conductor, a movable contact bridge for closing and opening the stationary contacts, a line-side panel, a load-side panel opposite the line-side panel and two opposing lateral-side panels, which panels surround the stationary contacts and contact bridge, and form arc extinguishing chambers with a stationary contact within each chamber, an opening volume between chambers, and a quenching gas exhaust channel connected to a chamber, and opening through the line-side panel, which is opposite another load-side panel for contact with a trip device.
US09159505B2
An electric storage device, including: an electrode assembly having at least one protrusion portion, the protrusion portion being formed of an end portion of any one of a positive electrode foil and a negative electrode foil and protruding in a laminated state from a side end of the other electrode foil of the both electrode foils; a current collector having a contact portion in contact with the protrusion portion; and a metal material that joins the protrusion portion by interposing the protrusion portion between the contact portion of the current collector and the metal material, wherein at least an end region in one direction along the opposing face is displaced in a direction away from the contact portion of the current collector than a central region of the opposing face is.
US09159499B2
The present invention relates to the use of at least one imidazol derivative of formula I or 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1H-imidazole, 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1,2,3-triazole or 1-(2′-thioethyl)ethylimidazole as additive in dye-sensitized solar cells and to special electrolyte formulations and a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising at least one compound of formula I or 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1H-imidazole, 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1,2,3-triazole or 1-(2′-thioethyl)ethylimidazole.
US09159498B2
The invention relates to processes for the preparation of electrode compositions, especially those intended for use in supercapacitors. A process is provided for preparing lithium sulphite comprising the steps of:—a) introducing H2SO3 (aq) into a reaction vessel; b) reacting the H2SO3 (aq) with an aqueous suspension of Li2CO3 in the vessel to form an aqueous solution of Li2—CO3; and c) evaporating the solution to recover Li2CO3(s), wherein at least steps a) and b) are conducted under an inert atmosphere. Preferably, in step b) H2SO3 (aq) and Li2CO3 (aq) are reacted with each other in substantially equimolar amounts. There is also provided a process for forming an electrode material comprising a complexing step of causing lithium sulphite to form SO3 complexes at active N sites of a nitrogen-carbon structure, in the presence of a selected amount of a sink that absorbs the liberated lithium, so as to form the N:SO3 complexed electrode material. Preferably, the nitrogen-carbon structure is thermally restructured polyacrylonitrile (TR-PAN) or a copolymer thereof.
US09159492B2
A laminated ceramic capacitor that includes dielectric layers stacked adjacent one another to form a laminated body; internal electrodes arranged between the dielectric layers; external electrodes along surfaces of the laminated body and connected to the internal electrodes; and a covering layer covering at least portions of sections of the laminated body between the laminated body and edges of the external electrodes. The external electrodes include a silver-containing layer containing at least Ag as its main constituent. The dielectric layers and the covering layer 30 contain, as their main constituent, a perovskite compound represented by a chemical formula ABO3, wherein A is at least one of Ba, Sr, and Ca, and B is at least one of Ti, Zr, and Hf. V is added to only the dielectric layers among the dielectric layers and the covering layer.
US09159491B2
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component including a ceramic body including dielectric layers, and first and second internal electrodes formed within the ceramic body and disposed to face each other having the respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween, wherein in a cross-section of the ceramic body in a length-thickness (L-T) direction, when an area of non-electrode regions in cover part internal electrodes among the first and second internal electrodes is defined as Acover and an area of non-electrode regions in center part internal electrodes among the first and second internal electrodes is defined as Acenter, a ratio of Acenter to Acover satisfies 0.33≦Acenter/Acover≦0.95.
US09159487B2
A linear electromagnetic device, such as an inductor, transformer or the similar device, may include a core in which a magnetic flux is generable. The device may also include an opening through the core. The device may additionally include a primary conductor received in the opening and extending through the core. The primary conductor may include a substantially square or rectangular cross-section. An electrical current flowing through the primary conductor generates a magnetic field about the primary conductor, wherein substantially the entire magnetic field is absorbed by the core to generate the magnetic flux in the core.
US09159486B2
A core for a wire-wound electronic component. The core has a winding base to be wound with a wire, and flanges located at both ends of the winding base in an extending direction of the winding base. The flanges protrude from the winding base in a first direction perpendicular to the extending direction. Each of the flanges has a plurality of protrusions on a first surface at a side of the flange in the first direction. An inclined surface is provided to extend from the first surface of each of the flanges to a second surface of the winding base at a side of the winding base in the first direction.
US09159472B2
A twinax cable is described. The twinax cable has at least one twinax wire pair with a first shield tape wrapped around it and then surrounded by a second shield tape wrapped around the twinax wire pair and the first shield tape. The shield tapes are wrapped such that the metallic sides of the tape face and make contact with each other.
US09159450B2
A sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises an amplifier circuit receiving a reflected voltage for generating a first signal. A first switch and a first capacitor are utilized to generate a second signal in response to the reflected voltage. A sample-signal circuit generates a sample signal in response to the disable of a switching signal. The switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter. The feedback signal is generated in accordance with the second signal. The sample signal is utilized to control the first switch for sampling the reflected voltage. The sample signal is disabled once the first signal is lower than the second signal. The sampling circuit precisely samples the reflected voltage of the transformer of the power converter for regulating the output of the power converter.
US09159448B2
A shift register unit, a shift register and the scanning method thereof, and a display device are disclosed. Bidirectional scanning can be achieved while the number of the switches used in the shift register could be reduced, and the spaces are saved. Furthermore, the problem of large coupled noise voltage is solved, and the performance of the shift register is improved. The circuit comprises: a second switch connected with a first switch; a fourth switch connected with a third switch; a fifth switch connected with a sixth switch; a first input and a eighth switch connected with a seventh switch; a output end and a ninth switch connected with the eighth switch; an eleventh, a twelfth, and a thirteenth switch connected with a tenth switch; a fourteenth switch connected with the thirteenth switch; a fifteenth switch connected with the fourteenth switch; a capacitor positioned between a first node and a second nodes.
US09159447B2
The present disclosure relates to a field of display. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention disclose a shift register unit, a shift register, an array substrate and a display apparatus that enable the respective shift register units to be reset independently. The shift register unit includes a sampling part, an output part and a reset part, wherein the sampling part includes a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor, the output part includes a fifth switching transistor, a sixth switching transistor, a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and the reset part includes a third switching transistor and a fourth transistor.
US09159444B2
A semiconductor device includes at least one first row selection line, at least one column selection line that intersects with the first row selection line, and a first fuse circuit including a first fuse array, and suitable for outputting a first fuse signal programmed in the first fuse array by using an external voltage as a source voltage in a power-up mode, wherein the first fuse array includes at least one first fuse cell coupled with the first row selection line and the column selection line.
US09159440B2
Provided is a method for reading data from a nonvolatile memory device. In the method, a read method includes a first read step including reading a first memory cell of the nonvolatile memory device by applying a first set of read voltages to the first memory cell. The read method further includes a second read step including reading the first memory cell by applying a second set of read voltages and none of the voltages in the first set to the first memory cell when it is determined that the first read step results in an error and cannot be corrected with error correction. The second read step is performed by using data resulting from the first read step.
US09159436B2
A non-volatile memory device includes a first selection transistor, a second selection transistor, and a plurality of memory cells serially coupled between the first selection transistor and the second selection transistor. A reading method of the non-volatile memory device includes applying a read voltage to a gate of a selected memory cell; applying a first pass voltage to a gate of a memory cell adjacent to the selected memory cell, and applying a second pass voltage to gates of the other memory cells, wherein the selected memory cell is in one program state among first to Tth program states in a direction that threshold voltage is increased, where T is a natural number greater than 2, and the first pass voltage is decreased as the selected memory cell goes toward the Tth program state.
US09159435B2
The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array that includes a plurality of cell strings coupled between a common source line and a plurality of bit lines, a peripheral circuit that reads data stored in a selected memory cell, a bouncing detection circuit that compares a voltage supplied to the common source line and a reference voltage to thereby output a detection signal while performing a reading operation, and a control circuit that controls the peripheral circuit in order to perform the reading operation by adjusting the number of sensing operation times in accordance with the detection signal.
US09159432B2
In method of programming a nonvolatile memory device including first and second cell strings that are coupled to one bitline, a first channel of the first cell string and a second channel of the second cell string are precharged by applying a first voltage to the bitline, one cell string is selected from the first and second cell strings, and a memory cell included in the selected cell string is programmed by applying a second voltage greater than a ground voltage and less than the first voltage to the bitline.
US09159429B2
A data storage system and a method of operating the same are provided. The method includes performing a program operation on a first page of the pages of a memory block, deciding, when power is switched on after a sudden power-off is generated while the program operation is performed, whether to skip the program operation on a first erase page of the pages based on a second page on which the program operation is performed subsequent to the first page, and performing the program operation on the second page.
US09159420B1
Systems and methods are provided for a content addressable memory. A system includes a common memory module configured to store a plurality of entries, ones of the entries being defined by a string of bits. A first parallel compare logic unit is configured to compare a first lookup key against a plurality of entries stored in the memory module in a first memory operation cycle and to output a match indication indicating a match between the first lookup key and the string of bits of an entry from among the plurality of entries. A second parallel compare logic unit is configured to compare, in the first memory operation cycle, a second lookup key against the plurality of entries stored in the memory module and to output a match indication indicating a match between the second lookup key and the string of bits of an entry from among the plurality of entries.
US09159415B2
The disclosed technology relates to a non-volatile resistive memory device and a method of using the same. In one aspect, the memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells interconnected by a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of source lines and a plurality of form lines. The memory device further comprises a memory controller connected to and configured to apply voltages to the bit lines, the word lines, the source lines and the form lines. In addition, each of the memory cells comprises a cell selecting transistor and a resistive memory element serially connected to a drain-source path of the cell selecting transistor. Furthermore, each of the memory cells comprises a boosting capacitor configured to provide a boosting a voltage to an internal node formed at a connection point between the resistive memory element and the cell selecting transistor.
US09159412B1
A method for storing a data value in a memory cell is provided. The data value includes one of a first data value and a second data value respectively represented by a first and a second programmable resistance ranges. The method includes, within a write cycle, storing the first data value in the memory cell by applying a first verify operation having a first verify period and a first write operation having a first write period, or storing the second data value in the memory cell by applying a second verify operation having a second verify period longer than the first verify period and a second write operation having a second write period shorter than the first write period. The write cycle is shorter than a sum of the first write period and the second verify period.
US09159411B2
A multi-level memory apparatus includes two or more current paths configured to pass currents having different levels, a memory cell selectively coupled to the two or more current paths, and a cell current copy unit configured to copy a cell current flowing through the memory cell.
US09159410B1
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a device and methods of accessing the device. The device can include a plurality of memory cells, each cell including a plurality of resistive memory components each designed to store data as resistance and an access transistor configured to control access to the plurality of resistive memory components. A wordline is configured to enable access to the set of resistor memory components by enabling the access transistor. A plurality of bitlines are each connected to a respective and different set of resistive memory components from each of the plurality of memory cells. A bitline controller is configured to access the plurality of resistive memory components by applying a first voltage to a first set of the plurality of bitlines and a second voltage to a second set of bitlines.
US09159398B2
A semiconductor device may include a first memory cell connected to a bit-line and a first word-line, a second memory cell connected to a complementary bit-line and a second word-line, and an equalizer. The equalizer may be configured to transition a voltage of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from a first voltage to a second voltage different from the first voltage at a first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, and to transition the voltage of at least one of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from the second voltage to a third voltage at a second time period after the first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, the third voltage being different from the first and second voltages.
US09159391B1
Systems and methods relating to memory and/or memory latching are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, an illustrative memory device may include self-timed pulse generator circuitry, first input latch circuitry, read/write control circuitry, and second input latch circuitry. According to further implementations herein, fast address access for read and write may be provided in the same cycle via a self-timed pulse in the input latch circuit and/or via associated control/scheme from the control circuit.
US09159384B2
An memory device includes a bit line, an NMOS transistor configured to supply a voltage of a pull-up voltage terminal to the bit line in response to a voltage level of the bit line and a PMOS transistor configured to supply a voltage of a pull-down voltage terminal to the bit line in response to the voltage level of the bit line.
US09159381B2
A circuit includes a first reference pair that includes a first path and a second path. The first path includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element, and the second path includes a second MTJ element. The circuit further includes a second reference pair that includes a third path and a fourth path. The third path includes a third MTJ element, and the fourth path includes a fourth MTJ element. The first reference pair and the second reference pair are tied together in parallel. A reference resistance of the circuit is based on a resistance of each of the first, second, third, and fourth MTJ elements. The reference resistance of the circuit is adjustable by adjusting a resistance of one of the MTJ elements.
US09159378B2
Disclosed is a monitoring system that includes at least one performance monitor integrated into a semiconductor die. The performance monitor comprises at least one ring oscillator that includes a plurality of stages. Each stage comprises at least one memory device. In one embodiment, the performance monitor may also include a setting circuit that has a burn-in input and an enable input. The setting circuit is capable of setting an input signal of the at least one ring oscillator to a reference voltage level. The performance monitor is configured to produce a ring delay that is characterized by a performance of the at least one memory device. The ring delay may be utilized to scale an operating voltage of the at least one memory device on the semiconductor die.
US09159364B1
Systems and methods for media aggregation are disclosed herein. The system includes a media system that can transform media items into one aggregated media item. A synchronization component synchronizes media items with respect to time. The synchronized media items can be analyzed and transformed into an aggregated media item for storage and/or display. In one implementation, the aggregated media item is capable of being displayed in multiple ways to create an enhanced and customizable viewing and/or listening experience.
US09159362B2
A system and method for providing a plurality of frames from a video, the video having been taken from a first person's perspective, identifying patterns of attention depicted by living beings appearing in the plurality of frames, identifying social interactions associated with the plurality of frames using the identified patterns of attention over a period of time and using the identified social interactions to affect the subsequent use, storage, presentation, or processing of the plurality of frames.
US09159360B2
Disclosed is a technique of providing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium in which high-quality servo information enabling high-density recording of 500 kTPI or more is recorded, and a magnetic storage device of an adaptive track formatting type having large capacity, high reliability and high performance with high device manufacturing yield. At a servo area of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium, a servo sequence such as a burst pattern for positioning in a servo track is recorded in a seamless manner without big recording footprint (several times longer than the servo bit) and in a magnetization pattern such that a total amount of the recording magnetization is substantially zero.
US09159357B2
A storage library is described that includes a shelf system adapted to support a number of tape cartridges. The storage library further includes a tape drive adapted to read and write data to and from tape cartridges. The storage library further possesses a temporary repository near the tape drive that is adapted to facilitate an exchange of a first tape cartridge intended to be loaded in the tape drive with a second tape cartridge ready to be removed from the tape drive with a single tape picker device.
US09159354B2
A method of fabricating a magnetic recording medium by sequentially forming a magnetic recording layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer on a stacked body, includes forming the lubricant by depositing a first lubricant on the stacked body after forming the protection layer, by vapor-phase lubrication deposition, without exposing the stacked body to atmosphere, and depositing a second lubricant that is dissolved in an organic solvent onto the stacked body after depositing the first lubricant.
US09159347B1
A method according to one embodiment includes generating track following controller state information based on a positional signal of a head relative to a medium. One or more portions of the state information corresponding to particular frequencies are used to determine at least one of: lateral tape movement, tape skew, vibration operation conditions, and roller performance.
US09159343B2
A hard drive gimbal trace circuit includes: a stainless steel gimbal strut (SGST) configured to support a transducer and nullify a natural pitch angle of a flexure from mechanical-coarse adjustment of the SGST; traces forming a trace structure, and being plastically deformed at a high strain region from the mechanical-coarse adjustment of the SGST; and a first protrusion and a second protrusion being at least partially disposed under the high strain region. The SGST has an edge which is disposed on the transducer side to be spaced apart from the traces in the high strain region and extends substantially parallel to the traces. The first protrusion and the second protrusion extend from the edge in an orthogonal direction to an extending direction of the traces and across the traces, and are disposed side by side in the extending direction of the traces.
US09159342B2
According to an embodiment, a magnetic recording apparatus includes following elements. The spin torque oscillator generates a first oscillating magnetic field. The recording medium unit includes one or more recording medium layers which are stacked, each of the one or more recording medium layers including a recording medium and spin-wave lines each of which generates a second oscillating magnetic field. The write magnetic field source generates a write magnetic field. The controller is configured to control the spin torque oscillator, the spin-wave lines, and the write magnetic field source to simultaneously apply the write magnetic field, and the first and second oscillating magnetic fields to target medium magnetization in the recording medium.
US09159332B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding an audio signal. Sections which are not used to output noise components near important spectral components and sub-bands which are not used to output noise components, are determined to be encoded or decoded, so that the efficiency of encoding and decoding an audio signal increases, and sound quality can be improved using less bits.
US09159330B2
In an audio encoding system that divides frames generated from input signals into multiple scale factor bands and that encodes each of the scale factor bands by using a scale factor, the invention provides a rate control apparatus that performs rate control based on an NMR, the rate control apparatus comprising an NMR determination unit that determines an NMR that does not exceed a target rate by a binary search; and a scale factor determination unit that determines, by a binary search, the largest scale factor corresponding to the NMR determined by the NMR determination unit and a rate. Each time the NMR determination unit selects an NMR candidate value that acts as a candidate when the NMR determination unit searches for an NMR by a binary search, the scale factor determination unit determines the scale factor corresponding to the NMR candidate value.
US09159313B2
A playback control apparatus includes a playback controller configured to control playback of first content and second content. The first content is to output first sound which is generated based on text information using speech synthesis processing. The second content is to output second sound which is generated not using the speech synthesis processing. The playback controller causes an attribute of content to be played back to be displayed on the screen, the attribute indicating whether or not the content is to output sound which is generated based on text information using speech synthesis processing.
US09159301B2
A display device generates a combined display that is viewable by the driver of a vehicle. The combined display may be composed of a plurality of displays, wherein one or more overlaying displays appear partially or completely in front of a first display, each overlaying display having an opaque portion that conveys information and a substantially transparent portion through which the first display is viewable. One or more monitors may generate the first display and overlaying displays. A monitor may be divided into multiple screens to generate a plurality of the displays. A screen that generates the first display may be directly viewable by the driver, while the screens the generate the overlaying displays may be outside the driver's line of sight. The display device may include one or more reflecting surfaces and one or more refracting surfaces for directing the overlaying displays into the driver's line of sight.
US09159292B2
A display panel includes setting gate lines to which a setting gate signal is applied, charging gate lines to which a charging gate signal is applied; data lines to which a data voltage is applied, and pixels connected to the setting gate lines, the charging gate lines and the data lines, where each of the pixels includes a first switching element connected to a corresponding setting gate line and a corresponding data line, a control capacitor configured to charge an output voltage of the first switching element, an amplifying part configured to amplify the output voltage of the first switching element charged at the control capacitor, a power supplying part connected to a corresponding charging gate line and configured to supply power to the amplifying part, and a liquid crystal capacitor configured to charge an output voltage of the amplifying part.
US09159285B2
A display device having a repair structure that makes a defective pixel operate as a normal pixel in a display panel.
US09159282B2
A method of canceling an offset of display device includes coinciding offset directions of amplifiers with one another and canceling offsets of the amplifiers through a chopping operation.
US09159274B2
A system and a method for updating an electronic paper display are disclosed. A memory includes a waveform table and a transition matrix including multiple pixels, each representing a pixel of the electronic paper display. A page transition display system is coupled to the memory and identifies waveforms from the waveform table associated with multiple transition matrix pixels by processing multiple transition matrix pixels in parallel. For example, the page transition display system loads multiple transition matrix pixels into a register and accesses the waveform table using the contents of the register. Using the identified waveforms, the page transition display system generates control signals used to modify the electronic paper device.
US09159271B2
An illumination device includes a metal base substrate in a flat planar shape, a plurality of LED modules, and a driving unit which drives each of the LEDs arranged on the metal base substrate. The LED modules have an organic substrate, a plurality of LEDs which are arranged on the organic substrate, a metal member, LED control signal terminals which are set on the edge of the organic substrate, and voltage feed terminals which are set on the edge of the organic substrate. The metal member corresponds to each LED and to which the heat from the LEDs is conducted, and which is electrically connected via a switch element from an electrode of the LED, and which penetrates the organic substrate toward its width direction from the LED mounting surface of the organic substrate and is exposed from the opposite surface.
US09159269B2
A display device includes: a reflective image display unit having a display region provided with an array of pixels; an illumination unit that illuminates the display region of the image display unit; and a light control unit that controls the intensity of the illumination light from the illumination unit according to ambient illuminance.
US09159266B2
A pixel, a display device including the same, and a driving method thereof are provided. The display device includes: a display unit including pixels connected to corresponding scan lines and corresponding data lines; a scan driver sequentially generating and transmitting scan signals respectively corresponding to the pixels; a data driver generating and transmitting data voltages according to corresponding image data signals to a plurality of data lines during one frame; a first power source voltage driver respectively applying a first power source voltage to the pixels; a second power source voltage driver respectively applying a second power source voltage to the pixels; and a signal controller controlling the operation of the drivers, wherein a predetermined reference voltage is transmitted through data lines during a remaining period of one frame other than a period in which the data voltage is transmitted.
US09159258B2
A display device, and an optical compensation system and an optical compensation method thereof. A display device including a display panel including pixels; and a display driving circuit for driving the display panel and including: a storage unit for storing defect pixel information indicating which of the pixels are detected as defect pixels based on a brightness trend line of the pixels, and for storing compensation parameters regarding the defect pixels; and a brightness compensation unit for converting image data corresponding to the defect pixels according to the defect pixel information and the compensation parameters.
US09159251B2
Embodiments of the invention affix numbering indicators to clothing of competitors during competitive events. A strong magnetic attraction in conjunction with an interaction between a projection on the bottom surface of a top magnetically attractive member and a hole in the bottom magnetically attractive member resists movement of the numbering indicator, while allowing lateral repositioning. The two magnetically attractive members can be encased in a water-resistant material to prevent degradation or discoloration by exposure to sweat. A graphical layer affixed to the upper surface of the top magnetically attractive member can display a custom visual depiction, such as a brand logo or advertisement. Additionally, a transparent layer can be affixed to the graphical layer to protect it from degradation while also permitting a substantially clear view of the visual depiction.
US09159250B2
A label sheet assembly including a liner sheet, a carrier sheet, and a facestock sheet. The facestock sheet includes cut lines defining labels and cut lines defining at least a portion of a carrier strip. The carrier sheet can include cut lines defining at least a portion of the carrier strip. The carrier strip can be removed from the label sheet assembly to expose at least a portion of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the labels. The label sheet assembly has a uniform thickness in an area that includes the carrier strip and the labels.
US09159249B2
A system for facilitating preparation of medication doses comprising a container of for receiving a quantity of medication, the container having color bands extending circumferentially therearound to facilitate preparing medication doses, each color band corresponding to a predetermined dosage of medication.
US09159241B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus for Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) are disclosed. By optimally integrating new SILS capabilities on existing aircraft systems and equipment, the systems, methods, and apparatus of this disclosure affect primarily one system, the MMR, and certain aircraft wiring reconfiguration and leave most of the other airplane systems as well as pilot (flight crew) training substantially unaffected. Unlike existing solutions that are based on a classical approach of new capability integration by providing associated new landing modes that are uniquely identified, the disclosure provides only a single mode to the pilot by moving all mode-specific functionality to onboard computers such as MMRs.
