US09181619B2
A physical vapor deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having side walls, a cathode inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the cathode is configured to include a sputtering target, a radio frequency power supply configured to apply power to the cathode, an anode inside and electrically connected to the side walls of the vacuum chamber, and a chuck inside and electrically isolated from the side walls of the vacuum chamber, the chuck configured to support a substrate, and a heater to heat the substrate supported on the chuck. The chuck includes a body and a graphite heat diffuser supported on the body and configured to contact the substrate.
US09181616B2
A chromium-based reflective coating for a polymeric substrate, wherein the coating has a thickness of 200 nm or less and is an alloy of chromium and a dopant material, the dopant material being selected from the hexagonally close-packed transition metals, the alloy having a crystal structure of a primary body-centered cubic phase in coexistence with a secondary omega hexagonally close-packed phase.
US09181615B2
A coating fluid comprising a boron compound, an organic binder, a silicon compound, an alumina precursor, and water and/or an organic solvent is used to diffuse boron into a silicon substrate to form a p-type diffusion layer. The coating fluid is spin coated onto the substrate to form a uniform coating having a sufficient amount of impurity whereupon a p-type diffusion layer having in-plane uniformity is formed.
US09181607B2
Provided are an apparatus and a method for producing an inexpensive Mg2Si1-xSnx polycrystal that can be effectively used as thermoelectric conversion materials that can be expected to have a high performance index by doping if necessary.A problem can be solved by a production apparatus 1 for producing an Mg2Si1-xSnx polycrystal including at least a reaction vessel for synthesis of Mg2Si1-xSnx represented by the following formula (1) by filling a mixture of Mg particles and Si particles or Mg particles and Sn particles, or Mg—Si alloy particles or Mg—Sn alloy particles as a main starting material 2 to cause a reaction; an inorganic fiber layer 6 which is fixedly provided above the starting material 2 filled into the reaction vessel 3 and has air permeability, which can be caused to disappear by a product 7 generated by chemical reaction of vaporized Mg with oxygen during the synthesis of the polycrystal 12; heating means 8 for heating the reaction vessel 3; and control means 9 for controlling the heating temperature and heating time of the reaction vessel 3, wherein Mg2Si1-xSnx (1) (in the formula (1), x is 0 to 1).
US09181600B2
The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus and a heat treatment method that control temperature distribution during cooling. There is provided a cooling step in which a heated treatment object is cooled using a cooling liquid in mist form, and heat treatment is performed by alternatingly repeating a first step (K1) in which the treatment object is cooled at a first mist density, and a second step (K2) in which the treatment object is cooled at a second mist density that is less dense than the first mist density.
US09181598B2
A high-strength alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet obtained by subjecting the surface of a high-strength steel sheet to alloyed hot-dip galvanization, and formed from a steel sheet containing, in mass %, main components, and containing at least 40 vol % bainite and/or martensite, 8-60 vol % retained austenite, and less than 40 vol % ferrite, with the remainder comprising unavoidable structures. In the alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, the total thickness of the Gamma1 layer and the Gamma layer (Tgamma1+Tgamma) is 2 μm or less in the alloy layers formed by hot-dip galvanization, and the Gamma1 phase/Gamma phase thickness ratio (Tgamma1/Tgamma) is 1 or less. A tensile strength of 980 MPa or above can be easily imparted to the alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet. The alloyed hot-dip galvanized steel sheet has excellent coating adherence, and coating separation during machining can be suppressed.
US09181592B2
A method is provided for detecting a bacterial pathogen in a sample. One step of the method includes obtaining a sample and then subjecting the sample to nested PCR. The nested PCR is conducted in the presence of at least two outer oligonucleotide primers complementary to a target nucleotide sequence of the bacterial pathogen so that a first amplified product is produced. The target nucleotide sequence includes at least a portion of a 16S-23S ribosomal RNA sequence. The first amplified product is subjected to the nested PCR in the presence of at least two inner oligonucleotide primers complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the first amplified product so that a second amplified product is obtained. Detection of the second amplified product indicates the presence of the bacterial pathogen in the sample.
US09181591B2
Compositions and methods are described for highly sensitive quantification of the relative representation of DNA from adaptive immune cells (e.g., T and/or B lymphocytes) in DNA extracted from complex mixtures of cells that include cells which are not adaptive immune cells. Included are methods for determining the relative presence in a tumor of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), the relative presence of lymphocytes infiltrating a somatic tissue that is the target of an autoimmune disease, and the relative presence of lymphocytes infiltrating a transplanted organ.
US09181585B2
The present invention relates to methods of genotyping for selecting an animal with a desired trait such as the level of monounsaturated fats in muscle tissue, the types and/or ratio of different monounsaturated fats in muscle tissue, marbling, carcass weight, meat quality, speed of finishing, feedlot efficiency and/or consumer preference. In particular the invention relates to methods of selecting an animal with a desired trait by analyzing the M-RIP, NT5M and/or TCAP genes for one or more polymorphisms.
US09181581B2
A method of diagnosing a sample with an automated genechip array for a fast diagnosis having high accuracy, where the sample is processed through lysis, separation, purification, labeling, reacting in the genechip array, taking a photo thereafter and analyzing the photo.
US09181580B2
The present invention relates in some aspects to super-enhancers and related compositions, methods, and agents that are useful for modulating expression of cell type-specific genes that are required for maintenance of cell identity (e.g., embryonic stem cell identity) or maintenance of a disease state (e.g., cancer).
US09181565B2
High conversion efficiency processes are disclosed for the anaerobic bioconversion of syngas to alcohol by microorganisms having metabolic processes that utilize sulfur in limited amounts. The processes remove hydrogen sulfide from the gas leaving the bioreactor assembly by forming sulfur compounds that are beneficial to the microorganisms. The sulfur compounds can be returned to the bioreactor assembly to meet a portion of microorganism sulfur demand.
US09181561B2
Disclosed is a technique that facilitates the oral ingestion of adiponectin in a large quantity and enables the expansion of the range of use applications of adiponectin. Specifically disclosed is an appetite control agent for oral administration, which comprises adiponectin as an active ingredient. Particularly, the appetite control agent comprises a transformant capable of expressing adiponectin. Also specifically disclosed is a food composition for controlling appetite, which comprises the appetite control agent.
US09181555B2
An isolated polypeptide comprising a hydrogen generating enzyme attached to a heterologous ferredoxin is disclosed, as well as polynucleotides encoding same, nucleic acid constructs capable of expressing same and cells expressing same. A method for generating hydrogen using the isolated polypeptide is also disclosed.
US09181549B2
Provided herein are oligomeric compounds with conjugate groups. In certain embodiments, the oligomeric compounds are conjugated to N-Acetylgalactosamine.
US09181539B2
The invention relates to the production of flavonoids and flavonoid precursors in cells through recombinant expression of tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and chalcone isomerase (CHI).
US09181536B2
Stabilized angiogenin compositions and methods of preparing a stabilized angiogenin compositions by covalent immobilization on a naturally occurring substrate, such as a polysaccharide substrate, are disclosed. In particular, the polysaccharide substrate includes galactose-rich polysaccharide.
US09181522B2
The present application discloses a novel biological material transfer apparatus and methods of using the same. The apparatus is made up of double walled barrel shaped tip chamber to house either the single tip or multiple tips of fixed size and a unique ball head to transfer the biological material from one location to another location in an aseptic method. The tip has a fixed shape and size and a ball head which makes the process of picking and transferring of biological material easy, safe and convenient to use with large scale samples. The apparatus is further equipped with an ultra violet light which sterilize the tips just before their use making the entire process of transferring of biological material highly aseptic.
US09181499B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automated real-time monitoring and controlling desalting in a crude distillation unit. Crude oil and wash water are mixed by a pressure drop across a mix valve, thereby forming a crude oil/water phase stream. The crude oil/water phase stream is supplied into a desalter vessel, whereupon an emulsion forms at an interface between the crude oil and the water phase. The crude oil/water phase stream is contacted with a dosage of an emulsion breaker in an applied electric field. At least one property associated with the emulsion is measured using an emulsion level indicator. A total chlorine and a water percentage of the crude oil are measured. At least one of the pressure drop and the dosage of the emulsion breaker is adjusted substantially in real time in response to at least one of the measured properties, total chlorine, and water percentage.
US09181497B2
Trace amount levels of non-volatile mercury in crude oil are reduced by contacting the crude oil with a water stream containing at least a monatomic water-soluble sulfur species such as sulfides and hydrosulfides. The non-volatile mercury is extracted into the water phase forming a mercury rich wastewater, yielding a treated crude oil having at less than 50% of the original non-volatile mercury level. The wastewater can disposed or recycled by injection into a reservoir. In one embodiment, the water stream consists essentially of produced water.
US09181489B2
Exemplary techniques disclosed provide a heat transfer element adapted for use in a rotary furnace for torrefaction and particle size reduction of biomass material. The heat transfer element is made up of a rounded object having a specific gravity substantially higher than a specific gravity of the biomass material to be torrefied, a heat capacity sufficient for the heat transfer elements in the rotary furnace to heat the biomass material to be torrefied, and a hardness sufficient for the heat transfer element to serve as grinding media to reduce the particle size of the biomass material to be torrefied. The heat transfer element has one or more surface features pre-formed in a surface of the rounded object. The surface features are configured to increase traction between the heat transfer elements and the biomass material to be torrefied. A system for torrefaction and particle size reduction of biomass material, including a rotary furnace charged with heat transfer elements as described above, and a method for using such a system for torrefaction and particle size reduction of biomass material are also discussed.
US09181488B2
An apparatus for controlled pyrolysis of waste material includes an elongate, perforated rotary drum lined with refractory material, having a longitudinal axis of rotation, and forming a chamber to receive and decompose the waste material. The drum includes a cylindrical metal exterior which has numerous apertures distributed over its cylindrical surface provided for passage of a limited amount of process air into the chamber. A mechanism is provided for supporting the drum for rotation about the longitudinal axis. An external shell encloses the rotary drum and prevents external ambient air from flowing through the apertures and into the chamber. Air distribution housings are distributed along the length of the rotary drum and form air distribution chambers each of which is enclosed except on an inner side of the chamber. This inner side is open for delivery of process air through a selected portion of apertures in the metal exterior.
US09181480B2
A liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy, a component (B) including at least one compound represented by formula (1.1) or formula (1.2), wherein the compound (B) is dielectrically neutral, having a dielectric anisotropy of more than −2 and less than +2; and a component (A) including at least one compound represented by formula (2.1) or formula (2.2), wherein the component (A) is dielectrically negative, having a dielectric anisotropy of −2 or less.
US09181479B2
A retardation element containing a liquid crystalline compound, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (1), a compound represented by the following formula (2) and a compound represented by the following formula (3). In the formula (1), n represents an integer of 3 to 10 and R2 represents a —CH2—CH2— group, a —CH2—CH(CH3)— group or a —CH2—CH2—CH2— group. In the formula (2), R3 represents a —(CH2)p— group or a phenylene group and p represents an integer of 4 to 8. In the formula (3), R4 represents a substituted phenylene group. In the formulas (1) to (3), R1-1, R1-2 and R1-3 each represent an alkyl group having a branched structure having 5 or more carbon atoms and R1-1, R1-2 and R1-3 may be the same or different.
US09181476B2
A method for manufacturing green-emitting phosphor particles including the steps of producing a powder containing europium and strontium from a solution containing a europium compound and a strontium compound, mixing the resulting powder and a powdered gallium compound, and performing firing.
US09181475B2
Materials comprising an A/M/X compound are provided. An A/M/X compound is a compound comprising one or more A moieties, one or more M atoms and one or more X atoms, where the A moieties are selected from organic cations and elements from Group 1 of the periodic table, the M atoms are selected from elements from Group 14 of the periodic table, and the X atoms are selected from elements from Group 17 of the periodic table. The materials include two-phase materials in which the A/M/X compound provides a first phase and a metal oxide or metal halide compound provides a second phase.
US09181474B2
An amine-based compound and an organic light-emitting diode including the amine-based compound.
US09181464B2
Provided are an adhesive resin composition that is halogen-free, has good adhesiveness, solder heat resistance, and flame retardancy, and has good flow characteristics, and a laminate and a flexible printed wiring board using the same. The adhesive resin composition contains a phosphorus-containing epoxy resin and/or a phosphorus-containing phenoxy resin, a phosphorus-containing polyester resin having a weight-average molecular weight of more than 20,000 and 150,000 or less, another thermoplastic resin, and a curing agent. The adhesive resin composition preferably further contains a benzoxazine compound. Preferably, substantially no inorganic filler is mixed in the adhesive resin composition.
US09181462B2
An activatable adhesive that is formulated to readily absorb energy from a given radiation source, an activatable adhesive label that incorporates such an activatable adhesive, a system for activating such labels, and related methods and uses are described. The activatable adhesive includes a plasticizer, a tackifier, and an adhesive base polymer that includes butyl acrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid.
US09181447B2
A metal protective coating is provided, which is obtained by mixing homogeneously a raw mixture, which contains water soluble silicate, promoter, silane coupling agent, silicon oxide packing, water soluble film formation resin, and water; wherein, the promoter is at least one selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl-hydroxyethyl cellulose, and their soluble salts; the silane coupling agent contains a first silane derivative shown in formula (1), wherein, R1, R2, and R3 are methoxyl or ethyoxyl respectively, and n is an integer with the range of 1-4. A hot-dip Zn metallic material and a hot-dip Al—Zn alloy metallic material are further provided. The protective film formed by the metal protective coating as provided has outstanding corrosion resistance, water resistance, thermal resistance, and fingerprint resistance properties.
US09181439B2
A coating formulation for forming a conductive coating film on a surface of a collector for constructing an electrode plate for an electricity storage device is provided. The coating formulation contains (A) a polymeric acid, (B) a vinyl carboxylate copolymer represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of H, Na, organic groups derived from vinyl carboxylate monomers, and cations capable of forming electrolytes for the electricity storage device, R2 to R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Na, C1-C6 alkyl groups, and cations capable of forming electrolytes for the electricity storage device, and a ratio (m/n) of m to n is from 0.0001 to 1, (C) a conductive material, and (D) a polar solvent.
US09181427B2
Novel absorbable polymeric blends having bimodal molecular weight distribution are disclosed. The bimodal blends have a first component that is a polylactide polymer or a copolymer of lactide and glycolide having a bimodal molecular weight distribution, and a second component that is a poly(p-dioxanone) polymer of unimodal or bimodal molecular weight distribution. Alternately, the bimodal blends have a first component that is a polylactide polymer or a copolymer of lactide and glycolide having a unimodal molecular weight distribution, and a second component that is a poly(p-dioxanone) polymer of bimodal molecular weight distribution. The novel polymeric bimodal molecular weight blends provide medical devices having improved dimensional stability. Also disclosed are novel absorbable medical devices made from these novel bimodal polymer blends, as well as novel methods of manufacture.
US09181421B2
The instant invention is a high-density polyethylene composition, method of producing the same, articles made therefrom, and method of making such articles. The high-density polyethylene composition of the instant invention includes a first component, and a second component. The first component is a high molecular weight ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer having a density in the range of 0.915 to 0.940 g/cm3, and a melt index (I21.6) in the range of 0.5 to 10 g/10 minutes. The second component is a low molecular weight ethylene polymer having a density in the range of 0.965 to 0.980 g/cm3, and a melt index (I2) in the range of 50 to 1500 g/10 minutes. The high-density polyethylene composition has a melt index (I2) of at least 1, a density in the range of 0.950 to 0.960 g/cm3, and g′ of 1.
US09181420B2
A thermoset composite material and composite railroad crosstie fabricated from the thermoset composite material that comprises a substantially homogeneous blend of an amount of vulcanized rubber particles, polyurea binding agent and urea melamine. The thermoset composite material may also contain a granulated silica material. The thermoset composite material may comprise about 30% to about 50% by weight of the vulcanized rubber particles, and it is subjected to compression molding at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a resident time period forming the composite railroad crosstie. The thermoset composite material and railroad crosstie may further comprise a fibrous glass material in the form of unbundled fibers and/or one more glass mats encapsulated within the thermoset composite material. In addition or alternatively, an elongated core insert may be encapsulated in the thermoset composite material.
US09181403B2
The present invention provides block copolymers comprising at least one covalent polymer block and at least one supramolecular polymer block, processes for their preparations and uses thereof.
US09181400B2
The present invention provides a silicone resin composition having excellent adhesion. The present invention also aims to provide a cured silicone resin and a sealed optical semiconductor element each produced using the silicone resin composition. The present invention relates to a silicon resin composition comprising: a silicon resin mixture; and (B) a silicon compound, the silicon resin mixture containing (A-i) polyorganosiloxane that has at least two substituents each having a carbon-carbon double bond bonded to a silicon atom, (A-ii) polyorganohydrogen siloxane having at least two hydrogen groups each bonded to a silicon atom, and (A-iii) a hydrosilylation catalyst, the (B) silicone compound having a structural unit represented by Formula (1-3) and a structural unit represented by Formula (1-4) between a structural unit represented by Formula (1-1) and a structural unit represented by Formula (1-2): in Formula (1-1) and Formula (1-2), R1as each independently representing a C1-C18 hydrocarbon group selected from an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, and an aralkyl group, in Formula (1-3) and Formula (1-4), R1bs each independently representing a C1-C18 hydrocarbon group selected from an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, and an aralkyl group, in Formula (1-3), R2a representing a C1-C8 alkylene group in which a part of carbon atoms, except for the carbon atom bonded to a silicon atom, is optionally substituted with an oxygen atom, R2b representing a C1-C3 alkylene group, R3 representing a C1-C3 alkylene group, R4 representing a hydrogen atom, a C1-C3 alkyl group, a C1-C3 alkyl group having an OH group, or a halogeno group, in Formula (1-3), m representing an integer of 1 to 50, x representing an integer of 0 to 2, and in Formula (1-4), n representing an integer of 10 to 1500.
US09181399B2
The present invention is a method for producing a polysiloxane represented by formula (1), which includes a condensation step wherein a hydrolysis/polycondenzation of a starting material monomer that forms a constituent unit is carried out in a reaction solvent that contains at least one alcohol that is selected from among secondary alcohols having 4-6 carbon atoms and tertiary alcohols having 4-6 carbon atoms. The method for producing a polysiloxane of the present invention suppresses problems such as gelation that occurs during the production, and increase in the molecular weight or gelation that occurs during storage after the production or the like.
US09181397B2
Provided is a curable resin composition capable of forming a cured product which has excellent heat resistance, transparency, and flexibility and particularly excels in reflow resistance and barrier properties to a corrosive gas. The curable resin composition includes a ladder-type polyorganosilsesquioxane and an isocyanurate compound such as a triglycidyl isocyanurate compound, a monoallyl diglycidyl isocyanurate compound, a diallyl monoglycidyl isocyanurate compound, or a triallyl isocyanurate compound.
US09181394B2
The present invention relates to novel compositions for producing cast polyamides.
US09181393B2
Disclosed are compounds of formula (I) and salts, hydrates, or solvates thereof, where R1 and R2 are defined herein, compositions containing these compounds, and methods of using these compounds in a variety of applications, such as a surfactant or performance additive.
US09181384B2
The present invention refers to polymeric membranes and its synthesis with combination of innovative characteristics at the level of the bi-soft segment polyurethane material and at the level of the structure as integral asymmetric membranes. The hemocompability properties—non-hemolytic, non-thrombogenic and no platelet adhesion—combined with the high fluxes of permeation of O2 and CO2 have been designed for the use of the membranes in medical equipments that involve contact with blood like extracorporeal blood oxygenators and can be further designed for hemodialysers and imunnisolation barriers.
US09181383B2
Polyisocyanurate foam composition, articles comprising the composition and a method of making the composition are described. The polyisocyanurate foam composition comprises the reaction product of a polyisocyanate compound; and a first polyester polyol comprising the residue of orthophthalic acid; a second polyester polyol comprising the residue of terephthalic acid; at least one polyether polyol having a functionality of at least 3 and a hydroxyl number greater than 200; and a physical blowing agent, wherein the isocyanate index is greater than 250.
US09181381B2
Disclosed is a photosensitive resin composition capable of displaying satisfactory patterning performance against an alkaline developer and yielding a cured film of a sufficiently low coefficient of linear thermal expansion. The photosensitive resin composition contains a photopolymerization initiator and a polyimide precursor obtained by the reaction of an ester-containing diamine such as 4-aminophenyl 4′-aminobenzoate, a biphenyl-based diamine such as 4,4′-diamino-2,2′-dimethylbiphenyl, and an unsaturated group-containing diamine such as 4,4′-diamino-2,2′-divinylbiphenyl with an acid anhydride such as pyromellitic dianhydride. The content of the structural unit derived from the unsaturated group-containing diamine in the polyimide precursor is 5-60 mol %.
US09181378B2
The present invention provides a modified natural rubber that offers higher efficiency of graft polymerization or attachment of a polar group-containing compounds, and that possesses excellent low loss factor, wear resistance and fracture resistance when used as a rubber composition, a rubber composition using the modified natural rubber and a tire using the rubber composition. In the present invention, a polar group-containing compound is graft polymerized or attached under mechanical shear force to a natural rubber raw material having a nitrogen content of 0.4 mass % or less.
US09181377B2
Biodegradable graft copolymers derived from a carbohydrate and at least one α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative having superabsorbent properties are disclosed in addition to the substantially adiabatic polymerization process by which the graft copolymers are made. The methods disclosed can be carried out in a variety of currently available continuous commercial reactors. Polymerizations carried out with starch have surprisingly produced substantially quantitative yields of graft copolymer free of residual monomer produced as a moist copolymer. Product work-up typically involves an optional neutralization and drying.
US09181372B2
Disclosed herein are polymerization processes for the production of olefin polymers. These polymerization processes use a catalyst system containing three metallocene components, often resulting in polymers having a reverse comonomer distribution and a broad and non-bimodal molecular weight distribution.
US09181371B2
Described herein are methods comprising contacting one or more olefins with a catalyst system in a polymerization reactor at conditions sufficient to produce a polyolefin, wherein the catalyst system comprises a first metallocene catalyst compound comprising a first transition metal atom, two cyclopentadienyl ligands bound to the first transition metal atom, and two leaving groups bound to the first transition metal atom, wherein at least one leaving group is selected from the group consisting of a halo-phenoxy and a halo-alkoxy; wherein the first metallocene catalyst compound has a catalyst productivity that is at least 20% greater than a comparative metallocene catalyst compound used to produce the same polyolefin, wherein the comparative metallocene catalyst compound is the same as the first metallocene catalyst compound except neither leaving group is a halo-phenoxy or a halo-alkoxy.
US09181355B2
The present invention provides a modified natural rubber having a reduced tan δ, a method for producing the modified natural rubber, a rubber composition produced using the modified natural rubber, and a pneumatic tire produced using the rubber composition. The present invention also provides a modified natural rubber having a reduced tan δ, a method for producing the modified natural rubber, a rubber composition produced using the modified natural rubber and achieving good fuel economy and abrasion resistance at the same time, and a pneumatic tire produced using the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a modified natural rubber having a phosphorus content of 200 ppm or less and a total content of sodium and potassium of 350 ppm or less. The invention also relates to a modified natural rubber having a phosphorus content of 200 ppm or less and a nitrogen content of 0.2% by mass or less.
US09181354B2
The present invention provides compositions of modified pectin and methods for preparing and using them.
US09181352B2
The invention relates to a method for producing polysaccharide esters or polysaccharide mixed esters, in which a polysaccharide or a modified polysaccharide is converted with at least one esterification reagent and at least one halogenide component, an imidazole compound which is generated in situ being used as catalyst.
US09181351B2
A cellulose resin produced by binding cellulose or a derivative thereof and cardanol or a derivative thereof by using a hydroxy group of the cellulose or a derivative thereof and a hydroxy group of the cardanol or a derivative thereof, in which carbon atoms to which the hydroxy groups are bound are mutually linked via a carbonate bond or urethane bond formed by using the hydroxy groups.