US09159235B2
A driver assistance system includes a sensor that detects objects and/or characteristics of objects in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, and an object recognition unit that evaluates data from the sensor to produce object information, and determines a confidence value indicating the probability of accuracy thereof. If the confidence value is greater than a minimum threshold but less than a predefined threshold, then the system displays the object information to the driver, who confirms or rejects it, e.g. by actuating or not actuating an operating element. Upon confirmation by the driver, the system begins or continues to perform a driver assistance function based on the object information. Upon rejection by the driver, the system does not perform or discontinues the driver assistance function based on the object information. If the confidence value exceeds the predefined threshold, then the system autonomously performs the driver assistance function.
US09159222B2
An electric appliance remote control apparatus includes a wireless module, a memory unit, a connection unit, a controlling module, a power supply unit, and a power input end. The wireless module can receive a remote control signal and convert the remote control signal into an enabling signal. The controlling module controls ON/OFF of power from the power supply unit to the connection unit according to the enabling signal. In a method using the electric appliance remote control apparatus, the connection unit is connected to an electric appliance. Monitoring programs corresponding to the electric appliance remote control apparatus are downloaded by and installed in a handheld device and provide an operation interface on a screen of the handheld device. The remote control signal is sent to the wireless module through the operation interface of the handheld device to control or monitor the electric appliance through the electric appliance remote control apparatus.
US09159219B2
A control system for a power assisted door, the electronic door control system includes an intelligent control, a plurality of sensor inputs operatively connected to the intelligent control, the plurality of sensor inputs associated with state of a plurality of mechanical components of the power assisted door, and a power drive operatively connected to the intelligent control for providing opening and closing of the power assisted door. The intelligent control is configured to monitor status of the plurality of sensor inputs and control the power drive at least partially based on the status of the plurality of sensor inputs. The intelligent control may be adapted to determine when state of the plurality of sensor inputs is indicative of one or more conditions which would preclude safe door movement. A power distribution module may also be present to assist in limiting current draw and to allow for charging.
US09159216B2
A monitor is located adjacent to a hand hygiene product dispenser and extends a sensor field adjacent to the hand hygiene product dispenser. The sensor senses activity adjacent to the hand hygiene product dispenser in the sensor field. The monitor determines whether sensed activity indicates a use of the hand hygiene product dispenser and reports a use of the dispenser to a monitoring system when a use is determined.
US09159215B1
A method and system that allows healthcare providers, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other persons to monitor disabled, elderly or other high-risk individuals to prevent or reduce falls and/or mitigate the impact of a fall by delivering automated notification of “at risk” behavior and falls by such an individual being monitored where assistance is required.
US09159213B1
A motion detection method and device are introduced. The motion detection method is adapted to detect accelerations of an intended target along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis, respectively, and determine whether the intended target is in a fallen state or is undergoing a falling motion according to a signal strength algorithm and an average force field algorithm. The motion detection device includes an acceleration sensing unit for detecting acceleration along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis; a computing unit for determining a falling motion according to the acceleration along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis; and a transmitting unit for sending a message pertaining to the falling motion.
US09159210B2
The present invention is directed to providing a method and system that enables a first responder security officer to take command and control of a building having a security incident. Using the method and system herein, the security officer is able to clearly distinguish the positions of his building entry teams in the building relative to the position of a suspect through a graphic display of friend and foe designation whereupon he can precisely direct a maneuver to close with the suspect. A group of motion sensors are mounted throughout the building to monitor various hallways for movement and collocated RFID readers are interrogated by the security alarm panel software to provide the intelligence for the security alarm control panel to distinguish a police building entry team (Friend) from the suspect (Foe).
US09159208B2
The present invention relates to a method and a system for detecting presence in a predefined space. The system comprises cascade connected sensors (s1, s2, . . . , sn), an output device (1), a control unit (2) and a processing unit (3). The method comprises the steps of activating a first sensor (s1) in the cascade and waiting until the first sensor detects presence. When presence is detected, a successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) in the cascade is activated, and when the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) also detects presence the step of activating the successive sensor is repeated until all sensors in the cascade have been activated. If the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) does not detect presence the method returns to the waiting step of the first sensor. When the ultimate sensor in the cascade (sn) detects presence, a confirmation message is sent to the output device (1).
US09159205B1
Various aspects of the present disclosure provide tamper-evident seals and methods for indicating tampering with an apparatus using the tamper-evident seals. One such tamper-evident seal includes a base layer and a pattern-release layer on a periphery area of the base layer. In such case, the pattern-release layer includes a first adhesive configured to leave a residue on the printed circuit board assembly, and the base layer has a central area that is surrounded by the periphery area and free of the first adhesive.
US09159200B2
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting a wagering game, and computer programs for initiating a wagering game are presented herein. A gaming device is presented that includes a wager input device, a display, and at least one controller. The controller executes the wagering game, which includes first and second progressive awards each associated with a respective symbol-based outcome. Each symbol-based outcome has a respective frequency of occurrence. The controller randomly determines an outcome of the wagering game. The controller initiates a progressive-award-determination sequence in response to displaying the first and/or second symbol-based outcomes. There is a first probability of awarding the first progressive award, and a second probability of awarding the second progressive award. The first initial-award amount is greater than the second initial-award amount, the first frequency of occurrence is lower than the second frequency of occurrence, and the first probability is greater than the second probability.
US09159198B2
An electronic multiplayer tournament is provided in which participating players can win real-money prizes during tournament play, that is, prizes that can be redeemed for value outside of the context of the tournament prize, in addition to overall tournament prizes at the close of tournament play. The real-money prizes may include any one or more of a jackpot prize, a progressive jackpot prize or a wide-area progressive jackpot prize. A portion of a tournament entry fee can be utilized to fund the cost of the real-money prize, in direct proportion to the probability of the real-money prize being won by a participating player.
US09159191B2
There is provided a mash-up method, system and machine-readable medium. Data associated with a wagering game network is obtained, at a first location. A determination is made whether to mash up the data. A presentation associated with the obtained data is selectively obtained based on the determination. The obtained data is mashed-up with the obtained presentation. The mashed-up presentation is transmitted for display to a display device associated with one or more patrons.
US09159189B2
A mobile gaming device may be a player's own personal tablet, smartphone, PDA, etc., with an application program installed via the internet for carrying out a remote gaming session. All gaming functions are carried out by a stationary gaming terminal communicating with the mobile device, such as by using WiFi. The mobile device operates as a user interface. If the communications link is temporarily broken during a game, the mobile device will create the appearance that the game is continuous, such as by continuing to spin reels, until communications are reestablished. The reels will stop once the mobile device receives the final outcome from the gaming terminal. The player may pause the game to temporarily suspend the minimum game frequency rules. The mobile device may switch between gaming terminals. For 3D video, the original format is adjusted for the mobile device. The gaming terminal may be a gaming machine.
US09159177B2
Device for monitoring the process of driving a vehicle consisting of at least the following: a first means of processing a signal; a second means of detecting the vehicle movement; a means for providing an HMI type of interactive display of information for the user; and a means configured for knowing the consumption characteristics of the vehicle and its technical characteristics as far as optimum theoretical behaviour; where the means for processing are configured for calculating the optimum consumption according to the characteristics of the vehicle, establishing the driving parameters required for equating the actual consumption to the optimum consumption, displaying this information to the user in the means available for display.
US09159175B2
A method for data communication between a vehicle and fuel pump includes storing vehicle operating data on an onboard recorder in the vehicle, and transmitting the vehicle operating data from the onboard recorder to the fuel pump. The vehicle operating data includes vehicle identification information.
US09159166B2
Embodiments of the invention include a method, a system, and a mobile device that incorporate augmented reality technology into land surveying, 3D laser scanning, and digital modeling processes. By incorporating the augmented reality technology, a 3D digital model of internal elements concealed behind an external element can be visualized on a live view, aligned to the orientation and scale of the scene displayed on the mobile device. In an embodiment, a marker can be placed at a predetermined set of coordinates on the external element, determined by surveying equipment. The 3D digital model of the internal elements can be retrieved by the mobile device and overlaid in relation to the marker position, orientation, and size so that it is seen at a calculated distance in depth behind the external element as they would exist hidden behind the external element in the real environment.
US09159163B2
Systems and methods for top view site map generation can include receiving a number of non-top view images of an area and generating a top view site map for the area utilizing the number of non-top view images.
US09159162B2
A method of constructing a bounding box comprises: acquiring a set of sensed data points; adding, for each sensed data point, at least one calculated data point; and defining a bounding box containing the sensed and calculated data points. A method of identifying voxels in a voxel grid corresponding to a plurality of data points comprises: calculating, for each data point, a distance between it and each voxel; creating a subset of voxels comprising voxels having a distance from one data point that is less than a predetermined distance; creating another subset comprising those voxels that neighbor a voxel in the first subset; computing, for each voxel in the second subset, a distance between it and each voxel in the first subset; and identifying each voxel in the first subset that is a distance away from each voxel in the second subset that exceeds a predetermined distance.
US09159157B2
An apparatus and method for tile binning are provided. The tile binning apparatus may include a determination unit to determine whether a triangle obtained as a result of geometric processing includes an abnormal edge, an overlap test unit to perform an overlap test with respect to each edge of the triangle when the abnormal edge is absent from the triangle, and to sort three vertices of the triangle according to Y-axis values and perform the overlap test with respect to each edge of the triangle based on a sorting result when the triangle includes the abnormal edge, and a bin array update unit to update a bin array based on an overlap test result.
US09159149B2
Data transfers within and between nodes in a distributed computing environment are visualized. In one aspect, the nodes are represented as geometrical shapes. The first part of the geometrical shape represents logic of the corresponding node. The second part of the geometrical shape represents storage of the corresponding node. A line connecting the first part and the second part represents data transfer between logic of a node and storage of a node. Both inter-node and intra-node transfers may be shown.
US09159147B2
A computer-implemented process includes: receiving into a computer memory a response to a generic question not specifically related to handwriting style; converting the response into one or more tags representing handwriting characteristics; selecting a typeface having a handwriting characteristic of one of the tags; receiving a text string to display into a computer memory; and displaying the text string by rendering glyphs from a font file containing glyphs for the selected typeface, after applying random variations to simulate human handwriting variation.
US09159143B2
A method and apparatus are provided for generating a character collage message. A character is recognized from an image. A region is extracted from the image to create a character image. The region includes the recognized character. The created character image is stored in a memory. At least the character image is output to an output unit as the character collage message in accordance with input of one or more characters through an input unit. At least one of the one or more characters corresponds to the character image, and the character image is output to the output unit as a substitute for the at least one of the one or more characters.
US09159139B2
Processing the pixel value of at least one image pixel contained in a current frame of a video sequence includes constructing an individual motion trajectory including motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel over a plurality of preceding and/or subsequent frames, and processing the pixel value based on the individual motion trajectory. Constructing the individual motion trajectory includes choosing the at least one image pixel of the current frame as a start pixel of the individual motion trajectory, and adding motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel of preceding and/or subsequent frames to the individual motion trajectory. For each of the plurality of preceding and/or subsequent frames, at least two motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel are determined, and one of the at least two motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel is selected and added to the individual motion trajectory.
US09159137B2
The present disclosure proposes a method of moving object detection in variable bit-rate video steams based on probabilistic neural networks, and the method features a background generation module and a moving object detection module. The background generation module produces a model of background images which express properties of variable bit-rate video streams. The moving object detection module distinguishes a moving object in both low and high bit-rate video steams in an efficient manner. The detection result is generated by calculating the output value of the probabilistic neural networks.
US09159136B2
A temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing an intermediate image, the apparatus including a disparity vector estimator which receives a previous image and a present images and generates a previous disparity vector and a present disparity vector for every image block of a predetermined size, and a temporal smoothing unit which receives the previous and present images and the previous and present disparity vectors and generates a temporally-smoothed disparity vector. The temporal smoothing unit generates a distinct temporally-smoothed disparity vector for each frame on the basis of a mean absolute difference (MAD) between the previous image and the present image, so that a flickering phenomenon of an intermediate image can be removed without deterioration of image quality by adaptively performing a temporal smoothing process in accordance with types of an image.
US09159133B2
Systems, apparatus and methods for estimating gravity and/or scale in a mobile device are presented. A difference between an image-based pose and an inertia-based pose is using to update the estimations of gravity and/or scale. The image-based pose is computed from two poses and is scaled with the estimation of scale prior to the difference. The inertia-based pose is computed from accelerometer measurements, which are adjusted by the estimation for gravity.
US09159126B2
Systems and methods are described that provide a fast and simple way of processing meat or food products. Information is compiled and analyzed regarding the condition of a carcass, meat product, styling of the meat product and associated tray or package. Information is used in various processes, including determining which further processing steps are required. The information is also stored for future reference and analysis.
US09159121B2
A method for removing noise from a noisy image includes a few important steps. The noise level of the noisy image is first estimated based on the smooth blocks of the image. The original image is divided into many small blocks. Each of these blocks is then converted from a two dimensional matrix to vector, which is a one dimensional array. The converted vectors are next grouped and then a matrix recovery process based on a principal component analysis (PCA) has been performed in order to remove the noise, wherein the key is to determine the number of principal components to retain during the denoising process. Next, the denoised vectors are converted back to the denoised blocks, and the denoised blocks are used to reconstruct a denoised image with a better image quality.
US09159107B2
Generating a corrected electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation. The operation comprises locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, presence or absence of an underground facility within a dig area. At least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed. First information relating to a location of the facility and/or the mark is received. Based at least in part on the first information, the location of the facility and/or the mark is represented to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. Second information relating to a corrected location of the facility and/or the mark is received. Based at least in part on the second information, the corrected location is represented to generate a corrected electronic visual representation of the operation. Third information relating to the corrected representation of the operation is transmitted and/or stored to generate the corrected electronic record of the operation.
US09159100B2
Systems and methods for managing business machine assets are described. In one configuration, the system analyzes alternate cost structures and provides for alternate asset model replacement suggestions. The asset management system provides for asset comparison analysis. The system uses historical data for a current asset and charts potential replacement asset performance using those historical parameters or predicted or entered future parameters. In an alternative configuration, the compare and contrast report does not include the current asset, but only compares potential replacement assets.
US09159098B2
A system is provided for clearing financial transactions as between banking institutions optionally by way of one or more clearing houses. A plurality of banking institutions are each enabled to communicate directly with each other and with at least one clearing house. Each banking institution has a computerized server programmed to address clearance requests to at least some of the plurality of banking institutions in the system by way of a particular route. The computerized server of at least one banking institution in the system is programmed to route clearance requests selectively and, as may be necessary, sequentially directly to one or more of the other banking institutions and clearing house in the alternative. Selection means associated with the computerized server are provided for selecting a particular one of said at least one other banking institution and clearing house according to a predetermined sequence and typically according to least cost.
US09159093B1
A request for information relating to a commodity is sent to a server using a client computer. The requested commodity information is received at the client computer and rendered on a display. A client action with respect to the commodity information is detected, and, using the client computer, a determination is made whether communication with the server is required to respond to the client action and, if the communication is not necessary, responding to the client action without communicating with the server regarding the response.
US09159090B2
One embodiment is a method that builds a standardized web form that includes information extracted from multiple web forms retrieved over a web from different service providers. The standardized web form is used to retrieve price quotes from the different service providers.
US09159088B2
Location-aware preference and restriction based customized menu may be generated, for example, by obtaining a list of preferences and restrictions, tracking a dietary intake, determining a list of foods available at current location, and generating a list of recommended foods from the current location based on the list of preferences and restrictions, and the tracked dietary intake.
US09159084B2
A computing apparatus configured to determine account numbers of account holders, determine merchant identifiers used to identify respective merchants in authorization requests for transactions between the respective merchants and the account holders, monitor transactions processed by a transaction handler to detect first transactions between the merchants and the account holders, and transmit information about each of the first transactions to a remote computing device in real time as the transaction handler processes the authorization of the respective detected transaction.
US09159054B2
A system and method for providing guidance to persuade a caller is provided. A call is received from a caller into a call center and an offer is provided to the caller. A likelihood of the caller to accept the offer is measured by analyzing voice input of the caller during the call. One or more paralinguistic voice characteristics in the voice input are determined. A stage of persuasion is assigned to the caller based on the paralinguistic voice characteristics and a recommendation is made for guidance to persuade the caller to accept the offer.
US09159049B2
A system and method of managing publications is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Address Book System (ABS) having a controller element to adjust publication privileges of a publisher of a portion of an address book stored in the ABS responsive to detecting that a number of recipients of an invitation to subscribe to the portion of the address book have declined the invitation and the number of declined invitations exceeds a first threshold. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09159046B2
Methods, storage medium and systems for implementing visibility policies within a supply chain include storing event data on a computer-readable storage medium of a first partner, the event data corresponding to at least one event associated with an item while the item was in possession of the first partner, the item having traveled through the supply chain, transferring evidence of possession between the plurality of partners as the item travels through the supply chain, and requesting access to the event data by a second partner. Implementations further include determining that the item traveled through a portion of the supply chain based on the evidence, authenticating an identity of the second partner, and authorizing the second partner to access the first event data, when it is determined that the item traveled through the portion of the supply chain and when the identity of the second party is authenticated.
US09159045B2
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels at, for example, materials handling facilities. In some embodiments, a parcel monitoring system detects an exception for a shipment parcel. The parcel monitoring system identifies a vendor associated with the shipment parcel. In response to the exception being detected, the parcel monitoring system controls a conveyor system in accordance with an action specified by an exception handling rule for the vendor.
US09159041B1
A system and method according to which data associated with a plurality of trade requests is received, and an optimization network is generated, the optimization network including a plurality of nodes corresponding to the trade requests. The nodes are ranked in accordance with at least one business objective, and one or more of the requests are fulfilled in an order based on the ranking of the nodes. To fulfill the one or more requests, a solution is generated, the solution complying with one or more predetermined rules. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the trade requests corresponds to a request to trade a work assignment. In an exemplary embodiment, each trade request is a request by an airline crew member to trade an airline flight sequence, and the at least one business objective is based on airline crew member seniority.
US09159040B2
A method of converting ERP data in a database managed by an ERP application and accessed through an ERP API and ERP Message Agent API (MAAPI) to strongly typed data in Java objects includes steps of reading, parsing, creating, and populating. A XML file containing the definition of the Java objects and their attributes of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements which specifies presentation format is read. Each of the declarations and HTML statements are parsed to identify definitions of objects and their attributes. The respective objects are created with their attributes. The objects are populated with data from the ERP data.
US09159026B2
The invention relates to an organization model and the method of generation of the same and use of the same, wherein the model is provided to be used to assess the current performance of an organization, or part thereof, with regard to its objectives and to guide future decision making by projecting likely future outcomes of proposed changes to the organization, based on cause-effect reasoning which can include a probabilistic layer, said model being constructed in part using available domain knowledge. The model can be also be used to check the validity and success of historical decisions against the current situation, to guide model review and future decision making.
US09159024B2
A real-time predictive intelligence platform comprises: receiving from a user through a meta API definitions for predictive intelligence (PI) artifacts that describe a domain of an online transaction system for least one business entity, each of the PI artifacts including types, component modules and behavior bundles; exposing an entity API based on the PI artifacts for receiving entity events from the online transaction system comprising records of interactions and transactions between customers and the online transaction system; responsive to receiving an entity event through the entity API, executing the component modules and behavior bundles to analyze relationships found between past entity events and metrics associated with the past entity events, and computing a probabilistic prediction and/or a score, which is then returned to the online transaction system in real-time; and processing entity event replicas using modified versions of the PI artifacts for experimentation.
US09159023B2
Provided is a system for predicting a driver's intention to change lanes at a high accuracy involving a minimum amount of time delay. A driver's intention to change lanes is predicted by a prediction unit (9) by comparing motivators and inhibitors (7, 8) which may be determined from the speed of the traffic in particular the vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle and the traffic in the adjacent lanes in relation to the traveling speed of the ego vehicle by using an ego vehicle sensor (1) and an environmental sensor (3, 4, 5) that may comprise a radio wave, optical or acoustic radar. The criteria for the motivators and inhibitors may be empirically or statistically determined, preferably by conducting a large number of tests on roads. As they can be determined before the vehicle operator starts a lane changing maneuver, the prediction made by the prediction unit may be used on a real time basis in a warning system or steering/acceleration assist system.
US09159011B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure can include systems, methods, and non-transitory computer program products for using color space encoded images to perform image-based information broadcasting. In certain aspects, the information broadcasting can include using the encoded images to broadcast information to multiple devices within view of the encoded images. Embodiments can also include broadcasting information independent of network availability. In certain aspects, a public display having a camera can register or capture a color space encoded image from a remote device, where the encoded image encodes a request for information from a user. The public display can send the encoded image to be decoded, and receive the decoded request for information. The public display can encode an encoded image representing a response, and display the encoded image representing a response for decoding by the user.
US09159006B2
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for managing a document. An example aspect provides a method of requesting a document to be displayed at a portable electronic device, including: installing at a computer a printer driver for displaying documents at the portable electronic device; creating an association of a portable account identifier with a unique identifier of the portable electronic device; using the printer driver and the association, to transmit the document to the portable electronic device over a network; and transmitting from the computer the document.
US09159002B2
A relay transport apparatus (400) includes a first transport path, a plurality of first transport sections (63), a plurality of driving sections (64), and a drive transmission section (65). The first transport path is formed so as to couple a carry-in port and a carry-out port. The first transport path includes a plurality of segments (S2a and S2b). The plurality of first transport sections (63) are disposed along the first transport path. The first transport sections are configured to transport the paper sheet carried in from the carry-in port to the carry-out port along the first transport path. The plurality of driving sections (64) correspond to the respective segments. The plurality of driving sections (64) are configured to drive the first transport section in the corresponding segment. The drive transmission section (65) drives the plurality of first transport sections based on an output from a predetermined one driving section (64a) when only the predetermined one driving section operates among the plurality of driving sections. The drive transmission section (65) drives the plurality of first transport sections based on outputs from the corresponding driving sections when the plurality of driving sections operate.
US09159000B1
A device for making security marks by means of a plurality of simultaneously backing and printing dies, each with a pre-designed image. The device makes it possible to subject a sheet of paper to a novelty simultaneous abrasion and printing method of a security mark using the dies previously and smoothly inked by means of inking rollers with either one or more inks not visible to the naked eye, but revealable by one or more temporarily applicable revealing stimuli, wherein the security mark shows as authentication evidence a pre-designed image invisible to the naked eye, but which becomes visible in many different ways, and at least one second form of verification under a revealing stimulus, wherein all forms in which the images are revealed on the paper have an absolute matching location because they are produced simultaneously and by the same backing and printing die.
US09158993B2
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for video comparison using color histograms are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compare video sequences include determining a color histogram corresponding to an input video sequence based on color values of pixels sampled from a plurality of video frames of the input video sequence. Such example methods also include adjusting the color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence based on a first reference color histogram corresponding to a first reference video sequence to determine a first adjusted color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence. Such example methods further include comparing the adjusted color histogram and the first reference color histogram to determine whether the first reference video sequence matches the input video sequence.
US09158967B2
In various embodiments, methods, systems, and computer program products for processing digital images captured by a mobile device are disclosed. Myriad features enable and/or facilitate processing of such digital images using a mobile device that would otherwise be technically impossible or impractical, and furthermore address unique challenges presented by images captured using a camera rather than a traditional flat-bed scanner, paper-feed scanner or multifunction peripheral.