US09181349B2
The invention provides antibody-like binding proteins comprising four polypeptide chains that form four antigen binding sites, wherein each pair of polypeptides forming an antibody-like binding protein possesses dual variable domains having a cross-over orientation. The invention also provides methods for making such antigen-like binding proteins.
US09181347B2
The invention relates to a binding member that binds the Extra Domain-A (ED-A) isoform of fibronectin for the treatment of tumor metastases.
US09181340B2
Antibodies that specifically bind TEM8 protein, and conjugates thereof, are disclosed herein. In some examples the conjugates and antibodies are useful for methods of detecting and treating pathogenic angiogenesis. In other examples the conjugates and antibodies are useful for methods of detecting and treating cancer. In additional examples, the conjugates and antibodies are useful for methods of decreasing binding of Anthrax protective antigen to a cell.
US09181339B2
The present disclosure provides antibodies, including isolated monoclonal antibodies, which specifically bind to Cadherin-17 with high affinity. Nucleic acid molecules encoding Cadherin-17 antibodies, expression vectors, host cells and methods for expressing the Cadherin-17 antibodies are also provided. Bispecific molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the Cadherin-17 antibodies are also provided. Methods for detecting Cadherin-17, as well as methods for treating various cancers, including colorectal cancer, are disclosed.
US09181336B2
Binding proteins, such as antibodies directed to IGF-II with cross-reactivity to IGF-I and uses of such antibodies are described. In particular, fully human monoclonal antibodies directed to the IGF-II with cross-reactivity to IGF-I are disclosed. Also discussed are nucleotide sequences encoding, and amino acid sequences comprising, heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules, particularly sequences corresponding to contiguous heavy and light chain sequences spanning the framework regions and/or complementarity determining regions (CDR's), specifically from FR1 through FR4 or CDR1 through CDR3.
US09181332B2
An anti-Aβ oligomer humanized antibody which does not bind to Aβ monomers and specifically binds only to Aβ oligomers; an anti-cognitive dysfunction agent, an agent for treating Alzheimer's disease, an agent for suppressing formation of neuritic plaque and an inhibitor of formation of Aβ amyloid fiber comprising the antibody as an active ingredient; a method for at least one of preventing and treating cognitive dysfunction or Alzheimer's disease, comprising the step of administering the antibody; and a method for suppressing progression of Alzheimer's disease, comprising the step of administering the antibody.
US09181327B2
The invention provides single domain antibodies and derivatives thereof that bind antigens of interest, which are stable, soluble, and do not tend to aggregate. The invention also provides methods for constructing a dAb library and methods for screening dAb libraries to identify the dAb of the invention. The invention also provide methods of treating or preventing conditions by antigen neutralization by administering the dAbs of the invention.
US09181323B2
The invention concerns a concentrate of human Factor XI having high specific activity prepared using a method comprising a filtration-adsorption step and a chromatography step on cation exchange resin. The concentrate obtained is fully adapted for therapeutic use as substitution therapy in cases of Factor XI deficiency.
US09181302B2
A compound represented by the formula (1): wherein Xa and Ya are each a single bond and the like, cancer antigen peptide A is an MHC class I-restricted WT1 peptide consisting of 7-30 amino acid residues, R1 is a hydrogen atom, a group represented by the formula (2): wherein Xb and Yb are each a single bond and the like, cancer antigen peptide B has a sequence different from that of the cancer antigen peptide A, and is an MHC class I-restricted WT1 peptide consisting of 7-30 amino acid residues, or cancer antigen peptide C, and cancer antigen peptide C has a sequence different from that of the cancer antigen peptide A, and is an MHC class I-restricted WT1 peptide or an MHC class II-restricted WT1 peptide, consisting of 7-30 amino acid residues containing one cysteine residue, or a salt thereof, and the like.
US09181298B2
The present invention is directed to novel macrocyclic compounds of formula (I) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates or solvates: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, n1, m, p Z1, Z2, and Z3 are as describe in the specification. The invention also relates to compounds of formula (I) which are antagonists of the motilin receptor and are useful in the treatment of disorders associated with this receptor and with or with motility dysfunction.
US09181294B2
The present invention describes the use of nucleoside analogs for the treatment of viral infections, in particular of an HIV infection, and also compositions comprising at least one of these analogs, and a method for evaluating the sensitivity to said treatment.
US09181287B2
Methods for producing regioregular poly(aryl ethynyl)-poly(aryl vinyl) and monomers for preparing the regioregular poly(aryl ethynyl)-poly(aryl vinyl) polymers are described herein. Regioregular poly(aryl ethynyl)-poly(aryl vinyl) are useful for electronics, among other things.
US09181277B2
The present invention relates to the field of medicine. Provided herein are aminoquinazoline derivatives, their salts and pharmaceutical formulations useful in modulating the protein tyrosine kinase activity, and in modulating inter- and/or intra-cellular signaling. Also provided herein are pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the aminoquinazoline compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders in mammals, especially humans.
US09181274B2
The present invention relates to Rifaximin amorphous forms, to their use in medicinal preparations and to therapeutic methods using them.
US09181270B2
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of making sulfide compounds using Scheme 1 is disclosed. In Scheme 1, X1, X2, and X3 are independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I; Y is selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, and I; and R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkynyl, alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl, wherein R1 and R2 may be further substituted, and wherein R1 is optionally covalently linked to R2 and the reaction is intramolecular. In some embodiments, no catalyst is used in Scheme 1.
US09181268B2
The present invention relates to a novel form of anhydrous tiotropium bromide, processes for the preparation of anhydrous tiotropium bromide, pharmaceutical compositions comprising anhydrous tiotropium bromide and uses of the compositions.
US09181265B2
Substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[a]pyrano[2,3-c]phenazines as anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer agents
Novel phenazine derivatives of formula (I) are disclosed. In particular, substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[a]pyrano[2,3-c]phenazines are disclosed. The compounds can be used as anti-angiogenic and/or anti-tumor agents.
US09181254B2
To provide a method for producing sepiapterin, lactoylpterin or tetrahydrolactoylpterin.Sepiapterin, lactoylpterin and tetrahydrolactoylpterin are produced at high yield through the following reaction scheme.
US09181251B2
Novel compositions and methods for the treatment and prevention of malaria are disclosed herein.
US09181247B2
Provided are compounds having an inhibitory effect on Mixed Lineage Kinases. The compounds include substituted pyrrolo [2,3b]pyridines having Formula IX Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, methods of preparing the compounds, synthetic intermediates, and methods of using the compounds, independently or in combination with other therapeutic agents, for treating diseases and conditions which are affected by Mixed Lineage Kinase inhibition. Also provided are methods of treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders which comprise the inhibition of Mixed Lineage Kinases.
US09181239B2
Compounds of formula (I), and pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, which inhibit the activity of kinases such as Wee-1 kinase are described. Also described are methods of making the compounds, compositions containing the compounds, and methods of treatment using the compounds.
US09181221B2
Substituted isoquinolinone compounds and pharmaceutical compositions that modulate kinase activity, including PI3 kinase activity, and compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of treatment of diseases and conditions associated with kinase activity, including PI3 kinase activity, are described herein.
US09181209B2
Furfural is produced by mixing an aqueous feedstock solution containing C5 sugar and/or C6 sugar with a heated, high boiling, water-miscible solvent, such as sulfolane, and a soluble acid catalyst. Furfural product and water are distilled off through a multistage distillation column, leaving non-volatile solvent behind. Typical furfural yields with sulfolane as the reaction solvent are about 80% at as high as 99% conversion. Also, certain by-products (e.g., humins) solubilized in the reaction solvent can be precipitated by addition of water or aqueous feedstock solution and then removed by filtration, thereby providing a convenient and effective way of removing these undesirable byproducts from the reaction mixture.
US09181207B2
Methods of reducing or maintaining the value of an alkylene oxide production parameter (such as alkylene oxide production rate) in a process of making an alkylene oxide by reacting an alkylene and oxygen over a high efficiency catalyst are shown and described. One method comprises reducing the concentration of oxygen in the reactor feed gas to reduce or maintain the value of the alkylene oxide production parameter.
US09181202B2
Provided is a crystal of a salt of the compound represented by formula (I), which is excellent in its solubility in water. In particular, also provided is a crystal of hydrochloride, hydrobromate, sulfate, nitrate, p-toluenesulfonate or methanesulfonate of the compound represented by formula (I).
US09181201B2
The present invention relates to a method for treating comorbid anxiety disorders and depression disorders, as well as for preventing depression disorders in individuals affected by anxiety disorders, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of general formula (I): wherein R1 is —OCH3 or —CN or suitable pharmaceutical salts, hydrates or anhydrates thereof.
US09181183B2
The present invention provides a piperidine compound represented by Formula (I) (wherein X1, X2, X2, A, B and N are as defined in the Description); or a salt thereof.
US09181181B2
The present invention relates to 2-(substituted sulphur, sulphone or sulphoxide)-3-(substituted phenyl)propionic acid derivatives, 2-(substituted oxygen)-3-(substituted phenyl)propionic acid derivatives, benzoic acid derivatives, and derivatives of 2-methyl-2-(phenoxy or phenylthio)propanoic acid and 2-(methyl or ethyl)-2-(phenoxy or phenylthio)butanoic acid, to processes for preparing such compounds, to their use in the treatment of inflammatory conditions, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US09181178B2
The invention relates to a method for producing acrylonitrile which includes a vapor phase catalytic ammoxidation process of performing vapor phase catalytic ammoxidation by bringing a source gas containing propylene, molecular oxygen, and ammonia into contact with a fluidized bed catalyst to obtain acrylonitrile. The method is characterized in that the fluidized bed catalyst is a catalyst containing iron, antimony, and tellurium, and the vapor phase catalytic ammoxidation process is performed while maintaining an adsorbed amount of ammonia per specific surface area (m2/g) of the fluidized bed catalyst in the range of 0.01 to 0.22 μmol/m2. According to the method for producing acrylonitrile of the invention, it is possible to stably maintain a high acrylonitrile yield over a long period of time.
US09181174B2
A method for isolating an amino alcohol simply from an amino alcohol aqueous solution containing a heterocyclic amine compound is provided. The method is a method for isolating a tertiary amino alcohol from a tertiary amino alcohol aqueous solution containing a heterocyclic amine compound, and for generating an enamine by adding a ketone to the tertiary amino alcohol aqueous solution, isolating the enamine from the tertiary amino alcohol aqueous solution, and isolating the tertiary amino alcohol from a residual liquid obtained by isolating the enamine.
US09181161B2
The present invention relates to the use of at least one dicyclohexylmethanol derivative of the formula (I) as antimicrobial active compound or as anti-acne, antidandruff, deodorant or antiperspirant active compound, to preparations comprising these compounds, and to specific dicyclohexylmethanol derivatives and to a process for the preparation thereof.
US09181160B2
The present invention relates to [1] a method of producing 1-(2-t-butylcyclohexyloxy)-2-butanol including a step of hydrogenating 1-(2-t-butylphenyloxy)-2-butanol under a condition at a hydrogen pressure of from 1 to 5 MPa in the presence of a palladium catalyst (A) supported on peat-derived active carbon and a metal catalyst (B) containing one or more kinds of members selected from ruthenium, rhodium, platinum, and nickel; and [2] a perfume composition containing 1-(2-t-butylcyclohexyloxy)-2-butanol obtained by the foregoing method. According to the present invention, 1-(2-t-butylcyclohexyloxy)-2-butanol having a woody or amber-like fragrance as a perfume material and excellent fragrance notes can be obtained in a high purity because of a small remaining amount of a reaction intermediate and in a high yield.
US09181155B2
Process for the catalytic production of alcohol products, wherein by-products comprising ketone, aldehyde and ester compounds contained in the alcohol product are subjected to hydrogenation with a hydrogen-containing purge gas.
US09181148B2
In one aspect, the invention provides a catalyst for converting diesel type liquid hydrocarbons to methane rich gas. The catalyst includes a nickel component, a cerium oxide component, and gadolinium oxide component. The catalysts provide high conversion, selectivity, and stability compare to the state of the art commercial catalysts. The catalyst compositions can improve the overall fuel cell efficiency for both mobile and stationary fuel cell applications.
US09181137B2
A water insoluble micronutrient fertilizer, methods of producing, and methods of using the same are provided. The fertilizer may comprise at least one first micronutrient selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc; a polyphosphate; and optionally at least one second micronutrient selected from the group consisting of boron, chlorine, iodine, molybdenum or selenium. The fertilizer compounds are preferably water insoluble, dilute acid soluble, and free-flowing powders.
US09181136B2
The invention relates to a method for producing hollow bodies having freely displaceable particles enclosed in the hollow body, wherein a) a gel-forming liquid in which the particles are suspended is brought into a cross-linking bath, b) the gel cores that form are isolated, c) the cores are coated with a composition comprising sinterable material and a binder, and d) the coated cores are subjected to a heat treatment wherein the gel and the binder are expunged and the sinterable material is sintered into a closed shell. The gel forming material is, for example, sodium alginate, and the cross-linking bath comprises calcium ions. The particles are selected, for example, from ZrO2, Al2O3, TiO2, and SiO2 or mixtures thereof. The sinterable material is, for example, a metal powder such as carbonyl iron powder.
US09181127B2
A method for inerting clays in a hydraulic composition includes one step of putting a hydraulic composition or a constituent of a hydraulic composition in contact with a compound of the formula (I) R—COO31, (Mn+)1/n, wherein a method for making hydraulic composition, a pretreated granulate which may be obtained by mixing a granulate with the compound of formula (I), and an additive for inerting clays including a superplasticizer and the compound of formula (I) are described.
US09181126B2
A glass layer fixing method for manufacturing a glass layer fixing member by fixing a glass layer to a first glass member, includes the steps of disposing the glass layer on the first glass member along a region to be fused, the glass layer containing a glass powder and a laser-absorbing material and irradiating the region to be fused therealong with a first laser beam, so as to melt the glass layer, fix the glass layer to the first glass member, and increase a laser absorptance of the glass layer.
US09181122B2
In an annealing zone (3) of a glass sheet producing method, a curved portion (5) is formed by curving a glass ribbon (G) in a width direction, and a concavo-convex direction in a front and back direction of the curved portion (5) is reversed at least between an upper side and a lower side of a part of a region in the width direction of the glass ribbon (G). Therefore, a bending resistance in an upper and lower direction of the glass ribbon (G) and a bending resistance in the width direction of the glass ribbon (G) are increased.
US09181119B2
The invention relates to an electrolysis method that uses iron particles and an aqueous solution containing sodium hypochlorite. The method is characterized in that said method uses direct current, the iron particles form the anode (46) and the sodium hypochlorite concentration of the aqueous solution is at least 1 g/L. The invention further relates to a method and to a plant for the pretreatment of raw water for producing water that can then be easily treated in order to produce drinkable water or a so-called technical water that cannot be consumed but that can be used for household, agricultural or industrial applications such as cleaning, washing, laundry, flushing, garden watering or irrigation.
US09181112B2
A method and an apparatus for treating coal gasification wastewater containing selenium and ions of a metal nobler than titanium eluted from a noble metal catalyst in a catalytic wet oxidation treatment using the noble metal catalyst, the method includes a pretreatment process removing the ions of the metal nobler than titanium and a selenium reduction process contacting the coal gasification wastewater with a mixture of metallic titanium and a simple metal baser than metallic titanium whereby a portion of the simple metal baser than metallic titanium is eluted, and the selenium in the coal gasification wastewater becomes reduced.
US09181108B2
A method for decontamination of a liquid effluent including one or more radioactive chemical elements to be eliminated is disclosed. According to one aspect, the method includes The method includes mixing, in a first zone of a reactor, solid particles with the liquid which are able, by co-precipitation, adsorption and/or ion exchange, to capture and retain the radioactive chemical elements. The solid particles settle in a second zone of the reactor. The solids, including the radioactive chemical elements, are then separated from the remaining liquid.
US09181104B2
The composition is based on zirconium oxide and at least one additive selected from zirconium oxide and at least one additive chosen from praseodymium, lanthanum or neodymium oxides, has a specific surface of at least 29 m 2/g after calcination at 1000° C. during a period of 10 hours and is obtained by a method wherein a mixture of zirconium compounds and additive is precipitated with a base; the medium thus obtained, containing a precipitate, is heated and a compound chosen from anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, polyethylene glycols, carboxylic acids and the salts thereof and surfactants such as the ethoxylates of caroboxymethyl fatty alcohols is added to the compound and the precipitate is calcinated; the composition can be used as a catalyst.
US09181103B2
A method and apparatus for in-line production of milk of lime into an in-line production process of PCC arranged in connection with a fibrous web machine. In the solution, lime is slaked in a slaking apparatus at a temperature of at least 80 degrees. The produced milk of lime is cleaned by separating excessively large calcium hydroxide particles immediately prior to introducing the milk of lime into the production process of PCC. The milk of lime is introduced into the in-line production process of PCC located in the production line of the end or intermediate product of the fibrous web machine.
US09181092B2
The present invention provides nanowires and nanoribbons that are well suited for use in thermoelectric applications. The nanowires and nanoribbons are characterized by a periodic compositional longitudinal modulation. The nanowires are constructed using lithographic techniques from thin semiconductor membranes, or “nanomembranes.”
US09181077B2
A method and apparatus for fueling the onboard storage tank of a vehicle with liquefied natural gas. A liquid cryogen such as liquid nitrogen is fed to a condensing unit to condense natural gas present in a fueling system. Liquefied natural gas is fed into the fueling system and natural gas vapor is recovered from the onboard storage tank of the vehicle and fed to the condensing unit. When the pressure of the onboard storage tanks is sufficient, the liquefied natural gas is fed from the fueling system to the onboard storage tanks.
US09181063B2
A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit including a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The pressing unit is configured to press a fold in a folded sheet bundle by holding the fold between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a pressing position of the pressing unit in a direction of the fold in the sheet bundle; and a position changing unit configured to change relative positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member in the direction of the fold in the sheet bundle.
US09181049B2
A lower pressure plate (43) is disposed upon a paper currency pressing part (34) of a paper currency intake part (5) below an upper pressure plate (41) with a spring (44) interposed therebetween, and the paper currency pressing part (34) presses the lower pressure plate (43) upon stacked paper currency (BLC). Thus, when the stacked paper currency (BLC) oscillates vertically with the rotation of a picker roller (23), the paper currency pressing part (34) absorbs by the spring (44) an upward force which is applied from the stacked paper currency (BLC). Furthermore, the paper currency pressing part (34) presses the lower pressure plate (43) by a restoring force of the spring (44) with respect to the falling stacked paper currency (BLC). Accordingly, the paper currency pressing part (34) continues to make the lower pressure plate (43) make contact with the uppermost part of the stacked paper currency (BLC), allowing the intake of the paper currency (BL) to continue without misalignment of the paper currency in the stacked paper currency (BLC) to occur.
US09181046B2
In a first embodiment, a system includes a first solids feeder having a first inlet and a first outlet, a second solids feeder having a second inlet and a second outlet, and an adjustable volume coupled to the first outlet and the second inlet. The first solids feeder is configured to supply a feedstock at a first feed rate and the second solids feeder is configured to supply the feedstock at a second feed rate. The adjustable volume is configured to adjust based at least in part on first feed rate and the second feed rate.
US09181028B1
Waste treatment component includes a base having a lower wall and a peripheral wall extending from the lower wall and to one side of the lower wall around the periphery of the lower wall. The lower wall and peripheral wall define a compartment on an upper side of the lower wall that is receivable of waste treatment material. To allow for dispersal of this material, the base has apertures in communication with the first compartment. A movable member is arranged at the lower end of the base and has a portion spaced apart from the lower wall to define a second compartment between the member and the lower wall that is receivable of waste treatment material. To allow for dispersal of this material, the member includes apertures in communication with the second compartment. Thus, the waste treatment component includes two compartments, one on each side of the lower wall.
US09181026B2
A containment berm comprising a containment material that is configured to provide at least a floor and four walls of the berm, a plurality of brackets positioned on the floor and adjacent to the inside surface of the four walls, and a top rail. Each bracket comprises a vertical member, connecting member, and horizontal member. A first end of the vertical member is pivotally connected to a first end of the horizontal member at a first pivot point. A first end of the connecting member is pivotally connected to the horizontal member at a second pivot point between the first and second ends of the horizontal member. The top rail extends around a top perimeter of the four walls of the berm. Each bracket comprises a clamp portion that is situated on a second end of the vertical member and that clamps onto the top rail.
US09181022B2
A collapsible container for protecting and transporting an animal head is provided. The collapsible container comprises at least one strap for carrying the collapsible container and a base component comprising a bottom, four sides, a lid. The lid comprises four triangular flaps and an opening centrally located in the lid. The four triangular flaps open to allow a hunter to place the animal head within the base component, while the opening permits passage of the animal head's antlers through the lid. The four triangular flaps are then zipped together further securing the animal head.
US09181019B2
The aerosol dispenser, comprises: an aerosol canister and associated valve stem; and an actuator cap (1) comprising: a rotatable outer body (2) and an associated actuator button (3); and a non-rotatable chassis (4) and an associated spray channel assembly (6), the latter comprising an outlet nozzle (63); the outer body (2) being rotatable between a first position in which the spray channel assembly (6) is separated from the valve stem of the aerosol canister and the dispenser is incapable of activation and a second position in which the spray channel assembly (6) is attached to the valve stem of the aerosol canister and the dispenser is capable of activation.
US09181017B2
A tablet cartridge includes a rotor, a tablet stopper, a case, and a stopper cover. The rotor has a plurality of guide-teeth protruding at regular intervals along a circumference of the rotor, and has tablet insertion grooves formed between the guide-teeth. The tablet stopper is disposed to close a top of one of the tablet insertion grooves. The case includes a dispensing opening formed at a position on a lower portion of the rotor housing portion, corresponding to a position of the tablet stopper, and a stopper insertion hole of a length that allows for the tablet stopper to adjust its height while being inserted into the stopper insertion hole. The stopper cover is coupled to the case to close the stopper insertion hole, and has the tablet stopper mounted thereon at an adjusted height.
US09181010B2
A heat-sealable biodegradable packaging material, its manufacturing method and a product package formed thereof, where the packaging material comprises a fiber substrate, an inner polymeric coating layer against the fiber substrate, which contains polylactide and a biodegradable polyester that is blended therewith to improve the adhesion between the inner coating layer and the fiber substrate, and an outer coating layer that constitutes the outer surface of the material and contains polylactide and a biodegradable polyester that is blended therewith to improve the heat sealing ability of the layer, the portion of polylactide in the inner layer present in an amount greater than that in the outer layer. The inner and/or outer coating layers can further have blended therewith a small amount of acrylic copolymer that improves the adhesion and/or heat sealing ability. The coating layers can be introduced onto the fiber substrate by extrusion or coextrusion.
US09181006B2
A can for containing a liquid has a top end. The top end has a dispense area defined on the top end by a first score line and a vent area defined on the top end by a second score line separate from the first score line. The top end has a first rivet located between the vent and dispense areas for coupling to the top end. The top end has a pull tab suitable for puncturing the dispense areas to open a dispense aperture. The top end has a device for opening the vent aperture. The dispense area has a dimension along the diameter of the top end passing by the first rivet greater or equal to the radius of the top end.
US09181000B2
A cap is engaged with a container at two positions, one being a fitting section between the container and an elastic ring body provided inside of the cap to be deformable from outside of the cap, the other being an engaging section between the container and engaging pieces provided on the cap. An engaging strength of the fitting section is set stronger than an engaging strength of the engaging section. The engagement at the fitting section is released when the elastic ring body is pushed from outside of the cap and deformed.
US09180995B2
A retort cup includes a tubular barrel portion formed of a barrel portion forming blank having a paper layer and thermoplastic resin layers; and a bottom portion which seals one of the openings of the barrel portion. The bottom portion has a downwardly bent peripheral edge portion. The barrel portion has an attached barrel overlap portion where both end edges of the blank are overlapped with each other and sealed, a lower fold-back portion which is formed at a lower end of the barrel portion by folding back the blank inwardly, and an upper fold-back portion which is formed by folding back the ends of the fold-back blank inwardly. The lower end of the barrel portion, the upper fold-back portion, and the peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion are sealed together. The peripheral edge portion is inserted into the lower fold-back portion.
US09180990B2
The disclosure relates to a method for allocating product carriers, in particular L-boards, to certain types of product portions of a food product, in particular stacks of slices of a food product. During processing of the product portions, at least two different product carriers are available, of which a specific product carrier is respectively combined with the product portion in dependency of a property of a product portion. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a food processing device.
US09180988B2
An apparatus for use in the formation and filling of a pouched product. The apparatus includes an elongated outer tubular member, the elongated outer tubular member having a first end, a second end and an outer surface; an elongated inner tubular member, the elongated inner tubular member coaxially aligned within the elongated outer tubular member so as to form an annular delivery chamber and having a first end and a second end, the first end for receiving the product to be pouched, the second end having a plurality of circumferentially spaced exit orifices in fluid communication with the annular delivery chamber and directed radially inwardly, the second end for placing the product within the pouch being formed; and an inlet hub adjacent the first end of the elongated outer tubular member and the first end of the elongated inner tubular member, the inlet hub having a first inlet in communication with the first end of the elongated inner tubular member and a second inlet in fluid communication with the annular delivery chamber; wherein the outer surface of the elongated outer tubular member provides a surface for forming the pouched product thereabout.
US09180984B2
Methods and apparatus to methods and apparatus for performing propulsion operations using electric propulsion system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a frame, a power source coupled to the frame and a payload coupled to the frame, the payload to receive or transmit data. The apparatus also includes an electric propulsion system coupled to the frame. The electric propulsion system is to enable attitude control, momentum control, and orbit control of the apparatus.
US09180980B2
The present disclosure relates to a system in space for reinforcing photosynthesis on earth, comprising a satellite with at least one first optical assembly intended for collecting sunlight, the position of which is stationary; a second optical assembly, smaller in size and with less inertia than the first optical element, intended for retransmitting the collected light with higher density of the retransmitted flux density than the collected flux density, and with an adjustable orientation; a remotely controllable means capable of adjusting the orientation of the second optical assembly; and a light-transmitting means which transmits the collected light from the first optical assembly to the second optical assembly. The second optical assembly retransmits light only in specified frequency hands around 450 nm and 660 nm.
US09180976B2
The present invention provides an electric propulsion system control apparatus that uses electric means alone so that effects pertaining to weight and cost are suppressed, is capable of accurate detection even when an airspeed has a binary relationship with a torque and a rotation speed of a propeller, and thereby exhibits improved detection precision and responsiveness. The electric propulsion system control apparatus drives a propulsion propeller to rotate, and is configured to estimate the airspeed from a data set stored in advance in relation to the airspeed and a propeller characteristic, and a plurality of torque and rotation speed estimation values detected under different driving conditions.
US09180973B1
A parachute canopy system includes a canopy having a skirt and a suspension line system, where each suspension line of the suspension line system is attached to the skirt. A pair of first line members is attached to the canopy, the pair of first line members extending in a substantially radial direction away from the skirt towards a center of the canopy. A first end of each line member in the pair of first line members is connected together to the suspension line at the skirt. A first end of the second line member is connected to adjacent second ends of adjacent pairs of first line members that extend towards the center of the canopy.
US09180959B2
A system for monitoring pressure change within at least one compartment of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a primary pressure sensor for providing a signal corresponding to a pressure within a primary compartment of the aircraft, a primary monitoring channel coupled to the primary pressure sensor, and an output driver coupled to the primary monitoring channel. The primary monitoring channel includes a band pass filter for receiving and filtering the primary pressure signal, a pressure change circuit for determining a change in the filtered pressure signal and for providing a pressure change output signal corresponding to the change in pressure, and a threshold logic circuit for determining whether the pressure change output signal meets a predetermined threshold and for providing a threshold output signal indicating that a decompression event has occurred if the pressure change output signal meets the predetermined threshold. The output driver receives the primary threshold output signal and outputs a notification signal.
US09180958B2
Aircraft and airframes include a skin operatively coupled to a structural reinforcement member. The structural reinforcement member and the skin collectively define a run-out region that encompasses a terminal edge of the structural reinforcement member. Within the run-out region, the skin is more flexible than in adjacent portions of the skin. Methods include defining a region of increased flexibility of a skin relative to adjacent portions of the skin, and operatively coupling the skin to a structural reinforcement member.
US09180952B2
A nautical variable-trim (10) steering and propulsion assembly that can be associated to the underside of the bottom (11) of a watercraft and in communication with a motor unit (12) located within said watercraft, said assembly (10) comprising a widened base (13) of resting on said watercraft, a shaft (14) connected on one side to said base (13) and on another side to a supporting torpedo-shaped element (15) defining the axis of rotation (16) of at least one propeller (17) set at least one end of said torpedo-shaped element (15), moreover being provided a directional fin-shaped skeg (18, 18′) associated to said torpedo-shaped element (15) rotating about the axis of said shaft element (14) for controlling the directionality of said watercraft, characterized in that said directional fin-shaped skeg (18, 18′) is in addition rotating about an axis parallel to said axis (16) of said at least one propeller (17).
US09180949B2
A human-powered watercraft may include a frame, a forward hydrofoil attached to the frame, and a first rear hydrofoil attached to a first strut with the first strut rotatably attached to the frame at a pivot point and the first rear hydrofoil configured to pivot about a rear end of the first strut. The human-powered watercraft may also include a second rear hydrofoil attached to a second strut with the second strut rotatably attached to the frame at the pivot point and parallel to the first strut and the second rear hydrofoil configured to pivot about a rear end of the second strut and a tension system coupled between the first strut and the second strut. The tension system allows the first strut and second strut to move in a generally stair-stepping manner which causes the first rear hydrofoil and the second rear hydrofoil to propel the human-powered watercraft forward.
US09180941B1
A method using a floatable offshore depot to provide sheltered area using a tunnel for safe and easy launching or docking of watercraft and embarkation or debarkation of personnel. The method can be used to transfer equipment between the watercraft and the floatable offshore depot using an internal dock side of the tunnel. The floatable offshore depot can have a buoyant hull, a keel, a main deck, and at least two connected sections between the keel and the main deck. The connected sections can extend downwardly from the main deck toward the keel and can have an upper cylindrical side section, a transition section, and a lower cylindrical section. The method uses the tunnel at an operational depth, with a tunnel opening to an exterior of the buoyant hull to receive the watercraft.
US09180938B2
The present disclosure relates to a liquefied gas storage tank and a marine structure including the same. The storage tank includes a plurality of liquefied gas storage tanks received in a plurality of spaces defined in a hull of the marine structure by a cofferdam and arranged in two rows. The cofferdam includes at least one longitudinal cofferdam extending in a longitudinal direction of the hull and at least one transverse cofferdam extending in a transverse direction of the hull. Each of the storage tanks is sealed and thermally insulated by a sealing wall and a thermal insulation wall extending without being disconnected. The longitudinal cofferdam supports load of an upper structure while suppressing a sloshing phenomenon.
US09180937B2
A safety buoy (100) for use in a rip current area (35) having a rip current comprises a bow section (110) and a stern section (120). The bow section (110) is streamlined and the stern section (120) has a deck area. The safety buoy (100) is advantageously moored in the rip current area (35) so that the streamlined bow faces generally seaward towards incoming swell conditions, while the deck area at the stern section (120) faces generally shoreward and provides a surface for a distressed bather caught in an outgoing rip current.
US09180935B2
A hawser system between a tension leg platform (TLP) and another vessel employs two lines, oriented in a V-shape, to restrict the vertical motion of a hawser near the bow of the other vessel which may be a semi-submersible tender assisted drilling vessel (TAD). Drilling operations may be performed from the TLP while the semi-submersible provides the supporting services for the drilling operation, e.g. drilling fluid and drill pipe storage. The restricted vertical motion of the hawsers significantly reduces the possibility of the hawsers contacting each other. A hawser system according to the invention couples the semi-submersible TAD vessel to the TLP and may be implemented without passing the hawsers through sheaves.
US09180923B2
A windshield structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle to enhance a windshield effect by reducing a vacuum behind a leg shield and in the lateral center of the vehicle. The windshield structure for the saddle-ride type vehicle includes a front storage box that may be opened and closed that is provided in a surface of the leg shield on a side of a seat. A bottom covering portion is formed integrally with the leg shield and is formed to cover the front storage box from below. The bottom covering portion for covering the front storage box from below is formed with air discharge ports for releasing a flow of air from a front side of a vehicle body to a rear side of the leg shield.
US09180921B2
An idler wheel assembly for a track-type machine includes a circular body, and a sound dampening member. The circular body includes a central hub portion, an annular flange portion integral with the central hub portion, and a circumferential rim portion to define an annular cavity along with the central hub portion and the annular flange portion. The sound dampening member disposed in the annular cavity and a retainer plate positioned adjacent to the sound dampening member.
US09180916B2
A vehicle body lower section structure comprises a rocker that extends in a vehicle body front-rear direction at a vehicle width direction outside of a floor panel; a first cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction at a lower side of a dashboard panel and includes an outside end portion in the vehicle width direction coupled to the rocker; a second cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction at the vehicle body front side of the first cross member; and a coupling member that couples the first cross member and the second cross member together, and configures a closed cross-section structure with the dashboard panel and/or the floor panel.
US09180914B2
A support structure for a vehicle is interposed between a vehicle body and a vehicle part and is connected with fastening members to support the vehicle part. The support structure is made of a non-ferrous light alloy. Among connecting surfaces of the support structure to which the vehicle body and the vehicle part are connected, an electrochemical corrosion inhibitor is applied to a connecting surface that is located on a lower side, in a vertical direction of the vehicle, of one of the vehicle body and the vehicle part. The one of the vehicle body and the vehicle part corresponds to the applied connecting surface.
US09180910B2
The invention relates to track systems 14, 14′ that may be used to convert steerable, all-wheel drive construction equipment to steerable, multi-track construction vehicles 10. A preferred embodiment of the track system 14, 14′ includes a frame 60, 182 having a reinforcing enclosure 150, 230, a plurality of track engaging rollers 82-86, 202-206, a sprocket 102, 214, and an endless track 76, 198 operatively connected to the frame 60, 182. Tension on the endless track 76, 198 is maintained with two tensioning members 170, 244 operatively connected to the forwardmost roller 82, 202. The track system 14, 14′ preferably includes a limiting apparatus 300 that is configured to restrict the rotational movement “r” of the frame 60, 182 relative to a vehicle axle 16 to which it is attached. The limiting apparatus 300 has a first component 40, which is associated with the vehicle axle 16, is configured and arranged to interact with a second component 262, which is associated with the frame of the track system 14, 14′. Preferably, the limiting apparatus 300 is adjustable such that the range of rotational movement “r” can be varied.
US09180901B2
When an adjustment lever 32 is rotated in order to adjust the position of a steering wheel 1, the adjustment lever 32 is prevented from vigorously rotating, which prevents making the driver who operates the adjustment lever 32 feel discomfort. An expandable damper 35 that provides resistance to the rotation of the adjustment lever 32 is provided between a protrusion 34 that rotates together with the adjustment lever 32 centered around an adjustment rod and an extending portion 37 that is provided on a support-plate portion 15c. The expandable damper 35 has a cylinder portion 38 and a damper rod 39 that are combined so as to be able to displace relative to each other in the axial direction by way of grease 40.
US09180896B2
A signal transmitter contains at least one first luminous element, at least one second luminous element and an interface for connecting the signal transmitter to a signal box. A drive device is connected between the interface and the at least two luminous elements and the drive device is configured in such a way that, in the case of a switch-on signal coming from the signal box for the second luminous element, the drive device controls the activation of the luminous element depending on the signaling state of the first luminous element.
US09180887B2
A system for identifying a driver comprises an image capturing device, a processor, and a memory. The image is captured during vehicle operation and of an expected driver location. The processor is configured to detect a face of a driver in the image, determine a set of face data from the image, and identify the driver based at least in part on the set of face data. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09180877B2
A control device controls a vehicle drive device in which a first engagement device, a rotary electric machine, a second engagement device, and an output member are arranged on a power transfer path from an internal combustion engine to wheels. The control device executes mode transition control that causes transition from (i) a first control mode in which both the first engagement device and the second engagement device are in a slip engagement state and the rotary electric machine generates electric power to (ii) a second control mode in which the first engagement device is in a direct engagement state, the second engagement device is in the slip engagement state, and the rotary electric machine generates electric power.
US09180875B2
A transmission system for a hybrid electric vehicle includes an input shaft connected to an output side of an engine, first and second motors/generators having a function of a motor and a generator and disposed in a transmission housing, a planetary gear set disposed on the input shaft and including three rotating elements, in which among three rotating elements, a first rotating element is directly connected to the first motor/generator and selectively connected to the input shaft and the transmission housing, a second rotating element is directly connected to the input shaft, and a third rotating element is connected to an output gear and connected to the second motor/generator, and a connection unit disposed at the selective connection part.
US09180868B2
A control device that that performs starting control for an internal combustion engine. A first transition control during which a first engagement device is caused to transition from a disengaged state to a slipping engagement state is started after the starting request for the internal combustion engine is made. A rotational speed control in which the rotary electric machine is controlled such that a rotational speed of the rotary electric machine becomes a target rotational speed is started before the first engagement device transitions from the disengaged state to the slipping engagement state. A rotational speed control is terminated and torque control in which the rotary electric machine is controlled after the first engagement device transitions from the disengaged to the slipping engagement state, and the second engagement device is caused to transition from a direct engagement state to a slipping engagement state after the torque control is started.
US09180861B2
Methods and systems are provided for restarting an engine in response to a driver's change-of-mind. In one embodiment, the engine is shutdown during an idle stop with the transmission in a higher gear or with the transmission tied-up to a transmission case. In response to a driver change-of-mind restart request, the transmission is downshifted, or released from the tie-up, to return driveline torque.
US09180855B2
Systems and methods for estimating the cooling time of a brake assembly are disclosed. Various systems and methods may include receiving a temperature of a brake assembly, determining a peak brake assembly temperature, determining a temperature decay coefficient (“α”) of the brake assembly, calculating an estimated total time to cool the brake assembly to a predetermined temperature based on the peak brake assembly temperature and an ambient temperature data, and adjusting the estimated total time to cool the brake assembly to the predetermined temperature based on an amount of time elapsed after the receiving the temperature of the brake assembly.
US09180853B2
In a rail vehicle hand brake having a release activated by a pneumatic cylinder, the present control system includes a manual valve having an output connected to a source of pressure at an input when manually activated. A volume is to be charged by the source of pressure. A choke connects the volume to exhaust. The volume and the choke prolong the time the source of pressure is connected to the pneumatic cylinder after the manual valve is activated.
US09180846B2
A safety brake system for a trailer comprises a brake end having a brake unit adapted to be secured to a trailer and positioned to block movement of the trailer when actuated and an actuation end adapted to be secured to a front end of the trailer. The actuation end comprises a hitch ball coupler having a hand portion defining a concavity adapted to receive a hitch ball of a vehicle. It also comprises a mechanism operatively connected to the hitch coupler and displaceable with respect thereto. The mechanism comprises a probe plunger and a hitched position. The mechanism is connected to the brake unit for actuation of said brake unit. The safety brake system also comprises a biasing unit. A trailer assembly is also provided.
US09180839B2
A windscreen wiper device, or a wiper blade assembly, for cleaning a windshield of a vehicle is provided. The wiper blade assembly includes a wiper strip that extends in a longitudinal direction and at least one carrier element in engagement with the wiper strip for supporting and biasing the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration. An at least two piece connecting device is coupled to the at least one carrier element. One piece of the connecting device is a main piece that has a bearing surface shaped, and the other piece is a door piece that is pivotable between an open position for allowing attachment and detachment between the connecting device and the wiper arm and a closed position for securing the wiper arm into engagement with the wiper blade assembly. The door piece is pivotably coupled to the main piece about an axis that extends in a longitudinal direction.
US09180835B2
Axial forces on the shins of small-bodied occupants and medium-bodied occupants may be suppressed or prevented, and protective performance of the knee areas of large-bodied occupants is assured. A vehicle knee airbag device is equipped with a knee airbag main body portion that is formed in a thin bag shape and that inflates and expands from below to above along a design surface of an instrument panel floor when gas is supplied thereto. A protection portion of the knee airbag main body portion has a size capable of covering both knees of an occupant, from small-bodied occupants to large-bodied occupants. A U-shaped lower tether is disposed in an upper portion of the interior of the protection portion; vertical direction dividing portions of the lower tether extend to the upward side from portions that correspond with both knees of medium-bodied occupants.
US09180829B1
A deflector for a front end assembly that includes a lower tube having a lower/front leg extending outboard from a bumper and an intermediate leg extending from a lower/outer end of the lower/front leg to a sliding plate that is not attached to a frame rail. The deflector also includes an upper tube including an upper/front leg extending outboard from the bumper and a rear leg extending from an upper/outer end of the upper tube toward that is attached to a rear sliding plate that is also not attached to the frame rail. A method of making a deflector from an aluminum tube that is bent to shape and wrapped with a carbon fiber resin layer.
US09180827B2
A connecting part for connecting a bumper covering to a vehicle body is provided. The connecting part is fastenable to the vehicle body and serves as holder for the bumper covering. The connecting part includes a bearing portion that is at least partially brought to bear against a counterpart portion of the vehicle body. The connecting part also includes holding means by which, prior to fastening of the connecting part to the vehicle body, the connecting part is brought into a holding position on the vehicle body subject to the bearing portion bearing against the counterpart portion.
US09180820B2
An article mounting assembly mounts an article to a horizontally extending ballast weight support of a utility vehicle. The mounting assembly includes a coupling member, a plate and a pair of brackets. The coupling member is attached to and spaced apart from the plate. Each bracket has a front end coupled to the coupling member and has a rear end coupled to the weight support. Each bracket is movably coupled to the coupling member so that the spacing between the brackets is adjustable. The article may be a container in which the plate forms a wall of the container, or the article may be a shelf or a component supported by the brackets.
US09180817B2
Exterior mirror unit comprising a mirror base for attachment to a motor vehicle, a mirror support connectable with the mirror base and an actuator unit placed between the mirror support and mirror base for pivoting adjustment of the mirror support relative to the mirror base, wherein the mirror support is connectable with the actuator unit and the mirror base in a manner detachable as a whole.
US09180815B2
In a vehicle door, a door panel is formed by joining an inner panel and an outer panel together, and the door panel is provided with a front door sash. The vehicle door includes a door front edge of the door panel, a sash front edge at a front end of the front door sash, and a step extending from the sash front edge to an upper end of the door front edge. In the step, an inner step portion of the inner panel and an outer step portion of the outer panel are joined together by hemming.
US09180809B2
A vehicle LED lighting device includes a drive control means 51 includes an abnormality detection means 60 detecting a disconnection or short-circuit abnormality of the LED lamp, the abnormality detection means 60 includes a current detection unit 61 detecting the value of a current flowing through the LED lamps 20 and 30 when the LED lamps 20 and 30 are driven by the drive control means 51, a comparison unit 62 comparing the current value detected by the current detection unit 61 with a predetermined abnormality determination value, and a determination value switching unit 63 switching the abnormality determination value in accordance with variation of a power supply voltage of the vehicle, and whether or not there is the disconnection or short-circuit abnormality is judged based on the abnormality determination value switched by the determination value switching unit 63 and the detected current value.
US09180795B2
An adjusting device for adjusting two vehicle parts relative to each other is provided. The adjusting device comprising a first guide rail, which is longitudinally extended along a longitudinal axis and which is formed by a base and lateral legs connected to the base, a second guide rail, which is movably arranged on the first guide rail and which is longitudinally extended along the longitudinal axis, an adjusting mechanism, which is arranged between the legs on the first guide rail and which comprises a spindle nut, which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis in order to drive the adjusting device, a spindle, which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the second guide rail and which is longitudinally extended along the longitudinal axis and which engages with the spindle nut in such a way that, when the spinal nut is rotated, the first guide rail is moved along the longitudinal axis relative to the second guide rail, and a fastening device for fastening the adjusting mechanism to the first guide rail.
US09180790B2
A DC feeder voltage control apparatus includes a model-information storing unit storing train model information on each train running in a control section, substation model information on each substation, and feeding network model information in the control section, a fixed-voltage-value storing unit storing a fixed voltage value of a substation voltage set for each substation, a train-operation-state-information acquiring unit acquiring positions and operation state information on the trains running in the control section, a first-substation-voltage fixing unit outputting the fixed voltage value to two first substations located at both ends of the control section, and a second-substation-voltage calculating unit calculating a setting voltage value of the substation voltage in at least one second substation located between the two first substations based on the information, and substation voltages and substation currents of the first substations to output to the second substation.
US09180789B2
An electric vehicle is provided with a first operating mode having no limitation relating to power performance, or including a predetermined limitation on power performance, and a second operating mode in which power performance is more limited than in the first operating mode, and in which power consumption is reduced relative to the first operating mode. In the second operating mode, output limiting control is performed for limiting the output of an electric drive motor, a determination is made as to whether a limit discontinuation request has been inputted by the driver to an input device, and when a limit discontinuation request has been inputted from the driver to the input device during travel in the second operating mode, output limiting control is discontinued while the second operating mode is continued.
US09180780B2
A method in which open- or closed-loop control of a motor vehicle brake system is carried out having friction brakes on the wheels of at least one axle, wherein the brake pressure generating means for the wheels of at least one axle are in a direct operative connection to the brake pedal, and at least one electrical machine is in an operative connection to at least one axle which can be used by applying an electrically regenerative braking torque for converting kinetic energy into electrical energy. In order to raise the efficiency level of the recuperation, the regenerative deceleration is increased even in the case of an unchanged brake pedal position and/or brake pedal force, and a motor vehicle brake system which is open-loop or closed-loop controlled.
US09180774B2
In a work vehicle, a second processing device, disposed over a hydraulic pump, is configured to process the hydraulic gas from an engine. A first processing device is disposed closer to the engine than the second processing device is. Further, the first processing device is positioned higher the second processing device. The first processing device is partially overlapped with the second processing device in a top plan view.
US09180769B2
There is provided a control system for a vehicle, wherein the control system controls an electric oil pump of the vehicle to start before an idling stop is brought about, when a condition on a vehicle speed is satisfied which is set in accordance with a variation of a running speed of the vehicle while the vehicle is running based on the driving force generated by a driving force generation unit thereof. Consequently, the electric oil pump can be started at an optimum timing before the idling stop is brought about.
US09180768B2
A method for operating a hybrid drive device, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has at least one combustion engine and at least one electric machine, the combustion engine and the electric machine being mechanically and operatively connectible to each other by a separating clutch, and a slip torque transmitted by the separating clutch being ascertained. There is a provision for the slip torque to be determined as a function of the speed characteristic of a drive shaft of the combustion engine at least when starting and/or stopping the combustion engine and to be taken into account when operating the hybrid drive device.
US09180766B2
A front module disposed between an engine and a torque converter, and a method for coupling or decoupling the front module to the torque converter is provided. The front module has a housing that defines a cavity and has at least one access window, but preferably two access windows. The access windows may each include a notch. Disposed in the housing of the front module is a motor/generator and an engine disconnect clutch. A flexplate connects an output of the front module to the torque converter. The flexplate has a plurality of notches located on a periphery of the flexplate, and the flexplate is connected to the torque converter by a plurality of fasteners. Both the notches on the periphery of the flexplate and the plurality of fasteners are accessible through the access windows.