US09158963B2
Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for feature point localization are disclosed. An object in an input image may be detected. A profile model may be applied to determine feature point locations for each object component of the detected object. Applying the profile model may include globally optimizing the feature points for each object component to find a global energy minimum. A component-based shape model may be applied to update the respective feature point locations for each object component.
US09158957B2
A finger sensing apparatus may include a finger sensor including an integrated circuit (IC) substrate, an array of finger sensing elements on the IC substrate, and match circuitry on the IC substrate for performing final finger matching. The finger sensing apparatus may also include a host platform cooperating with the array of finger sensing elements for performing at least one finger prematch function. In addition, the finger sensor and the host platform may implement at least one security function therebetween. The at least one security function may include a watermarking function, and/or an encryption/decryption function.
US09158953B2
A reader obtains image data corresponding to an image of optically encoded information that is received via a lens unit that causes controlled spherical aberration blurring that is precisely known. The reader may perform deconvolution processing on the image data to render it decodable. The deconvolution processing may implement a Weiner filter that uses data corresponding to a near-field point spread function of the lens unit. The depth of field of the reader is greater than that of conventional reader in all lighting conditions.
US09158951B2
A laser scanning module employs a scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly supported by a stationary stator structure. The scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly includes: a silicone frame having a pair of silicone torsional hinges (i.e. posts) aligned along a scan axis and a supported by a pair of support elements associated with the stator structure, to support the scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly. When the scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly is rotated about its scan axis, by forces generated by an electromagnetic coil structure acting on the permanent magnet mounted on silicone frame, the silicone torsional hinges are elastically distorted and generate linear restoring forces which return the rotor subassembly back to its home position about the scan axis.
US09158947B2
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.
US09158944B2
Systems, apparatuses and methods for associating flexible Internet based information with physical objects is described. An example system includes a database server configured to generate a tag responsive to receiving a request from a requesting device. The tag is encoded with a uniform resource locator. The database server is further configured to associate a tag type of a plurality of tag types with the tag. The tag type indicates an intended use of the tag. The system further includes a memory configured to store data corresponding to the tag. The data may include the uniform resource locator and the tag type.
US09158932B2
Access by a user to a database layer, is governed by modeled authorization checking implemented with authorization objects present in an overlying application layer. At design time, the authorization checking is modeled as part of an existing user interface (UI) model, which may conform to a Model, View, and Control (MVC) design pattern. Authorization objects created during design time, are stored in a meta data repository. At runtime, an authorization engine references the authorization objects and the operations supported by those authorization objects. The authorization check is thus implemented centrally in the UI framework itself using this modeled information. Embodiments avoid complexity, potential lack of internal consistency, and low visibility of conventional de-centralized authorization checking schemes that rely upon a plurality of enforcement points hard-coded at multiple locations within application logic.
US09158931B2
An encryption method and decryption method are provided. The encryption method divides an electronic file into a plurality of message blocks, wherein the message blocks have a sequence. The encryption method sets a checking vector as the last message block. The encryption method performs the following steps on each message block according to the sequence: generating an input block, deriving an output block by encrypting the input block by an encryption key, and deriving an encrypted block by applying XOR operation to the output block and the previous message block, wherein the input block is equivalent to applying XOR operation to the message block, the output block corresponding to the previous message block, and the message block before the previous one. The encryption method generates an electronic encrypted file by concatenating the encrypted blocks. The decryption method performs a series of operations corresponding to the above operations.
US09158920B2
In some embodiments, the invention involves using a dedicated service processor with out-of-band capabilities to enable a secure boot using biometric data to authenticate the user. In some embodiments, at least a secondary token is used enhance the secure boot. An off-line database may be accessed by the service processor during boot to store or retrieve biometric templates to compare with scanned, live, biometric data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09158919B2
An application safety system is described herein that provides a scoring system of how dangerous an application is based on behavioral inspection of the application. Upon detecting installation of an application or first execution of the application, the application safety system performs static analysis before the new application is executed by the operating system. The system allows the user to approve running the application after displaying information about what the application does. Next, the system performs dynamic analysis as the application runs and alerts the user to any potentially harmful behavior. Over time, the system determines when the application may be acting in a manner that is out of character and informs the user. The system also allows users to restrict behavior that a particular application can perform.
US09158915B1
A computer-implemented method for analyzing zero-day attacks may include 1) identifying, within a database of known security vulnerabilities, disclosure timing information that indicates when a security vulnerability was publicly disclosed, 2) correlating a file with the security vulnerability by searching a database of file activity for at least one file that is associated with an attack that exploits the security vulnerability, 3) identifying, within the database of file activity, activity timing information indicating timing of one or more activities that involve the file and that occurred on endpoint computing devices before the security vulnerability was publicly disclosed, and 4) comparing the disclosure timing information with the activity timing information to investigate a potential zero-day attack that exploits the security vulnerability. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09158910B2
A computerized method for resetting a password of a user, the user uses an electronic device to access to an information system provided by a server according to a user ID of the user and the password. An index code and device information of the electronic device are stored in the server corresponding to the user ID. When the password is to be reset, the user ID and the index code are inputted by the user and the device information of the electronic device is acquired. A verification string is generated using the index code and the user ID inputted by the user and the acquired device information, and is sent to the server for verification, thereby requesting to reset the password.
US09158907B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern. During entry of the unlocking pattern, a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern. The computing system compares the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns. The stored unlocking patterns are associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns. The unlocking patterns are associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system. The computing system responds by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.
US09158903B2
Systems and methods for authenticating the identity of a user prior to giving access to confidential data at a user interface via a network are described. In an exemplary implementation in an Internet environment, a server hosts an application providing selective access by the user to confidential data related to the user. The user provides initial data to the application as part of a request to access the confidential data. At least one database having the confidential data stored therein is accessed by the server to retrieve confidential data relating to the user located in the database based on the initial data received from the client interface. An authentication function causes the server to transmit to the client interface and present to the user an incomplete portion of the confidential data relating to the user, which is not identical to the initial data, along with at least one other portion of data having a substantially identical format to the incomplete portion of the confidential data. The authentication function requests the user to provide additional data to complete the incomplete portion of the confidential data. The user is granted access to the confidential data subsequent to determination by the application that the user correctly completed the incomplete portion of the confidential data.
US09158899B2
Provided is a terminal apparatus with a DRM decoding function and a DRM decoding method in a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus with a DRM decoding function comprises a native unit which is provided with a local file memory for storing DRM media content data and an application program for driving a media device player using an operating system; and a DRM decoding unit which reads the DRM media content data from the local file memory using a URL path for web server, when it is required from the application program to reproduce the DRM media content data, and decodes the read DRM media content data, and provides the decoded DRM media content data to the media device player. Therefore, it is possible to reproduce the DRM media content data in the terminal apparatus without the exclusive DRM decoding module.
US09158897B2
A method includes allowing a right-protected asset to be shared by a first device with a second device while they are within a determinable proximity of one another. Subsequent to the sharing, an option to acquire the right-protected asset is presented to the second device when the first device and the second device are not within the determinable proximity of one another.
US09158896B2
A method, system on a chip, and computer system for generating more robust keys which utilize data occupying relatively small die areas is disclosed. Embodiments provide a convenient and effective mechanism for generating a key for use in securing data on a portable electronic device, where the key is generated from repurposed data and a relatively small amount. A multi-stage encryption algorithm may be performed to generate the key, where the first stage may include encrypting the secure data, and the second stage may include encrypting the result of a logical operation on the encrypted secure data with a unique identifier of the portable electronic device. A secret key may be used as the encryption key for each stage. The result of the second encryption stage may include the generated key which may be used to perform subsequent operations on the portable electronic device.
US09158895B2
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing a managed browser are presented. In various embodiments, a computing device may load a managed browser. The managed browser may, for instance, be configured to provide a managed mode in which one or more policies are applied to the managed browser, and an unmanaged mode in which such policies might not be applied and/or in which the browser might not be managed by at least one device manager agent running on the computing device. Based on device state information and/or one or more policies, the managed browser may switch between the managed mode and the unmanaged mode, and the managed browser may provide various functionalities, which may include selectively providing access to enterprise resources, based on such state information and/or the one or more policies.
US09158887B2
A system and method of retrieving metadata, the method comprising: in response to a request from a client for metadata for a set of DICOM instances, loading n DICOM instances of the set of requested DICOM instances; comparing the metadata of the n loaded DICOM instances; generating a common set of values based on the comparison of the n loaded DICOM instances; streaming the common set of values to the client; determining per-instance data for each of the n loaded DICOM instances, the per-instance data being a difference between the metadata of a DICOM instance and the common set of values; transmitting the per-instance data of the loaded DICOM instances to the client; loading additional DICOM instances of the set of requested DICOM instances; determining per-instance data for each of the additional DICOM instances; and transmitting the per-instance data of the additional DICOM instances to the client.
US09158886B1
A method of designing a fin-based transistor for power optimization includes following steps. A planar field-effect transistor (planar-FET) design including a plurality of planar semiconductor devices is received. An initial fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) design including a plurality of fin-based semiconductor devices corresponding to the planar semiconductor devices is generated. A timing analysis is performed to the initial FinFET design to recognize at least a critical path and at least a non-critical path in the initial FinFET design. The non-critical path includes at least one of the fin-based semiconductor devices. The fin-based semiconductor device on the non-critical path is adjusted and thus a refined FinFET design is generated. A current required by the refined FinFET design is lower than a current required by the initial FinFET design.
US09158884B2
A method of lithographic defect detection and repair is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method of patterning a workpiece comprises receiving a mask for patterning a workpiece. The mask is inspected for defects, and a mask defect is identified that is repairable in the workpiece. The workpiece is lithographically exposed using the mask, and a defect is repaired within the workpiece based on the identified mask defect. The method can further comprise comparing defects across the workpiece to determine repeating defects and determining a spacing between the repeating defects. A distance between a first focal point and a second focal point of a lithographic system can be configured to correspond to the spacing between the repeating defects. Thus, a first repeating defect and a second repeating defect can be repaired concurrently.
US09158883B2
This disclosure relates to a method of making a semiconductor device. The method includes comparing a schematic design of the semiconductor device to a layout design of the semiconductor device. The method further includes generating layout style information based on the layout design and generating array edge information based on the layout design and the schematic design. The method further includes selectively revising the layout design using smart dummy insertion using the layout style information and the array edge information. The method further includes performing a design rule check on the revised layout design using the layout style information and the array edge information. This disclosure also relates to a system for making a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device.
US09158881B2
Provided is a method of assigning a first set of probe pads to an interposer for maximizing a defect coverage for the interposer. The interposer includes a second set of nets and the defect coverage is based on a ratio between a tested net length and an overall net length. The method includes processing the second set such that every net interconnecting more than two micro-bumps is divided into a plurality of nets and every two of the more than two micro-bumps are interconnected by one of the plurality of nets. The method further includes calculating an untested length of each net in the second set; selecting a first net from the second set with the maximum untested length; selecting two probe pads from the first set based on a user-defined cost function; and connecting the two probe pads to the first net with two dummy nets.
US09158873B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for calibrating a Data Strobe (DQS) enable/disable signal and for tracking the timing of the DQS enable/disable signal with respect to changes in voltage and temperature (VT) in order to improve the timing margin of the DQS enable/disable signal in programmable devices using Double Data Rate (DDR) memory. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a gating circuit, a sampling circuit, and a delay chain tracking circuit. The gating circuit receives a DQS enable signal and a input DQS signal, calibrates the DQS enable signal based on an amount of delay, and outputs the calibrated DQS signal. The sampling circuit provides the amount of delay to the gating circuit based on a sampling clock. The delay chain tracking circuit maintains the timing of the calibrated DQS enable signal over a plurality of clock cycles based on the sampling clock and a leveling clock.
US09158872B2
Induction motors may have a rotor core assembly that includes a plurality of rotor laminations having an arrangement of vents therein. The arrangement of vents may provide increased airflow through the induction motor without adversely affecting the electromagnetic properties of the motor. The arrangement of vents includes first and second circular rows of vents, wherein each vent of the first row may be radially aligned with a respective vent of the second row, and each radially aligned pair of first and second row vents may be radially aligned with a respective conductor bar slot in the rotor lamination. The number of rotor bar slots may equal the number of first row vents and the number of second row vents. Systems and methods of facilitating ventilation in an induction motor are provided, as are other aspects.
US09158867B2
A method for analyzing abnormalities in a semiconductor processing system provides performing an analysis of variance on a production history associated with each of a plurality of tools at each of a plurality of process steps for each of a plurality of processed wafers, and key process steps are identified. A regression analysis on a plurality of measurements of the plurality of wafers at each process step is performed and key measurement parameters are identified. An analysis of covariance on the key measurement parameters and key process steps, and the key process steps are ranked based on an f-ratio, therein ranking an abnormality of the key process steps. Further, the plurality of tools associated with each of the key process steps are ranked based on an orthogonal t-ratio associated with an analysis of covariance, therein ranking an abnormality each tool associated with the key process steps.
US09158860B2
Methods, systems and apparatus are described herein that includes identifying a partial query entered into a search field. A query completion template is then provided for display for a category of information associated with one or more terms within the partial query, the query completion template including an interactive field that is user editable. User interaction with the interactive field is the identified. Display of the query completion template is then updated to include the results of the user interaction within the interactive of the query completion template. User selection of the updated query completion template is then identified, and in response the updated display of the query completion template is transmitted as a search query.
US09158858B2
A method for managing an Extensible Markup Language (XML) Document Management (XDM) Server history is provided. The method includes receiving, by the XDM Server, XML Documents and Filtering Rules within a filter body in an XCAP request from a first XDM Client Device, wherein the Filtering Rules define operation information performed on specific XML Documents to store as history information and further define when to store the history information of the XML Documents; storing the XML Documents and the Filtering Rules on the XDM Server; and when a second XDM Client Device has access to perform one or more operations on the XML Documents stored in the XDM Server, storing, by the XDM Server, the history information of the XML Documents according to the Filtering Rules by the XDM Server and the one or more operations performed.
US09158854B2
Methods are provided for assisting in the organization of information accessed through a web browser. At least one item of information accessed through the web browser is captured and visually represented in a defined organizational area of a display. A relevance index is calculated for each item of information that is visually represented to a current web-browsing behavior. The relevance index is conveyed for each item of information to the current web-browsing behavior to a user of the web browser.
US09158848B2
A method, computer program product, and computer system for analyzing, by a computing device, client-side code of a web component. An input constraint of the web component is identified based upon, at least in part, analyzing the client-side code of the web component. One or more input values within the input constraint are generated based upon, at least in part, the input constraint.
US09158843B1
A method, system, and apparatus for sending a request for data to a worldwide name node; wherein the worldwide name node is communicatively coupled to worldwide data nodes, sending from the worldwide name node to the worldwide data nodes the request for data; wherein each of the worldwide data nodes serves as an index for a cluster of data, processing at each of the worldwide data nodes the request for information; and returning the result to the world wide name node.
US09158840B2
Content-based navigation of an electronic device includes receiving supplemental content to an electronic book. The supplemental content is created separately from the electronic book. The content-based navigation also includes associating an identifier of the electronic book with the supplemental content, storing the supplemental content with the identifier in a storage device, and creating an index to the supplemental content that is searchable by the identifier of the electronic book. The content-based navigation further includes providing end user devices with access to the supplemental content in the storage device via the index.
US09158839B2
A mechanism for training and classifying data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a data set having at least a first annotation and at least a second annotation. The first annotation and the second annotation represent characteristics within the data set. The method also includes determining a first identifier from the first annotation and a second identifier from the second annotation and associating the first identifier to the second identifier to generate a joined identifier. The method also includes computing feature weights and transition weights for the annotated data set based on the at least a first identifier, at least a second identifier, and at least a joined identifier and transitions between each of the first, the second and the joined identifiers. The method further includes receiving a second un-annotated data set and classifying the second data set based on the computed feature weights and the transition weights.
US09158835B2
A method and system for creating an index of content without interfering with the source of the content includes an offline content indexing system that creates an index of content from an offline copy of data. The system may associate additional properties or tags with data that are not part of traditional indexing of content, such as the time the content was last available or user attributes associated with the content. Users can search the created index to locate content that is no longer available or based on the associate attributes.
US09158831B2
The present disclosure describes a standardized logical model architecture, for use in building a business intelligent systems, and a system and method of using the logical model architecture to populate a data repository (e.g., a data mart/warehouse) with the data to satisfy reporting and data analysis needs.
US09158830B2
A first database implemented on a remote device such as a handheld computer may be reconciled with a corresponding second database implemented on a host computer during execution of an application program on the handheld device. In addition, the application program may be executed according to program instructions stored in an application program file located in the remote device. The databases may be reconciled by first commencing execution of the application program. Then, during the course of program execution, a synchronization instruction located in said application program file is retrieved. The synchronization instruction is executed by establishing a communications link between the handheld computer and the host computer. Subsequently, any difference between the first database and the second database are reconciled. Furthermore embodiments of the invention contemplate that in addition to reconciling all of the databases located on the handheld and host computers, less than all of the databases may be reconciled to reduce the amount of time required to execute the reconciliation process. In addition, after reconciliation control may be returned to the calling application program, or to another application, as determined by the application designer.
US09158829B2
A system is disclosed. The system includes a server, a client application, and a first database. The first database is associated with the client application. The system further includes a second database to store data in an encrypted format, and a replicator to synchronize the data stored in the first and second databases. The system also includes a synchronizer to synchronize the data stored in the second database and the server based on a current security level.
US09158827B1
An enterprise grade data mapping application enables collaboration and reuse of many data integration components by leveraging metadata, enterprise transformations, and improves the process by creating automation, versioning, traceability, and impact analysis via its web enabled portal. This solution bridges this gap by leveraging metadata, and making the process automated, disciplined, predictable, and gives insight to the data lineage to both IT and business stakeholders via its web enabled portal. Mapping Manager brings standardization, collaboration, versioning, traceability, regulatory compliance and auditability, impact analysis, management visibility, and programmatic control where there is none now.
US09158818B2
Facilitating identification of star schemas in database environments. In an embodiment, queries directed to relational database tables (organized according to normalized schema) are examined to determine the relationships specified in the queries. A star schema is then generated by including the specified relationships. A data warehouse may be organized according to the generated star schema and the data previously stored in the database tables may be copied to the data warehouse.
US09158816B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are disclosed for event processing with a query based on a reusable XML query template. A particular method includes receiving a plurality of events from a source and generating a plurality of event objects based on the plurality of events. A query represented by an XML file based on a reusable XML query template is executed with respect to the plurality of event objects to produce a plurality of result objects. Each result object is produced based on an application of at least one operator of the query. A plurality of results is generated based on the plurality of result objects, and the plurality of results is transmitted to a sink.
US09158814B2
A database query governor determines when a query cannot be executed within a defined time threshold, but still executes the query or some variant of the query so partial results for the query may be returned to the user after executing for less than the defined time threshold, instead of an error message indicating the query was not executed at all. The partial results provide information to the user that may be sufficient for some applications, or may indicate to the user how the query could be modified to run in less time.
US09158804B1
Changed files since a last backup are identified to be backed up by reverse mapping changed blocks to files. Block identifiers specifying blocks on a storage volume are received. A location of a file table zone is determined. The file table zone stores a file table of records. Each record stores a last modified timestamp for a file associated with the record. An intersection is created from the file table zone location and the block identifiers. The intersection includes a subset of records where each record in the subset is associated with a block from the file table zone that corresponds to a block identified by the block identifiers. The subset is parsed to extract timestamps. The timestamps are compared with the storage volume's last backup date. If the associated file was modified after the last backup date, a determination is made that the file should be backed up.
US09158803B2
Aspects of the invention relate generally to updating interconnected feature data stored in a repository while maintaining highly consistent views of the data. More specifically, aspects relate to updating some features in bulk while providing for incremental updates for others which are not completely independent of the bulk edits. Features which may be updated incrementally may contain references to other features and may be validated on an as-needed basis. These “incremental” features may also be associated with “backreferences,” which link two features together and are used in the validation process. For example, where feature A contains a link to feature B and feature B does not also include a link to feature A, if any edits are performed on feature B, a backreference may direct the server to determine whether the references in A are still consistent with the edits to B before the edit goes into a live state.
US09158802B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a request to move at least a portion of a database table stored on a tangible medium from a current partition to a history partition, wherein the database table is partitioned into physical partitions according to a selected mapping update frequency. In response to receiving the request, activities may include modifying a logical partitioning of the database table by updating a mapping of the physical partitions to logical partitions. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09158797B2
Determining metadata associated with a graph-based computation includes functionally transforming metadata associated with a first portion of a graph to generate transformed metadata associated with a second portion of the graph; determining a third portion of the graph related to the second portion of the graph; and propagating the transformed metadata from the second portion of the graph to the third portion of the graph.
US09158796B1
A method of generating a data source model may include defining a first interface for a first abstract sub-model of a first sub-model responsive to user input and defining a second interface for a second abstract sub-model of a second sub-model responsive to user input. A connection may be defined between the first interface and the second interface. First and second data source structure may be respectively defined for the first and second sub-models. After defining the first and second data source structures, a unified data source model may be generated including the first and second sub-models and having the respective first and second interfaces of the first and second abstract sub-models, with the first and second sub-models being coupled through the connection defined between the respective first and second interfaces of the first and second abstract sub-models.
US09158792B2
An apparatus for automatically configuring an album includes an album-creating unit to create an album by using a folder name when at least one folder having the folder name is moved to a selected area, a cover-image-registering unit to register a cover image of the album created by the album-creating unit, and a content-registering unit to register content included in the folder to the album.
US09158786B1
Disclosed are a database selection system and/or a method to automatically adjust a database schema based on an input data. The method of the database selection system includes identifying an attribute of the input data. An optimal database type is determined in which the input data is to be stored based on a match between the optimal database type and the attribute. The method selects an ideal database based on the optimal database type from a set of distributed heterogeneous databases. The method determines if an existing database schema of the ideal database is optimally structured based on the input data. An ideal database schema is automatically adjusted based on the input data using a processor and a memory.
US09158783B2
A method includes receiving a request to save a first file as immutable. The method also includes searching for a second file that is saved and is redundant to the first file. The method further includes determining the second file is one of mutable and immutable. When the second file is mutable, the method includes saving the first file as a master copy, and replacing the second file with a soft link pointing to the master copy. When the second file is immutable, the method includes determining which of the first and second files has a later expiration date and an earlier expiration date, saving the one of the first and second files with the later expiration date as a master copy, and replacing the one of the first and second files with the earlier expiration date with a soft link pointing to the master copy.
US09158764B2
Embodiments disclosed herein may relate to processing a user input comprising a resource identity signifier for a target resource with reference to a heuristic knowledge base utilizing a processor of a computing platform to determine a possible target resource. Embodiments may further relate to learning a social usage of the resource identity signifier from feedback gathered from a plurality of users based at least in part on previous social usage of the resource identity signifier, and may also relate to transmitting a resource locator corresponding to the determined possible target resource to a user computing platform at least in part in response to a determination of the possible target resource having a degree of confidence exceeding a selected threshold.
US09158747B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for displaying images and contextually relevant content on a digital content platform, such as a web page. In one embodiment, for example, the systems and methods include: (1) providing a publisher of the image with a reference script for publication with the image, wherein the reference script is a computer-readable instruction that causes an end-user device to call to a content server; and (2) configuring the content server to (a) receive a request for content from the end-user device, (b) identify content that is contextually relevant to the image, (c) deliver the content to the end-user device, and (d) deliver a computer-readable instruction that causes the end-user device to perform an animation that modifies the image and displays the content in a spatial relationship with respect to the image as originally published.