US09180765B2
A hybrid vehicle includes an electric motor with a rotatable rotor. A centrifugally-actuated clutch has a first rotatable member, a second rotatable member, and at least one actuator member attached to the first rotatable member. One of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member is operatively connected to the wheels. The other of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member is operatively connected to the rotor. The actuator member is configured to transfer torque between the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member by an amount that decreases due to centrifugal force acting on the actuator member as a rotational speed of the first rotatable member increases. A method of control is also provided.
US09180761B1
A hinge assembly includes a body strap having a main body. The main body defines a first surface end and a second surface opposite the first body end. The body strap includes a first pin support and a second pin support. The first and second pin supports extend from the main body. The body strap includes a protrusion extending from the second body end of the main body. The protrusion defines a first protrusion end and a second protrusion end opposite the first protrusion end. The hinge assembly further includes a door strap partially disposed between the first and second pin supports and a pin movably interconnecting the body strap and the door strap. The pin extends along an axis and is supported by the first and second pin supports.
US09180760B2
The invention relates to a bumper bracket for a motor vehicle body, comprising a first profiled section having a three-dimensional structure and a second component, which spatially closes the first profiled section. The two components have overlapping surfaces used for welding, wherein the welding is carried out by way of impulse capacitor discharge welding.
US09180754B2
A heat pump system including a water-cooled type heat exchanger, which is a heat supply means, mounted on a first bypass line bypassing a second indoor heat exchanger to collect waste heat of vehicle electric devices to thereby enhance a heating efficiency of the heat pump system. The heat pump system for a vehicle includes: a branch line for connecting a refrigerant circulation line of the second indoor heat exchanger and the first bypass line with each other; a second bypass line, which bypasses an outdoor heat exchanger; and a control part that controls a flow of the indoor air to be introduced into an air-conditioning case, whereby the heat pump system can minimize influences of the outdoor air of low temperature even when the outdoor temperature is below zero, enhance the operation and the heating performance of the heat pump system by collecting waste heat of the vehicle electric devices and heat sources of the indoor air, and increase the mileage of the vehicle by minimizing operation of an electric heater.
US09180753B2
The present invention makes it possible to integrate and control in one circuit the systems, such as electric power components, a driving motor, a stack, and an AC condenser which have the maximum enthalpy under similar operational temperature and use conditions, by using an integrated radiator. Therefore, it is possible to minimize air-through resistance of the radiator for cooling the stack and the electric power components and ensure smooth and stable cooling performance of the stack, electric power components, and AC condenser while improving fuel efficiency by reducing the condensation pressure of the air conditioner. Further, it is possible to improve cooling efficiency by non-repeatedly arranging heat exchangers, and reduce the weight of a vehicle, volume of the parts, and the manufacturing cost, by avoiding using too many parts, such as a radiator, a water pump, and a reservoir tank.
US09180747B2
A vehicle includes a chassis, a plurality of ground engaging elements supporting the chassis above a ground surface, a motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging elements to thereby propel the machine along the ground surface, and a chassis height adjustment system for selectively raising and lowering the chassis relative to the ground surface. A track width adjustment system is configured to shift the position of at least one of the ground engaging elements laterally relative to the chassis and a controller is configured to automatically actuate the track width adjustment system when the chassis height adjustment system is actuated to preserve a constant track width as the chassis moves up and down relative to the ground surface.
US09180743B2
Embodiments can provide a system, a wheel localizer, a wheel localization device, a method or a computer program for locating a position of wheel and/or for determining an acceleration of a wheel of a vehicle. The system for locating a position of at least one out of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle includes a detector configured to obtain information related to a tangential acceleration of the at least one wheel of the vehicle and a unit configured to obtain information related to angular rotations of the plurality of wheels. The system further includes a locator configured to determine the position of the at least one wheel based on the information related to the tangential acceleration of the at least one wheel and the information related to the angular rotations of the plurality of wheels.
US09180739B2
A plurality of blocks is provided in a tread portion and a plurality of sipes is provided in a tread surface of the blocks. In the sipes, protrusions are formed on a first sipe wall surface of mutually opposing sipe wall surfaces and recesses that engage with the protrusions are formed on a second sipe wall surface. Collapsing of the portions of the blocks sandwiched by the sipes is suppressed due to the engaging of the protrusions and the recesses. A height of the protrusions provided on the sipe wall surfaces of the sipes located at the edges in the tire circumferential direction is greater than a height of the protrusions provided on the sipe wall surfaces of the other sipes. Specifically, a force that works to suppress bending deformation increases and collapsing of the portions of the blocks located at the edges in the tire circumferential direction is suppressed.
US09180738B2
A pneumatic tire reduces the columnar resonance noise of the tire while controlling the lowering of wet performances, wherein four circumferential grooves continuously extending in the circumferential direction of the tire are disposed in a treading face and a plurality of lateral grooves each having one end opened to the circumferential groove and terminated in a land portion are formed with respect to two circumferential grooves among the four circumferential grooves, and these lateral grooves and the respective circumferential grooves have such a groove width that both groove walls of the groove do not contact with each other in a ground contact face and one or more lateral groove are always completely included in the ground contact face, and an extending length of a portion of each lateral groove in the ground contact face having a groove width of the lateral groove corresponding to not less than 30% of a groove width of the circumferential groove is made not less than 40% of an extending length of the circumferential groove in the ground contact face.
US09180728B2
A stretchable knit appliqué is described. The appliqué is configured by a knitted textile material adhered to an elastomeric film by a first adhesive continuously distributed over elastomeric film. Moreover, the appliqué is configured to stretch with the elastomeric film. The appliqué can have a first and second knitted materials, with a printed design in registration with the first and second textile materials. The printed design can be a sublimation printed design.
US09180724B2
Dry-erase drawing sheets, a drawing apparatus, and a dry-erase drawing kit are described. The drawing sheets have a non-lenticular or a lenticular lens arrangement on a top surface, material layers comprising a body of the sheet, and images printed on surfaces of one or more of the material layers. The images are configured to sufficiently interact with the lens arrangement to exhibit a three-dimensional visual and/or animated effect when viewed through the top surface. The drawing sheets also include a dry-erase compatible layer overlying the top surface. The drawing apparatus includes a frame that has a central opening and a backing member that releasably couples to the frame. Together the frame and backing member retain the drawing sheets within the central opening of the frame during use. The drawing sheets, drawing apparatus, and one or more dry-erase crayons or markers are provided in the kit.
US09180703B2
A recording device includes a head unit that ejects ink onto a target recording medium, and transport units that transport the target recording medium. The transport units are provided with driving rollers that are provided so as to come into contact with a first surface of the target recording medium, and that generate a delivery power in the target recording medium, and air delivery units that push the target recording medium against the driving rollers by applying air pressure to the driving rollers from a side of a second surface of the target recording medium.
US09180699B2
An image recording device, including: a first sheet conveying path; a recording portion to record an image on a sheet; a first roller pair to convey the sheet in a first direction; a second sheet conveying path; a path changing portion; a second roller pair to convey the sheet in a second direction; a third roller pair to convey, to the first path, the sheet that has been conveyed to the second conveying path; and a control portion to control a sheet conveyance rate by the second roller pair to be higher than that by the third roller pair, whereby a part of the sheet between the second and third roller pairs is slacked for separating, from the second roller pair, a trailing end of the sheet before a leading end thereof reaches a position where the leading end is opposed to the recording portion in the first conveying path.
US09180696B2
A main substrate which is arranged in one end section of a main apparatus body in the width direction is horizontally arranged using a free space in one end section of the mechanical component arrangement area in a main apparatus body in the width direction. A plurality of relay substrates are vertically provided in the upper-side position of the main substrate in the mechanical component arrangement area, and the main substrate is connected to the plurality of relay substrates through FFCs connected to respective connectors. A plurality of connectors are provided on the two relay substrates in order to connect to wirings from a printer mechanism section.
US09180695B2
A method including: displacing a plurality of sheets through a defined portion of a process path; generating, using an encoder, a first number of encoder pulses associated with displacing a first sheet from the plurality of sheets along the defined portion; applying first indicia to a first side of the first sheet; displacing the first sheet through the defined portion; generating, using the encoder, a second number of encoder pulses associated with displacing the first sheet along the defined portion; calculating, using a processor, a ratio including the first and second numbers; applying second indicia to the respective second side of the first sheet or third indicia to the respective first side of a second sheet from the plurality of sheets, or fourth indicia to the respective second side of the second sheet; and adjusting, using the processor, application of the second, third, or fourth indicia according to the ratio.
US09180689B2
A recording apparatus including: recording modules each having a first conveyance path; a first common tray having a support surface; and a second conveyance path connecting each first conveyance path and the first common tray, wherein the recording modules are disposed such that the first conveyance paths are parallel to and are spaced apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to the first conveyance paths, and wherein an angle formed by any continuous two path portions in the second conveyance path, an angle formed by the second conveyance path and the support surface of the first common tray, and an angle formed by the second conveyance path and each first conveyance path are made larger than 90° and are not larger than 180°, such that a maximum bending angle of a recording medium that is conveyed between the first common tray and each recording module is less than 90°.
US09180687B2
A filter manufacturing apparatus includes a printing cell setting unit that sets, based on a predetermined filter pitch and a head resolution, printing cells having an equal number of dot areas in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing medium, a shift amount calculating unit that calculates shift amounts between the filter pitch and the printing cells in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the printing medium, a shift amount determining unit that determines whether shift amounts of the printing cells exceed a unit dot area; and a printing cell complementing unit that complements the shift amounts of the printing cells exceeding the unit dot area by adjusting the number of dot areas included in the printing cells.
US09180682B2
A printing apparatus includes a printing head that includes a nozzle array, and a discharging control unit. The nozzle array is divided into a plurality of nozzle groups that is configured by a predetermined number of nozzles. The discharge control unit, when an abnormal nozzle having abnormal function of discharging the ink is included in any of the plurality of nozzle groups in a case of discharging the ink to a band area from the nozzle of each of the plurality of nozzle groups by assigning halftone data to the nozzle of each of the plurality of nozzle groups, assigns the halftone data assigned to the abnormal nozzle to the nozzle that is included in other pluralities of nozzle groups which are not the nozzle group including the abnormal nozzle according to a ratio that is a preset assignment ratio for each of the other pluralities of nozzle groups.
US09180680B2
A water-based ink of the present invention includes water, a plurality of different water-soluble organic solvents, and a water-insoluble coloring material, wherein the above water-soluble organic solvents consist of a good solvent to the above water-insoluble coloring material and a poor solvent to the above water-insoluble coloring material, and the total amount (% by mass) of the good solvents in the ink is represented by A and the total amount (% by mass) of the poor solvent in the ink is represented by B, the ratio of A to B ranges from 10:5 to 10:30 both inclusive, and when the respective Ka values of the above water-soluble organic solvents are determined by the Bristow method and compared with each other, a water-soluble organic solvent having the largest Ka value is the poor solvent. The pigment ink has a sufficiently large area factor even with a small amount of ink and provides an image of high OD.
US09180678B2
A recording head includes an ejection portion configured to eject ink, a first flow path forming member and a second flow path forming member joined to each other between which a flow path for supplying ink to the ejection portion, a buffer chamber for keeping gas, and a communication passage between the flow path and the buffer chamber are formed, a through-hole formed on the second flow path forming member configured to penetrate the second flow path forming member to open onto a surface on an opposite side of a joint surface facing the first flow path forming member, and a communication port formed at a position facing an interior of the buffer chamber, configured to communicate with the through-hole, wherein the communication port is arranged at a position higher than a wall of a top surface that constitutes a communication passage in a usage state of the recording head.
US09180676B2
An improved pinch valve includes a camshaft and associated cam(s) controlling the position of a pivotally-mounted first pinch arm and an opposed, pivotally-mounted second pinch arm. The respective pinch arms are provided symmetrically about a central plane which contains an axis of the camshaft. A spring extends across the central plane and interconnects the respective pinch arms so as to urge both pinch arms towards the central plane. A mechanical advantage lever is provided such that the pinching force is greater than the spring force.
US09180671B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a main body in which an opening portion exposing at least a portion of a carriage moving area, a cover section displaceable with the main body, an ink tank that is located outside the main body, an ink supply tube for supplying ink from the ink tank to a head, and a spacer that forms a gap between the main body and the cover. An accommodation section is configured by a casing portion formed to protrude in a discharge direction of paper. An operation panel section is configured by a casing portion exhibiting an inclined surface. The spacer forms a gap having a size that does not shut off at least an ink flow path of the ink supply tube and passes the ink supply tube through the formed gap.
US09180660B2
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head including a plurality of energy generation elements configured to generate thermal energy. The ink jet recording apparatus includes a specification unit and a control unit. The specification unit specifies a pulse width upper limit value of a prepulse during a recording operation based on a minimum pulse width by which ink is discharged by applying a drive pulse to the energy generation elements and a temperature of the recording head during the recording operation. The control unit controls the energy generation elements to be driven using a drive pulse of a prepulse with a pulse width equal to or less than the pulse width upper limit value.
US09180642B2
The invention relates in particular to a machine bed for hydraulic presses. The machine bed has a bed body and at least one pretensioning unit. The pretensioning unit is realized in such a manner and cooperates with the bed body in such a manner that said bed body is acted upon by lateral pretensioning.
US09180635B2
An optical element includes a first surface, a second surface positioned to face the first surface, and a plurality of reflecting surfaces arrayed in a first region defined by the first surface and the second surface, wherein the reflecting surfaces have a first length in a first direction vertical to the first surface and are arrayed at a pitch in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, light incident on one of the first surface and the second surface is reflected by the reflecting surfaces toward the other surface, and predetermined parameters satisfy predetermined relational formulae representing conditions for ensuring total reflection at the reflecting surfaces and for avoiding total reflection at a light emergent surface.
US09180634B2
This invention discloses methods for generating one or both of an ophthalmic lens precursor with at least a portion of one surface free-formed from a Reactive Mixture. In some embodiments, an ophthalmic lens precursor is formed on a substrate with an arcuate optical quality surface via a source of actinic radiation controllable to cure a definable portion of a volume of Reactive Mixture.
US09180628B2
A method for producing a tubular structural component and device for production thereof are disclosed. A tubular molding tool has an inner mold surface shaped corresponding to an outer surface of the structural component. A support surface of an expandable support, formed corresponding to the molding tool shape such that in an unexpanded state the support fills the molding tool while the support surface and the mold surface run parallel leaving an expansion spacing of the support surface to the mold surface, is covered with a tubular non-crimp fiber fabric, such that fibers of a fiber layer of the non-crimp fiber fabric run diagonally around the support. After the support has been arranged in the molding tool, the non-crimp fiber fabric is pressed against the mold surface by expanding the support with radial expansion of the non-crimp fiber fabric. The non-crimp fiber fabric is infiltrated by a curable matrix.
US09180611B2
A compression-forming system comprising a molten resin mass-feeding device equipped with the holding portions for holding the molten resin masses, a compression-forming machine equipped with the metal molds, and a molten resin mass position detector, wherein said molten resin mass position detector is a temperature sensor, and said temperature sensor measures the temperature of a portion on the outer side of an allowable range in which the molten resin masses are fed to the metal molds, and judges the presence of the molten resin masses on said portion by the temperature of said portion of the metal molds to detect that the molten resin masses are defectively handed over.
US09180610B2
The present disclosure relates to devices and processes for fabricating a multi-component optical system. A device is an integral mold comprising an attachment portion and a cup portion having a cavity, and the mold further comprises a first optical component. The cavity of the mold contains additional optical components to form a multi-component optical system blank. Another device is a multi-component optical system blank. A process for fabricating a multi-component optical system blank comprises providing an integral mold comprising a first optical component, adding at least a second optical component, shaping the mold after addition of an optical component, and shaping the resultant blank into an optical system. A further device is a multi-component optical system produced in a process disclosed herein.
US09180608B2
A stamp includes at least one protrusion on a protrusion pattern, and an end portion of the at least one protrusion may have a non-planarized surface. The end portion of the protrusion may have a concave structure, that is, the end portion includes a center region and an edge region, and the edge region is higher than the center region.
US09180603B2
Machine for the preparation of pieces of an oval or spherical fruit, such as a melon or watermelon, comprising: a first cutting station (10), predisposed to cut a fruit (100) into round portions (101) along parallel planes; a second cutting station (20), with two or more shaped blades (21a,b,c) predisposed to cut the round portions (101) into prismatic fragments; a sorting device (40), predisposed to detect a diameter of the round portions (101) and to assign each round portion (101) to a shaped blade (21a,b,c), selected on the basis of the diameter of the round portion.
US09180601B2
Slicer apparatus of the type used for slicing in particular fish fillets, where the apparatus comprises a conveying path, and cutting means arranged in said conveying path, where the cutting means comprises a set of moveable reciprocating knives and a cutting land, where the cutting means further comprises means for moving the knives relative to the cutting land and the surface of the conveyor path, wherein the cutting means are arranged on a common member which member may be rotated through a predetermined arch about a horizontal axis, perpendicular to the conveyor path's transport direction.
US09180599B2
A method for deposition of a layer on a razor blade edge of a razor blade, the layer including at least two components, in an enclosure comprising at least first and second sputter targets, each sputter target including at least one of the components to be deposited on the edge and being adapted, in operation, to release the component in the enclosure.
US09180598B2
The invention relates to a shaver including a housing and a shaver head. This head includes a bracket, holding a plurality of rotary cutter units, each rotatable around a respective rotation axis. The shaver head also includes a hinge, which is positioned such that during use the bracket can pivot freely with regard to the housing, around a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to the axes of the cutter units.
US09180591B2
The invention relates to an adjustable hanger board assembly for mounting tools to a wall, the inside of a vehicle compartment, on a wall, on a ceiling on a floor or other flat surface. Each hanger board assembly has a plurality of horizontal slots and/or vertical slots and or angular slots and optionally a repeating pattern of mounting through-holes capable of accepting a wide variety of existing fastening hardware and tool brackets. The fastening hardware is adjustably fastened along the horizontal slots and/or vertical slots and or angular slots which serve as mounting tracks for hanging brackets and other tool securing devices. The fastening hardware is similarly adjustable in a plurality of through-holes in the hanger board assembly.
US09180586B2
A handle assembly for a power tool is disclosed. The handle assembly includes a base adapted to be mounted to a body of a power tool, and a handle having first and second mounting portions pivotably mounted to respective ends of the base. An elongate torsion spring has a first part mounted to the base and a respective second part mounted to each mounting portion such that pivoting of the handle relative to the base member causes twisting of the torsion member to resiliently oppose pivoting of the handle relative to the base portion.
US09180585B2
When the mode change knob of a multi-mode hammer drill is moved to the hammer only position, an electronic sensor sends a signal to a control logic circuit. When the user then depresses the trigger mechanically closing the ON/OFF switch, the control logic circuit applies a voltage either to a holding relay or to the gate of a triac which enables the relay or triac to conduct, thus providing a parallel circuit by-passing the ON/OFF switch. Consequently, when the user releases the trigger and opens the ON/OFF switch, the parallel relay or triac maintains current flow to the motor. It can be seen that in hammer only mode the user can activate the hammer drill by simply tapping the trigger to depress it and does not need to hold down trigger during use of the hammer in operation.
US09180573B2
A bonded abrasive wheel comprises ceramic shaped abrasive particles retained in a binder. The ceramic shaped abrasive particles are bounded by a respective base, top and plurality of sides connecting the base and the top. Adjacent sides meet at respective side edges having an average radius of curvature of less than 50 micrometers.
US09180571B2
An improved grinder/polisher includes a base having a bowl, a rotating drive plate and a drive plate drive that is adapted to support a platen. The grinder/polisher includes a head configured to support a specimen holder. The head has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head includes a load cell operably connected to the first drive and a counter operably connected to the second drive. The counter is configured to determine movement and the extent of movement of the head toward and away from the drive plate. The grinder/polisher includes a control panel mounted within a housing and including a microprocessor controlled control system having a touch panel or screen.
US09180570B2
CMP pads having novel groove configurations are described. For example, described herein are CMP pads comprising primary grooves, secondary grooves, a groove pattern center, and an optional terminal groove. The CMP pads may be made from polyurethane or poly (urethane-urea), and the grooves produced therein may be made by a method from the group consisting of molding, laser writing, water jet cutting, 3-D printing, thermoforming, vacuum forming, micro-contact printing, hot stamping, and mixtures thereof.
US09180565B2
An assembly fixture allows for the incorporation of a decorative trim piece into an encapsulated window assembly. A method of utilizing the assembly fixture to incorporate the decorative trim piece into the vehicle window assembly is also provided.
US09180564B2
The cap screw (1) has a threaded portion (1b) having a nominal diameter (D1) that is greater than the diameter (D3) of its shank. The device comprises an anti-creep ring (4) designed to receive screw (1), one end of which has features (4a-4b-4c-4d) suitable for delineating, before ring (4) is engaged in a recess (2a) of element (2) that is to be screw fastened, a circular area having a diameter (D) that is greater than the nominal diameter (D1) of threaded portion (1b) and, after said ring (4) has been engaged in said recess (2a), a circular area (D) having a diameter (D2) that is less than the nominal diameter (D1) of threaded portion (1b), but greater than the diameter (D3) of shank (1a), so as to act as a stop for said threaded portion and trap screw (1) in ring (4) while permitting limited movement of the screw.
US09180559B2
A method comprising: (a). providing a device comprising: a movable table having a movement gage; a gage for measuring a dimension of one or more bearing blanks; and a machining tool for machining the one or more bearing blanks; (b). prompting a user to input one or more process variables; (c). supplying the one or more bearing blank into the device; (d). moving the bearing blank to a table grinding position; and (e). measuring the dimension of the one or more bearing blanks using the gage; (f). measuring a distance moved by the movable table so that a reference measurement is provided; and (g). comparing the measurement of step (e) to the reference measurement of step (f).
US09180550B2
The temperature of a semiconductor wafer is raised by light irradiation heating performed by halogen lamps. An infrared ray emitted from the semiconductor wafer whose temperature has been raised transmits through an infrared-transparent window made of silicon, and then is detected by an infrared camera. The infrared camera two-dimensionally detects the temperature of an entire surface of the semiconductor wafer. Based on a result of the detection obtained by the infrared camera, a temperature drop region having a relatively low temperature among the region of the semiconductor wafer is irradiated with laser light emitted from a laser light emission part. Accordingly, without rotating the semiconductor wafer, a temperature distribution can be made uniform with a high accuracy throughout the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US09180548B2
A joining operation for a stack of three metal sheets performed using only a single welding step, with access to only one sheet side being required. An inner sheet of the stack has formed therein a pair of bifurcated projections, wherein at least one first apex faces in one direction and at least one second apex faces in the opposite direction. First and second outer metal sheets are assembled with the inner sheet, wherein the first outer sheet abuts the at least one first apex, and the second outer sheet abuts the at least one second apex. A projection welding apparatus welds the sheets, using only access to the first outer sheet superposed the bifurcated projections, wherein a majority of the current flows through the second outer sheet.
US09180542B2
A travel drive gear engagement mechanism for a tractor unit includes a clutch lever that has a cam portion. The clutch lever is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position at a point that is offset from a center of an elongated portion of the cam portion. The engagement mechanism also includes a connecting member that operatively connects the cam portion of the clutch lever to a drive gear of a tractor unit. The connecting member is operatively connected to the cam portion at the offset point. The clutch level and connecting member are configured such that the drive gear engages a track gear when the clutch lever is in the first position and disengages from the track gear when the clutch lever is in the second position.