US09158742B2
Automatically detecting the layout of a bidirectional (BIDI) text. In one embodiment, this comprises: determining a shaping attribute of the text based on scanning the text to detect at least one character of a specific shape, while preferably ignoring initial, final, and stand-alone shaped characters; determining a text type attribute of the text from the shaping attribute; and determining an orientation attribute of the text from the determined text type. A numeric shaping attribute and a symmetric swapping attribute may also be determined. Embodiments of the invention may be used, by way of illustration but not of limitation, for bidirectional layout transformation to allow conversion of a BIDI text received from a source computer system in a source BIDI layout format into a layout format of a target computer system.
US09158741B1
This disclosure describes, in part, a progress gauge used to indicate a user's location in a digital work and to associate locations within the digital work with corresponding locations on the progress gauge. For instance, a progress gauge as described herein may comprise a progress bar having numerous segments corresponding to different sections (e.g., chapters, acts, scenes, etc.) within a digital work. Each segment of the progress bar may include a unique visual indicator, while each page within the corresponding section of the digital work may also include the same unique visual indicator or another type of indicator that maps to the visual indicator on the progress bar.
US09158735B1
Techniques are described for generating a unique identifier by a first processor using a plurality of values including a shared value, the first processor's identifier, a container identifier and a time value. The shared value is a common value used by a plurality of processors including the first processor. The container identifier identifies a memory location. The time value denotes an amount of time that has elapsed since the first processor was last booted.
US09158732B2
A disclosed system includes a first computer that stores data, a display apparatus that is capable of reading a user identifier, a second computer, and plural third computers. The second computer includes a data storage unit storing first correlation data to correlate a user identifier with at least one third computer, and a controller that refers to the first correlation data upon detecting an event data, identifies a third computer correlated with a first user identifier included in the event data, and transmits the first user identifier to the identified third computer. Each third computer includes a receiver that receives the first user identifier, a storing unit that obtains from the first computer, and stores data identified based on the received first user identifier, and a controller to transmit data corresponding to a second user identifier, which was received from the display apparatus, based on the second user identifier.
US09158724B2
An image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a first IC chip; a second IC chip connected to the first IC chip via a serial bus; and a memory that is either connected to or included in the first IC chip. The first IC chip includes: a first internal bus; a memory controller of the memory; a first processing circuit which outputs an access request to the memory; plural buffers corresponding to plural arbitration priority degrees of the first internal bus, and a request classifying circuit which identifies an arbitration priority degree of a requester of the access request received from the second IC chip and causes a buffer corresponding to the identified arbitration priority degree to buffer the access request. The first internal bus performs arbitration of access requests from the first processing circuit and the plural buffers in accordance with the arbitration priority degrees.
US09158721B2
An information processing apparatus capable of USB-connecting a device compatible with USB connection, the apparatus has a management unit configured to manage driver information representing whether to activate a device driver when the device is USB-connected. The information processing apparatus also has a device information acquisition unit configured to acquire device information of the device. The information processing apparatus also has a setting unit configured to set up the driver under control of an USB core driver to control the device using a device driver corresponding to the driver information when the driver information matches the device information.
US09158711B2
Creating a computer program product or a computer system to execute a frame management instruction which identifies a first and second general register. The first general register contains a frame management field having a key field with access-protection bits and a block-size indication. If the block-size indication indicates a large block then an operand address of a large block of data is obtained from the second general register. The large block of data has a plurality of small blocks each of which is associated with a corresponding storage key having a plurality of storage key access-protection bits. If the block size indication indicates a large block, the storage key access-protection bits of each corresponding storage key of each small block within the large block is set with the access-protection bits of the key field.
US09158710B2
Apparatuses, methods, and media for page coloring with color inheritance for memory pages are disclosed. Some embodiments may include an interface to access a memory and a paging unit including translation logic, inheritance logic, and comparison logic. The translation logic translates a first address to a second address based on an entry in a data structure, wherein the first address is provided by an instruction stored in a first page in the memory and the entry includes a base address of a second page in the memory including the second address and a color of the second page. The inheritance logic may determine an effective current page color of the first page based on a color of the first page. The comparison logic may compare the effective current page color of the first page to the color of the second page. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US09158706B2
Space of a data storage memory of a data storage memory system is reclaimed by determining heat metrics of data stored in the data storage memory; determining relocation metrics related to relocation of the data within the data storage memory; determining utility metrics of the data relating the heat metrics to the relocation metrics for the data; and making the data whose utility metric fails a utility metric threshold, available for space reclamation. Thus, data that otherwise may be evicted or demoted, but that meets or exceeds the utility metric threshold, is exempted from space reclamation and is instead maintained in the data storage memory.
US09158702B2
An apparatus and method for implementing a scratchpad memory within a cache using priority hints. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: providing a priority hint for a scratchpad memory implemented using a portion of a cache; determining a page replacement priority based on the priority hint; storing the page replacement priority in a page table entry (PTE) associated with the page; and using the page replacement priority to determine whether to evict one or more cache lines associated with the scratchpad memory from the cache.
US09158693B2
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a processor having a plurality of cores and a cache memory coupled to the cores and including a plurality of partitions. The processor can further include a logic to dynamically vary a size of the cache memory based on a memory boundedness of a workload executed on at least one of the cores. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09158685B2
Methods and apparatuses for utilizing a cache hint mechanism in which a requesting agent can provide hints as to how data corresponding to a request should be cached in a system cache within a memory controller. The way the system cache responds to received requests is determined by the cache hint provided by the originating requesting agent. When a request is accompanied by a de-allocate cache hint, the system cache causes a cache line hit by the request to be de-allocated. For a request with a do not allocate cache hint, the system cache does not allocate a cache line if the request misses in the system cache, and the system cache maintains a given cache line in its current state if the requests hits the given cache line.
US09158682B2
A method for managing objects stored in a cache memory of a processing unit. The cache memory includes a set of entries corresponding to an object. The method includes: checking, for each entry of at least a subset of entries of the set of entries of the cache memory, whether an object corresponding to each entry includes one or more references to one or more other objects stored in the cache memory and storing the references; determining among the objects stored in the cache memory, which objects are not referenced by other objects, based on the stored references; marking entries as checked to distinguish entries corresponding to objects determined as being not referenced from other entries of the checked entries, and casting out, according to the marking, entries corresponding to objects determined as being not referenced.
US09158679B2
A data buffer with a strobe-based primary interface and a strobe-less secondary interface used on a memory module is described. One memory module includes an address buffer, the data buffer and multiple dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) devices. The address buffer provides a timing reference to the data buffer and to the DRAM devices for one or more transactions between the data buffer and the DRAM devices via the strobe-less secondary interface.
US09158675B2
Systems, methods, apparatus, and techniques are provided for processing data from a storage medium. A stripe of data stored on the storage medium is read, where the stripe comprises a plurality of data allocation units (AUs) and a parity AU. Error correction decoding is applied to each of the plurality of data AUs to produce a plurality of decoded data AUs. It is determined whether a value of the parity AU is satisfied by values of bytes in the plurality of decoded data AUs. The plurality of decoded data AUs are output in response to a determination that the value of the parity AU is satisfied by the values of bytes in the plurality of decoded data AUs.
US09158671B2
Disclosed is a memory system that includes a nonvolatile memory having a main region and a cache region; and a memory controller having migration manager managing a migration operation that moves data from cache region to the main region by referencing a Most Recently Used/Least Recently Used (MRU/LRU) list.
US09158669B2
Presenting enclosure cache as local cache in an enclosure attached server, including: determining, by the enclosure, a cache hit rate for local server cache in each of a plurality of enclosure attached servers; determining, by the enclosure, an amount of available enclosure cache for use by one or more of the enclosure attached servers; and offering, by the enclosure, some portion of the available enclosure cache to an enclosure attached server in dependence upon the cache hit rate and the amount of available enclosure cache.
US09158665B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates testing a multi-threaded software application. During operation, the system, in response to invocation of a mock object, identifies a thread and determines whether the identified thread matches a description associated with an actor. The system, in response to the identified thread matching the description associated with the actor, evaluates whether an expectation is met or a stub is executed and returns a value based on the evaluation. In some embodiments, the expectation and the stub are expressed based on a role, wherein the role includes the actor and, optionally, one or more additional actors.
US09158663B2
Systems and methods for evaluating a performance maturity level of a software application are described herein. In an implementation, the method includes obtaining at least one assessment parameter and at least one sub-parameter of the at least one assessment parameter, based on at least one of a key performance area and a key competency area. Further, a weightage is assigned to the at least one sub-parameter, the weightage being based on significance of the at least one sub-parameter to the assessment parameter. In addition, a performance questionnaire is configured, based on the at least one assessment parameter and the at least one sub-parameter. Subsequently, a maturity score is determined for the software application, in response to inputs to the performance questionnaire, the maturity score being indicative of the performance maturity level of the software application.
US09158659B2
A module-specific tracing mechanism may trace the usage of a module on behalf of the module developer. The module may be used by multiple application developers, and the tracing system may collect and summarize data for the module in each of the different applications. The data may include usage data as well as performance data. Usage data may include anonymized data for each time the module may be invoked and called, and performance data may include the processing time, memory consumption, and other metrics. The module-specific tracing may be enabled or disabled by an application developer.
US09158658B2
A method, system, and computer program product for detecting merge conflicts and compilation errors in a collaborative integrated development environment are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Prior to at least one user committing a set of uncommitted changes associated with a source code to a repository, the computer receives the set of uncommitted changes associated with the source code. The computer creates at least one temporary branch corresponding to the set of uncommitted changes associated with the source code. The computer device merges the at least one temporary branch to corresponding portions of the source code. The computer determines whether a merge conflict has occurred. If the merge conflict occurred, the computer communicates a first notification to the at least one user, the first notification indicating the merge conflict.
US09158657B2
Features are disclosed for facilitating remote access to the state of an application or content item currently executing or rendered on a user computing device. A connection between the user computing device and another computing device (or connections between the user computing device and an intermediary system, and between another computing device and the same intermediary system) may be established according to a bidirectional communication protocol. The user computing device may receive and act on communications from the other computing device, including requests for data regarding the current state of an application or content page on the user computing device, instructions to execute some function in the application or content page, etc. In addition, user computing devices may be grouped such that an application or content may be monitored/tested/debugged among a variety of user computing devices.
US09158655B2
An apparatus of one embodiment assesses standards compliance during computer development and includes an interface, a memory, and a processor. The interface is operable to receive a selection from a user, the selection including an assessment ruleset to be used for evaluating a computer change. The assessment ruleset includes one or more assessment rules, each assessment rule associated with a condition that determines whether the assessment rule is evaluated. The memory operable to store the assessment ruleset. The processor is operable to determine whether the condition associated with each assessment rule is satisfied, to communicate to the user an evaluation question relating to each assessment rule whose associated condition is satisfied, an answer to the evaluation question indicating an extent to which the computer change complies with the assessment rule, and to determine one or more scores based on the answer to each evaluation question.
US09158653B2
Systems and methods for determining impact of a backup job on virtual storage resources are disclosed. An exemplary method includes determining an estimated performance and logical/physical capacity for the backup job on a virtual library storage (VLS). The method also includes determining an actual performance and logical/physical capacity without the backup job. The method also includes determining a simulated performance and logical/physical capacity based on the estimated and actual performance and logical/physical capacity. The method also includes comparing the simulated performance and logical/physical capacity to a threshold.
US09158637B2
There is provided a storage control grid capable of controlling at least one service provided in the storage system and a method of operating thereof. The storage control grid comprises at least one service dispatcher operatively coupled to at least one service requestor and to a plurality of service providers. The method comprises requesting by service requester a service, thus giving rise to at least one service request; enabling, using said at least one service dispatcher, delivery of the service request to at least one service provider among said plurality of service providers, said service provider configured to provide said at least one service, wherein the delivery is enabled in accordance with data comprised in a service data structure handled by said at least one service dispatcher and indicative, at least, of association between said at least one service and service providers among said plurality of service providers.
US09158634B2
A data writer is described comprising: a memory to store at least one amount of source data that is to be written to a data storage medium; a processor to arrange the source data into subsets and generate ECC data in respect of each subset, wherein the source data and the associated ECC data are to be written to a data storage medium via a plurality of individual data channels, and wherein the ECC data comprises at least a first degree of ECC protection having a first level of redundancy in respect of a first subset and a second degree of ECC protection having a second level of redundancy in respect of a second subset; a plurality of data writing elements, each to write data from an associated data channel, concurrently with the writing by the other data writing elements of data from respective data channels, to a data storage medium; and a controller, to control the writing by the data writing elements of the source data and the associated ECC data to the data storage medium.
US09158625B2
A method for execution by a computing device, the method begins in response to a data segment access request, generating a set of access requests regarding a set of encoded data slices. The method continues by sending a subset of the access requests to storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) and sending an access request of the set of access requests to a trusted storage unit of the DSN. The method continues by receiving a trusted encoded data slice from the trusted storage unit and receiving a subset of encoded data slices from the storage units, wherein the trusted encoded data slice is utilized to authenticate the subset of encoded data slices and when the subset of encoded data slices are authenticated, the trusted encoded data slice and the subset of encoded data slices are decoded to recover the data segment.
US09158611B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a telecommunications method performed by a second telecommunications device. According to the embodiment, the second telecommunications device first tries to use a received part of a data block to decode the data block, wherein the received part is received from a first telecommunications device. Next, the second telecommunications device determines whether a code metric derived based on the received part indicates that the data block is decodable. If the code metric indicates that the data block is decodable, the second telecommunications device further determines whether a set of confirmation criteria is satisfied.
US09158606B2
Avoiding failure repetition in data processing includes storing a sequence of circumstances leading up to a previous failure, monitoring circumstances in a current process, matching a sequence of circumstances in the current process to a stored sequence of circumstances, and applying rules to determine if the current process should proceed.
US09158601B2
Techniques for handling events are provided. In one embodiment, a computer system can create a plurality of I/O handles for receiving events. The computer system can further partition the plurality of I/O handles into one or more subsets, where events received via I/O handles in the same subset are correlated and events received via I/O handles in different subsets are uncorrelated. The computer system can then delegate each I/O handle in the plurality of I/O handles to a poll thread in a plurality of poll threads, where I/O handles in the same subset are delegated to the same poll thread.
US09158591B2
In one embodiment, a method includes empirically analyzing a set of active reservations and a current set of consumable resources belonging to a class of consumable resources. Each active reservation is of a managed task type and includes a group of one or more tasks requiring access to a consumable resource of the class. The method further includes, based on the empirically analyzing, clocking the set of active reservations each clocking cycle. In addition, the method includes, responsive to the clocking, sorting a priority queue of the set of active reservations.
US09158581B2
A method and associated system for continuously optimizing data archive management scheduling. A flow network is modeled. The flow network represents data content, software programs, physical devices, and communication capacity of the archive management system in various levels of vertices such that an optimal path in the flow network from a task of at least one archive management task to a worker program of the archive management system represents an optimal initial schedule for the worker program to perform the task.
US09158574B2
A method and apparatus for processing data when an interrupt is received during processing of a function at a point during the processing at which a portion of the function has been processed then a control parameter is accessed. In response to a control parameter having a value indicting that the function has idempotence, processing of the function is stopped, and information on progress of the function is discarded such that following completion of the interrupt the portion of the function that has already been processed is processed again. In response to the control parameter having a value indicating that the function does not have idempotence, processing of the function is suspended without discarding information on progress of the function that has already been processed such that following completion of the interrupt the processing is resumed from a point that it reached when it was suspended.
US09158572B1
A method to redirect SRB routines from otherwise non-zIIP eligible processes on an IBM z/OS series mainframe to a zIIP eligible enclave is disclosed. This redirection is achieved by intercepting otherwise blocked operations and allowing them to complete processing without errors imposed by the zIIP processor configuration. After appropriately intercepting and redirecting these blocked operations more processing may be performed on the more financially cost effective zIIP processor by users of mainframe computing environments.
US09158570B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates quality of service (QoS) in a Fiber Channel (FC) host bus adaptor (HBA). In this system the bandwidth on an FC link between the HBA and the FC switch can be allocated into a plurality of logical channels, and a respective logical channel can transport data frames of variable length. Furthermore, a respective logical channel is associated with a dedicated buffer. During operation, the HBA communicates to an FC switch the HBA's capability of receiving or sending a data flow over a logical channel that couples the HBA to the FC switch. The HBA further receives logical-channel allocation information from the FC switch. Furthermore, the HBA associates data frames with a logical channel and transmits data frames to the FC switch on the corresponding logical channel.
US09158563B2
Techniques are described herein that are capable of dynamically installing plugin(s) for application(s). An agent plugin is caused to run in a deployment of a specified application (e.g., across multiple machines in a cloud environment or “on premises”). The specified application is packaged to include the agent plugin. The agent plugin is used to install designated plugin(s) dynamically based on configuration information regarding the specified application. The configuration information indicates that the designated plugin(s) are to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed.
US09158562B2
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for supporting virtualization. In the method, conversion of source code of a loadable module is initiated. A virtualization-sensitive instruction is searched for during the conversion of the source code. If the virtualization-sensitive instruction has been found, a virtualization-sensitive instruction table is generated based on the found virtualization-sensitive instruction. The virtualization-sensitive instruction is substituted with an instruction recognizable in a privileged mode, based on the generated virtualization-sensitive instruction table. The loadable module is loaded and executed in a kernel. Accordingly, the present invention supports virtualization, thus minimizing overhead occurring in full virtualization, and guaranteeing the high performance provided by para-virtualization without modifying a source.
US09158560B2
A device may determine an application shortcut and a set of specified conditions, where the application shortcut is to be presented on a home screen of a user device when the set of specified conditions is satisfied. The device may determine a set of current conditions associated with the user device, and may present the application shortcut on the home screen of the user device based on the set of current conditions satisfying the set of specified conditions.
US09158555B2
A data processing system includes a processor and data storage coupled to the processor. The data storage includes program code, that when executed by the processor, causes the data processing system to serialize a mutable object utilizing a full serialization process and to cache primitive data and metadata regarding the mutable object in binary format in cache. Thereafter, the mutable object is again serialized utilizing an abbreviated serialization process by reference to the cached primitive data and metadata, and the serialized mutable object is communicated to a distributed code element.
US09158554B2
An approach for management of boot time of a virtual machine is provided. In one aspect, a system boot time application identifies assigned resources of a virtual I/O server (VIOS) of a computing system. In addition, the system boot time application allocates additional resources from client logical partitions (LPARs) of the computing system to the assigned resources of VIOS during boot time of VIOS. The system boot time application further identifies cores of the computing system during the boot time of VIOS. The system boot time application also sets the cores in turbo core mode until boot time of VIOS is completed. In one aspect, the system boot time application reallocates the allocated additional resources from VIOS to the client LPARs once boot time of VIOS is completed.
US09158532B2
The present disclosure provides a system and method for managing data using semantic tags. The method may include providing a data model corresponding to a first set of tangible objects where the data model includes a first template class having both properties describing the set of tangible object and a set of semantic tags corresponding to the properties. The method may include receiving a class definition for a second template class for a second set of tangible objects where the second template class inherits, by the class definition, the properties and the semantic tags for the second set of tangible objects.
US09158522B2
In example embodiments, systems, methods, devices, and machine-readable media for creating and/or executing extensible mobile applications are provided. Extensibility of a mobile application deployed on a device is achieved with configuration files that can be provided to the device at a time after initial deployment of the application. Mobile application framework components combined with the code of the application enable extracting Java scripts from the configuration files, and executing the Java scripts to thereby alter the behavior of the application.
US09158521B2
A method for automatically provisioning a platform implementation package to a client device may include receiving from an application executing on the client device, a request for functionality. The request may be received via a client library distributed with the application, and may be for functionality provided by the platform implementation package. The platform implementation package may provide functionality that is not provided by the client library. It may be further automatically determined, by the client device, that the functionality requires an update to the platform implementation package. In response, a request for the update to the platform implementation package may be communicated to a computing system. The update to the platform implementation package may be received from the computing system and installed on the client device. The requested functionality may be provided to the application by the updated platform implementation package.
US09158515B2
An operating system may be configured using a control flow graph that defines relationships between each executable module. The operating system may be configured by analyzing an application and identifying the operating system modules called from the application, then building a control flow graph for the configuration. The operating system may be deployed to a server or other computer containing only those components identified in the control flow graph. Such a lightweight deployment may be used on a large scale for datacenter servers as well as for small scale deployments on sensors and other devices with little processing power.
US09158512B1
An exchange provides communication among programs that run on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and that are written in different programming languages that are hosted on the JVM. The exchange intercepts an external call from a first program that runs on the JVM and is written in a first programming language. The exchange identifies a second program that runs on the JVM and is written in a second programming language, to which the external call from the first program may be directed. The exchange directs the external call to the second program and receives a response to the external call from the second program. The response to the external call that is received from the second program is then forwarded back to the first program. Related systems, processes and computer program products are described.
US09158508B2
Enhancements to a strategy object editor for creating and modifying control strategies for process control systems (both distributed and discrete) is described. The improvements include: supporting a set of graphical depictions for individual control object (modified by an appearance object editor), drag and drop connections for declarations that connect control strategies to other control strategies, GUI-based designation of object execution order, automatically applied line styles based upon connection data type, and automatic modification of elements within an appearance object to accommodate a moved attribute.
US09158506B2
Loop abstraction includes determining an original loop within the source code. The original loop includes a control statement and a loop body such that the original loop causes the loop body to be repeatedly executed based on the control statement. Further, output variables in the original loop and a number of blocks associated with the original loop are identified. The number of blocks is indicative of a count of unconditionally executed statement sets in which at least one output variable is computed. An abstract loop corresponding to the original loop is generated by adding a modified expression for accelerated assignment for each output variable in a subset of the output variables, and replacing the control statement with a bounded control statement. The original loop is replaced with the abstract loop for generating an abstract source code for the model checking.
US09158497B2
Managing buffers in a hybrid system, in one aspect, may comprise selecting a first buffer management method from a plurality of buffer management methods; capturing statistics associated with access to the buffer in the hybrid system running under the initial buffer management method; analyzing the captured statistics; identifying a second buffer management method based on the analyzed captured statistics; determining whether the second buffer management method is more optimal than the first buffer management method; in response to determining that the second buffer management method is more optimal than the first buffer management method, invoking the second buffer management method; and repeating the capturing, the analyzing, the identifying and the determining.
US09158494B2
Methods and devices for minimizing and maximizing displayed output associated with applications are provided. More particularly, an application presented as two or more pages in a portrait mode can be minimized to present one of the two or more pages following a minimization operation. The page that continues to be displayed can comprise a primary or preferred page, while the page that is dismissed can comprise a secondary or ancillary page. With respect to a maximization operation received with respect to a page of an application results in the display of an additional page associated with that application. Maximization can include controlling the respective screens on which first and second pages of the maximized application are displayed.
US09158489B1
A printing control apparatus including: a receiving unit that receives a print instruction to instruct printing on a recording medium; a transferring unit that transfers the print instruction received by the receiving unit to an outputting portion which is capable of storing plural print instructions and outputs the stored print instruction one by one to a printing device; and a controller that controls the transferring unit so that another print instruction is transferred to the outputting portion if a print instruction transferred by the transferring unit last is started to be outputted from the outputting portion to the printing device.
US09158487B2
Image forming system with authentication unit, image forming apparatus, and computer readable medium
An image forming system includes a transmitter apparatus that transmits, to a predetermined storage location of multiple storage locations, identification information identifying a user and image data associated with the identification information, and multiple image forming apparatuses. Each of the image forming apparatuses includes a first storage unit that stores storage information indicating the storage locations, a storage location that is included in the storage locations and stores the identification information and the image data associated with the identification information, a retrieval unit that accesses the storage locations, indicated by the storage information stored on the first storage unit, when the identification information is inputted by the user, and retrieves the image data from the storage location, and an image forming unit that forms an image corresponding to the image data retrieved by the retrieval unit.
US09158486B2
Methods and apparatus enforce policy on print jobs and track them per users. A computing device has a layered service provider (LSP) and a spooler. The LSP determines whether data coming to it corresponds to print data or not. If so, it extracts user information and determines whether any imaging policies apply to the user. If policy applies, the LSP iteratively acknowledges to the spooler that data is being successfully transferred to an imaging device so the spooler will continue sending a remainder of the data corresponding to the print job. Upon receipt of an entire print job, the LSP enforces policy and notifies the user. It also notifies an accounting server to update its policies. Further embodiments note relationships between the LSP and spooler and their interaction with layers in a TCP/IP model.
US09158480B2
In one embodiment, first data is received at a computer system from a first network-connected printer. The first data includes state data describing a state of a printer application as accessed and viewable by a user at the first printer. The first data additionally includes content to be edited via the application. The first data is sent to a computing device that is configured to provide a user with access and a view to the content via the state. The computing device is additionally configured to enable a user utilizing the application to perform an editing function not available at the first printer. Edited content, that is the result of user editing of the content at the device via the application, is received from the device. The edited content is sent to a network-connected printer for printing.
US09158479B2
Techniques are provided for generating and using automated production and performance dashboards. For example, an automated production dashboard is generated and used that includes, but is not limited to, defining production performance metrics, job stats, trends, red/green/yellow with health check, and risks. As well, an automated upkeep dashboard is generated and used that includes, but is not limited to, defining supplies, maintenance, trends, next service appointments, red/green/yellow with health check, and risks. Such techniques may include a remote view of such dashboards, e.g. via native mobile applications in addition to web/client, etc.
US09158477B2
Provided are a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for maintaining state information. An available node affiliated with an unavailable device adapter and an unavailable node affiliated with an available device adapter are identified, wherein the available node is assigned a first subset of disk arrays, and wherein the unavailable node is assigned a second subset of disk arrays. The available device adapter is affiliated with the available node. First state information of the first node that describes a state of the first subset of disk arrays is updated with second state information of the second node that describes a state of the second subset of disk arrays. Access to the first subset of disk arrays and the second subset of disk arrays is provided through the available node and the available device adapter using the updated first state information.
US09158462B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to write one or more data sets to a magnetic tape volume, the magnetic tape volume being configured to store data thereon, determine metadata corresponding to the one or more written data sets, and write the metadata corresponding to the one or more written data sets to a tape volume access block (TVAB) stored to the magnetic tape volume after a last written data set. In yet another embodiment, a method for managing a magnetic tape volume includes auditing a magnetic tape volume to determine a plurality of data sets stored thereto, determining metadata corresponding to the plurality of data sets, storing the metadata corresponding to the plurality of data sets to a TVAB, and writing the TVAB to the magnetic tape volume after a last written data set.
US09158460B2
Provided are a method and a server for selecting data nodes for storing an object and replicas thereof in a cloud storage system having a plurality of data nodes grouped in a plurality of storage areas. The method may include selecting at least one storage area for storing the object and the replicas thereof sequentially with a locality policy, a low-cost policy, a load-balancing policy, and a space-balancing policy and selecting at least one data node from the selected at least one storage area sequentially using a load-balancing policy and a space-balancing policy.
US09158458B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for provisioning storage resources for customers from a distributed grid of disparate storage systems are presented herein. A storage tier component can sort, based on attributes of heterogeneous computer-readable storage media, the heterogeneous computer-readable storage media into tiers of storage to facilitate provisioning a portion of storage space of a tier of the tiers for a computing resource. Further, the storage tier component can receive an input from a device for provisioning of the portion of the storage space of the tier, and configure, based on the input, a storage resource to facilitate access between the portion of the storage space of the tier and the computing resource. Furthermore, a tracking component can create an account associated with a customer that is associated with the device to facilitate tracking and/or limiting of utilization of the portion of the storage space of the tier by the customer.
US09158448B2
There is provided a portable terminal including a display panel having a display surface with a touch pad, an area management unit which defines a plurality of display areas formed by dividing the display surface, and a display control unit which performs control on an image display in each display area. In a state where two display areas are defined with a first boundary line, in response to a touch operation on the touch pad, the area management unit determines, based on a touch position of the touch operation, a second boundary line passing one point on the first boundary line and one point within a predetermined range from the touch position and defines two areas which are formed by dividing an object area of the two display areas with the second boundary line, as first and second display areas in place of the object area.
US09158426B1
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may comprise instructions stored thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the instructions may be configured to cause a computing system to at least display keys on a touch keyboard, display a prompt to type into the touch keyboard, store locations and pressures of calibration inputs onto the keys on the touch keyboard in association with an account, and recognize subsequent inputs into the touch keyboard during a session with the account based on the stored locations and pressures.
US09158424B2
The touch sensor device and the display device include: a panel unit having a touch detection area in which a plurality of drive electrodes extend in an X-direction, a plurality of detection electrodes extend in a Y-direction, and a plurality of detection units each composed of a pair of the drive electrode and the detection electrode are formed in a matrix pattern; the drive electrodes each having a width forming two detection units in the Y-direction; and regions each formed by the intersection between one drive electrode and first to fourth detection electrodes. In this region, detection regions having a first sensitivity in which first to fourth detection units are provided and non-detection regions having a second sensitivity are alternately disposed. For example, the detection electrodes have different shapes between the detection region and the non-detection region.
US09158420B2
A display device includes a display having an array of pixels separated by inter-pixel gaps in at least one dimension. An electrode having a length direction is formed over the display and extends across at least a portion of the array of pixels. The electrode includes a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a micro-pattern. The micro-pattern has a first set of parallel micro-wires oriented at a first angle non-orthogonal to the length direction and a second set of parallel micro-wires oriented at a second angle non-orthogonal to the length direction different from the first angle. The micro-wires of the first and second sets intersect to form an array of electrically connected micro-wire intersections. At least every other micro-wire intersection on the micro-wires of the first set is located between the pixels in the inter-pixel gaps.
US09158416B2
A light-based touch sensitive device, including a housing, a surface encased in the housing, a layer of elastic material above the surface, a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in the housing, that transmit light pulses through the layer, a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in the housing, that receive the light pulses transmitted through the layer, and a calculating unit, mounted in the housing and connected to the receivers, that determines a location of a pointer that touches the layer and creates an impression in the layer, based on outputs of the receivers.
US09158406B2
An in-cell touch display panel includes an active device array substrate, an opposite substrate and a display medium layer. The active device array substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of active devices, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of common electrodes, a plurality of data signal lines and a plurality of switches. The pixel electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding active devices. The common electrodes are arranged into a plurality of common electrode series, wherein every two or more common electrode series are connected to each other to form a first touch electrode. The data signal lines are respectively coupled to the pixel electrodes through the corresponding active devices. Every two or more of the data signal lines are electrically connected to one of the switches, wherein the pixel electrodes and the data signal lines coupled to a same switch together form a second touch electrode.
US09158405B2
A method includes exciting a first gate line of a touch-sensitive display to control display of information, driving a first scanning electrode of the touch-sensitive display while exciting the gate line, wherein the first gate line is associated with a first area of the display and the first scanning electrode is associated with a second area of the display, which second area is spaced from the first area.
US09158404B2
A touch display device including an active matrix, a driving module, a sensing module and a control unit is provided. The active matrix includes a plurality of common electrodes, scan lines, and data lines. At least parts of the common electrodes form a first touch electrode set and at least parts of the data lines form a second touch electrode set. The control unit is configured to cause the driving module to drive the scan lines, the data lines, and the common electrodes in at least one display driving period to perform a displaying function, and to cause the driving module to drive one of the first touch electrode set and the second touch electrode set and cause the sensing module to receive signals from the other in at least one touch sensing period so as to perform a touch sensing function. A touch display method is also provided.
US09158393B2
Embodiments relate generally to control devices, such as human interface devices, configured for use with a touch-screen containing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and various apparatus that are used to actively control the interaction of a handheld device, such as a stylus pen, with a touch-screen containing device. Embodiments of the invention provide a universal handheld device that is able to provide input to any type of capacitive sensing touch-screen containing device, regardless of the manufacturer or, in some embodiments, without knowledge of the touch-screen containing device manufacturer's specific capacitive touch-sensing detection techniques.
US09158386B2
A method of removing portions of a conductive layer comprising a transparent conductive material and/or a metallic material disposed on a plastic substrate used for capacitive touchscreen devices includes providing a plastic substrate having a conductive layer disposed on a surface thereof and removing portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate to establish a pattern of electrically isolated conductive portions on the surface of the plastic substrate. The conductive portions or traces are electrically connected to a touchscreen controller, which is operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of an object at or near the surface of the plastic substrate responsive to a detected change in capacitance. The removal process may comprise etching or laser ablating portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate.
US09158372B2
A method on an electronic device is described. A touch screen display of the electronic device is actively controlled in a higher-power mode of operation. Actively controlling the touch screen display in the higher-power mode is discontinued to enter a lower-power mode of operation. In the lower-power mode: at least one first control signal is provided to the touch screen display; in response to the at least one first control signal, a first portion of the touch screen display is activated and a first portion of a graphic is displayed on a first area of the touch screen display within the first portion; occurrence of a first user interaction that corresponds to the first portion of the graphic during the display of the first portion of the graphic is determined; and user interaction data is stored for the first portion of the graphic based on the first user interaction determination.
US09158370B2
A method, apparatus, and system for modeling interactions of a group of users with a computing system includes monitoring passive and active interaction data of multiple users and discovering common interests among the users based on the interaction data. Collective contextual user models may be dynamically formed based on the common interests. Such models have many useful applications that can benefit the group or the individual members of the group.
US09158360B2
In an embodiment, an electronic apparatus is mounted with a card unit including first and second devices driven with different driving voltages. The electronic apparatus includes: first and second voltage generating units, first and second control units. The first voltage generating unit generates a first driving voltage for driving the first device and a second driving voltage for driving the second device using electric power from the battery. The second voltage generating unit generates the first driving voltage and second driving voltage using electric power transmitted from the external device. The first control unit controls the first selection unit such that any one of the first driving voltage generated by the first voltage generating unit and the first driving voltage generated by the second voltage generating unit is selected depending on the electric power supply capability of the battery.
US09158355B2
A core switching system includes a mode switching module that receives a switch signal to switch operation between a first mode and a second mode. During the first mode, instructions associated with applications are executed by a first asymmetric core, and a second asymmetric core is inactive. During the second mode, the instructions are executed by the second asymmetric core, and the first asymmetric core is inactive. A core activation module stops processing of the applications by the first asymmetric core after interrupts are disabled. A state transfer module transfers a state of the first asymmetric core to the second asymmetric core. The core activation module allows the second asymmetric core to resume execution of the instructions and the interrupts are enabled.
US09158353B2
An information processing apparatus which is capable of, when hang-up occurs, eliminating the hang-up state and restoring to a normal state without bothering a user. A first power supply unit supplies power to predetermined devices among a plurality of devices, and a second power supply unit supplies power to the plurality of devices. When startup is done with power being supplied to the predetermined devices, software is started by supplying power to all of the plurality of devices. When the second power supply unit is turned on during the startup, whether or not the software has been normally started is determined. When the software has not been normally started, the software is restarted by carrying out an off-on process in which the plurality of devices are reset, the second power supply unit is turned off, and then the second power supply unit is turned on again.
US09158352B2
A microelectronic package includes a microelectronic element operable to output a discrete-value logic signal indicating an imminent increase in demand for current by at least some portion of the microelectronic element. An active power delivery element within the package is operable by the logic signal to increase current delivery to the microelectronic element.
US09158342B2
The present specification relates to a mobile device and a method of controlling therefor, and more particularly, if a photographer is not an owner of the mobile device, to a method of sharing a captured image with the photographer recognized by biometrics.According to one embodiment, the mobile device includes a display unit configured to display a visual information, a camera unit configured to capture an image, a storage unit configured to store the captured image, a communication unit configured to transmit the captured image, a sensor unit configured to detect a user input and configured to deliver an input signal according to a detected result to a processor, and a processor configured to control the display unit, the image capturing unit, the storage unit, the communication unit, and the sensor unit, wherein the processor is further configured to detect an input signal, capture an image and detect a first identification information of a photographer providing the input signal based on the detected input signal, transmit the captured image to an address of the photographer when the first identification of the photographer is not matched with a second identification information of an owner of the mobile device.
US09158336B2
Cases for tablet computers and methods are disclosed. An embodiment of one such case has an interface configured to allow the tablet computer to communicate with a removable storage device using a communication protocol not supported by the tablet computer, where the case is configured to contain at least a portion of the tablet computer therein.
US09158325B1
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving power at a power consumer device coupled to a power provider device by a cable. The received power is supplied at a first current at an input of the power consumer device and is supplied to a load in the power consumer device. The method includes measuring a rate of change of the voltage at the input of the power consumer device, and determining whether the rate of change of the voltage at the input of the power consumer device is less than a first target rate of change of voltage. The current received at the input of the power consumer device is reduced to a second current lower than the first current if the rate of change of the voltage at the input of the power consumer device is greater than the first target rate of change of voltage.
US09158306B2
A system arranged in an aerial vehicle for determining the position of the aerial vehicle relative to a center of a remote predetermined landing area arranged on a surface. A beam emitter is configured to emit beams towards the surface. A detector is configured to detect the beams reflected from the surface. A control is configured to control the beam emitter to emit beams onto the surface to form a plurality of lines thereon. A processor is configured to detect at least one edge providing a difference in height relative to the surface based on the detected reflected line forming beams. The edge substantially surrounds the predetermined landing area. The processor is further configured to determine the position of the aerial vehicle relative to the center of the remote predetermined landing area based on the detected at least one edge.
US09158303B2
A system may include a model library configured to model a safety system, wherein the model library comprises a plurality of subsystem models, and each of the plurality of subsystem models is configured to derive a reliability measure. The system further includes a fault tolerance input and a maintenance policy input. The system further includes a dynamic risk calculation engine (DRCE) configured to use a user-defined set of the plurality of subsystem models, the fault tolerance input and the maintenance policy input, to derive a system risk for an apparatus.
US09158301B2
An embodiment is a method for semiconductor processing control. The method comprises identifying a key process stage from a plurality of process stages based on a parameter of processed wafers, forecasting a trend for a wafer processed by the key process stage and some of the plurality of process stages based on the parameter, and dispatching the wafer to one of a first plurality of tools in a tuning process stage. The one of the first plurality of tools is determined based on the trend.
US09158295B2
A process is modeled by resolving the process into a plurality of process stages, including at least a first process stage and a second process stage, and developing a plurality of models, each model corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of process stages, wherein the model corresponding to each process stage is developed using data from one or more runs of that process stage and output quality data relating to the one or more runs of that process stage and wherein the model corresponding to each process stage is adapted to produce an output quality prediction associated with that process stage, and wherein the output quality prediction produced by the model of a first one of the process stages is used to develop the model of a second one of the process stages.
US09158292B2
Various embodiments facilitate home automation via a receiving device. In one embodiment, a home device manager is provided for execution on a receiving device, such as a set-top box. The home device manager is configured to discover home devices and to obtain device control information from the discovered devices. The home device manager is further configured to, based on the obtained device control information, present a user interface operable by a user to specify commands for controlling a home device, receive a specified command, and control the home device by transmitting the specified command to the home device. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09158290B2
An automotive communication method includes installing a sensor within a vehicle such that the sensor is submerged in a liquid during operation of the vehicle and/or substantially surrounded by a metallic structure during operation of the vehicle. A long wave magnetic signal is transmitted from the sensor. The signal is indicative of a condition sensed by the sensor. The signal is wirelessly received at a controller disposed within the vehicle. Receipt of the signal at the controller is responded to by adjusting a display and/or a setting within the vehicle.
US09158283B2
A reverser for a timepiece including a first input moving part having a first receiving toothing and integral with a first transmission toothing, a second input moving part having a second receiving toothing and integral with a second transmission toothing, a first satellite cooperating with the first transmission toothing configured to rotate in a single direction, a second satellite cooperating with the second transmission toothing configured to rotate in a single direction, the satellite being freely rotatable relative to the first satellite, a satellite carrier carrying the second satellite and an output moving part integral with the satellite carrier in which the first satellite is carried by the satellite carrier.
US09158263B2
A cooling device includes a conveying portion configured to convey a sheet while holding the sheet between a first belt and a second belt; a stretching roller configured to drive the first belt inside the first belt; and a cooling portion having a flow-passage forming portion for forming a flow passage of a cooling medium and configured to cool the sheet through the first belt. Moreover, the cooling device includes a press roller provided inside the second belt and facing the flow-passage forming portion through the second belt and the first belt; and a contacting/separating portion configured to have the second belt contact with/separate from the cooling portion through the first belt by moving the press roller. The stretching roller has a lower end portion located below a cooling surface of the cooling portion.
US09158262B2
An image forming apparatus contains a registration correction portion correcting an inclination of the sheet of paper by hitting a forward end of the sheet of paper against a pair of registration rollers, a detection portion that detects an amount of deviation in the sheet of paper, a control portion that calculates a command value of movement for correcting the amount of deviation and a moving portion that moves the registration rollers toward a direction which is perpendicular to a sheet-conveying direction based on the command value of movement with the sheet of paper being nipped with the registration rollers. The control portion controls the moving portion so that the movement of the registration rollers finishes before a limited time of movement or below an upper limit of movement set in relation to the command value of movement.
US09158261B2
A toner image is formed on a sheet based on image data by an image forming portion, and a plurality of sheets on which the toner image is formed is bound together by a stapleless binding unit including a pair of tooth-like members, each having a concave and convex portion. Then, the image data is corrected by a correction portion so that a ratio of toner within a part of the sheet to be subjected to binding processing by the stapleless binding unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.
US09158252B2
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment comprises a first image forming section configured to form an image on a recording medium with a non-erasable material, and a second image forming section configured to form an image on the recording medium with an erasable material. The image forming apparatus further comprises a control section configured to separate image data according to attributes of the image data into first image data to be printed on the recording medium in the first image forming section and second image data to be printed on the recording medium in the second image forming section.
US09158248B2
A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. A nip formation assembly presses against an opposed body via the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotary body and the opposed body, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A movable heat shield movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable axial span of the fixing rotary body. A stationary heat shield, interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater, is disposed outboard from a lateral edge of a heat generator of the heater in an axial direction of the fixing rotary body.
US09158246B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a first medium at an image forming position, a fixing unit configured to fix the image formed on the first medium by heating the first medium at a first temperature, a conveying unit configured to convey the first medium to the fixing unit through a first path extending from the image forming position to the fixing unit and convey a second medium to the fixing unit through a second path that merges with the first path at a position between the image forming position and the fixing unit, and a control unit configured to control the fixing unit to be a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature, when the control unit determines that the conveying unit is conveying the second medium to the fixing unit through the second path.
US09158245B2
A medium transporting apparatus includes a first transporting section and first guide. The first transporting section transports a medium.The first guide guides the medium transported by the transporting section, and is disposed downstream of the first transporting section with respect to a first direction in which the medium is transported. The first guide includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion. The first guide portion extends in the first direction. The second guide portion extends in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
US09158240B2
An image forming apparatus capable of preventing image defects, such as color shift, from being caused, by preventing increased transfer pressure from being applied by a primary transfer section to thereby prevent a surface speed difference from being generated between the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer belt. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt that rotates in contact with the photosensitive drum, respective brushless DC motors for driving the photosensitive drum for rotation and the intermediate transfer belt for rotation, and a controller for controlling the brushless DC motors. The controller performs control such that the brushless DC motor applies assist torque to the photosensitive drum, for offsetting load torque acting thereon, thereby enabling the photosensitive drum to be friction-driven by the intermediate transfer belt.
US09158239B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an endless belt having an outer circumferential surface for conveying a recording sheet; a photosensitive member provided to face the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt; a cleaning member provided to face the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt and configured to clean the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt; and a control device configured to control a cleaning bias to be applied to the cleaning member such that while a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt, which has contacted the recording sheet since being cleaned by the cleaning member, faces the cleaning member, a second bias, which is larger than a first bias having been applied to the cleaning member before the corresponding portion faces the cleaning member, is applied to the cleaning member.
US09158230B2
This invention is to provide a developing device uniformly developing an image along an axis line of a developing roller and stably obtaining the image with a uniform concentration. The developing device comprises: a developer tank, the developing roller, and a cylindrical layer thickness-regulating member. The layer thickness-regulating member comprises a body part regulating a layer thickness of a developer retained on an outer periphery of the developing roller; a first supporting part having a diameter smaller than that of the body part and supporting the body part at one end of the body part; and a second supporting part having a diameter smaller than or the same as that of the body part and supporting the body part at the other end of the body part. The first supporting part is provided such that a central axis of the first supporting part is configured to be eccentric to a central axis of the body part at a predetermined eccentricity ratio; therefore, the body part tentatively supported by the first supporting part and the second supporting part is appropriately rotated and adjusted to obtain a predetermined gap before the layer thickness-regulating member is fixedly supported by the developer tank.
US09158228B2
A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and a planar metal developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer carried by the developer bearer to the development range. The developer bearer includes a developer carrying range having surface unevenness, and the developer regulator includes a fixed end portion held by a regulator holder and a free end portion to contact a surface of the developer bearer.
US09158215B2
An image forming apparatus comprising a seamless intermediate transfer belt, and methods for making the same. The seamless intermediate transfer belt comprises a carbon black dispersion and a mechanically robust polymer material having very high molecular weight.
US09158211B2
A scanning exposure apparatus exposes a plurality of shot regions on a substrate to light while scanning an original and the substrate. The apparatus includes: a stage which holds the substrate and moves; and a controller which controls movement of the stage based on a driving profile that defines the movement of the stage. A portion in the driving profile, which defines the movement of the stage during exposure of at least one shot region, is formed by a sine wave having a frequency lower than a resonance frequency in a stage controller.
US09158210B2
At a time of aligning a thin plate-shaped work of which both front and rear surfaces are subjected to work, a deflection caused at a central portion of the thin plate-shaped work is corrected and the thin plate-shaped work is controlled to be parallel state with respect to a photomask.The present invention provides an exposing method comprising: a supporting step in which a peripheral portion 6b of a thin plate-shaped work 6 of which both front and rear surfaces are subjected to work is supported by a supporting portion 7 of a work stage 9 provided to a exposing apparatus; a deflection correcting step in which a fluid is introduced into a hollow portion 8 formed to an inside the supporting portion 7, so that a deflection caused at a central portion 6a of the thin plate-shaped work 6 supported by the supporting portion 7 is corrected; an aligning step in which positions of the thin plate-shaped work 6 of which peripheral portion 6b is supported by the supporting portion 7 and a photomask 3 are adjusted; and an exposing step in which the thin plate-shaped work 6 is exposed with light irradiated from upper side of the photomask 3.
US09158209B2
A method includes receiving a substrate having a material feature embedded in the substrate, wherein receiving the substrate includes receiving a first leveling data and a first overlay data generated when forming the material feature, deposing a resist film on the substrate, and exposing the resist film using a predicted overlay correction data to form a resist pattern overlying the material feature on the substrate, wherein using the predicted overlay correction data includes generating a second leveling data and calculating the predicted overlay correction data using the first leveling data, the first overlay data, and the second leveling data.