US09180539B1
A radio-frequency (RF) shield pad is “dressed” by automatically removing melted solder from the shield pad by traversing a pattern of the shield pad. After an RF shield has been removed from a shield pad of a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB is pre-heated to a temperature sufficient to heat solder on the shield pad and to prevent thermally stressing the PCB during the dressing process. The solder is melted, such as by a heated tip of a desoldering tool, and the melted solder is vacuumed while the tip automatically traverses the pattern of the shield pad, until all or a threshold amount of the melted solder has been removed from the shield pad. After the PCB has been reworked, solder paste is automatically disposed on the RF-shield pad, the RF shield is temporarily mounted on the RF-shield pad, and the PCB is processed in a reflow oven, thereby securely attaching the RF shield to the PCB.
US09180538B2
A brazing process, a braze assembly, and a brazed article are disclosed. The brazing process includes applying a braze material to an article within a vacuum chamber while the vacuum chamber is substantially evacuated. The braze assembly is capable of applying a braze material to an article within a vacuum chamber while the vacuum chamber is substantially evacuated. The brazed article is devoid of re-formed oxides.
US09180533B2
A cutting insert with a serrated topography includes a top surface terminating in a circular cutting edge, a bottom surface and a frusto-conical sidewall interconnecting the top surface and the bottom surface, and a plurality of serrations on the top surface uniformly disposed around the circular cutting edge and extending radially inward from the cutting edge in such a way that a bisector through each serration passes through a central axis of the cutting insert. The plurality of serrations are positioned in a cutting tool in such a way so as to reduce regenerative chatter during a cutting operation. A method of reducing generative chatter by positioning the cutting inserts in a particular fashion in a cutting tool is also disclosed.
US09180521B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a granular metallic iron in which an adhesion inhibitor leveler, an agglomerate leveler, a discharger, and the physical state of materials present on the hearth are optimized to thereby enable agglomerate to be spread in a single layer. The agglomerate hence is evenly heat-treated to enable high-quality granular metallic iron to be produced in satisfactory yield.The present invention relates to a method for producing a granular metallic iron, which comprises leveling an adhesion inhibitor fed to the hearth of a moving-bed type hearth reducing melting furnace, feeding an agglomerate including an iron oxide-containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent onto the adhesion inhibitor, leveling the agglomerate fed onto the adhesion inhibitor, subsequently heating the agglomerate to reduce and melt the iron oxide contained in the agglomerate to produce a granular metallic iron, and discharging the produced granular metallic iron using a screw type discharger, wherein the adhesion inhibitor fed to the hearth is evenly leveled using a screw type adhesion inhibitor leveler so that the leveled adhesion inhibitor has a flatness of 40% or less of an average particle diameter of the agglomerate, and the agglomerate fed onto the adhesion inhibitor is evenly laid using a screw type agglomerate leveler so that the agglomerate forms a single layer.
US09180518B2
The disclosed method provides a way to fabricate a powder metal compact implementing a top fill through one or more of the upper tool members. The top fill step allows for pre-compaction chamber, defined at least in part by at least one of the upper tool members, to be filled with a powder metal after the upper tool member is initially lowered, but before compaction of the powder metal. The manner in which the pre-compaction chamber is filled allows for the formation of complex geometries in powder metal compacts that are not obtainable using conventional lower tool powder transfer motions and further minimizes or avoids unacceptable variations in powder fill to final part ratios across the powder metal compact.
US09180506B2
A rolling mill apparatus and methods of hot rolling with targeted cooling. In one aspect, a mill having multiple roller stacks includes a cooling system that directs the bulk coolant flow to a heat exchanger having first and second heat exchangers in parallel. The first heat exchanger is adapted to cool the heated coolant to a first temperature for use in a first coolant stream discharged through a first set of nozzles during rolling, while the second heat exchanger is adapted to cool heated coolant to a lower temperature for use in a second coolant stream at a second temperature lower than the first for discharge through a second set of nozzles downstream to facilitate rolling or coiling of the rolled metal.
US09180504B2
The invention pertains to a device for influencing the temperature distribution over the width of a slab or a strip, particularly in hot strip rolling mill, wherein at least one cooling device is provided that features nozzles for applying a cooling medium, wherein the nozzles are arranged and/or actuated in such a way that the cooling medium is applied, in particular, at positions at which an elevated temperature is determined. The invention furthermore pertains to a device for influencing the state of the surface evenness of the strip by means of strip cooling, wherein the cooling device is controlled in dependence on the state of surface evenness of the strip in such a way that the surface unevenness is reduced or eliminated. In addition, this invention makes it possible to purposefully influence the strip contour, wherein the strip or the slab is cooled widthwise in such a way that the strip contour approximates a desired target contour more closely.
US09180490B2
An ultrasound transducer includes an array of acoustic elements, an integrated circuit, and an interposer. The interposer includes conductive elements for electrically connecting the acoustic elements to the integrated circuit. The conductive elements are electrically connected to the integrated circuit. Solder is engaged between the acoustic elements and the conductive elements of the interposer such that the conductive elements of the interposer are electrically connected to the acoustic elements through the solder.
US09180489B2
When the initial displacement greatly varies among cells in an element, there is a need to reduce a bias voltage to be applied between electrodes. This decreases the sensitivity. An electromechanical transducer of the present invention includes an element having a plurality of cells. Each of the cells includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are provided with a cavity being disposed therebetween. A groove is provided at a position at a predetermined distance from the cavity of the cell on the outermost periphery of the element.
US09180480B1
A fluid applicator for applying a fluid to a surface protrusion. In one embodiment, an anticorrosion substance is applied to a structural fastener.
US09180474B2
A dispensing mechanism for a liquid container is arranged in liquid communication with an outlet mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is adapted to translate a user force applied to a user operated portion into a transfer force applied from a user lever to an actuation part. A relationship between a first length and a second length forms a lever ratio. The first length extends from a first pivot axis to a user operated portion and the second length extends from the first pivot axis to a point of action of the transfer force on the actuation part. The lever ratio is adapted to increase from a non-actuated position over at least the first 50% of a dispensing stroke of the actuation part such that the transfer force increases over the at least first 50% of the dispensing stroke when a constant force is applied to the user operated portion.
US09180464B2
There is provided an apparatus for sorting arthropod larvae and pupae and in particular, although not necessarily, to sorting arthropod pupae on the basis of size, especially in mosquitoes. The apparatus can contain two parallel bars pivotally mounted in a frame such that the distance between the bars is adjustable. Insect larvae and pupae may be inserted into a chamber with one side formed by the grid of bars and inserted into water to separate the different forms.
US09180461B2
A cover for covering an array of sample tubes during an incubation process. The cover has an upper panel and protrusions extending downward from the upper panel. Each protrusion has an upper seal and a lower seal. The upper seal includes a first conical section that tapers from a first diameter that is larger than the inside diameter of a corresponding sample tube to a second diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the corresponding sample tube. The lower seal includes a cylindrical section extending downward from the bottom of the first conical section. The cylindrical section has a diameter selected to create a capillary seal, in the presence of a liquid, between the cylindrical section and an adjacent portion of an inner wall of the corresponding sample tube.
US09180452B2
A microfluidic resistance network (20) is disclosed that comprises a first microfluidic channel (112) in fluidic communication with a first fluid inlet (22); and a second microfluidic channel (114) in fluidic communication with a second fluid inlet (24); wherein the microfluidic resistance network (20) further comprises a cross-shaped dilution stage (100) having the first microfluidic channel (112) as a first dilution stage inlet and the second microfluidic channel (114) as a second dilution stage inlet, the dilution stage further comprising a first microfluidic outlet channel (122) for combining a portion of a first fluid from the first microfluidic channel with a second fluid from the second microfluidic channel (114) and a second microfluidic outlet channel (124) for receiving the remainder of first fluid. A microfluidic device (200) comprising such a microfluidic resistance network (20) is also disclosed.
US09180449B2
An embodiment provides a cuvette apparatus including: a lid and a body, the body including a fluid channel disposed therein; and the lid including at least one opening aligned with a portion of the fluid channel, thereby providing access to the fluid channel in the body. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09180447B2
The invention relates to a pipetting device, comprising at least two pipetting channels (50, 50′), which extend along a channel axis (K) and which each can be adjusted along the channel axis (K), wherein the pipetting device (10) has a displacement drive, by means of which each pipetting channel (50, 50′) can be displaced independently of the other pipetting channel (50, 50′) along a displacement axis (V) orthogonal to the channel axis (K) regardless of an adjustment along the channel axis (K), wherein the displacement drive comprises a linear motor, the stator of which has at least two magnet arrangements (32, 42), which comprise a row of magnets (36) on a magnet carrier (34, 44), said magnets being consecutive along the displacement axis (V) and being arranged differently with regard to the polarity (P1, P2) thereof, and the armature of which (at 38, at 38′); has at least one conductor loop arrangement (38), which comprises at least one set of three conductor loops (72, 74, 76) that are consecutive along the displacement axis (V), each of which conductor loops is or can be associated with a different phase of a three-phase supply, wherein each pipetting channel (50, 50′) has at least one conductor loop arrangement (38, 38′), wherein the armatures (at 38, at 38′) of two pipetting channels (50, 50′) directly adjacent along the displacement axis (V) are associated with different magnet arrangements (32, 42) and interact therewith.
US09180445B2
Disclosed is a vacuum processing apparatus having a means for preventing counter-pressure between adjacent chambers, which comprises a process chamber, a transfer chamber, and a load lock chamber, comprising: a cassette chamber installed between the chambers, having slits formed at both opposite side surfaces to serve as a passage of a substrate; a vent detection part configured to detect a vent process in which a vent gas is injected into each chamber; a cassette chamber constant pressure inducing part comprising first and second bypass lines configured to connect each chamber and the cassette chamber and first and second intermittent valves respectively installed at the first and second bypass lines to control a gas flow through each bypass line; and a control part configured to determine whether the vent process or a vacuum process is performed in each chamber through a signal detected from the vent detection part.
US09180439B2
The invention covers a process for obtaining an alkaline earth or rare earth metal-P-modified molecular sieve (M-P-modified molecular sieve) comprising the following steps: a). selecting at least one molecular sieve selected from one of: a P-modified molecular sieve which contains at least 0.3 wt % of P obtained by dealuminating a molecular sieve in a steaming step, followed by a leaching step using an acid solution containing a source of P a molecular sieve which is modified with P during step b) by dealuminating the molecular sieve in a steaming step, followed by a leaching step using an acid solution containing a source of P thereby introducing at least 0.3 wt % of P b). contacting said molecular sieve with an alkaline earth or rare earth metal-containing compound (M-containing compound) to introduce at least 0.05 wt % of the alkaline earth or rare earth metal to the molecular sieve. The invention also covers a catalyst composite comprising: a). at least 10 wt % of a M-P-modified molecular sieve comprising at least 0.05% by weight of an alkaline earth or rare earth metal (M) and at least 0.3 wt % of P, b). optionally metal phosphate, c). optionally matrix material, and d). optionally binder. The catalyst of the invention can also be used in a process for making an olefin product from an oxygen-containing, halogenide-containing or sulphur-containing organic feedstock wherein said oxygen-containing, halogenide-containing or sulphur-containing organic feedstock is contacted in the XTO reactor with the catalyst composite according to the invention under conditions effective to convert the oxygen-containing, halogenide-containing or sulphur-containing organic feedstock to olefin products (the XTO reactor effluent). The catalyst composite of the invention can also be used in addition or alternatively in an OCP process.
US09180433B2
The present invention relates to a provides a catalyst comprising (a) a solid support comprising an alkaline earth metal oxide, fluoride, or oxyfluoride, and (b) at least one elemental metal disposed on or within said support, preferably wherein said elemental metal is present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent based upon the total weight of the metal and support. It also relates to the use of the catalyst for the dehydrochlorination of a hydrochlorofluorocarbon.
US09180430B2
Catalytic composition for production of olefins and methods of using same to decrease production of oxygenate byproducts. The catalytic composition includes an admixture of an alumina dehydration catalyst and at least one additional metal oxide.
US09180426B2
An apparatus and method of producing methanol is provided that reacts a methane-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor to provide a product stream comprising methanol and formaldehyde. The product stream is scrubbed using a process component absorbent. After scrubbing the product stream, unprocessed methane gas is mixed with the methane-containing gas for reprocessing through the reactor while methanol and formaldehyde is sent to a rectification process for removal.
US09180424B2
This invention relates to a system and a method for achieving efficient production of hydrogen in a hydrogen generator, comprising at least a hydrogen generator, a liquid in said hydrogen generator to produce hydrogen from, and a ceramic that emits infrared at wavelengths covering at least a portion of 3-20 micrometers range so that said liquid can be excited with infrared at said wavelengths before or during the production of hydrogen for improved hydrogen production efficiency. The use of infrared-excited electrolyte solution in a hydrogen generator helps reduce the energy consumption, lower operating voltage, and thus reduce the cost of the production of hydrogen.
US09180416B2
A system for use in combining two part preparations, such as bone cement, can include a chamber for intermixing liquid and powder components, a container, a vacuum channel, and a filter. The mixing chamber can be configured to hold a non-liquid, polymer powder component of a bone cement. The container can be configured to hold a liquid component of the bone cement. The vacuum channel can direct a partial vacuum to draw the liquid component from the container into the non-liquid component in the mixing chamber to intermix the components and to thereby provide a settable bone cement.
US09180409B2
A method for monitoring a pollutant conversion capacity of a catalytically coated, oxidizing exhaust gas after-treatment component in an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, wherein a capacity of the catalytic coating of the exhaust gas after-treatment component for oxidizing NO to NO2 is ascertained from the degree of efficiency of a downstream SCR catalytic converter, characterized in that operating conditions for said exhaust gas after-treatment component are set such that the effects on the SCR catalytic converter are maximized.
US09180399B2
An air cleaner arrangement is shown. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge comprising strips of media arranged in a stacked configuration. The strips of media each comprise a corrugated sheet secured to a facing sheet. A preferred filter cartridge positioned within the air cleaner arrangement, is depicted.
US09180396B2
An air cleaner includes a filter element, which includes a sheet-like filter material having pleats, a housing accommodating the filter element, and an inlet and an outlet, which are provided on the wall of the housing. The wall of the housing includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion, which face each other and are each arranged on one of the ends of the filter element in the direction in which ridges of the pleats extend. A guide piece, which extends along the ridges, is provided in the housing between the inlet and the filter element. The guide piece forms a clearance between the guide piece and the second wall portion, and guides the air that has passed through the clearance toward the first wall portion.
US09180395B2
Compositions of porous thin films and methods of making are provided. The methods involve self-assembly of a cyclic peptide in the presence of a block copolymer.
US09180393B2
A liquid filter with a composite medium that has a nanoweb adjacent to and optionally bonded to a microporous membrane. The membrane is characterized by an LRV value of 3.7 at a rated particle size, and the nanoweb has a fractional filtration efficiency of greater than 0.1 at the rated particle size of the membrane. The nanoweb also has a thickness efficiency ratio of greater than 0.0002 at that efficiency. The nanoweb acts to provide depth filtration to the membrane, prefilters particles and extends the lifetime of the membrane.
US09180390B2
A liquid filter cartridge is provided. Preferred seal arrangements are provided, to provide for preferred axial load conditions, with respect to one or more of the end caps of the cartridge. Some cartridge configurations provided include no core structure or outer liner structure therein, to support axial load. Assemblies using the cartridge, and methods of assembly and use, are provided. The liquid filter cartridge can be a serviceable cartridge, or it can be retained permanently in a housing.
US09180388B2
A filter device for fluids, in particular for low viscosity fluids such as water, includes a filter housing (1) in which element holders (31) are provided for a plurality of filter elements (21). Filter medium (35) of each filter element in the filter housing (1) separates an unfiltered side (5) from a clean side (7). The filter housing (1) can be opened for inserting and removing the filter elements (21). A carrier in the form of a basket (19) is provided for the filter elements (21). The basket can be inserted into and removed from the filter housing (1). The filter elements (21) can be releasably secured at the basket.
US09180377B2
A computer program according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a grouping module configured to group the plurality of objects into a plurality of groups; a reference point determination module configured to determine a reference point and a group fixation point in the virtual space for each of the plurality of groups; a viewpoint control module configured to control positions of the viewpoint and the fixation point in the virtual space; and a display control module configured to display, on the display device, the view of the virtual space as viewed from the viewpoint toward the fixation point. While events are generated in the particular group among the plurality of groups, the viewpoint control module according to an embodiment of the present invention fixes the viewpoint at the reference point of the particular group and the fixation point at a group fixation point of the particular group.
US09180374B1
Techniques for providing a hybrid platform for video games are disclosed. To enjoy the video and audio quality a TV could provide, all game actions with a video game are provided via a TV. However, the video game itself is running on a generic personal computer (PC). In one embodiment, a device is provided to receive various game actions by a game player with the video game. The game hub provides an (wired or wireless) interface for transferring signals representing the game actions to the PC, in return the PC provides digital streams to the TV for display.
US09180369B2
A variety of processes for certifying the reporting of advertising impressions provided via video games are described. These certification processes optionally take advantage of automated techniques for verifying that when advertising data is provided a corresponding advertisement is provided within the video game. In addition, as software patches are often provided for video games, a recommended process for certifying patched software is also described. Reporting data associated with advertising impressions provided from uncertified video games is considered suspect and optionally discarded.
US09180367B2
An operating device used in a game machine for playing a television game includes a main body and first and second finger-manipulatable operating units positioned symmetrically on the main body. The operating device may include first and second grips projecting at spaced positions from the main body, with the first and second operating units being positioned adjacent the first and second grips. The operating device may further include vibration-imparting units for imparting vibrations to the user's hands.
US09180359B2
A rotatable snowboard binding system allows the front binding to rotate from the riding mode to the skating mode freely, so that a rider can skate and rotate back to the riding mode. When in the skating mode, a fin member protrudes beneath the bottom of the snowboard. This acts on the snow to maintain the rider's direction of travel. The system allows both goofy foot and regular foot riders to safely and easily negotiate lifts and lift lines, and traverse flats by allowing the front binding to rotate between 0° (riding) and 90° (skating) positions. While in the riding mode, bindings and board will function as normal. When the system is utilized in the skating mode, the front binding rotates, allowing the rider to operate the snowboard much like a skateboard. In this rotated position, the fin member protrudes from the bottom of the board.
US09180358B2
The invention relates to a snow glide board, especially a ski, having a glide board body with one forward and one rear glide board body end and with a middle glide board section forming a binding section for fastening at least one binding and/or binding plate. The glide board body being designed at least in a partial section on its top side facing away from one glide surface three-dimensionally with a raised section extending in a first axis direction (X axis) corresponding to a glide board longitudinal direction, the raised section is adjoined in a second axis direction (Y axis) toward the longitudinal side of the glide board body by lateral sections, which in a third axis direction (Z axis) perpendicular to the first and second axis direction (X axis, Y axis) and perpendicular to the glide surface have a reduced thickness, the glide board body width in the second axis direction (Y axis) being defined by the sum of the widths of the raised section and the lateral sections.
US09180356B2
A batter's eye or backdrop apparatus and system, and to a free-standing deployable batter's eye apparatus and system, including a panel which may be raised, lowered and/or removed, as desired. The apparatus and system are easy to install and maintain, designed to tolerate design wind loads by changing orientation, shape and/or area presented to winds in response to the winds and/or wind pressures. The batter's eye apparatus is flexible and allows for movement in instantaneous wind modes, thereby reducing the complexity and cost of a support structure for the batter's eye and the batter's eye system. The batter's eye also includes a panel, screen or sheet that may be raised, and lowered closer to the ground to provide further protection against damage due to winds and/or weather.
US09180355B1
A system and method to pitch balls with a fine adjustment subsystem. The system and method allow an operator to make fine adjustments to the horizontal trajectory of a ball as it passes in front of the hitter. The system includes a throwing head with at least one wheel powered by a motor and a control panel with an adjustment for each motor so that speed and spin imparted to the ball can be changed. This invention further includes a method for pitching practice balls wherein the balls are delivered to a person in need of hitting practice. The fine adjustment subsystem permits an operator to quickly and easily change the horizontal positioning of the balls that are thrown to vary the pitches as a batter practices.
US09180350B2
The monitoring system employs a sensor to detect the replacement or removal and replacement of the flagstick in a golf hole liner. The sensor may be incorporated into the flagstick, the hole liner or any combination of the two. A central receiver remote from the sensors receives the two signals from respective sensor and has a timing device for recording the time of arrival of each signal from each sensor.
US09180349B1
A golf club head comprising a plurality of center of gravity adjustment assemblies is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the golf club head comprises a plurality of weight ports and a vertical center of gravity adjustment assembly. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises two vertical center of gravity adjustment assemblies and one horizontal center of gravity adjustment assembly that allows weight to be shifted in a direction perpendicular to a face of the golf club head. In some embodiments, the horizontal center of gravity adjustment assembly may include a slidable weight, while in others it may include a flippable weight cartridge.
US09180346B2
Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core made of a foamed composition and a cover are provided. Preferably, the core is dual-layered having has a foam inner core (center) and surrounding thermoset or thermoplastic outer core layer. Preferably, a polyurethane foam composition containing mineral filler particulate, for example, nanoclay particles, is used to form the foam center. The surrounding outer core layer may be made from non-foamed or foamed compositions. For example, polybutadiene rubber or highly neutralized olefin acid copolymers may be used in the outer core layer. The core layers have different hardness gradients and specific gravity values.
US09180344B2
A golf ball dimple having a plurality of arms wherein each arm includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, side walls, and a sloped floor. The dimples of the invention may be included in a dimple pattern that may also include other types of dimples.
US09180342B2
Swimming goggles include left and right frame bodies installed with lenses, a connecting element, and protective pads and head strap bases. The left and right frame bodies each has inner and outer peripheral faces. The protective pads each has a connecting portion having a connecting face and an abutting face. Lip portions are respectively formed along the inner peripheral faces of the left and right frame bodies. The connecting faces integrally encompass the lip portions. The abutting faces are inclined with respect to face portions corresponding to an area above the eye socket and adjacent to an eyebrow, a side portion of a nose bridge adjacent to lacrimal gland at an inner side portion of the eye socket, an area adjacent to an under-eye bag below the eye socket, and an outer eye corner with respect to an outer side portion of the eye socket adjacent to a temple.
US09180340B2
A respiratory training assembly has a main body, an expiratory training device mounted in the main body and a handle formed on the main body. The main body has a volume barrel, an inspiratory training device, an air channel and an output-input entrance. The inspiratory training device is mounted movably in the volume barrel and has a floating element. The air channel is formed on the main body, communicates with the volume barrel, and has a check valve. The output-input entrance is formed in the main body and communicates with the air channel. In use, the inspiratory flow path and the expiratory flow path of the respiratory training assembly are separated to prevent pollution from the patient's saliva. Additionally, the expiratory training device can be adjusted according to the patient's requirement to improve the training result.
US09180339B2
A method of using a resistance training device including mounting a mounting device onto a game table, wherein a placement of the mounting device onto the game table corresponds to an opening on a sidewall of the game table, and utilizing a resistance article with a game table rod that extends into a game space of the game table, the resistance article coacting with the game table rod to gradually increase a resistance during rotation of game table rod is provided.
US09180335B1
An exercise wheel includes two wheel assemblies rotatably mounted to two ends of an axle. Each wheel assembly is rotatable about a longitudinal axis. A plurality of first grooves and a plurality of second grooves are defined in an outer periphery of each wheel assembly. Each second groove is located between two adjacent first grooves. A first roller is rotatably mounted in each first groove of each wheel assembly. Each first roller is rotatable relative to a corresponding wheel assembly about a first rotating axis. A second roller is rotatably mounted in each second groove of each wheel assembly. Each second roller is rotatable relative to a corresponding wheel assembly about a second rotating axis. The second rotating axis of each second roller is parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis and is at a non-parallel angle to the first rotating axis of an adjacent first roller.
US09180334B2
An exercise device of the present invention includes a beam; rods affixed and extending from ends of the beam; wheels rotatably mounted on the rods; handles positioned on outer ends of the rods; and a body-part engagement device for engaging a user's hands, feet, or knees with the device. Multiple exercises that exercise various muscle groups of the human body may be performed with the exercise device.
US09180327B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods that are effective in the remediation of contaminants found in natural sources such as groundwater, surface water, soil and manufactured products. The disclosed compositions and methods provide a method for remediating chlorinated polyaromatic compounds by treating them under pressure and heat with concentrated acids and chloride salts. After decomposition has occurred, the resulting acid that is produced is made dermal and non-corrosive. The compositions and methods claimed herein make the product safe to be in contact with humans and animal tissue without causing injury.
US09180314B2
Methods and apparatus are described for modifying unwanted tissue for cosmetic reasons. The methods provide a non-invasive manner to perform body contouring by destroying adipose tissue while simultaneously causing collagen contraction in a single procedure so that as destroyed tissue is removed from a treatment volume, the volume shrinks gradually to maintain the skin tone of the treatment area. The procedure may involve multiple treatments to the same treatment area or location.
US09180309B2
This disclosure provides a retinal prosthetic method and device that mimics the responses of the retina to a broad range of stimuli, including natural stimuli. Ganglion cell firing patterns are generated in response to a stimulus using a set of encoders, interfaces, and transducers, where each transducer targets a single cell or a small number of cells. The conversion occurs on the same time scale as that carried out by the normal retina. In addition, aspects of the invention may be used with robotic or other mechanical devices, where processing of visual information is required. The encoders may be adjusted over time with aging or the progression of a disease.
US09180302B2
A method of visualizing a user interaction with a clinician programmer is disclosed. A user engagement with respect to a screen of the clinician programmer is detected via one or more sensors associated with the screen of the clinician programmer. One or more locations on the screen of the clinician programmer corresponding to the user engagement is determined. An external monitor is communicatively coupled to the clinician programmer. The external monitor displays one or more cursors that graphically represent the one or more locations on the screen of the clinician programmer corresponding to the user engagement, respectively.
US09180286B2
An electrode for an iontophoretic drug delivery system includes a retainer having a malleable characteristic. The retainer and a conductor are connected to a platform. The conductor and a dose controller are electrically coupled to the iontophoretic drug delivery system. A drug delivery matrix is operably connected to the platform and proximate the conductor wherein the conductor, the drug delivery matrix, and the dose controller cooperate to deliver a drug to a user when the electrode is affixed to the user and operably connected to the iontophoretic drug delivery system.
US09180285B2
Receiver-stimulator with folded or rolled up assembly of piezoelectric components, causing the receiver-stimulator to operate with a high degree of isotropy are disclosed. The receiver-stimulator comprises piezoelectric components, rectifier circuitry, and at least two stimulation electrodes. Isotropy allows the receiver-stimulator to be implanted with less concern regarding the orientation relative the transmitted acoustic field from an acoustic energy source.
US09180284B2
The invention relates to a method for measuring the strength of the ischiocavernous muscles of a patient, the method being performed during an erection of the penis and providing a measuring and/or rehabilitation device configured to determine the strength of the ischiocavernous muscles and comprising at least one sensor, placing the sensor around the penis of the patient, measuring the variation of the intracavernous pressure, contracting the ischiocavernous muscles, and checking that the contraction causes elevation in intracarvernous pressure so as to ensure that the accurate muscles are contracted, where if the intracavernous pressure is elevated, ischiocavernous muscles are contracted during the contraction. The invention relates also to a method for treating and rehabilitating the ischiocavernous muscles comprising a step of implementing the method for measuring the strength of the ischiocavernous muscles and a step of voluntarily contracting the ischiocavernous muscles.
US09180283B2
The invention relates to a system (1) for transporting fluid across or into a biological barrier, the system comprises a device (10) having a housing with at least one abutment surface for abutting the biological barrier. A capsule is to be received in the housing comprising a substrate (21) from which a plurality of hollow micro needles (22) project and a fluid reservoir (26) which can be brought into fluid communication with the micro needles. According to the invention the capsule comprises a fluid dose and the device comprises a ram (12) arranged movably in the housing for pushing the capsule from a first position to a second position. The ram subsequently proceeds to a third ram position thereby deforming the reservoir for raising the pressure inside the reservoir such that the fluid dose will be transported through the hollow micro needles across or into the biological barrier.
US09180249B2
The invention relates to a method and device for treating or preventing or suppressing a disease or condition in a non-human animal. The method comprises the steps of providing a single delivery device containing two components for sequential delivery from the delivery device. A first component is delivered from the single delivery device into a teat canal of a non-human animal and subsequently the second component is delivered from the single delivery device into the teat canal. The components are delivered without substantial mixing of the components.
US09180244B2
Exemplary embodiments provide wearable automatic injection devices for subcutaneously injecting a therapeutic agent into a patient's body at controlled rates, for example, in a single bolus. Exemplary embodiments provide methods for assembling wearable automatic injection devices for subcutaneously injecting a therapeutic agent into a patient's body at controlled rates. Exemplary embodiments provide methods for using wearable automatic injection devices for subcutaneously injecting a therapeutic agent into a patient's body at controlled rates.
US09180235B2
The present invention relates to a heart pump apparatus comprising a turbine pump for assisting the heart of a human patient. The invention is based on the realization that a turbine without a center axis would improve the capacity of the heart help pump apparatus. The present invention also relates to a turbine pump system for assisting the heart of a human patient. The present invention also relates to operation methods and methods for surgically placing a rotating body of a turbine pump and a stator of a turbine pump in a patient.
US09180227B2
Methods are disclosed for controlling the morphology and the release-rate of active agent from coating layers for medical devices comprising a polymer matrix and one or more active agents. The methods comprise fixing the morphology or phase distribution of the active agent prior to removing solvent from the coating composition. The coating layers can be used for controlled the delivery of an active agent or a combination of active agents.
US09180226B1
Various aspects of the present invention provide compositions and implantable devices including a water-insoluble therapeutic agent solubilized in a matrix of a gallate-containing compound. Other aspects provide methods of manufacturing and using such compositions and devices.
US09180222B2
Methods for making biomaterials for use as a tissue sealant, kits containing precursors for forming the biomaterials, and the resulting biomaterials are described herein. The biomaterials are formed from a composition comprising at least a first and a second precursor molecule, wherein: i) the first precursor molecule is a poly(ethylene glycol) based polymer having x nucleophilic groups selected from the group consisting of thiol or amino groups, wherein x is greater than or equal to 2 ii) the second precursor molecule is of the general formula: A-[(C3H6O)n—(C2H4O)m—B]i wherein m and n are integers from 1 to 200 i is greater than 2 A is a branch point B is a conjugated unsaturated group The precursors are selected based on the desired properties of the biomaterial. Optionally, the biomaterials contain additives, such as thixotropic agents, radiopaque agents, or bioactive agents. In the preferred embodiment, the biomaterials are used to reduce, inhibit, or contain loss of a biological fluid or gas in a patient.
US09180206B2
This invention provides a pharmaceutical preparation for DDS containing a pharmaceutical agent fixed by bonding to a monomolecular layer that is covalently bonded to a magnetic particle surface, (a) by reacting an alkoxysilane compound with the magnetic microparticle surface by dispersing a magnetic microparticle in a liquid mixture including an epoxy-containing alkoxysilane compound, a silanol condensation catalyst, and a non-aqueous organic solvent; (b) by washing the microparticle surface with an organic solvent to remove remaining surplus alkoxysilane compound for producing an epoxy-containing monomolecular layer that is covalently bonded to the microparticle surface; and (c) by fixing an imino-containing pharmaceutical agent such as a protein, amino acid, enzyme, antibody, antibiotic, antimicrobial, or contrast medium by reaction with the epoxy group.
US09180197B2
The present invention relates to a risperidone sustained release delivery system for treatment of medical conditions relating delusional psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression, obsessive-compulsion disorder, Tourette syndrome, and autistic spectrum disorders. The sustained release delivery system includes a flowable composition containing risperidone, a metabolite, or a prodrug thereof and an implant containing risperidone, a metabolite, or a prodrug thereof. The flowable composition may be injected into tissue whereupon it coagulates to become the solid or gel, monolithic implant. The flowable composition includes a biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer, an organic liquid, and risperidone, a metabolite, or a prodrug thereof.
US09180195B2
Described are gel-based delivery systems for a compound of interest, like a drug or cosmetic agent. Described is a gel comprising at least one non-polymeric gelator and at least one polymer, wherein the polymer content of the gel is more than 5 weight percent (wt %), preferably at least 10 wt %, and more preferably at least 20 wt %. Also provided are a method for preparing the gel and a method of using the gel in a controlled delivery system, for example, a pH-sensitive drug delivery system.
US09180192B2
Pyrazole compounds useful as allosteric potentiators/positive allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 4 (mGluR4); synthetic methods for making the compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds; and methods of using the compounds, for example, in treating neurological and psychiatric disorders or other disease state associated with glutamate dysfunction.
US09180190B2
The present disclosure relates to methods for identifying proteins or peptide motifs of intracellular, extracellular, or extracellular matrix proteins specifically exposed in wound sites, as well as compositions for treating wounds, and methods for their use.
US09180189B2
A method of treating a mammal with a formulation comprising an antibody which binds IgE as described.
US09180186B2
The present disclosure relates to anti-CD200 antibodies (e.g., variant anti-CD200 antibodies having decreased or no effector function) and to biomarkers for use in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic methods, e.g., determining whether a human has been administered one or more of the antibodies at a dose sufficient to induce a desired immunomodulatory effect in the human and/or selecting an appropriate dosing schedule for a patient.
US09180172B2
The invention relates to systems and therapeutic methods to reduce plaque causing Peyronie's disease. One approach uses high pressure injection of collagenase-containing composition into a penile plaque. Plaque disruption is enhanced by the mechanical force of the high pressure, followed by the enzymatic action of collagenase. Another approach uses collagenase as a pretreatment, followed by addition of adipose-derived stem cells ADSCs. The initial collagenase injection breaks down collagen (often more type III than type I in Peyronie's) to provide short term benefit. The longer-term benefit is provided by introduction of ADSCs to the plaque, which can produce cytokines and other signals for revascularization and restoration of normal penile tissue. The resulting combination advantageously reduces the bulk of the plaque early on with ongoing reduction through the revascularization of the tissue. In addition, the treatment provides an advantageous shift of elastin and collagen ratios.
US09180171B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for promoting fertilization comprising cyclic ADP-ribose or its derivative, CD38 and to a method of promoting fertilization by promoting the synthesis of cyclic ADP-ribose to increase sperm motility. Also, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for contraception and a method for inhibiting fertilization, which can inhibit the expression or function of cyclic ADP-ribose to reduce sperm motility, thereby inhibiting fertilization.
US09180165B2
The invention provides a method of improving the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score achieved by mammals affected by multiple sclerosis, in which a substance effecting increased and/or prolonged activation and/or stimulation of the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor is administered to the mammal. In certain embodiments, the substance is administered in intervals which are interrupted by application-free periods of time in which said substance is not administered.
US09180162B2
The invention is related to polynucleotide-based cytomegalovirus vaccines. In particular, the invention is plasmids operably encoding HCMV antigens, in which the naturally-occurring coding regions for the HCMV antigens have been modified for improved translation in human or other mammalian cells through codon optimization. HCMV antigens which are useful in the invention include, but are not limited to pp65, glycoprotein B (gB), IE1, and fragments, variants or derivatives of either of these antigens. In certain embodiments, sequences have been deleted, e.g., the Arg435-Lys438 putative kinase in pp65 and the membrane anchor and endocellular domains in gB. The invention is further directed to methods to induce an immune response to HCMV in a mammal, for example, a human, comprising delivering a plasmid encoding a codon-optimized HCMV antigen as described above. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising plasmids encoding a codon-optimized HCMV antigen as described above, and further comprising adjuvants, excipients, or immune modulators.
US09180152B2
The invention is a method for treating psoriasis in a subject suffering from psoriasis. The method includes orally administering to the subject a pharmaceutically-effective amount of crude Dunaliella powder.
US09180151B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed methods that include a thymidine kinase deficient vaccinia virus. The methods include evaluating a tumor for reperfusion after treatment with vaccinia virus and administering an anti-angiogenic agent if reperfusion is detected.
US09180147B2
Disclosed herein are therapeutic compositions containing non-pathogenic, germination-competent bacterial spores, for the prevention, control, and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, disorders and conditions and for general nutritional health.
US09180137B2
A method for the preparation of injectable ready-to-use paste bone cement compositions by mixing a dry inorganic bone cement powder comprising a particulate calcium sulfate hemihydrate capable of hardening in vivo by hydration of the calcium sulfate hemihydrate forming calcium sulfate dihydrate, an aqueous liquid and an additive that normally retards the setting process, said method comprising a) providing a bone cement powder comprising calcium sulfate hemihydrate, an accelerator for the hardening of the calcium sulfate hemihydrate by hydration, said accelerator being selected from the group consisting of saline and calcium sulfate dihydrate, and a powdered calcium phosphate component b) mixing the bone cement powder with the aqueous liquid for a period of time c) leaving the mixture for the time needed for allowing the hydration reaction of the calcium sulfate hemihydrate to proceed and allowing calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals to form and grow, and d) admixing the additive by means of a short-duration mixing using a minimum of energy surprisingly shortens the setting times for the cement comprising the additive that retard the setting process to the level observed in the absence of the additive and enables a complete hydration of calcium sulfate hemihydrate to calcium sulfate dihydrate, even when using additives else preventing the hardening.
US09180133B2
The invention relates to a method for treating uterine fibroids, which method comprises administering to a patient in need thereof, an effective amount of 17α-acetoxy-11β-[4-N,N-dimethylamino-phenyl)-19-norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione (ulipristal) or any metabolite thereof. More particularly, the method is useful for reducing or stopping bleeding in a patient afflicted with uterine fibroids, and/or for reducing the size of uterine fibroids.
US09180130B2
Provided are methods of reducing body fat in a subject, comprising locally (e.g., topically) administering one or more compounds of the Formula (I) and/or (V): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, solvate, stereoisomer, polymorph, tautomer, isotopically enriched derivative, or prodrug thereof, wherein X is —OR1, —SR2, or —NR3R4, and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R7′, Z, Y, n, y, and x, are as defined herein.
US09180122B2
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1 is hydrogen or fluorine, one of A and B is R2, the other is a group —X—Y—R3. R3 represents a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. Further variables are as defined in the specification. Also claimed are—processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy of diseases such as schizophrenia, cognitive disorders and pain by modulating the D-amino acid oxidase enzyme (DAAO).
US09180119B2
The present invention is directed to inhibitors of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such GSNOR inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same.
US09180115B2
The present application provides novel compounds and methods for preparing and using these compounds. These compounds are useful in treating pain, itch, overactive bladder and/or interstitial cystitis in patients by administering one or more of the compounds to a patient. The methods include administering a compound of formula (I) and a TRPV1 receptor activator. In one embodiment, the TRPV1 receptor activator is lidocaine.
US09180108B2
Methods for preparing sterilized baclofen solutions include adjusting the pH to below a desired pH, and steam sterilizing the solution with adjusted pH, which results in the solution having the desired pH. Such solutions may also have low concentrations of 4-CPP. Injectable baclofen solutions having greater than 2 mg/mL baclofen include between 5 mM and 25 mM of a phosphate or sulfate species. The solution has an ionic strength equivalent of about 1.5 M NaCl. The present application also provides baclofen formulations for use in treating spasticity, brain injury, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, cervical injury, multiple sclerosis, thoracic injury, or withdrawal symptoms.
US09180105B2
The invention provides compounds, methods, pharmaceutical compositions, and kits for the treatment of proliferative disorders such as cancer. In one aspect, the methods comprise compounds that inhibit the activity of protein kinases, such as cell division cycle (Cdc) kinase. In another aspect, the methods comprise compounds that inhibit Cdc7 and/or Dbf4 activity. In another aspect, the methods comprise compounds that exhibit anti-proliferative properties useful in treating diseases such as cancer. Compounds useful for any of the methods include compounds of the Formula (A) or (B) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Exemplary compounds of Formula (A) or (B) include granaticin A, granaticin B, dihydrogranaticin A, dihydrogranaticin B, medermycin, and actinorhodin.
US09180081B2
Improved formulations for transdermal delivery of botulinum toxin are disclosed. The formulations include, for example, botulinum toxin non-covalently associated with a positively charged backbone having branching or efficiency groups. The formulations also include a partitioning agent, oligo-bridge, or polyanion bridge, and may optionally contain a viscosity modifying agent. The formulations are designed for topical application onto the skin of a patient and may be used to treat wrinkles, hyperhidrosis, and other health-related problems. Kits for administration are also described.
US09180077B2
The present invention relates to a green tea formulation stabilized by natural antioxidants such as OPC together with vitamin C or vitamin C analogs. The invention also relates to the use of a mixture of OPC and ascorbic acid to increase bioavailability of green tea catechins. It also relates to a food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition that contains the stabilized green tea formulation.
US09180076B2
A hair coloring composition comprises an N-PEG amide of a fatty acid and an N-ethoxylated alkyl amine. Also provided are a kit comprising the hair coloring composition and an activator, and an activated hair coloring composition obtainable by mixing the hair coloring composition in a 1:1 ratio by weight with an activator comprising from 2% to 15% by weight hydrogen peroxide.
US09180072B2
This invention relates to a novel non-obturation, regenerative technique “SealBio” of endodontic treatment involving regenerative potential of stem cells and signaling molecules, locally available in the peri-radicular region of teeth, wherein they are stimulated to induce healing and deposition of a natural barrier (seal) at the root apex.
US09180050B2
An implanted parylene tube shunt relieves intra-ocular pressure. The device is implanted with an open end in the anterior chamber of the eye, allowing excess fluid to be drained through the tube out of the eye. In one embodiment, only a first end of the tube implanted into the anterior chamber of the eye is open. Intra-ocular pressure (IOP) is then monitored, for example utilizing an implanted sensor. When IOP exceeds a critical valve, a practitioner intervenes, puncturing with a laser a thinned region of the tube lying outside the eye, thereby initiating drainage of fluid and relieving pressure. In accordance with alternative embodiments, the both ends of the tube are open, and the tube includes a one-way valve configured to permit drainage where IOP exceeds the critical value. The tube may include projecting barbs to anchor the tube in the eye without the need for sutures.
US09180044B2
An injection device for injecting a product into an eye, said device comprising an injection needle and a support on which the injection needle is fixed, said device being characterized in that it comprises a locating mark disposed in such a way that the latter can be placed in contact with a defined bearing region of the surface of the eye, before any contact of the injection needle with said surface, and can then be kept in contact with said bearing region during a stage of penetration of said injection needle through said surface of the eye.
US09180042B2
A method for exchanging heat with a patient's spinal column incident to spinal surgery or to relieve a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine. A closed loop heat exchange catheter is percutaneously advanced into the retroperitoneal space of the patient or into the vasculature, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.
US09180036B2
Described herein is a positioning tool having an elongate portion for carrying a medical implant. Also described is a method of positioning a medical implant using an elongate positioning tool. One form of the method includes positioning a medical implant on a distal portion of an elongate positioning tool, inserting the positioning tool with the implant thereon into a body cavity manipulating the positioning tool to position the implant into contact with tissue at an attachment location, attaching the implant to surrounding tissue at the attachment location, separating the implant from the positioning tool, and withdrawing the positioning tool from the body. In a preferred embodiment, the position of the implant is visually confirmed using an endoscope before the implant is attached to surrounding tissue. In one embodiment, the implant is a satiation device and the body cavity is the esophagus and/or stomach. In an alternative embodiment, an expansion structure on the distal end of the elongate portion expands and/or contracts the medical implant to facilitate positioning.
US09180034B1
Devices and methods for assisting weight control where the device is inserted into the mouth of a patient between opposing rear molar teeth. The inserted devices cause an increase in resistance to chewing, which then slows eating by the person. The devices can include elastic bands, magnets, shock absorbers, combinations, thereof and sensors for detecting strength and frequency of chewing.
US09180024B2
Disclosed herein are methods and devices for distracting adjacent vertebrae during surgical procedures for implanting spinal prostheses. In an exemplary embodiment, a distractor is disclosed that maintains the empty space between adjacent vertebrae following a discectomy, and that can removably mate with other surgical instruments, such as, for example, a filler bar, an implanting tool, or a funnel. In other embodiments of the present invention a distractor is disclosed having various features to assist in implanting a spinal prosthesis, such as, for example, an angled distal end and/or an expandable paddle. In another embodiment of the present invention, an articulating inserter is disclosed. Moreover, various implants and funnels are also disclosed herein.
US09180023B2
An instrument for use in minimally invasive hip surgery, the instrument being for use in forming and using a portal incision in a hip arthroplasty procedure to implant an acetabular implant. In particular, the instrument is useful for both alignment and insertion/impaction of an acetabular shell. Furthermore, the instrument is suitable for assuring the shell is impacted with the proper abduction and version in left or right hips.
US09180013B2
An acetabular shell for use in hip arthroplasty. The shell includes a first wall having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a rim. The shell further includes a second wall extending from the outer surface of the first wall. The second wall has an outer surface, an inner surface, and a rim. The rim of the second wall is spaced outwardly from the rim of the first wall.
US09180010B2
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to preparing models of three-dimensional structures. In particular, a model of a three-dimensional structure constructed of porous geometries is prepared. A component file including a porous CAD volume having a boundary is prepared. A space including the porous CAD volume is populated with unit cells. The unit cells are populated with porous geometries having a plurality of struts having nodes on each end. The space is populated with at least one elongated fixation element extending beyond the boundary to produce an interlocking feature enabling assembly or engagement with a mating structure.
US09180009B2
The invention relates to a system for testing heart valve leaflets. The system includes a leaflet support assembly with a support post for receiving and supporting a leaflet to be tested, the post being disposed in a target region of the support assembly. The system also has a transmitter assembly that includes a light source and is configured and arranged to direct light from the light source onto the target region. The system further includes a receiver assembly that has an image sensor configured and arranged to sense an image of the target region and generate image information indicative of the sensed image, such as leaflet droop.
US09180006B2
A device for improving the function of a heart valve comprises a first loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a first side of the heart valve, and a second loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a second side of the heart valve opposite to said first side, whereby a portion of the valve tissue is trapped between the first and second supports. An outer boundary of the second support is greater than an outer boundary of the first support.
US09180003B2
An intravascular cuff acts as a lining between a native vessel and an intravascular prosthetic device. During deployment, the ends of the cuff curl back upon themselves and are capable of trapping native tissue, such as valve leaflet tissue, between the ends. The cuff creates a seal between the vessel and the prosthetic, thereby preventing leakage around the prosthetic. The cuff also traps any embolic material dislodged from the vessel during expansion of the prosthetic.
US09179999B2
A method for installing a stent graft in therapeutic relation to an abdominal artery aneurysm includes the steps of advancing the stent graft over a guide wire and an introducer sheath, followed by advancing a main catheter over the guide wire and the introducer sheath. An inner catheter in the lumen of the main catheter is pulled to cause a magnet-carrying extended arm to encounter a kick plate in the main catheter lumen and to exit that lumen through an exit opening formed in the main catheter. A mating catheter having a magnetic tip is advanced over a contralateral guide wire and manipulated until the respective magnets engage. After specific positioning of the contralateral guide wire, the magnets are decoupled, the mating catheter is retracted, the inner catheter is pushed to return the extended arm into the main catheter lumen through the exit opening and the main catheter is withdrawn.
US09179993B2
The present invention provides a urethral prosthesis including a first and a second arm that join to form a junction, and a stem that is also joined to the junction. The junction is adapted to exert sufficient pressure on a portion of a patient's urethra to prevent unintentional voiding of the patient's bladder. However, upon exerting a tension force on the stem, the pressure exerted by the junction is reduced such that the patient's bladder may be intentionally voided.