US09158208B2
A model-based tuning method for tuning a first lithography system utilizing a reference lithography system, each of which has tunable parameters for controlling imaging performance. The method includes the steps of defining a test pattern and an imaging model; imaging the test pattern utilizing the reference lithography system and measuring the imaging results; imaging the test pattern utilizing the first lithography system and measuring the imaging results; calibrating the imaging model utilizing the imaging results corresponding to the reference lithography system, where the calibrated imaging model has a first set of parameter values; tuning the calibrated imaging model utilizing the imaging results corresponding to the first lithography system, where the tuned calibrated model has a second set of parameter values; and adjusting the parameters of the first lithography system based on a difference between the first set of parameter values and the second set of parameter values.
US09158207B2
An optical component for transmitting radiation includes a radiation protective layer, which includes at least one oxide material selected from germanium dioxide (GeO2), antimony pentoxide (Sb2O5), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), niobium(V) oxide (Nb2O5), tin oxide (SnO2), metal oxides of rare earths, in particular lanthanum oxide (La2O3) or cerium oxide (CeO2), yttrium oxide (Y2O3), yttrium aluminum oxides, zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In2O3), bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3), barium titanate (BaTiO3) and spinels, such as magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4). The radiation protective layer can be varnish-like, and the oxide material can be contained in a binder of the varnish-like radiation protective layer.
US09158206B2
An immersion lithographic apparatus is cleaned by use of a cleaning liquid consisting essentially of ultra-pure water and (a) a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ozone, or (b) hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of up to 5%, or (c) ozone at a concentration of up to 50 ppm, or (d) oxygen at concentration of up to 10 ppm, or (e) any combination selected from (a)-(d).
US09158197B2
A method of preparing an organic-inorganic hybrid material is described. A M(OR)x and an organically modified Si-alkoxide having a predetermined functional group are dissolved in a first solvent and a second solvent to form a first solution and a second solution, respectively. The first solution and the second solution are then mixed and heated. As a result, the M(OR)x reacts with the organically modified Si-alkoxide to form a functionalized organic-inorganic hybrid material. Furthermore, the solid content of the functionalized organic-inorganic hybrid material is increased by transferring the same into another solvent. Therefore, a thick hybrid film is fabricated by means of the transferred functionalized organic-inorganic hybrid material.
US09158195B2
A silicon polymer material, which has a silicon polymer backbone with chromophore groups attached directly to at least a part of the silicon atoms, the polymer further exhibiting carbosilane bonds. The film forming composition and resulting coating properties can be tailored to suit the specific exposure wavelength and device fabrication and design requirements. By using two different chromophores the refractive index and the absorption co-efficient can be efficiently tuned. By varying the proportion of carbosilane bonds, and a desired Si-content of the anti-reflective coating composition can be obtained.
US09158193B2
A mask is disclosed. The mask includes a light-blocking region and a slit-like light-transmitting region. The slit includes two edges that are disposed oppositely to each other, and each of the edges is made up of a plurality of arcs.
US09158192B2
A half-tone phase shift film 2 and a light-shielding film 3 are stacked on transparent substrate 1. The light-shielding film 3 has a monolayer structure or a multilayer structure. At least one layer is formed by film-formation with a chromium-containing material including tin. The half-tone phase shift film 2 is made of a molybdenum silicon nitride oxide. The layer made of a chromium-containing material including tin can cause a significant increase in the etching rate at the time of chlorine-containing dry-etching including oxygen. Thus, burden on the resist pattern or hard mask pattern at the time of transferring a pattern on the light-shielding film is reduced, and therefore it is possible to carry out pattern transfer with high precision. The present invention provides a novel technique that can increase a dry-etching rate of a light-shielding film made of a chromium-containing material while assuring various characteristics required for the light-shielding film.
US09158180B2
A light focusing device for detachably coupling to a camera with a built-in flash. The device comprises a mount for detachably coupling to the camera; a housing coupled with the mount, the housing configured to enclose the built-in flash when the built-in flash is an enabled position; and a lens coupled with the housing such that light generated by the built-in flash is focused by the lens such that intensity of the light is increased farther away than what the built-in flash is able to do on its own.
US09158179B2
Photo booth systems and methods of using photo booth systems, such as those that provide photo booths and interaction between the photo booths and one or more user groups.
US09158178B2
A laser device is disclosed that provides at least an ultraviolet laser beam and preferably both an ultraviolet laser beam and a visible laser beam. The laser device includes a semiconductor laser device (e.g. a laser diode) to generate visible laser light which is coupled into a frequency doubling crystal taking the form of a single crystal thin film frequency-doubling waveguide structure. The single crystal thin film frequency-doubling waveguide converts a portion of the visible light emitted by the laser diode into ultraviolet light. Both visible and ultraviolet laser light is emitted from the waveguide. As an example, the single crystal thin film frequency-doubling frequency doubling waveguide includes a frequency doubling crystal region composed of β-BaB2O4 (β-BBO), a cladding region composed of materials that are transparent or nearly transparent at the wavelength of the ultraviolet laser light beam and a supporting substrate composed of any material.
US09158174B2
In electrophoretic media, it is advantageous to use pigment particles having a polymer chemically bonded to, or cross-linked around, the pigment particles, the polymer comprising repeating units derived from a fluorinated acrylate or fluorinated methacrylate monomer. The polymer desirably has a branched chain structure with side chains extending from a main chain. Desirably, the fluorinated acrylate or fluorinated methacrylate monomer comprises from 1 to 5 mole percent of the polymer.
US09158173B2
This disclosure provides spacers for smart windows. In one aspect, a window assembly includes a first substantially transparent substrate having an optically switchable device on a surface of the first substrate. The optically switchable device includes electrodes. A first electrode of the electrodes has a length about the length of a side of the optically switchable device. The window assembly further includes a second substantially transparent substrate a metal spacer between the first and the second substrates. The metal spacer has a substantially rectangular cross section, with one side of the metal spacer including a recess configured to accommodate the length of the first electrode such that there is no contact between the first electrode and the metal spacer. A primary seal material bonds the first substrate to the metal spacer and bonds the second substrate to the metal spacer.
US09158172B2
In one aspect, the present invention is a system comprising an electrochromic device having at least one bus bar and a color obscuration material wherein the at least one bus bar is coated with an over-coating material that is 1) substantially non-porous; and 2) substantially color-matched to one of said color obscuration material, a spacer, or a polymer seal.
US09158168B2
A display device includes a first unit pixel disposed in a first pixel column and a first pixel row, and a second unit pixel disposed in the first pixel column and a second pixel row adjacent to the first pixel row, and first and second gate lines extending in a row direction and having gate voltage input pads at a terminal portion thereof. First and second data lines extend in a column direction and are connected to the first unit pixel and the second unit pixel, respectively. A first charge control line extends in the row direction and has a charge control gate voltage input pad disposed at a terminal portion thereof. The first gate line is connected to the first unit pixel and the second gate line is connected to the second unit pixel. The first gate line and the second gate line simultaneously receive a same gate pulse.
US09158157B2
An LCD includes a TAC film, a PVA film, a biaxial compensation film, an LC cell, a second TAC film, a second PVA film, and a third TAC film from the incident surface to the emitting surface. The biaxial compensation film is used for providing a first retardation value and a second retardation value by adjusting thickness and by adjusting a first refractive index, a second refractive index, and a third refractive index. The second TAC film is used for providing a third retardation value by adjusting thickness and by adjusting a fourth refractive index, a fifth refractive index, and a sixth refractive index corresponding to the light in the first direction, the light in the second direction, and the light in the third direction, respectively. Leakage of light is controlled according to the first retardation value, the second retardation value, and the third retardation value in the LCD.
US09158146B2
A projector can be easily attached by mounting a connecting unit to a socket for illumination in an ordinary home. Since the projector includes a communication unit configured to receive an electronic mail, the projector updates an image signal and adjusts a diffusion degree of modulated light by a light-diffusion adjusting unit on the basis of contents of the mail received by the communication unit. Therefore, when a user desires to inform family members who will return home that the user suddenly has to go out, if the user transmits in advance, to the projector, a mail including a message for a family member who returns home, the family member who returns home turns on an illumination switch at the entrance, whereby the projector can start up, perform an illuminating function, and clearly project and display the message.
US09158145B2
A color filter device for in-cell touch panel is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a black matrix with a plurality of openings that is formed on the substrate, and a plurality of sensing electrodes and a plurality of driving electrodes both formed on the black matrix. The sensing electrodes are independent of the driving electrodes, the black matrix is disconnected between the sensing electrodes and the driving electrodes, and the disconnected portion of the black matrix is blocked by an opaque material.
US09158140B2
There is provided a physical property measuring method for a TFT liquid crystal panel, includes an impedance setting step of setting the impedance between the source and drain of a TFT of the TFT liquid crystal panel to be less than or equal to a predetermined value, a voltage application step of applying a voltage that cyclically varies to a liquid crystal layer of the TFT liquid crystal panel. And the method further includes a physical property measuring step of measuring a transient current flowing through the liquid crystal layer to which the voltage that cyclically varies is applied in the voltage application step to measure physical properties of the liquid crystal layer.
US09158127B2
This invention discloses methods and apparatus for providing an ophthalmic lens with diffractive/refractive variable optic structures. An energy source is capable of powering the variable optic included within the ophthalmic lens as it may be predetermined. In some embodiments, an ophthalmic lens is cast molded from a silicone hydrogel.
US09158123B2
A light diffraction element comprising a transparent substrate and a first orientation layer that is formed on one surface of the substrate and includes anisotropic polymers and a first pattern of an orientation direction arranged periodically in a first direction along the primary plane of the substrate. The first pattern includes three or more small regions that are arranged in the first direction and in which the orientation direction of the polymers included in the first orientation layer are different from each other, and generates diffracted light as a result of interference between light passed respectively through the three or more small regions.
US09158104B2
A fourth port of a first WDM-type optical coupler and a fifth port of a second WDM-type optical coupler are optically connected, and a second port of the first WDM-type optical coupler and an eighth port of the second WDM-type optical coupler are optically connected. A light source for emitting excitation light is connected to a first port of the first WDM-type optical coupler, and a light-receiving section (light detector) is connected to a sixth port of the second WDM-type optical coupler. Excitation light is emitted through a seventh port of the second WDM-type optical coupler toward an observed subject, fluorescence from the observed subject is acquired through the seventh port of the second WDM-type optical coupler, and input fluorescence is detected by the light-receiving section.
US09158103B2
An endoscope includes: an objective optical section including a first barrel; an image pickup optical section including a solid image pickup device, an optical member forming an optical image through the objective optical section on an image pickup surface of the solid image pickup device, and a second barrel housing the optical member and the solid image pickup device, the second barrel fixed to the first barrel after positional adjustment in an axial direction relative to the first barrel; a holding member formed of material having a linear expansion coefficient lower than linear expansion coefficients of the first and second barrels, and fixed to outer surfaces of the first and second barrels; a first adhesive that bonds the first barrel and the second barrel; and a second adhesive having a bonding strength higher than that of the first adhesive, which bonds the holding member to the first and second barrels.
US09158102B2
A microscope objective lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group. The first lens group includes a positive lens component having a lens surface positioned nearest to the object side and having a negative refractive power. The second lens group includes a diffractive optical element that joins two diffractive element components respectively made from different optical materials and which has a diffractive optical surface on which diffractive grating grooves are formed on the bonded surface of the two diffractive element components. The third lens group includes at least one achromatic lens component having a negative refractive power, and a lens surface of the third lens group nearest to the image side is arranged so that a concave surface of the lens surface faces the image side.
US09158096B2
A large-aperture telephoto lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein the second lens group serves as a focusing lens group which is moved during focusing on an object at infinity to an object at a finite distance, wherein the following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: −4
US09158094B1
An imaging lens includes first to sixth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. Through designs of surfaces of the lens elements and relevant lens parameters, a short system length of the imaging lens may be achieved while maintaining good optical performance.
US09158081B2
A semiconductor package includes a substrate and an optical communication part. A first chip stack part and a second chip stack part are disposed over the substrate and are separate from each other, and the optical communication part is disposed in a cavity formed in the substrate to provide an optical signal path between the first and second chip stack parts.
US09158079B2
An optical module includes a circuit board, an optical element on the circuit board, a semiconductor circuit element thereon and electrically coupled with the optical element, an optical connection member formed on a back surface of the circuit board and including an optical fiber receiving groove, and a pressing plate disposed on a side opposite to the circuit board of the optical connection member so as to fix the optical fiber. The semiconductor circuit element is mounted nearer a tip side of the circuit board in relation to the optical element such that the circuit board, the optical connection member and a tip part of the optical fiber are sandwiched between the semiconductor circuit element and the pressing plate. The circuit board includes a plurality of electrodes to be electrically coupled with an equipment side circuit board formed on a tip part of a back surface of the circuit board.
US09158077B2
A waveguide lens includes a substrate, a planar waveguide, a media grating, a pair of first electrodes, and a pair of second electrodes. The planar waveguide is formed on the substrate and is coupled with a laser light source, which emits a laser beam having a divergent angle into the planar waveguide. The media grating is formed on the planar waveguide. The pair of first electrodes is configured to change an effective refractive index of the planar waveguide, utilizing an electro-optical effect, when a first modulating electric field is applied, where the effective refractive index is corresponding to a transverse electric wave. The pair of second electrodes is configured to change an effective refractive index of the planar waveguide, utilizing an electro-optical effect, when a second modulating electric field is applied, where the effective refractive index is corresponding to a transverse magnetic wave.
US09158071B2
An optical path-changing member comprises a member main body which is made of a transparent material and in which a reflection section optically connecting the optical fiber to the light input and output end is formed, wherein the reflection section is a first lens having a concave shape when viewed from an incident direction and making light incident on the inside of the member main body from one of the optical fiber and the light input and output end be internally reflected in the member main body and directed to the other of the optical fiber and the light input and output end, a second lens having a convex shape toward the optical component is formed in a light incidence and emission surface of the member main body, that faces the optical component.
US09158062B2
An illumination apparatus includes: a rod-like light guide member that directs light emitted from a first light source and a second light source from an emission surface to an illuminated body while propagating the light by reflection surfaces; and a light blocking member including a second surrounding portion slidably covering another end of the light guide member, wherein the second surrounding portion includes: a light blocking portion protruding toward one end of the light guide member and covering the emission surface of the light guide member; and a cut-out portion adjacent to the light blocking portion and exposing the reflection surface of the light guide member.
US09158059B2
The present invention provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display module using the backlight module. The backlight module includes: a backplane (2), a backlight source (4) mounted in the backplane (2), and a light guide plate (6) mounted in the backplane (2). The backplane (2) includes a bottom board (22) and a plurality of side boards (24) perpendicularly connected to the bottom board (22). The backlight source (4) includes a circuit board (42) and a plurality of LED lights (44) mounted to and electrically connected with the circuit board (42). The circuit board (42) is mounted to the bottom board (22). The LED lights (44) are arranged at one side of the light guide plate (6). The circuit board (42) includes a first slope surface (422) facing the bottom board (22). A heat dissipation board (8) is arranged between the circuit board (42) and the bottom board (22). The heat dissipation board (8) includes a second slope surface (82) mateable with the first slope surface (422).
US09158058B2
This display device includes a display device body, a display portion arranged on the front side of the display device body, a light source substrate, a light guide plate arranged on the rear side of the display portion to be opposed to the light source substrate mounted with the light source, having a light incident surface including a side surface receiving light emitted from the light source, a heat sink arranged on the rear side of the light guide plate, including a light source substrate fixing portion to which the light source substrate is attached and fixed by a double-faced adhesive tape, and a substrate pressing portion pressing the front end surface of the light source substrate attached to the light source substrate fixing portion in a direction toward the bottom surface of the heat sink in a surface contact state.
US09158052B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a wire grid polarizer in which a stable color coordinate can be implemented. According to the present invention, in a process where a second grid pattern of metal pattern is formed over a first grid pattern made of resin material, metal layer is deposited in a concave portion formed between adjacent first grid patterns to form void portion and a width and a height of the second grid pattern are adjusted depending on adjustment of a width of the voids, and thereby improving a process efficiency.
US09158051B2
A method of manufacturing a thin film polarizer includes forming a film laminate by alternately bonding two or more non-oriented polymer films and two or more non-oriented polyvinyl alcohol-based films to each other using attractive force or an adhesive layer, orienting the film laminate so that the polyvinyl alcohol-based film has a thickness of 10 μm or less after the orienting of the film laminate, and separating the polymer films and the polyvinyl alcohol-based films of the oriented film laminate from each other.
US09158047B2
A method for manufacturing a color filter substrate, comprising: preparing a mask plate for black matrix, and providing light hole filling patterns (16), correspondingly for sub-pixels of specific colors, on the mask plate for black matrix; preparing a mask plate (18) for color filter, and providing light through holes (17) of the same size, for sub-pixels of different colors, on the prepared mask plate for color filter, a position of a light through hole (17) corresponding to a position of a light hole filling pattern (16); manufacturing a color filter substrate by using the mask plate for black matrix and the mask plate for color filter.
US09158043B2
A method for space-variant manipulating of thermal emission from a surface of a material that supports surface waves includes providing a grating with a spatially varying grating parameter on the surface of the material.
US09158039B2
The optical element of the present invention has an anti-reflection film formed on a substrate. Here, the anti-reflection film comprises a first layer formed on the substrate; a second layer formed on the first layer and consisting of a material different from that of the first layer; and a third layer formed on the second layer and consisting of a concave-convex structure. Also, the third layer has three regions of which a refractive index for each thickness changes at a constant rate by continuously changing the space filling factor of the concave-convex structure.
US09158038B2
An antireflection film is provided in which a light scattering property is suppressed. The antireflection film includes, on a surface thereof, a moth-eye structure including a plurality of convex portions such that a width between vertices of adjacent convex portions is no greater than a wavelength of visible light.
US09158030B2
The present invention provides for an improved scanning process with a stationary X-ray source arranged to generate X-rays from a plurality of X-ray source positions around a scanning region, a first set of detectors arranged to detect X-rays transmitted through the scanning region, and at least one processor arranged to process outputs from the first set of detectors to generate tomographic image data. The X-ray screening system is used in combination with other screening technologies, such as NQR-based screening, X-ray diffraction based screening, X-ray back-scatter based screening, or Trace Detection based screening.
US09158022B2
An electrode for electric survey includes a first electrode rod having a tip portion at one end thereof; and a second electrode rod connected to a side surface of the first electrode rod. The second electrode rod is formed at one end thereof with a removing/hook portion perpendicularly connected to the side surface of the first electrode rod, and at the other end thereof with a wire connecting portion for connection with an electric wire, and has a bent portion between the removing/hook portion and the wire connecting portion. The electrode allows convenient connection of electric wires, ensures good contact with the electric wires so as to prevent easy separation of electric wires therefrom, can reduce a time for installation and removal of the electrode and measurement error, and does not necessitate use of electrical tape in installation of the electrode to thereby reduce environmental contamination due to waste tape.
US09158010B2
Provided is a radiation detector 1 capable of improving reliability while using a plurality of light receiving elements to provide a large screen size. A radiation detector 1 includes: a flexible supporting substrate 5 that includes a radiation incident surface 5a and a radiation emission surface 5b; a scintillator layer 6 made from a plurality of columnar crystals H formed on the emission surface 5b through crystal growth and generating light due to the incident radiation; a moisture-proof protective layer 7 covering the scintillator layer 6 and filled between the plurality of columnar crystals H; and light receiving elements 8A to 8D arranged to oppose the scintillator layer 6 and detecting the light generated in the scintillator layer 6.
US09158006B2
Provided is a composition for reflective film comprising a polyvinyl acetal resin, an epoxidized vegetable oil, a solvent, a coupling agent and titanium oxide.
US09158001B2
A navigation system for an enclosed area, the navigation system comprising: a) at least one satellite signal receiving station, positioned outside the enclosed area, to receive satellite signals transmitted by a constellation of satellites and to determine time synchronization information relative to the transmitted signals; b) at least one local transmitting station, positioned within the enclosed area, to transmit a local signal compatible with the transmitted satellite signals; and c) a communication channel to communicate self-alignment information between each station and at least one other station; wherein each local transmitting station uses the self-alignment information to generate the local signal; and wherein the at least one local signal provides navigation information useable by a satellite navigation receiver.
US09158000B2
A device management system is comprised of a server-side proxy component and at least one back-end computer. The server-side proxy component is configured to receive ephemeris and almanac data from a source and information from at least one client describing the geographic location of the client. The server-side proxy component is configured to send the ephemeris and almanac data and the information from the client to a back-end computer. Responsive to receiving this data and information, the computer compiles it into GPS data relevant to the location of the client.
US09157997B2
An ultrasound probing device including: a box; a locating mechanism to provide a position of the box in relation to a reference frame associated with an object to be examined; a mechanism to determine a delay law based on focusing parameters, representing a desired position of a focal point in relation to a reference frame associated with the box; a controller to provide control signals based on the delay law; transducers attached to the box, to receive control signals and, in response, to transmit ultrasonic waves in the object respectively delayed according to the delay law to focus at the focal point defined by the focusing parameters; and a mechanism updating the focusing parameters based on predefined associations between positions on a desired path of the box in relation to the reference frame associated with the object and corresponding focusing parameter values and the position of the box.
US09157995B2
A signal processor is configured to: derive, using a first process, at least one of a distance and a relative speed included in the object data set; and derive, using a second process different from the first process, at least one of the distance and the relative speed included in the object data set when the distance included in the object data set is below a predetermined distance.
US09157993B2
In a method of detecting an underground object which is at least partially under a surface of ground, a first view of the object determined by transmitting a first radar signal from a first known geolocation. A second view of the object is determined by transmitting a second radar signal from a second known geolocation. The respective first and second trajectories of the first and second radar signals are oblique with respect to the surface of the ground and the respective first and second trajectories are at a first angle with respect to each other. A position of the object is estimated by maximizing a correlation between the first view and the second view by adjusting an estimated dielectric constant associated with medium between the object and the surface of the ground.
US09157990B2
An ultrasonic transmitting/receiving circuit equipped with: a semiconductor circuit element which comprises at least three terminals including a first terminal connected to a plurality of transducer elements that constitute an ultrasonic probe, a second terminal connected to a transmission signal generating circuit, and a third terminal serving as an output terminal of an amplifier of a reception signal from the transducer element, and which has a function of amplifying a signal inputted from one terminal by the other terminal and outputting the amplified signal between at least two terminals among the above-said three terminals; and a control unit which performs control so as to cause the semiconductor circuit element to perform a first function of functioning as a switch for inputting a transmission signal to the transducer element and a second function of amplifying the reception signal received from the transducer element.
US09157988B2
Imaging systems may include camera modules that include an array of image sensors. An image sensor may include multiple image pixel arrays arranged in rows and columns, multiple control circuits for operating the image pixels of that image sensor, and shared readout circuitry for reading out the image pixels of the image pixel arrays of that image sensor. Each control circuit may be operable to select rows of image pixels that extend across a row of image pixel arrays. Shared readout circuitry may include one or more line buffers configured to temporarily store image data captured by image pixels in the selected rows of image pixels. Shared readout circuitry may include selection circuitry configured to readout image data from groups of associated pixels located in separate image pixel arrays. An imaging system may include processing circuitry for processing the image data from each group of pixels.
US09157987B2
A measurement system includes a signal generator producing an RF modulation frequency and sampling frequency and sending the sampling frequency to an ADC, and sending the RF frequency to modulate a first light source to produce a first light; an optical system sending a portion of the first light to a reference optical detector a portion of the first light out a measurement device to a target that returns a second light to the optical system which sends the second light to a measure optical detector, the reference and measure optical detectors converting the optical signals into corresponding electrical signals; a first ADC channel receiving the electrical measure signal and producing digital measure values; a second ADC channel receiving the electrical reference signal and producing digital reference values; and a processor receiving the digital measure and reference values and calculating the device to target distance.
US09157982B2
An ultrasonic locationing system includes an emitter operable to emit at least two ultrasonic frequency tones sequentially in one ultrasonic burst. These tones, which may contain multiple frequency components, define a unique regional address. A mobile device with a microphone is operable to receive the ultrasonic burst and have a processor determine the sequential tones. A location of the device can be found from a table of predefined tones assigned to known regional addresses.
US09157980B2
A test layout structure including a first series of parallel metal lines in a first level, and a first series of contact structures in a second level, the second level being positioned above the first level, the first series of contact structures being positioned at known increments, where the increments are in a direction perpendicular to a length of the first series of parallel metal lines, and where one or more of the first series of contact structures is in electrical contact with one or more of the first series of parallel metal lines.
US09157962B1
A circuit including a clock module, a control module, a manipulation module, and a function module. The clock module generates a first clock signal. The control module generates a control signal. The manipulation module, based on the control signal, either (i) forwards the first clock signal without modifying the first clock signal or (ii) modifies a cycle of the first clock signal to simulate a second clock signal. The second clock signal has a frequency higher than a frequency of the first clock signal. The function module: during a first mode and based on a non-modified cycle of the first clock signal, operates devices in a predetermined configuration; ceases operating in the first mode and changes the predetermined configuration of the devices to form a scan chain; and during a second mode and based on the modified cycle, operates the scan chain to test the devices.
US09157961B2
A scan test system and technique compresses CARE bits and X-control input data into PRPG seeds, thereby providing a first compression. The scan test system includes a plurality of compressor and decompressor structures (CODECs). Each block of the design includes at least one CODEC. An instruction decode unit (IDU) receives scan inputs and determines whether a seed extracted from the scan inputs is broadcast loaded in the CODECs, multicast loaded in a subset of the CODECs, or individual loaded in a single CODEC. This sharing of seeds, exploits the hierarchical nature of large designs with many PRPGs, provides a second compression. Results on large industrial designs demonstrate significant data and cycle compression increases while maintaining test coverage, diagnosability, and performance.
US09157959B2
The disclosed invention provides a semiconductor device that enables early discovery of a sign of aged deterioration that occurs locally. An LSI has a plurality of modules and a delay monitor cluster including a plurality of delay monitors. Each delay monitor includes a ring oscillator having a plurality of gate elements. Each delay monitor measures a delay time of the gate elements. A CPU #0 determines if a module proximate to a delay monitor suffers from aged deterioration, based on the delay time measured by the delay monitor.
US09157956B2
A plurality of digital circuits are manufactured from an identical circuit design. A power controller is operatively connected to the digital circuits, and a non-transitory storage medium is operatively connected to the power controller. The digital circuits are classified into different voltage bins, and each of the voltage bins has a current leakage limit. Each of the digital circuits has been previously tested to operate within a corresponding current leakage limit of a corresponding voltage bin into which each of the digital circuits has been classified. The non-transitory storage medium stores boundaries of the voltage bins as speed-binning test data. The power controller controls power-supply signals applied differently for each of the digital circuits based on which bin each of the digital circuit has been classified and the speed-binning test data.
US09157953B2
A test system may include test stations for testing a device under test. The test stations may each include test equipment that may be connected to a device under test using a test cable. The test cable may include a status indicator to indicate when tests have been passed or have failed. A first connector at one end of the test cable may be coupled to the test equipment. A second connector at an opposing end of the test cable may be coupled to the device under test. Communications through the first connector may use a first communications protocol. Communications through a first set of contacts in the second connector may use the first communications protocol. Communications through a second set of contacts in the second connector may use a second communications protocol.
US09157950B2
A method and system are disclosed for measuring a specified parameter in a phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer (PLL). In one embodiment, the method comprises introducing multiple phase errors in the PLL, measuring a specified aspect of the introduced phase errors, and determining a value for the specified parameter using the measured aspects of the introduced phase errors. In one embodiment, the phase errors are introduced repetitively in the PLL, and these phase errors produce a modified phase difference between the reference signal and the feedback signal in the PPL. In one embodiment, crossover times, when this modified phase difference crosses over a preset value, are determined, and these crossover times are used to determine the value for the specified parameter. In an embodiment, the parameter is calculated as a mathematical function of the crossover times. The parameter may be, for example, the bandwidth of the PLL.
US09157947B2
A communication apparatus and an associated estimation method are provided. The communication apparatus is electrically connected to a loading terminal and operates at a common bias voltage. The communication apparatus includes a transmitter, a connector, and a receiver. The connector includes a bridging circuit and a measurement circuit. The bridging circuit has a positive measurement end and a negative measurement end. The transmitter transmits an analog output signal. The receiver receives a common bias voltage during an estimation process. During the estimation process, the measurement circuit estimates a positive loading resistance and a negative loading resistance corresponding to the loading terminal according to a voltage difference between the common bias voltage and voltage at one of the positive measurement end and the negative measurement end.
US09157939B2
A method and to a system can be used for measuring electric voltages in batteries with a number of battery cells. A measuring circuit includes at least one digital analog converter that constitutes, in combination with a number of comparators, an analog digital converter to determine the electric voltages of the battery cells. The comparators compare a reference voltage generated by the digital analog converter with the electric voltage of the battery cells over a number of separate measuring channels to the individual battery cells.
US09157933B2
A test device for wireless electronic devices includes a metal casing, a RF-absorbing material, a measurement antenna, and an impedance adjustment module. The impedance adjustment module includes a dielectric layer, a microstrip line, and a slot line, wherein the slot line is electrically connected to the measurement antenna. The microstrip line and the slot line are disposed on two opposite sides of the dielectric layer and respectively include a first body and a second body, which are parallel to each other.
US09157930B2
Wireless electronic devices may include wireless communications circuitry such as a transceiver, antenna, and other wireless circuitry. The transceiver may be coupled to the antenna through a bidirectional switch connector. The switch connector may mate with a corresponding radio-frequency test probe that is connected to radio-frequency test equipment. When the test probe is mated with the switch connector, the transceiver may be decoupled from the antenna. During transceiver testing, radio-frequency test signals may be conveyed between the test unit and the transceiver using the test probe. During antenna testing, radio-frequency test signals may be conveyed between the test unit and the antenna using the test probe. Transceiver testing and antenna testing may, if desired, be conducted in parallel using the test probe.
US09157924B2
A specimen analyzing apparatus for measuring a specimen by using a reagent which has a dispensing mechanism which includes a dispensing tube for suctioning and discharging liquid; a reagent container holder from which a reagent container is removable when the reagent container is in a container removal area; a receiving section for receiving a replacement command for a replacement of the reagent; and a controller for controlling the dispensing mechanism so as to retreat the dispensing tube from the container removal area when the replacement command has been received by the receiving section. Also, a control method for a specimen analyzing apparatus.
US09157884B2
In order to provide a method of electrochemically detecting a target substance, a method of electrochemically detecting an analyte, and a detection set which have a theoretical advantage in the measurement sensitivity obtained by a conventional electrochemical detection method using a working electrode with a trapping substance immobilized, can reuse the working electrode, and can detect an analyte regardless of the size thereof, there is provided a method including: attracting the target substance containing a labeling substance in a liquid sample to a working electrode in which a trapping substance for trapping the target substance containing a labeling substance is not present; and electrochemically detecting the target substance containing a labeling substance.
US09157875B2
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry has been used for detecting binding events and measuring binding selectivities between chemicals and receptors. XRF may also be used for estimating the therapeutic index of a chemical, for estimating the binding selectivity of a chemical versus chemical analogs, for measuring post-translational modifications of proteins, and for drug manufacturing.
US09157870B2
According to one embodiment, a pattern test apparatus includes a light source configured to apply test light to a test sample, a polarizing beam splitter which reflects or transmits the test light, an imaging device which receives light which has been reflected by the test sample and transmitted through or reflected by the polarizing beam splitter, an optical system which forms a Fourier transform plane of the test sample between the test sample and the polarizing beam splitter, and a polarizing controller disposed in the Fourier transform plane. The polarizing controller includes a first region which lets the test light through, and a second region which is greater than the first region and lets the light reflected by the test sample through, and the each regions have different retardation quantities.
US09157868B2
The disclosure is directed to a system and method for reviewing a curved edge of a sample. A line scan detector is actuated along an actuation path defined by the edge of the sample to scan a plurality of locations along the sample edge. The scan data is assembled to generate at least one review image of at least a portion of the edge of the sample. In some embodiments a substantially normal angle of incidence is maintained between the sample edge and the scanning illumination. In some embodiments, brightfield and darkfield images may be collected utilizing a common objective with separately operable illumination sources directing illumination along a first and second illumination path to the sample edge for review.
US09157867B2
A lighting dome that can be used to inspect semiconductor wafers includes a small aperture, and can include backlighting, a reflectance gradient and/or a broad spectrum light source. A pin hole lens is aligned with the small aperture.
US09157865B2
A calibration artifact for an inspection system is provided. The calibration artifact comprises a base adapted for placement within a holding fixture of an inspection system during calibration, a sphere operatively connected to the base, and a light source operatively connected to the base. The base, the sphere, and the light source are removable from the inspection system after calibration.
US09157855B2
The present disclosure relates to classification of a material type of an unknown material. The material type is classified into a probability distribution of multiple predetermined material types by using a collection of plural predetermined material classifiers. Each material type of the multiple predetermined material types is associated with a corresponding best performing classifier from the collection of plural predetermined material classifiers by a predesignated stored association. The plural material classifiers are applied to the unknown material to obtain a list of candidate material types. A list of potential best performing classifiers is looked up using the list of candidate material types as a reference into the predesignated stored association. A respective probability that the unknown material belongs to a material type is assigned based on the list of potential best performing classifiers.
US09157854B2
To provide a scattered light-type smoke detection apparatus in which internally scattered light in a smoke detection space can be suppressed to improve the S/N ratio. A scattered light-type smoke detection apparatus includes: a smoke detection space that is provided in a light-shielded area that is light-shielded from the outside, into which smoke particles flow from the outside; a light emitter for emitting detection light toward the smoke detection space; and a light receiver for receiving scattered light caused by detection light emitted by the light emitter and scattered by smoke particles flowing into the smoke detection space, wherein the scattered light-type smoke detection apparatus includes an internally scattered light suppressing means for transmitting and guiding part or the whole of detection light emitted by the light emitter and passing through the smoke detection space to a predetermined area or the outside of the light-shielded area to suppress internally scattered light within the light-shielded area.
US09157850B2
Methods and systems for a label-free on-chip optical absorption spectrometer consisting of a photonic crystal slot waveguide are disclosed. The invention comprises an on-chip integrated optical absorption spectroscopy device that combines the slow light effect in photonic crystal waveguide and optical field enhancement in a slot waveguide and enables detection and identification of multiple analytes to be performed simultaneously using optical absorption techniques leading to a device for chemical and biological sensing, trace detection, and identification via unique analyte absorption spectral signatures. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09157842B1
A molecular concentrator comprising a thermal ratchet for driving molecules from one place to another. A plurality of linear, two-dimensional, and/or three-dimensional arrangements of heater structures are arranged on or suspended above a substrate. Each of the heater structures is configured to strongly sorb a vapor of interest when the heater structure is at room temperature and to rapidly desorb the vapor when the heater structure is at an elevated temperature. The vapor sorption of the individual heater structures is made selective by surface treatments, by monomolecular film depositions or by thicker absorbent polymer depositions. By selectively heating and cooling the heater structures, vapor molecules incident on the heater structures can be directed in a desired manner, e.g., from heater structures closest to a vapor-containing environment to a sensor.
US09157833B2
A running resistance device for a chassis dynamometer performs an environmental test while applying a running resistance and an environmental condition similar to a road running to the chassis dynamometer. Air-conditioning equipment, a thermometer and a barometer are provided in an environmental test laboratory. An air-conditioning control panel and a chassis-dynamometer control section are provided outside the environmental test laboratory. An environmental-correction calculating section of the chassis-dynamometer calculates an environmental correction value of a rolling resistance and an environmental correction value of an air resistance coefficient from air-temperature and air-pressure values detected by the thermometer and barometer, respectively; calculates a target running resistance from the calculated environmental correction values; and outputs the target running resistance to a running-resistance-command generating section of the chassis-dynamometer, which controls the chassis dynamometer by generating the running-resistance command based on the target running resistance and a detection signal of speed of the chassis dynamometer.
US09157829B2
The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus (312) for a steam plant, the apparatus comprising: a vibro-acoustic sensor (311) associated with a component of the steam plant, the sensor (311) being configured to provide an output indicative of the operating condition of the component; and a condition monitoring unit (313) coupled to the sensor (311); wherein the condition monitoring unit (313) is configured to analyze the output of the sensor (311) in order to identify characteristics attributed to live steam and characteristics attributed to condensate and to estimate steam leakage and condensate load for the component based on the identified characteristics. The invention also relates to a corresponding method of monitoring a steam plant.
US09157821B2
A MEMS and/or NEMS pressure measurement device includes a deformable membrane suspended on a substrate, one of the faces of the membrane configured to be subjected to a pressure to be measured, a detector configured to detect deformation of the membrane and being provided at least partly on the substrate; and a non-deformable transmission device configured to transmit the deformation of the membrane to the detector, said transmission device rotatably hinged to the substrate about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the membrane and being provided facing another face of the membrane opposite to said one of the faces, such that at least beyond a given pressure said transmission device and the membrane are movably integral with each other, and such that the transmission device transmits to the detector, in an amplified manner, the deformation or the stress from the deformation of the membrane.
US09157820B2
A location-determining device in a motor vehicle having at least one receiver device for receiving position signals and time signals for a multiplicity of satellites assigned to a global navigation system and a location-calculating module for calculating location information based on received position data and time data. The location-determining device has at least one receiver device structurally integrated into the housing of an optical sensor unit, wherein the housing is arranged in a passenger compartment in a region of an upper edge of a windscreen, and wherein the housing does not have more than a single connection to a vehicle data bus and not more than a single connection to a vehicle power supply.
US09157816B2
A torque sensing device includes a rotating component configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and a first sensor positioned adjacent to the rotating component to sense instantaneous angular position of the rotating component at a first location. A second sensor is positioned adjacent to the rotating component radially inboard of the first sensor to sense instantaneous angular position of the rotating component at a second location. A controller is operably coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor. The controller determines a relative phase shift between a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second signal generated by the second sensor to calculate an output proportional to a torque applied to the rotating component.
US09157806B2
The provided optical system allows selective spectral transfer of radiation, and provides a reflecting field of view at an undesired range directed towards cold surfaces. A removable spectral filter having a high transmittance at a first spectral range and a low transmittance at a second spectral range is disposed outside a cold shield. A reflective surface faces the detecting device and provides the detector a reflecting field of view at the second spectral range directed back towards the cold shield, and a blackened cold skirt thereof. Alternatively, a dichroic mirror is disposed inside the cold shield and has a high reflectance at a first spectral range and a high transmittance at a second range. The detecting device includes a first and a second arm of the cold shield to accommodate respective optical channels.
US09157803B2
A spark optical emission spectrometer comprising: a spark source for causing spark induced emission of light from a sample; a single entrance slit; a toroidal mirror for directing the light through the single entrance slit; a plurality of diffraction gratings for diffracting light that has been directed through the entrance slit by the mirror, whereby the plurality of diffraction gratings are simultaneously illuminated; and at least one array detector for detecting the diffracted light from the plurality of diffraction gratings, wherein the minor is for directing the light through the entrance slit such that light from different regions in the spark source is spatially separated in an image of the light at the gratings whereby a first diffraction grating is preferentially illuminated with light from a first region of the spark source and simultaneously a second diffraction grating is preferentially illuminated with light from a second region of the spark source.
US09157798B2
An optical wavelength dispersion device includes a first substrate, an input unit formed on the first substrate having a slit for receiving an optical signal, a grating formed on the first substrate for producing a first light beam form the optical signal for outputting, and a second substrate covered on the top of the input unit and the grating, wherein the input unit and the grating are formed from a photo-resist layer by high energy light source exposure.
US09157784B2
A machine for dosing a plurality of products in capsules, or similar containers, includes a plurality of dosing units for filling the capsules with respective products and a turret arrangement that rotates intermittently and is arranged for housing and moving the capsules in sequence through the dosing units. The machine further includes a plurality of checking units, each of which is located downstream of a respective dosing unit for measuring a quantity of product dosed in the capsules by the respective dosing units.
US09157778B2
Disclosed are a gas flow meter and a method for measuring the velocity of gas, wherein the reliability of real time measurement may be improved and a specific gas may be selected and measured. The gas flow meter includes: at least a gas detecting section for radiating light having a wavelength that is absorbed by a specific gas to the specific gas, of which flow velocity is to be measured, in a mixture gas including at least one gas, detecting the irradiance absorption of the corresponding wavelength of the specific gas, and providing a detection signal corresponding to the detected irradiance and a control section for calculating the flow velocity of the specific gas to be measured in real time based on the detection signal, which is provided from the gas detection section.
US09157775B2
A process variable transmitter is configured as a flowmeter for measuring flow of a process fluid through a conduit. The transmitter includes a pitot tube extending into the conduit which creates a differential pressure in the process fluid due to flow of the process fluid. An upstream process variable sensor is mounted on the pitot tube and coupled to the flow of process fluid to sense an upstream process variable of the process fluid. A downstream process variable sensor is mounted on the pitot tube downstream of the upstream process variable sensor and coupled to the flow of process fluid to sense a downstream process variable of the process fluid. Measurement circuitry determines the flow of the process fluid based upon the upstream process variable and the downstream process variable.
US09157768B2
Inductive position sensing uses inductance multiplication with series connected sensor coils. In one embodiment, a first sensing domain area is established in a first target plane using first and second sensor coils disposed on a longitudinal axis, on opposite sides of the first target plane and connected in series, so that a series-combined inductance is a multiple of a sum of the respective first and second coil inductances. Target position within the first sensing domain area of the first target plane is detected based on the series-combined inductance of the first and second coils, which changes as the target moves within the first sensing domain area of the first target plane. Further sensitivity can be achieved by additional coils, series connected on the same longitudinal axis, each coil pair defining a sensing area on a respective target plane intermediate the coils.
US09157767B2
In a position detector utilizing a Hall effect, a magnet is disposed to move relative to a circuit board. A conductive element is printed on the circuit board. A control circuit is mounted on the circuit board and is connected to the conductive element through a position detection wiring. The control circuit supplies an electric current to the conductive element through the position detection wiring such that the electric current flows in the conductive element in a first direction, detects a potential difference in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the conductive element, and performs an operation according to a position of the magnet relative to the conductive element based on the potential difference detected.
US09157761B2
An arrangement, a vehicle and a method for providing vehicle driver support during manual or semi-autonomous driving in a potential overtake scenario are provided. The arrangement includes a detector, a communication unit arranged to receive from a preceding vehicle information of a probable route of the preceding vehicle based on at least one of preceding vehicle historical route information and preceding vehicle navigation system information, a processing unit arranged to determine, for one or more routes ahead of the host vehicle, the probability that the preceding vehicle will drive along the one or more route, to process the received information into a format suitable for display, and to display the processed information, thereby providing support to the vehicle driver.
US09157759B2
A navigation device includes: a route calculation module operable to calculate a route from a start location to a destination location; a rendering module configured to use digital map data to generate images of the route for display to a user; and a route preview module operable to provide the user with a preview of the calculated route. In at least one embodiment, the route preview module is operable to divide the calculated route into junction segments and road segments, and is configured to control the rendering module to display images representative of locations within the road segments at a higher display speed than images representative of locations within the junction segments.
US09157743B2
A system is provided for correlating evidence grids. In certain embodiments, the system includes a sensor that generates signals describing a current section of an environment; a memory configured to store measurements of historical sections of the environment; and a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to calculate navigation parameters based on signals received from the sensor. Further, the processor converts the signals received from the sensor into a current evidence grid and removes data from the current evidence grid to form a reduced evidence grid; converts the measurements of historical sections into a historical evidence grid; and correlates the reduced evidence grid with the historical evidence grid by adjusting position and orientation of the reduced evidence grid and the historical evidence grid in relation to one another and calculating correlative values, and searching for a highest correlative value.
US09157738B2
An apparatus enabling inclination measurements or irregular surfaces comprising a retaining end adapted to temporarily hold a device equipped with an inclinometer and a supporting end, fixed to the retaining end, conformed to abut an irregular surface whereby the apparatus enables the device equipped with an inclinometer to measure inclination of an irregular surface.
US09157729B1
A light sensor-containing apparatus for detecting the thickness of inserts placed within a mailer including a picker arm, movable picker jaw that pivots during an insert gripping process, a target plate having a light reflective surface and secured to the picker arm end that moves when gripping an insert, and a light sensor mounted to the picker arm that emits a light beam and receives a reflected light beam that is reflected back from the light reflective surface to establish the thickness of the insert as controlled by associated computer programming is presented.
US09157727B2
An image measuring method according to an embodiment comprises a clock generating step, a noise reducing step, a data acquisition step, a digital data generating step and an image data generating step. In the clock generating step, clock signals are generated. In the noise reducing step, the noise of the generated clock signals is reduced to a predetermined threshold or lower. In the data acquisition step, analog data indicating the inner morphology of an object is acquired. In the digital data generating step, digital data is generated by sampling the analog data based on the clock signals with reduced noise. In the image data generating step, image data of the object is generated by performing data processing including Fourier transform on the generated digital data.
US09157723B2
A measurement apparatus and corresponding method can be used to measure an absolute diameter of a part in a shop floor environment. A tracker such as a laser tracker monitors a position of a probe end of a measurement arm of the apparatus. The position measured by the laser tracker can be used directly account for errors in the apparatus such as, for example, positioning errors of the measurement arm. The position monitoring of the tracking device eliminates complex apparatus calibrations and calculations used for previous devices.
US09157720B2
A method of establishing a dimensional reference datum for a vehicle front end assembly is provided. The method includes locating a positioning and reinforcement structure proximate a front end of a vehicle chassis. Also included is operably coupling the positioning and reinforcement structure to a first vehicle component, wherein the positioning and reinforcement structure is moveable relative to the first vehicle component. Further included is fixedly centering the positioning and reinforcement structure relative to a second vehicle component. Yet further included is positioning and operably coupling a plurality of front end components based on the dimensional reference datum provided by the fixed centered position of the positioning and reinforcement structure.
US09157718B2
An interruption sub for a downhole tool the downhole tool activatable by detonation. The interruption sub includes a barrier movable between a biased closed position and an open position. Preventing ballistic transfer to the downhole tool in the closed position and allowing ballistic transfer to the downhole tool in the open position. A detonation path within the interruption sub, wherein the barrier is hydraulically or electronically movable from the closed position to the open position in response to at least one condition acceptable for ballistic transfer. Also included is a downhole tool activatable by detonation.