US09179984B2
A navigation system generally determines a location of a portion of a first medical instrument relative to a patient. The navigation system generally includes a multi-configuration tracking array that extends from the first medical instrument. A plurality of tracking devices can be positioned on the multi-configuration tracking array. At least one of the tracking devices changes to define at least a first condition and a second condition. A tracking system detects the tracking devices and relates a change between the first condition and the second condition with a change between at least a first instrument configuration and a second instrument configuration.
US09179978B1
An organizer for holding surgical instruments includes a tray that has instrument wells extending from the top surface of the tray. The shape of each instrument well corresponds to particular surgical instrument's shapes. Each instrument well's depth corresponds to the height of a particular stack of surgical instruments. Pivoting locking bars extend over each instrument well to a locked position. In that position, instruments cannot be added to or removed from the instrument well. When the bar extends over the instrument well, the bar rests against the top instrument in the instrument well if the instrument well is full. If one or more instruments are missing from their instrument well, the locking bar's intersection with the structure of the tray adjacent the instrument well is such that an end of the locking bar projects about the tray's surface. Thus, one can notice quickly whether all instrument wells are full.
US09179976B2
The disclosure describes methods of winding collagen fiber to make medical constructs and related collagen fiber tube and patch devices.
US09179972B2
A system for controlling delivery of ablation energy by an ablation catheter to tissue in a body is provided. The system includes an electronic control unit configured to determine, responsive to a measurement signal from the ablation catheter, a value for a characteristic associated with the delivery of ablation energy to the tissue. In one embodiment, the characteristic is the degree of contact between the ablation catheter and the tissue. The unit is further configured to generate a control signal, responsive to the determined value of the characteristic, to control an amount of energy delivered from an ablation delivery element on the ablation catheter to the tissue. The amount of energy varies in response to the determined value of the characteristic when the determined value of the characteristic meets a predetermined condition relative to a threshold value for the characteristic.
US09179959B2
Systems and methods for treating conditions and diseases of the spine are disclosed herein. A device includes a balloon catheter comprising at least one inner lumen incorporated within an elongated shaft; a distal end having an inner balloon positioned inside and completely surrounded by an outer balloon; and a proximal end having an adapter for passage of at least one of an inflation fluid or a medical instrument; and an optical fiber comprising an outer diameter sized to pass through the inner lumen of the elongated shaft; a nonlinear light-emitting portion of a given length, wherein a portion of a cladding material from the nonlinear light-emitting portion has been removed so that light energy may be emitted along the length of the nonlinear light-emitting portion; and a linear elongated portion for guiding light towards the nonlinear light-emitting portion.
US09179958B2
A delivery device for semi-solid implantable material such as synthetic bone graft substitutes. The device includes a handle, a cylinder extending from the handle and having an outlet at its distal end. A piston is operated by a trigger and is slidable within the cylinder to displace the material from the cylinder. The cylinder has a substantially constant inner diameter along its entire length such that the outlet has substantially the same inner diameter as the rest of the cylinder. When the trigger is fully depressed, a ratchet mechanism is disengaged allowing the piston to be pulled back to a starting position.
US09179940B2
A system for flexibly stabilizing a vertebral motion segment of the facet joint by connecting a first vertebra and a second vertebra is disclosed. The system includes an elongate connection element with end portions interconnected by a flexible coupling member. The system includes first and second attachment portions for connecting the connection element to the vertebrae. A first resilient member is positioned between the first end portion and the first attachment portion, and a second resilient member is positioned between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion.
US09179938B2
A method of assembling a system for manipulating the skeletal system includes obtaining a monolithic member having opposing ends, one end including a housing having an axially extending cavity. A distraction rod is obtained that has opposing ends, a first end having an inner threaded cavity. A rotatable, radially poled magnet is rotationally coupled to a lead screw having threads. The threads of the lead screw are engaged with the threaded cavity of the distraction rod. The magnet and at least a portion of the first end of the distraction rod are inserted into the axially extending cavity such that the distraction rod and the monolithic member are in coaxial relation to one another. The magnet is axially locked in relation to the monolithic member, wherein the axially locked magnet is capable of rotation. The distraction rod is rotationally locked in relation to the monolithic member.
US09179932B2
Devices and methods are disclosed for providing access to the pericardial cavity while reducing risk of myocardial damage. One method includes advancing a puncture device towards a heart, the puncture device including an energy delivery device; measuring an electrical impedance at the energy delivery device; delivering energy from the energy delivery device to at least partially puncture a pericardium; and repeating one or more of the above steps, if necessary, until the energy delivery device is located at least partially within the pericardial cavity. Some embodiments of the method include using supplemental means of monitoring, including measuring voltage to plot an ECG, medical imaging and using contrast fluid, using tactile feedback, and aspirating fluid.
US09179929B2
A laparoscopic scissor instrument can include a scissor assembly pivotally coupled to an elongate shaft. The scissor assembly can be formed of scissor blades having pivot posts thereon. The pivot posts can engage apertures on the elongate shaft, thus eliminating the need for a through-pinned pivot connection of the scissor blades. The scissor blades can also include actuation posts thereon. An actuation mechanism can include a slot to engage the actuation posts and open or close the blades of the scissor assembly. The scissor assemblies described herein can have a relatively low operational height such that they do not extend beyond a diameter of the elongate shaft during opening and closing of the scissor assembly.
US09179925B2
The present invention relates generally to a prosthetic spinal disc for replacing a damaged disc between two vertebrae of a spine. The present invention also relates to a method for implanting a prosthetic spinal disc via anterior or anterior lateral implantation. Other surgical approaches for implanting the prosthetic disc may also be used.
US09179919B2
A controlled volume inflation-deflation device to inflate a balloon to occlude a blood vessel by dialing a knob that locks at rotational positions to locate a plunger at equally spaced locations within a syringe of the inflation-deflation device. The inflation-deflation device includes a releasable latch to lock the proximal and distal housings together to hold the plunger forward for occlusion, and to separate and hold the proximal and distal housings to retract the plunger for perfusion. When the inflation-deflation device is returned to the latched position, the balloon is re-inflated to its previous occlusive diameter. Also, an extension tube made of a lower modulus outer material co-extruded over and miscible with a higher modulus inner material may be used to produce a suitably low compliance extension tube for the inflation-deflation device. The balloon may have tapered ends and a cylindrical center portion so that it increases by more equal increments in outer diameter in response to incremental equal increases in inflation volume.
US09179911B2
An end effector comprising a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing member is disclose. The firing member, in various embodiments, further comprises a first portion configured to contact one of the first jaw and the second jaw, and a second portion configured to contact one of the first jaw and the second jaw. The first portion can be comprised of a first material. The firing member can further comprise an annex engaged with the first portion comprised of an annex material which is different than the first material. In various instances, the first portion and the second portion are configured to co-operatively set a tissue gap distance between the first jaw and the second jaw.
US09179908B2
A surgical filament snare assembly including an anchor capable of being fixated in bone and having a filament engagement feature. A first filament has a noose with first and second noose limbs connected, preferably slidably connected, to the filament engagement feature of the anchor. The first and second noose limbs emerge from the anchor as first and second free filament limbs which are capable of being passed through tissue to be repaired and then passable through the noose. The noose, such as one or more half-hitches, is capable of receiving the free filament limbs and strangulating them when tension is applied to at least one of the free filament limbs and the noose to enable incremental tensioning of the tissue after the anchor is fixated. Preferably, the snare assembly further includes a flexible sleeve joining at least some portion of the first and second free filament limbs to facilitate passing of the free filament limbs at least through the tissue as a single unit.
US09179906B2
Methods and devices are disclosed for manipulating the palatal tissue. An implant is positioned within at least a portion of the soft palate and may be secured to other surrounding, less mobile structures such as the hard palate or the mucosa overlying the hard palate. The implant may be manipulated to displace at least a portion of the soft palate in an anterior or lateral direction, or to alter the tissue tension or compliance of the soft palate.
US09179901B2
Ports for accessing vessels within a patient include passageways that can guide needles or other access devices directly into the vessels. The ports can be implanted subcutaneously within a patient. Some ports may be used in the creation and use of vascular access buttonholes.
US09179899B2
In an implantable device (1) for use in the human and/or animal body for closure or partial closure of defect openings (2), cavities, organ passages etc or for providing a defined communicating opening between walls, organs, cavities etc comprising a carrier structure (17) which in a primary form has a large ratio of length to transverse extent along an axis (x) and in a secondary form has a smaller ratio of length to transverse extent along the axis (x), wherein the carrier structure (17) has a proximal and a distal portion (10, 11) and is formed in the manner of a weft and/or mesh and/or layered cloth and/or gauze, at least the one portion (11) in the secondary form has a first part (14) facing outwardly away from the other portion (10) or towards same and a second part (13) which deploys first from the primary form into the secondary form and which is folded back in a direction towards the other portion (10) or inwardly on to the first part (14).
US09179896B2
Implants or systems of implants and methods apply a selected force vector or a selected combination of force vectors within or across the left atrium, which allow mitral valve leaflets to better coapt. The implants or systems of implants and methods make possible rapid deployment, facile endovascular delivery, and full intra-atrial adjustability and retrievability years after implant. The implants or systems of implants and methods also make use of strong fluoroscopic landmarks. The implants or systems of implants and methods make use of an adjustable implant and a fixed length implant. The implants or systems of implants and methods may also utilize an adjustable bridge stop to secure the implant, and the methods of implantation employ various tools.
US09179887B2
Predicting gastrointestinal impairment may involve obtaining intestinal sounds of a patient to generate audio data, identifying predefined spectral events in the audio data that are predictive of subsequent gastrointestinal impairment, the spectral events being defined by predefined parameters, and predicting the likelihood of subsequent gastrointestinal impairment relative to the identified spectral events.
US09179882B2
The present invention relates to the use of a combination of several contrast agents having different properties with respect to imaging representation.
US09179876B2
A patient monitoring system may determine portions of a PPG signal that correspond to artifacts, to a baseline shift that exceeds a threshold, or to a pulse-to-pulse variability that exceeds a threshold. The patient monitoring system may identify a contiguous portion of the PPG signal that does not include the determined portions. The contiguous portion of the PPG signal may be used to determine physiological information.
US09179866B2
An apparatus includes a housing including a first side and a second side; a chest compression sensor coupled with the second side of the housing; at least one compartment partially formed by one of the first side and the second side of the housing; and at least one removable defibrillator electrode pad contained in the at least one compartment partially formed by one of the first side and the second side of the housing.
US09179859B2
One object of the present invention is to perform compartmental analysis of the dynamics of a tracer in the brain, and the present invention provides a compartmental analysis system including a measurement apparatus that measures the strength of an electromagnetic wave from a tracer and a compartmental analyzer that performs compartmental analysis of the dynamics of the tracer in the brain on the basis of the strength of the electromagnetic wave, wherein the compartmental analyzer includes a rate constant calculation unit that calculates a rate constant when the tracer moves between compartments on the basis of the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a first compartment corresponding to the cerebral blood vessel in the brain or an input function in the first compartment, the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a second compartment corresponding to the brain tissue in the brain, and the strength of an electromagnetic wave in a third compartment corresponding to the cerebral sulcus or cerebral ventricle in the brain.
US09179858B2
Exemplary embodiments of a system and method can be provided for measuring a level and/or details of how engaging, effective or memorable a stimulus that may be based on information associated with one or more subjects' neuronal, physiological and/or behavioral responses to the stimulus. In addition, an exemplary embodiment of a computer-accessible medium containing executable instructions thereon can also be provided which can be executed by a processing arrangement. For example, when the processing arrangement executes the instructions, the processing arrangement can be configured to, e.g., receive neuronal, physiological and/or behavioral data one or more subjects being presented with stimuli, determine further data associated with a measure of inter-subject similarity of the neuronal, physiological and/or behavioral data, and identify particular portions of the stimuli that meet a pre-determined criteria relating to the further data associated with the measure of inter-subject similarity. In addition, the processing arrangement can be further configured to display and/or store identifiers of the particular portions of the stimuli in a storage arrangement in a user-accessible format and/or a user-readable format.
US09179854B2
The present invention describes a method and apparatus to localize the electrical signals measured from a subject's scalp surface, preferably in near-real time, and to generate dynamic three-dimensional information of the electrical activity occurring within the cerebral cortex of the brain. In the preferred embodiment, it can produce images that can be immediately inspected and analyzed by an operator in near-real time, resulting in a powerful new cortical imaging modality, which we denote as Dynamic Electrocortical Imaging (DECI). The present invention involves the use of a computer, an electroencephalographic (EEG) amplifier, EEG electrodes, and custom software. It can measure healthy and diseased cortical events and states in both conscious and unconscious subjects. This is useful, as it allows for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of cortical disorders, while also furthering the understanding of the human brain and lending use to additional non-medical applications such as in entertainment, education, lie-detection and industry. The invention in one embodiment is implemented using software in conjunction with readily available EEG hardware. Furthermore, this same method can be applied to pre-existing data and when doing so, EEG hardware is not required. Having a practical near-real time 3D imaging system brings a far more accessible technology to doctors, researchers, individuals, and private clinics to better diagnose, monitor, treat and understand many of the conditions and abnormalities of the brain.
US09179850B2
A form of neuromodulation is conveyed from an external source to an interior of the skull to modulate neural activity. One or more apertures are formed through or partially through the skull to provide an interface for neuromodulation delivery. Parameters of one or more states of the brain may be sensed through an interface formed with one or more apertures extending all or part of the way through the skull. A device provides an interface between the exterior of the skull and the brain that includes a channel of a length sufficient to traverse the entire thickness of the skull or at least a part of the thickness of the skull. The channels may be configured for ion conduction of electrical signals, enabling DC or near DC stimulation of target neurons.
US09179842B2
An optical tomography device 1 is provided as one capable of obtaining tomographic information of a measuring object with higher accuracy. In the optical tomography device 1, numerical apertures of reception fibers 12, 13 are different from each other. Therefore, the device has a configuration wherein the reception fibers 12, 13 receive two kinds of respective light beams with different solid angle distributions, whereby the device can also obtain angular information, in addition to intensity information of light emerging from a measuring object 100. As a result, the accuracy is enhanced for an analysis about the tomographic information of the measuring object.
US09179841B2
The invention utilizes a digital holographic adaptive optics (DHAO) system to replace hardware components in a conventional AO system with numerical processing for wavefront measurement and compensation of aberration by the principles of digital holography. Wavefront sensing and correction by DHAO have almost the full resolution of a CCD camera. The approach is inherently faster than conventional AO because it does not involve feedback and iteration, and the dynamic range of deformation measurement is essentially unlimited. The new aberration correction system can be incorporated into a conventional fundus camera with minor modification and achieve high resolution imaging of a retinal cone mosaic. It can generate profiles of the retinal vasculature and measure blood flow. It can also provide real-time profiles of ocular aberration during refractive (Lasik) surgery and generate three-dimensional maps of intraocular debris.
US09179838B2
An eye/gaze tracker with first and second light sources each configured to illuminate an eye of a subject and controlled to selectively emit light towards the eye in such a manner that within an operation sequence the eye is illuminated by the first light source during at least one first interval and by the second light source during at least one second interval. An image sensor has a plurality of photodiodes each of which is associated with first and second charge storages configured to store electric charges based on an amount of light reaching the photodiode. At least one switch of the image sensor is controlled such that the electric charges are stored in the first charge storage as a result of the illumination during the at least one first interval and in the second charge storage as a result of the illumination during the at least one second interval.
US09179833B2
Methods for improving gaze tracking are presented. These methods eliminate the need for a separate initial calibration step to determine whether the subject is properly centrally fixated during testing. In one embodiment, whether the subject is centrally fixated is determined by identifying inlier and outlier gaze descriptors; the inliers are assumed to be associated with central fixation. This reduces the total time required for testing. These methods also improve the accuracy of gaze tracking during testing without the need for individual subject calibration. Instead, a database of reference eyes is used. The subject's eye can be compared to the reference eyes, and the mapping function for one or more reference matches can be used to estimate the subject's gaze direction. In another embodiment, previous calibration data from the same subject can be used to determine whether the subject is properly centrally fixated and/or the direction of the subject's gaze.
US09179825B2
Embodiments of the invention include a medical device for accessing a patient's body portion and used for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Embodiments of the invention may include a particular endoscopic positioning mechanism for placing an endoscope and an additional treatment device within desired body portions in order to assist in diagnosis and treatment of anatomical diseases and disorders. In particular, a medical device according to an embodiment of the invention includes a positioning mechanism configured for movement through at least two degrees of freedom.
US09179818B2
A dishwasher appliance is provided with a spray arm assembly. The spray arm assembly defines an orifice for directing liquid out of the spray arm assembly. The orifice can selectively receive a nozzle with a particular outlet geometry. By selectively receiving the nozzle, a spray pattern of liquid exiting the orifice can be changed by replacing or modifying the nozzle without remanufacturing or replacing the spray arm assembly.
US09179801B1
A self-serve drink blending device includes a blend chamber, at least one product source, a water source, an ice source, a liquid level sensor, a controller and a dispenser. The blend chamber includes a blending blade. The at least one product source is configured to deliver a volume of product to the blend chamber. The water source is configured to deliver a volume of water to the blend chamber. The ice source is configured to deliver a volume of ice to the blend chamber. The liquid level sensor is mounted to the blend chamber and configured to create a liquid level signal when contents in the blend chamber reach a predetermined level. The controller is configured to automatically calibrate the at least one product source, the water source, and the ice source based on the liquid level signal. The dispenser is arranged to dispense contents from the blend chamber.
US09179800B2
A household appliance includes a warming drawer housing having an interior chamber and a warming drawer module having a warming area for placing items to be warmed and a heating device that heats the area. The warming drawer module is movable between a first position in which the warming drawer module is in the interior chamber of the warming drawer housing and the warming area is concealed from an outside of the warming drawer housing by the warming drawer housing, and a second position in which a part of the warming drawer module is outside the warming drawer housing and a portion of the warming area is exposed to the outside of the warming drawer housing. The heating device is coupled to and movable with the warming drawer module between the first position and the second position.
US09179798B2
A method and apparatus for brewing coffee or the like uses a cartridge having filters on two opposed sides that is filled with ground coffee and then pressed through a container of heated liquid. The pressing forces the liquid into one filter, through the ground coffee, and out the other filter to produce the brewed beverage.
US09179797B2
A disposable pod adaptor assembly for use in a single serve beverage brewer. The assembly is designed for use in brewers configured for cup-shaped beverage extract cartridges. The assembly includes a receptacle and a cover configured to engage with the receptacle. The receptacle includes a raised portion in it's interior, which raised portion is adapted to push a beverage pod residing inside the receptacle upward against the cover to create a tamping effect. In some implementations, the receptacle and raised portion are molded as a single piece to provide a low cost disposable pod adapter.
US09179794B2
An apparatus for supporting an object at a window of a building comprises a first member, a second member, and a third member. The first member extends along at least a partial width of the window and abuts an interior surface of the building. The first member is configured to support the object by exerting an outward force on the interior surface of the building in response to a downward force exerted by the object. The first member also comprises at least two sections extending from the interior of the building to the exterior of the building. These sections may extend from the interior of the building to the exterior of the building about respective distal ends of the first member. The sum of the forces applied on the surfaces of the building are sufficient to secure the object to the building.
US09179789B1
A collapsible wall mountable personal transportation vehicle storage system for conveniently storing a plurality of personal transportation vehicles of different types features a personal transportation vehicle. The system features a rigid planar base mounted to a vertical surface via hardware through recessed mounting apertures. The system features a u-shaped upper bracket and a u-shaped lower bracket pivotally mounted to a base front surface. The bracket features a first leg extension and a second leg extension perpendicularly located on opposing ends of a leg crossbeam. The system features a linear peg stand located on both the first leg extension and the second leg extension. The peg stand is designed to interface with the base front surface to support the bracket. The bracket is designed to pivot upwardly to a position flush with the base front surface and downwardly to a position perpendicular with the base front surface.
US09179788B2
An adjustable tray for a merchandise display system may include a retainer for limiting the movement of products loaded in the adjustable tray, a pusher mechanism configured to bias product toward the retainer, a first divider extending from a first panel and second divider extending from a second panel. The spacing between the first divider and the second divider can be configured to be adjusted. The first panel and the second panel can be configured to move to provide additional surface area for the adjustable tray to accommodate different sized products.
US09179786B1
A foldable napper accessory for a child's playard positions an infant to minimize the risk of falls. The napper frame is foldable from a generally planar deplyed orientation about one or more generally longitudinally extending frame folding axes. The ends of an elongate support leg are pivotally connected to opposing side rail members of the napper frame and configured to be foldable about a leg folding axis generally transverse to the frame. Pivoting about the leg folding axis angles the support leg from the plane of the deployed napper frame or aligns the leg with the plane of the napper frame for stowage. An intermediate folding joint is provided in the support leg which includes intermediate axis generally perpendicular to the leg folding axis that allows folding of the leg only when the leg is folded into a specific orientation.
US09179782B2
A mattress (22) having a core structure (8) wherein side walls (15) are compressed inward and held in place using a preferably non-woven strip of fabric (21) or similar non-elastic or non-stretchable material that is wrapped around the side walls.
US09179779B2
The present disclosure is generally directed to a system that may be coupled to and is compatible with various sizes and types of furniture including chairs and stools with individual legs, to help stabilize such furniture by outwardly expanding at least a portion of the footprint of the furniture to which the system is coupled, by separating the tipping axes of the furniture and the system coupled to the furniture, and/or by increasing the tip resistance of the chair by coupling it to the system.
US09179774B2
A shelving system having a top, bottom and intermediate shelves mounted on vertical supports. The intermediate shelves are mounted on adjustable brackets that permit individual removal of the intermediate shelves without disturbing the top and bottom shelves. The adjustable brackets comprise at one end a pin that is adapted to be inserted into a series of apertures formed along the length of each support. Opposite the pin, a mounting member is sized and shaped to receive a corner of each shelf. A stop is formed on the bracket between the pins and mounting member.
US09179771B2
A coupling device for removably coupling a drawer to an extendable rail of a pull-out guide includes an adjusting device, by which a position of a drawer that is connected to the rail can be adjusted relative to the rail in the lateral direction and/or in the longitudinal direction (L) of the pull-out guide. The coupling device has a fixing part to be fixed to the drawer, and a coupling part to be coupled to the rail. The fixing part can be moved relative to the coupling part by the adjusting device in a linear manner. The adjusting device has an adjusting wheel rotatably mounted on the coupling part or on the fixing part. An actuating region is provided on the adjusting wheel in order to rotate the adjusting wheel, and the adjusting device includes a transmission device. A movement of the actuating region of the adjusting wheel can be converted by the transmission device into a linear movement of the fixing part relative to the coupling part such that the position of the drawer is adjusted relative to the furniture body in the same direction in which the actuating region is moved.
US09179762B2
An apparatus is provided for detachably tethering a phone to a user's person, such as a belt or strap worn by the user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a case configured to receive the phone, a holster configured to detachably receive the case, a retractable tether having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, the proximal end connected to the holster, and the distal end detachably connected to the case, wherein a portion of the tether is housed in the holster, the tether configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position, and a spring coupled to the tether, the spring configured to bias the tether into the retracted position.
US09179759B1
The present invention is directed to a hammock system and particularly to a convertible hammock for use on a ground stand, on the bed of truck or similar vehicle and attached to a standard vehicle trailer hitch. The hammock includes a support structure at the head and the foot of the hammock which comprises a vertically directed post. The base stand includes a receptacle for receiving the post. In addition, the post can be equally adapted for slidable reception into utility slots which are already positioned within the side walls of the bed of most pickup trucks or similar vehicles. In addition, the present invention can be directed for use with a trailer hitch component on a typical vehicle.