US09157712B2
A biodegradable BB pellet includes an organic material and an inorganic material. Therein, the organic material includes a main ingredient polybutylene-1,4-succinate, while the inorganic material is selected from pulvis talci powder, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, mica powder, and zinc powder. The manufacturing method of the present invention is mixing the organic material and the inorganic material into a mixture, and processing the mixture orderly through injection molding, grinding, waxing and polishing. Thereby, the present invention is degradable by the environment and prevented from polluting environment. Also, due to the properties of better toughness, flexibility, and higher heat tolerance, the present invention is prevented from bursting to hurt other people and deforming during long-distance transportation.
US09157705B1
An relatively small anti-personnel mine device having a housing about 2 to about 3 inches in diameter, by about 2 to about 4 inches in length, which device projects a dispersion pattern of ⅛ to ⅜ inch diameter hard fragments over at least a 3 to 4 inch radius circle to neutralize a typical, buried, anti-personnel mine. The device contains about 125 to 190 grams of plastic explosive, which when detonated impacts a gas push plate against which an array of the fragments are lodged—the gas push plate and the fragments being encased in a puck shaped matrix of plastic or resin. The effect of the device is such that in addition to neutralizing the mine, the overburden atop the buried mine is expelled exposing the mine, providing enhanced safety in removal and a warning if the mine is daisy-chained to other mines.
US09157699B2
Disclosed is a D-ring for use in sling systems, in particular firearm slings, where quick detachment and consistent behavior of the sling are of particular importance. At least two swivel sockets are provided on opposite sides of the D-ring for ambidextrous use and slots are provided to restrict rotational movement of the attached swivels. The D-ring may be formed from a single toroid or a conglomeration of different toroidal forms.
US09157697B2
The present invention describes a firearm hand guard assembly attachable to a threaded firearm receiver wherein it surrounds the firearm barrel distally along the longitudinal axis of the barrel. The hand guard assembly is comprised of a threaded barrel nut component and a grip component configured such that when the hand guard assembly is attached to the firearm receiver, the sole direct contact between the firearm and the hand guard assembly is the contact between the barrel nut and the firearm receiver threads.
US09157695B1
An air gun includes a compression tube defining a compression chamber. A gas spring assembly is disposed within the compression chamber, and includes a piston that defines an interior pressure chamber. The piston includes a latch bushing that is disposed adjacent a rearward end of the bushing. The latch bushing defines a central bore that extends along and is concentric with a longitudinal axis of the piston. A guide rod is slideably supported within the central bore of the latch bushing. The piston is axially moveable along the longitudinal axis relative to the guide rod, between a compressed position and an un-compressed position. The guide rod includes a first end that engages the trigger assembly in abutting engagement, and a second end that is disposed within the interior pressure chamber of the piston. The latch bushing includes a ledge for engaging a sear of the trigger assembly in latching engagement.
US09157694B1
A firing device is provided with a housing, a sleeve in the housing, an air canister in the sleeve, a mechanism, and a pushing assembly. Pushing of the sliding cap forward exposes the push button and moves the spring depressible detent to the first depression, a pressing of the push button pushes down the sliding member, the pressing does not push down the sliding member further after the sliding member clearing the second though hole, the sharp member is pushed rearward by the spring biased cylindrical member to open the air canister by piercing, pressurized air released from the air canister pushes the mechanism including the sliding member back to a position prior to the pressing, the pressurized air travels forward to be stopped by the diaphragm with air pressure being further increased, and the diaphragm will be broken after the air pressure increase exceeds a predetermined pressure.
US09157692B2
A rifle barrel having a sound suppressor and a rifle comprising such a barrel. Material disposed over the rifle barrel and extending longitudinally and distally from a proximal end of the rifle barrel defines a housing. The housing surrounds at least a majority of the sound suppressing element, which is connected to the rifle barrel solely by containment within the housing. The sound suppressing comprises an acoustic labyrinth formed by a plurality of components disposed together along a longitudinal plane coextensive with an axis of the rifle barrel.
US09157686B2
The invention concerns a heat exchanger and a method of producing thereof. The heat exchanger comprises a coolant housing with two opposing wide side walls and two header plates of an inlet air tank and an outlet air tank, respectively. The header plates are channel-shaped with longitudinal flanges extending over and being brazed to the wide side walls. Tubes extend in parallel through said housing between the two header plates, said tubes being brazed to apertures in said header plates. The coolant housing has two opposing narrow side walls tightly fitting said wide side walls and said header plates and defining together with these wide side walls and header plates a first coolant tank and a second coolant tank opposing the first one. Each air tank comprises a cowling tightly fitting and being brazed to one of said header plates each and having an air inlet and an air outlet, respectively. At least one of said two side walls is welded to said wide side walls and said header plates thus enclosing said housing.
US09157679B2
A furnace to flame-resistantly treat a precursor fiber strand by sending hot air to a heat treatment chamber through a hot air blowing nozzle in a direction parallel to a running direction of the strand is provided. The hot air passes through a porous plate and a rectifying member satisfying the following conditions: (1) A/B≧4.0; (2) 0.15≦α≦0.35; (3) 0≦B−d≦20; and (4) 80% or more of the area of one opening of the porous plate when facing surfaces of the porous plate and the rectifying member overlap is included in one opening of the rectifying member, where A is the rectifying member hot air passage distance (mm), B is a horizontal maximum distance (mm) of one opening of the rectifying member, α is a rate of hole area of the porous plate, and d is the porous plate equivalent diameter (mm).
US09157678B2
Illustrative embodiments of systems and methods for powering lighted shelves in refrigerator appliances are included. In one embodiment, a refrigerator appliance may comprise a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein, a shelf ladder disposed at least partially in the temperature-controlled compartment and providing a plurality of shelf mounting positions, the shelf ladder comprising an electrical bus including first, second, and third conductors, the second conductor configured to supply power at a first current level when electrically coupled to the first conductor, the third conductor configured to supply power at a second current level when electrically coupled to the first conductor, and a first adjustable shelf carrying a first lighting device, the first adjustable shelf being removably mountable in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions such that the first lighting device is electrically coupled between the first conductor and the second conductor.
US09157671B2
A cooling system 1 is constructed to have a refrigeration circuit 2 in which low-temperature showcases 7 as plural load facilities are connected to a rack system refrigerating machine 3 in parallel through refrigerant pipes 5a and 5b, a main controller 4 for generating and outputting control data of compressors 9 constructing the rack system refrigerating machine 3 on the basis of the cooling state of the low-temperature showcases 7, and a compressor controller 6 which is constructed to acquire control setting required for capacity control of the compressors 9 as main elements of the rack system refrigerating machine 3, receives control data from the main controller 4 and controls the compressors 9 on the basis of the control setting and the control data.
US09157668B2
A double inlet type pulse tube refrigerator includes a regenerator having a high temperature end and a low temperature end; a pulse tube having a high temperature end and a low temperature end connected to the low temperature end of the regenerator; a compressor having a high pressure supplying side and low pressure receiving side for a coolant, a bypass pipe having a double inlet valve, the bypass pipe being configured to connect the high temperature end of the pulse tube and the high temperature end of the regenerator; a buffer tank connected to the high temperature end of the pulse tube via a first pipe having a first flow path resistance member; and a second pipe having a second flow path resistance member including a third opening and closing valve.
US09157656B2
The invention relates to a reflection device that can track the location of sun, focusing solar radiation on a radiation receiver. The tracking is controlled by means of an auxiliary mirror guiding an auxiliary beam to a target. The position of the point of incidence of the auxiliary beam on the target is detected by a video camera and an image capture system, and said actual position is adjusted to a prescribed target position. It is thus achieved that the main beam is always precisely aimed at the radiation receiver.
US09157655B2
An endothermic heat pump water heater has a water tank supported atop a hollow base, a heat pump circuit operable to provide primary heat to water in the tank, and an electric resistance heating element operable to provide secondary heat to the water. The heat pump circuit includes refrigerant tubing in which a compressor disposed within the base, a condenser in heat exchange external contact with the tank, a refrigerant expansion device, and an evaporator disposed within the base are connected in series. A vertical duct, external to the tank, has an inlet adjacent the upper tank end, and a fan is operative to sequentially flow air inwardly through the inlet, downwardly through the duct into the base, across the compressor, across the evaporator, and then outwardly from the base.
US09157643B2
A conditioning plant comprises a general inlet, a general outlet, a circuit which sets the general inlet in fluid communication with the general outlet, a plurality of users arranged on the circuit, and a balancing system. The balancing system comprises a sensor for detecting at least a real value depending on a difference of intensity between upstream and downstream of the users, of at least a physical parameter of the fluid; the balancing system further comprises a flow regulating organ, and a control device connected to the sensor, acting on the flow regulating organ and configured for enabling memorization of at least a reference value of a same physical parameter of the fluid, comparing the reference value with the real value, commanding the regulating organ to regulate the fluid internally of the circuit such as to maintain the real value substantially aligned with the reference value.
US09157640B2
An oven comprises a housing or structure presenting a plurality of inner walls and outer walls, the inner walls defining an oven cavity in which means are provided for cooking foods, the means comprising a grill for browning the foods, the oven also comprising a door for closing the cavity. At least one aperture is present in at least one of the walls of the oven cavity, or in the door, for selective connection to the environment external to the oven, such as to interceptably introduce fresh ambient air into the cavity, controllable interceptor means being provided at the aperture to enable this selectivity in introducing the ambient air into the cavity.
US09157637B2
An exemplary burner arrangement and method for operating a burner arrangement are disclosed. During operation of the burner arrangement a hot combustion gas, including combustion air, flows essentially parallel to a burner wall through a mixing chamber, which is delimited by the burner wall, to a combustion chamber. In the mixing chamber the hot combustion gas is mixed with an injected fuel, where cooling air from the outside of the burner wall flows through effusion holes in the burner wall into an interior of the mixing chamber. The cooling air, on the outside of the burner wall, is deflected in a directed manner in its flow direction by means of deflection elements which are in a distributed arrangement.
US09157629B2
A lighted hand tool includes a cylindrical-shaped rivet member, and a first and second tool member each having a handle, a jaw, and a pivot portion therebetween. A cylindrical bore section is defined by each pivot portion, and each bore is in co-axial alignment for aligned receipt of the rivet member therein. The rivet member prevents lateral separation of the first and second hand tool therebetween, while enabling pivotal movement of the jaw portions. An illumination device is formed for sliding receipt in the receiving channel of the rivet member, and aligns an output portion with the communication port to illuminate the work area. A first end cap and second cap are threadably disposed in the opposite openings into the rivet member. The first and second end cap cooperate to securely abut and seat the illumination device therebetween.
US09157628B2
A flash light for use with an external case is disclosed. The flashlight is designed such that when the lid to the case is open, the light automatically is turned on and when the lid is closed the light automatically is turned off.
US09157627B2
A modular LED lamp structure includes a light emitting module, a driver module and a heat dissipating element. The heat dissipating element is utilized to reduce a working temperature of the LED lamp. The light emitting module is disposed on the heat dissipating element and connected electrically to the driver module. The driver module is detachably disposed in the heat dissipating element. The light source element is detachable and may be replaced to other lamp with different types. Therefore, the maintenance cost of the LED lamp is reduced. Also, the modules can be replaced without having to discard the whole set of LED lamp. Thus the unnecessary waste is eliminated to achieve cost-effectiveness and environment protection.
US09157624B2
A modular LED light bulb is presented. The bulb comprises a bulb envelope and a removable screw base. A power supply within the bulb envelope connects to an electrolytic capacitor within the screw base. When the electrolytic capacitor in the screw base requires replacement, the screw base is detached from the bulb envelope, the depleted electrolytic capacitor is discarded, and a new electrolytic capacitor is connected to the power supply. The various embodiments increase the useful life of the LED light bulb. In another aspect, the screw base may be adapted to accept swappable modules to provide the light bulb with additional functionality. The swappable modules may provide the light bulb with wireless control and motion sensing.
US09157622B2
An LED linear light with a rotational mounting including a base plate adapted for attachment to a surface and a rotating connection member. The rotating connection member is attached to the base plate by a hinge means to permit rotation of the rotating connection member relative to the base plate. When attached to the housing of the LED linear light, rotation of the rotating connection member relative to the base plate, the illumination direction of the LED linear light is changed.
US09157621B2
A device for fixing a warning lamp of a construction machine according to the present invention is disposed on a side of a frame of an operating compartment, and includes an upper sleeve, a fixing bracket, a lower sleeve, a supporting lever, an upper elastic member, and a lower elastic member. The supporting lever spaces the upper sleeve apart from the lower sleeve by a certain distance, and rotatably supports the upper sleeve and the lower sleeve. The upper elastic member and the lower elastic member are coupled to both side ends of the supporting lever to elastically support the upper sleeve and the lower sleeve respectively, and are coupled in a multi-joint structure. When the construction machine is on a construction site in wet weather, or is kept on a certain site, the warning lamp can be adjusted to various postures.
US09157619B1
The present disclosure provides devices and techniques for a reversible mounting bracket. The reversible mounting bracket includes a pole mounting side and a wall mounting side. The pole mounting side and the wall mounting side are joined together at approximately 90°. When used to mount a fixture, such as a light fixture, to a wall, the wall mounting side is mounted to a wall, and the pole mounting side provides support for the fixture. When used to mount a fixture to a pole, the pole mounting side is mounted to a pole, and the wall mounting side provides support for the fixture. Thus, the same reversible mounting bracket can be used to mount a fixture to a pole or to a wall.
US09157616B2
A candle holder mount is provided for holding electrical candle simulations firmly to a window sill of a home without the simulated candle being dragged off the sill by the weight of the electrical cord used to power the simulating device. The candle holder mount is affixable to window sills of various materials either in a permanent or removable fashion.
US09157614B1
A display system, a method of constructing a display system, and a method of displaying an image are provided. In one embodiment, a display system includes a support structure having a plurality of attachment members and a plurality of tiles. Each of the plurality of tiles is attached to a corresponding attachment member of the plurality of attachment members. The support structure is configured to structurally support each of the plurality of tiles, and at least one of the plurality of tiles includes at least one connection configured to removably connect and align the at least one of the plurality of tiles with another one of the plurality of tiles.
US09157603B2
A light emitting unit includes a light source device and a reflector. The light source device extends in parallel with an extension direction, and is capable of providing a light beam. The reflector is configured under the light source device and extends in parallel with the extension direction. The reflector has a first protrusion and a pair of second protrusions located on two sides of the first protrusion, the first protrusion has a peak portion and two trough portions, the second protrusion has a peak portion and a trough portion, and the two trough portions of the first protrusion are respectively connected to the trough portions of the two second protrusions to provide a fluctuant reflection surface, and a height of a cross section contour of the pair of the second protrusions in parallel with the extension direction is decreased from a center to two ends of the reflector.
US09157600B2
Provided are a light-emitting device having improved light dispersion efficiency, a light-emitting system including the same, and fabricating methods of the light-emitting device and the light-emitting system. The light-emitting device includes one or more light-emitting elements arranged on first surface of a substrate, an insulation film formed on the first surface of a substrate so as to cover the one or more light-emitting elements, and a plurality of uneven patterns formed on the insulation film formed on each of the one or more light-emitting elements so as to be spaced apart from each other, wherein the plurality of uneven patterns are all convex patterns or concave patterns and each of the plurality of uneven patterns has a curved cross-sectional shape.
US09157597B2
The invention relates to a lighting unit (1) for a headlight, in particular a motor vehicle headlight, comprising a plurality of light sources (2), a light guide unit (3) having a plurality of light guides (30) and a downstream projection lens (4), wherein each light guide (30) has a light decoupling face (30a), and wherein each light source (2) couples light precisely into a light guide (30) associated therewith, and wherein adjacent light guides (30) are separated from one another by partition walls (31, 32). In accordance with the invention, at least one diaphragm element (5) is arranged between the light guide unit (3) and the projection lens (4), which diaphragm element (5) has apertures (50) separated from one another by aperture partition walls (51, 52), wherein the diaphragm element (5) is arranged in such a way that an aperture (50) is arranged to the front of each light decoupling face (30a), and wherein the apertures (50) correspond substantially in terms of shape and size to the light decoupling faces (30a) associated therewith, and wherein, on the faces (5a) of the at least one diaphragm element (5) facing away from the light guide unit (3), at least part of the aperture partition walls (51, 52) has a smaller wall thickness (b) than the partition walls (31, 32) of the light guide unit (3) associated with the respective aperture partition walls (51, 52).
US09157587B2
A dual-output power adapter for a lighted artificial tree having a plurality of tree portions with light strings having lighting elements. The dual-output power adapter includes a power cord including a first power conductor and a second power conductor, the power cord configured to transmit an input electrical power; a housing configured to receive the first power conductor and a second power conductor; power-converting circuitry in electrical connection with the first power conductor and the second power conductor, the power-converting circuitry configured to convert the input electrical power to a first output electrical power; a first pair of conductors for transmitting the first output electrical power; and a second pair of conductors for transmitting a second output electrical power.
US09157584B2
Phosphor compositions, white phosphor compositions, methods of making white phosphor compositions, tinted white phosphor compositions, methods of making tinted white phosphor compositions, LEDs, methods of making LEDs, light bulb structures, paints including phosphor compositions, polymer compositions including phosphor compositions, ceramics including phosphor compositions, and the like are provided.
US09157568B2
A height adjustable support for tabletops, chair seats, or like objects, consisting of two parts, a rectangle-shaped component and an L-shaped component. A fixed block at the top of the L-shaped component allows for multiple orientations when the assembly is attached to the underside of a surface. Height adjustability is possible because the rectangle-shaped component has a series of holes bored vertically into the two faces that will contact the interior faces of the L-shaped component. Holes bored through each face of the L-shaped component permit fasteners to pass into the holes in the rectangle-shaped component. When tightened the fasteners will seat against the exterior face of the L-shaped component.
US09157565B2
This application describes insulated casings with cores of insulating material, coated with or otherwise encapsulated in a shell material are disclosed. A hinge may be fixed to first and second encapsulated cores and couple the first and second encapsulated cores to allow the insulated casings to removably cover a conduit.
US09157564B2
A method and assembly for protecting a device connected to a wiring harness is disclosed. The assembly includes a protective shield having a bore for receiving the device and a positioning device. An elongated wiring harness extends from the device being protected and through the bore of the protective shield. The positioning device is formed having a band that surrounds a central space. At least one flexible, resilient finger extends radially inwardly from the band into the central space. At least one of the fingers forcibly engages the harness sleeve to maintain the positioning device and the protective shield in a predetermined protection position along the harness sleeve at least partially surrounding the device being protected.
US09157553B1
A pipeline repair apparatus for use with a pipe having a rupture includes a clamp member having a hemispherical first portion complementary to a hemispherical second portion being pivotally coupled to the first portion. The second portion is pivotally movable between an open configuration allowing the clamp member to be removed from the ruptured pipe and a closed configuration preventing the clamp member from being removed from the ruptured pipe. The clamp member defines an open top and bottom through which the ruptured pipe extends when the first portion and the second portion are attached thereto. The first portion and the second portion define a plurality of first portion apertures and second portion apertures, respectively, each first portion aperture being aligned in association with a second portion aperture. The apparatus includes a plurality of drill insertion rods, each rod having a configuration selectively received through first and second portion apertures.
US09157550B2
Microfluidic systems and methods. A microfluidic device for in vitro fertilization comprises a substrate and a plurality of microchannels disposed in the substrate, including an inlet of at least two of the plurality of microchannels arranged on the substrate to align with a fluid-handling device. Another microfluidic system for assaying a plurality of cells comprises a substrate and a plurality of microfluidic channels comprising a source channel, a sink channel, and a cell chamber. An insert for a microfluidic system comprises a substrate configured to be inserted into a dish and a plurality of microscale wells disposed in the substrate. A microfluidic channel comprises a substrate and at least one microchannel having an open inlet, an open outlet, a channel, and an opening in the substrate disposed over a portion of the channel. A device for providing an amount of fluid for a fluidic system comprises a main reservoir, an aspiration well, tubing coupling the reservoirs, and a seal closing the main reservoir. Air tubing having a hydrophobic end extends into the at least one aspiration well.
US09157549B2
A kit and devices for operating a spigot of a portable liquid container with a foot pedal, including a foot control member; a spigot having a valve body, a shaft, and a button member; and a spigot control device coupled to the foot control member with a flexible cable.
US09157543B2
A parking brake device having a bistable parking brake valve, a relay valve, a spring brake and electrically actuable valves, the electrically actuable valves being selectively connectable to the parking brake valve to supply pressure or atmospheric pressure, an outlet of the parking brake valve controls the relay valve, and the relay valve controls the spring brake, in which the parking brake valve has a movable piston, which is loaded by a spring and has two coaxial piston faces which delimit a first space and a second space, in which supply pressure, atmospheric pressure or a pressure which lies between them and which can be fed to the outlet of the parking brake valve can be supplied to the first space in accordance with the position of the piston, and in which the second space can be selectively connected to supply pressure or atmospheric pressure by an electrically actuable valve.
US09157538B2
Method of operating a valve (1) which connects openings (2, 3) of at least two chambers (4, 5) to one another and, for closing the openings (2, 3) of each of the chambers (4, 5), has at least one dedicated closure member (6, 7), wherein for opening one of the openings (2, 3), the chamber (4, 5) assigned to said opening (2, 3) has generated in it a positive pressure which is higher than a current pressure in the valve-housing interior (8), wherein, by virtue of this positive pressure, the closure member (6, 7) assigned to said opening is raised up from the valve seat (10, 11) assigned to said opening (2, 3) and then, through this opening (2, 3), pressure equalization is carried out between the valve-housing interior (8) and the chamber (4, 5) assigned to said opening (2, 3). (FIG. 1)
US09157530B2
The sealing device includes: an outer peripheral ring 2000 that is in contact with a side wall surface of an annular groove 4100 at a low pressure side (L), and slides with respect to an inner peripheral surface of a shaft hole in a housing 5000 through which a shaft 4000 is inserted. An inner peripheral ring 3000 made of a rubber-like elastic body that is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral ring 2000 and a groove bottom surface of the annular groove 4100, respectively. The outer peripheral ring 2000 is formed on its outer peripheral surface with a concave portion 2220 which extends from an end of a high pressure side (H) to a position which does not arrive at an end of a low pressure side, so as to introduce fluid thereinto from the high pressure side.
US09157528B2
A brake mechanism includes a clutch unit and a disc. The clutch unit includes a first and second engagement mechanism. Each engagement mechanism presents at least one tooth. The disc defines at least one slot. Each engagement mechanism is movable relative to the disc between a disengaged position and an engaged position. The tooth of the first engagement mechanism is configured to engage the slot of the disc when in the engaged position to cease rotation of the disc in a first direction of rotation. The tooth of the second engagement mechanism is configured to engage the slot of the disc when in the engaged position to cease rotation of the disc in a second direction of rotation, opposite the first direction of rotation. The disc is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, relative to the clutch unit, when each engagement mechanism is in the disengaged position.
US09157526B2
A torque converter includes an input connected to an engine. An output is connected with a transmission. A lockup clutch is connected with the output and is disposed to engage the input to couple the input with the output via an apply pressure corresponding to a target lockup strategy based on at least one vehicle operating condition. A pressure regulator is configured to modulate the apply pressure. Systems and methods are disclosed.
US09157516B2
A differential case assembly includes a differential case and an integral end cap and ring gear assembly. The differential case has an open end and a side wall with an exterior surface. The integral end cap and ring gear assembly is disposed over the open end of the differential case and adjacent the exterior surface. A first interior portion of the integral end cap and ring gear assembly abuts the exterior surface of the differential case to define a weld joint interface. The integral end cap and ring gear assembly is configured to permit a welding operation at the weld joint interface.