US09179758B2
Child carriers and methods for operating the same are disclosed. An example child carrier includes a child support pouch to receive a child in a substantially upright position and a harness to support the child support pouch on an adult. The harness includes first and second support straps, first and second waist straps, and first and second support strap connector pairs. The first support strap connector pair is located to releasably connect the first support strap to the first waist strap in a first orientation with the first support strap across a shoulder of the adult and to releasably connect the first support strap to the first waist strap in a second orientation with the first support strap around a waist of the adult. The second support strap connector pair is located to releasably connect the second support strap to the second waist strap.
US09179754B2
In some aspects, an artificial nail or tip arrangement can include a body having a concave lower surface with a shape corresponding to a natural nail; an adhesive layer having a first surface to adhere to a portion of the lower surface of the body and a second surface to adhere to a portion of the natural nail; and a removable layer that covers a portion of the second surface of the adhesive layer, the removable layer having at least one slit formed therethrough and disposed along a planar surface of the removable layer, wherein the at least one slit is configured to facilitate conformance of the planar surface of the removable layer to the concave lower surface of the body without wrinkling the removable layer.
US09179744B2
Provided is a fastener that can be recycled as paper. The fastener includes a tape member and an engaging element attached to the tape member, and the total weight of the cellulose fibers included in the tape member and the engaging element is 51 to 100 wt % of the total weight of the tape member and the engaging element.
US09179740B2
A protective system for articles of footwear includes a protective member that may be used to protect a sole structure from components of a graphic transfer assembly. The protective member can include adjustment members for adjusting the effective depth of different portions of the protective member. The protective member can also include adjustable covering portions for protecting portions of an upper.
US09179739B2
A tensile strand element for an article of footwear is disclosed. The tensile strand element includes one or more tensile strands secured at their endpoints between the sole and upper of an article of footwear, creating one or more looped portions. The unsecured looped portions may extend into the fastening region of the footwear and engage with a fastening system to tighten the footwear upper snugly against a wearer's foot to provide added support.
US09179738B2
Disclosed golf shoes can include an upper and an outsole, and an oblique internal toe box region defined between a forward portion of the upper and a forward portion of the outsole. The toe box region can have a shape that corresponds to an anatomical shape of a forward portion of a person's foot. The forward portion of the outsole can have five discrete toe traction zones each being configured to be positioned below a respective one of a person's toes. The toe box region can be sufficiently wide to allow a wearer's toes to have a full anatomical range of motion in medial and lateral directions. The toe box region can be sufficiently wide such that the ratio of a maximum width of the toe box region divided by a maximum heel-to-toe length of an internal open region of the golf shoe is greater than about 0.35.
US09179718B2
An improved glove is provided having both anatomically correlating stress relief zones and/or reinforced zones to add support in areas opposite the stress relief zones to keep bunching or slipping of the glove from interfering with the bending of the user's joints. The glove may have corrugated relief zones over some or all of the joints and knuckles of the hand, wherein the relief zones are formed of peaks and valleys. A relief zone can also be provided over the webbing between the thumb and the palm.
US09179706B2
A filter strip is provided for rolling sheets to construct custom cigars and/or cigarettes. The filter strip may be made of a deformable material which can be positioned on one end of the rolling sheet. The filter strip can be folded in a zig zag or spiral filter section with open section located longitudinally below to form a filter tip. The filter tip can assist the user in rolling by hand a substantially cylindrical or conical cigar or cigarette. The filter tip prevents tobacco filler material from being drawn through the cigar or cigarette and into a user's mouth, and permits the entire amount of tobacco filler to be consumed/smoked without risking burned hands and/or lips.
US09179705B2
A cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type including a housing with an aperture and a compacting chamber in communication with the aperture for receiving loose tobacco, a compacting member mounted for reciprocal up and down motion from an initial position adjacent the top of the compacting chamber toward the bottom of the compacting chamber, an injection spoon mounted for reciprocal lateral movement from a rest position within the compacting chamber across the compacting chamber to transport rod-like compacted tobacco shapes past the ejection side of the compacting chamber, through the nipple and into a hollow cigarette tube, an electrically powered motor, and a dual purpose control disk adapted to be rotated about its axis by the motor to initially move the compacting member up and down in the compacting chamber and then to move the injection spoon across the compacting chamber as the control disk is rotated by the motor.
US09179701B2
The present invention is directed to a novel compound, 2-mercapto-5-methyl-4-heptanone, a process of augmenting, enhancing or imparting taste to a material selected from the group consisting of a foodstuff, a chewing gum, a medicinal product, and toothpaste comprising the step of incorporating an olfactory acceptable amount of 2-mercapto-5-methyl-4-heptanone, and a process of improving, enhancing or modifying a fragrance formulation through the addition of an olfactory acceptable amount of 2-mercapto-5-methyl-4-heptanone.
US09179698B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01045742. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01045742. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01045742 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01045742 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09179690B2
The present invention relates to edible products with masked bitter, sour and/or astringent taste. The new products comprise a sweetening agent and from 0.2 to 25% by weight plant sterol ester, wherein the amount of sweetening agent is reduced as compared to a regular product.
US09179689B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 10R047B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 10R047B2R2. Also provided by the invention are methods of using cotton variety 10R047B2R2 and products derived therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 10R047B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants and seeds produced by such methods.
US09179686B2
A paw cutting system for removing a poultry paw from a shackle conveyed along a shackle conveyor line and then cutting the leg of the paw to remove the knuckle is provided. The paw cutter has a guide bar substantially aligned with the shackle conveyor line that urges the paw to a central cavity of the shackle. The paw is discharged from the central cavity into a lateral notch formed in two opposed discs positioned adjacent to an end of the guide bar. The two opposed discs are rotatable and move the paw from the guide bar to a blade. As the paw is moved to the blade, the two discs stretch the paw so that the blade can cleanly cut the paw. The cut paw product can be placed onto a belt or other device in an ordered manner.
US09179675B2
Methods and compositions for controlling plant pests, particularly weeds and/or plant phytopathogens using sarmentine and/or analogs thereof are disclosed.
US09179673B2
An aqueous liquid herbicide composition comprising a solution of at least one of 2,4-D and dicamba in the form of the monomethylamine salt and at least one of 2,4-D and dicamba in the form of the dimethylamine salt wherein the molar ratio of monomethylamine to dimethylamine is in the range of from 1:20 to 4:6.
US09179670B2
The present invention generally relates to deuterium-enriched aldehydes, compositions comprising deuterium-enriched aldehydes, and methods for slowing the rate of aldehyde autoxidation. In one aspect, the present invention provides a composition comprising a compound of structure 1: wherein: there are at least 6×1018 molecules of the aldehyde and Rx is hydrogen, wherein the deuterium isotope in Rx is in an amount greater than 0.10 percent of the hydrogen atoms present in Rx.
US09179661B2
A horseshoe with a stabilizer-feature and splaying has a U shaped metallic unitary body with left-right wings and an integral compliant leaf-spring disposed proximate to or in the horseshoe toe area. The leaf-spring may be crescent-shaped or chord-shaped and resiliently deforms upwards, exerting sideways-pressure causing splaying of the left-right wings. The leaf-spring may have a groove on either side to assist preparation before horseshoe installation. The crescent-shaped leaf-spring forms a cavity with the hoof underside in use, which cavity is optionally filled with a resilient material, e.g., silicone, obviating accumulation of dirt/debris. Stabilizers comprising a plurality of rows of beads formed integrally with the horseshoe bottom form a negative camber on the horseshoe-underside. The stabilizer rows may be staggered and assist in the stability of the horse during racing, especially at track-curves. The horseshoe may be cast/forged, blanked, or welded and can be mass-produced. Preferably, the horseshoe comprises hardened spring steel.
US09179648B1
A combination dog collar and bottle opener device includes a two-ply strap and combination D-ring and bottle opener. The strap includes a first ply of rubber, preferably recycled from an inner tube. The second ply is mechanically stitched using an interwoven thread to the first ply. A plastic quick-release coupling device acts as a clasp system for selectively and releasably coupling a strap first end to a strap second end. The combination D-ring and bottle opener comprises a generally flat frame body having a first arm and a second arm, a first linking member connecting the first and second arms at a first end of the frame body and a second linking member at a second end of the frame body. An intermediate linking member arranged generally parallel to the first and second linking members and being located at an intermediate position includes a radius bottle pry and offset grooves.
US09179647B2
An animal collar includes a neck strap with magnetic elements on the neck strap's two opposite ends. The magnetic elements are configured to self align during installation and hold an encircling neck strap around an animal's neck. In one embodiment, the magnetic elements are one or more pairs of magnets attached to the opposite ends of the neck strap. The poles of each magnet pair are aligned so the magnets in each pair attract. The neck strap also includes two perpendicularly and transversely aligned closed eyelets mounted on the opposite ends. When the opposite ends are placed side-by-side, the magnetic elements are aligned and forced together and the two eyelets are side by side and parallel. A leash clip can then be attached to the two eyelets to hold them together when walking. When the leash clip is disconnected, the magnetic elements are configured to separate when a light force is exerted on the neck strap. An optional connector is provided that holds the two eyelets together when the leash clip is not used.
US09179641B2
A barn in which dairy animals can freely move about, lie down and eat includes a floor, a light-transmitting roof construction, and a wall construction. The floor consists for the greater part of a moisture absorbing, pourable layer which is able to collect moisture from manure and urine. This moisture is removed by means of solar heat and wind drying, and if this is not sufficient, by means of a floor heating. There is thus only required a very limited stationary sub-floor with a manure collecting device, i.e. only below the milking implement.
US09179638B2
A new lettuce variety designated ‘E01L30144’ is described. ‘E01L30144’ is a cutting lettuce variety exhibiting stability and uniformity.
US09179631B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1037431. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1037431. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1037431 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1037431 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09179630B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1037404. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1037404. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1037404 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1037404 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09179629B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1035330. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1035330. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1035330 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1035330 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09179621B1
A novel maize variety designated X08D489 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X08D489 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X08D489 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X08D489, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X08D489. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X08D489.
US09179612B2
A center pivot sprinkler system includes a sprinkler arm to be mounted at a pivot point at a first end of the sprinkler arm, the sprinkler arm defining a water conduit. A motive source can move the sprinkler arm in a circular motion about the pivot point. An end nozzle is supported at a second end of the sprinkler arm, and in fluid communication with the water conduit. A control valve is positioned between the water conduit and the end nozzle, and a control valve positioner can position the control valve. A position determining device determines the position of the end nozzle in a circular arc about the pivot point. A processor polls the position determining device to determine a then-current position of the end nozzle and determines a flow of water to be issued from the end nozzle as a function of the then-current position of the end nozzle.
US09179611B2
A hose-fed lateral move irrigation system and method that utilizes a pipe with a plurality of sprinklers attached to a wheeled cart that pulls a flexible-hose assembly therebehind using at least one onboard winch and travels laterally with the pipe and sprinklers relative to a field so that a sufficient amount of hose may be used to enable total automation of the system.
US09179605B2
An electric pruner includes a housing, a motor accommodated within the housing, a transmission mechanism, a movable blade, and a fixed blade extending from the front end of the housing. The fixed blade is fixedly mounted on the housing, and the movable blade is rotatably connected to the fixed blade via a shaft and driven by the motor via the transmission mechanism. A locking device manually operable by the user is arranged on the shaft for locking the movable blade, the locking device being switchable between a first position where the movable blade is locked to stay connected with the transmission mechanism and a second position where the movable blade is releasable from the transmission mechanism. Thus, the replacement of the movable blade is very simple and convenient.
US09179604B2
A whip and tongue grafting device may include a slanting cut tool including a guide to position stem for receiving a slanting cut, and including a cutting device for making the slanting cut. The device may also include a whip cut tool including a guide to position a stem for receiving a tongue cut, and including a cutting device for making the whip cut. The device may also include other guides for producing other required cuts to the stem.
US09179602B2
A row unit (10) for a cornhead comprises a frame (12), a pair of stalk rolls (14) and a pair of stripper plates (16) forming a stripper gap (20). At least one of the stripper plates (16) is a shiftable stripper plate (16) that is shiftable in a horizontal direction transversely to the longitudinal extent of the stripper gap (20). A spring (32, 32′) has a central helical part (34) winding around a pin (40) connected to the shiftable stripper plate (16) and outer end parts (36) abutting a respective one of two members (44, 54) connected to the frame (12) on opposite sides of the pin (40).
US09179598B2
A twine retaining device for a baler includes a retaining disk, which can rotate about a shaft, and a retaining plate, which jointly delimit a retaining gap. The retaining gap is defined by a plurality of constrictions distributed along a twine strand extending through the retaining gap.
US09185836B2
A first rear member is arranged on a rear surface of a display member. A second rear member has a shape surrounding a side surface of the first rear member. The second rear member is attached from a rear surface side of the first rear member to house the first rear member. An interconnect member connected to the display member extends between the side surface of the first rear member and the second rear member. An end portion of the interconnect member is inserted in an insertion part having an opening formed in the side surface of the first rear member. A condition where the interconnect member is inserted in the first rear member is maintained before and after attachment of the second rear member.
US09185831B2
Disclosed are an electronic control apparatus for a vehicle and provides an electronic control apparatus for a vehicle using a radiation board in which a radiation plate having a slide fixing structure (for example, “U” shaped) is attached onto a portion opposite to a portion which requires the radiation in a printed circuit board (PCB) and if additional radiation performance is required, a slidable radiation board which is detachable is attached/detached to directly emit heat to the atmosphere through the radiation plate and the radiation board to the atmosphere, thereby improving a radiation effect and to implement a standard platform of the radiation structure and implement an optimal radiation structure through a slidable radiation board and a manufacturing method thereof.
US09185823B2
The present invention is directed to server systems and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provides a memory controller within a server system, where the memory controller is disengageably connected to one or more processors, a plurality of volatile memory modules, and plurality of solid-state memory modules. This memory controller may be connected to other similarly configured memory controllers. The volatile and solid-state memory modules can be removed and/or replaced. There are other embodiments as well.
US09185818B2
A display apparatus including a support configured to support a display unit, and a cover formed of a flexible sheet and configured to cover the support, thereby improving the external appearance of the rear side of the display apparatus through the cover.
US09185815B2
A transmission stabilization device applied to dual-shaft system for stabilizing and smoothening the transmission and reducing wear of the components. The transmission stabilization device includes a first rotary shaft, a second rotary shaft and a transmission unit, which are assembled with each other. Each of the first and second rotary shafts has a fixed section mounted on an electronic apparatus, a pivoted section assembled with a torque module and a connection section. The transmission unit is drivingly engaged with the connection sections. The transmission unit is mounted on a fixing shaft. When the first or second rotary shaft rotates, the transmission unit is moved along the fixing shaft with the rotation of the first or second rotary shaft. The transmission stabilization device can prevent the transmission unit from swinging so as to overcome the problem of retardation of transmission of the conventional device.
US09185814B2
An electronic device uses a rotation mechanism to permit a first body casing to rotate on a second body casing. The rotation mechanism has an elastic member and a sliding block. The first body casing includes a spindle and defines a first sliding hole and the second body casing defines a spindle hole and a second sliding hole. The second sliding hole includes a first distal end and a second distal end both aligning with a center of the spindle hole. The sliding block is movably received in the first and second sliding holes, and is located either at the first distal end or at the second distal end as the rotation mechanism is rotated through ninety degrees from one position to another.
US09185813B2
A case for an electronic device protects the electronic device. The case has a lower case portion and an upper case portion, which assemble together to protect the electronic device. A back of the case can include a back opening to expose a camera lens and flash of the electronic device or first and second back openings. The first back opening exposes the camera lens. The second back opening exposes the flash.
US09185809B2
A method for producing an electrical multi-layer component is described, wherein a first ceramic layer (2) comprising a first and a second ceramic material (3, 4) is applied to a ceramic substrate (1). The first ceramic material (3) is applied to a first surface partition (5) of the substrate (1) by a first inkjet printing step and the second ceramic material (4) is applied to a second surface partition (6) of the substrate (1) by a second inkjet printing step, the second surface partition (6) surrounding and enclosing the first surface partition (5). The second ceramic material (4) is different from the first ceramic material (3).Furthermore, an electrical multi-layer component is described.
US09185804B2
A printed circuit board includes a first semiconductor package on a first surface layer of a printed wiring board and a second semiconductor package on a second surface layer where a bus signal is transmitted from the first to the second semiconductor package. A first bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the first semiconductor package via a via hole and the second surface layer to a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the second semiconductor package and a second bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the first semiconductor package via the second surface layer and a via hole to a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the second semiconductor package are provided, thus securing a return current path for a signal current and realizing a high density wiring while suppressing radiation noise.
US09185803B2
A circuit board for electric components has at least one current conductor, which is configured as a molded part, and at least one unhoused electric component affixed to the current conductor. The circuit board exhibits improved operating reliability.
US09185796B2
An OLED display including a substrate having a pixel area where an organic light emitting diode is formed, and a peripheral area surrounding the pixel area. Monitoring patterns are disposed in the peripheral area and are separated from each other.
US09185793B2
A multilayer electronic structure comprising a plurality of dielectric layers extending in an X-Y plane and comprising at least one coaxial pair of stacked posts extending through at least one dielectric layer in a Z direction that is substantially perpendicular to the X-Y plane, wherein the coaxial pair of stacked via posts comprises a central post surrounded by a torroidal via post separated from the central post by a separating tube of dielectric material.
US09185792B2
A package substrate including a circuit board and a heat-dissipating element is provided. The circuit board has a through opening adapted for accommodating an electronic element. The heat-dissipating element is disposed at the circuit board and covers one side of the through opening. The heat-dissipating element includes a heat-dissipating plate, an adhesive layer and an antioxidation layer. The heat-dissipating plate has a first surface facing the through opening and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The adhesive layer is disposed on the first surface and the heat-dissipating plate adheres to the circuit board through the adhesive layer. The antioxidation layer is disposed on the second surface. An electronic assembly including the package substrate is also provided.
US09185790B2
A particle accelerator including an electrical field system and a magnetic field system that are configured to direct a particle beam of charged particles along a designated path within an acceleration chamber. The particle accelerator also includes a foil holder having a beam window and a positioning slot that at least partially surrounds the beam window. The positioning slot is dimensioned to hold an extraction foil such that the extraction foil extends across the beam window and into the path of the charged particles. The positioning slot is defined by interior reference surfaces that face the extraction foil and retain the extraction foil within the positioning slot. The reference surfaces permit the extraction foil to move relative to the reference surfaces when the particle beam is incident on the extraction foil.
US09185780B2
In a lighting system, sound levels are detected in the vicinity of at least one lighting unit to determine when there is a sound level above a threshold. The illumination provided by the lighting unit is adapted in such a way as to encourage a reduction of noise generation.
US09185775B2
The lighting device of the present invention includes: a power source configured to supply power to a plurality of light sources; and a cooling control circuit configured to control a plurality of cooling devices for respectively cooling the plurality of light sources. The cooling control circuit includes a power supply circuit, a plurality of output circuits, a plurality of temperature measurement circuits, and an output control circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a constant voltage by use of power from the power source. The output circuits receive the constant voltage from the power supply circuit and supply drive voltages to the plurality of cooling devices respectively. The temperature measurement circuits measure temperatures of the plurality of light sources respectively. The output control circuit regulates the drive voltages respectively supplied from the plurality of output circuits based on the temperatures respectively measured by the plurality of temperature measurement circuits.
US09185770B2
A fuse and resistor device for a solid state lighting device, wherein at least a part of the fuse and resistor device embodies a connection pin arranged to be received at a power supply socket. The connection pin comprises an elongated conducting structure, which is partly enclosed by an insulating support structure. The conducting structure comprises a dampening resistor, and the fuse and resistor device further comprises a fuse connected with the dampening resistor either a separate part or as an integral part of the conducting structure.
US09185763B2
A light emitting diode (LED) string driving method applicable to drive a driving circuit is provided. The driving circuit comprises a plurality of LED strings, a power supply unit electrically coupled to the LED strings, a comparison unit configured to receive an input voltage, a control unit electrically coupled to the comparison unit, and a switch unit electrically coupled to the control unit, the power supply unit and the LED strings. The driving method comprises configuring the comparison unit to output a first control signal to the control unit through comparing the input voltage to the predetermined voltage, configuring the control unit to output a second control signal to the switch unit according to the first control signal, and configuring the switch unit to form various electrical loops and configuring the LED strings to corporately form either a parallel loop or a series loop via respective electrical loops.
US09185759B2
An LED lighting device for AC voltage supply is provided. The device has LEDs that form a whole chain. The LEDs are divided into LED part groups. The device also has multiple serial switching means, multiple shorting links and a control means. The control means is configured to control the shorting links and the serial switching means, to place the whole chain in at least two switch states. The switch states differ in the through voltage of the whole chain.
US09185752B2
A circuit arrangement for selective powering of distributed loads (D1-D7, 220-226, 213a-213e) is provided, comprising a plurality of load segments (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70), each being electrically connected to at least one supply terminal al for receiving a variable voltage, wherein each load segment (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70) comprises at least a load unit (D1-D7, 220-226, 213a-213e) and a proximity sensor unit (11), coupled with said load unit and comprising at least a reactive device (L1-L7, L1a-L7a, C1-C7, C1a-C7a, 214a-214e, 215d) having a reactance, said reactance depending on the proximity of a detection object (100, 102). In order to provide a simple and accurate way for user interactive powering of loads (D1-D7, 220-226, 213a-213e), during operation an operating voltage is provided to at least one load unit (D1-D7, 220-226, 213a-213e), depending on the reactance of at least one reactive device (L1-L7, L1a-L7a, C1-C7, C1a-C7a, 214a-214e, 215d) of said load segments (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70), so that said operating voltage depends on the proximity of said detection object (100, 102).
US09185743B2
In a communication system in which a base station performing precoding processing and a mobile terminal communicate with each other, communication is efficiently performed. The terminal device reports to the base station device, information indicating a codebook that the terminal device supports, among a plurality of codebooks. The base station device determines a transmission mode, based on the information indicating the codebook that the terminal device supports.
US09185727B2
In a medium access control method of an access point for a wireless LAN, the access point is capable of full-duplex communication, and the medium access control method includes receiving a frame header of a first data frame from a first terminal, and transmitting a second data frame to a second terminal while the first data frame is received from the first terminal.
US09185724B2
Aperiodic channel state information reporting method, radio base station apparatus and user terminal
The present invention is designed such that, when a user terminal performs radio communication using a plurality of serving cells of different component carriers, it is possible to flexibly report aperiodic channel state information of a serving cell required on the network side among the plurality of serving cells. A radio base station apparatus transmits an uplink scheduling grant, which includes an identification field that identifies an uplink serving cell where an uplink shared channel is allocated among a plurality of uplink serving cells and a request field that requests reporting of aperiodic channel state information from a user terminal, to the user terminal, via a downlink control channel, and the user terminal reports aperiodic channel state information of a downlink serving cell that is designated by a combination of the identification field and the request field, to the radio base station apparatus, via the uplink shared channel.
US09185720B2
A method of wireless communication includes determining a frame offset between communications of a first communication resource (e.g., an LTE radio) and communications of a second communication resource (e.g., a Bluetooth or WLAN radio). The method also includes determining potential time slot configurations for the communications of the second communication resource. A time slot configuration is selected from the determined potential time slot configurations, to reduce degradation of the first communication resource due to conflicting time slots between the first communication resource and the second communication resource, based on the determined frame offset. The selection may be based on the determined frame offset.
US09185719B2
Techniques for mapping applications to radios in a wireless communication device are described. In one design, a controller residing below an operating system may receive inputs from applications residing above the operating system. The controller may determine radios selected based on the application inputs and further to mitigate interference between these radios. The controller may determine mapping of the applications to the radios based on the application inputs and may provide, to the applications, information indicative of the radios to which the applications are mapped. The applications may obtain connectivity via their selected radios. The controller may interface with entities in both upper layers and lower layers to facilitate radio selection and application-to-radio mapping. The controller may control the operation of a connection manager and/or a coexistence manager, manage databases for these managers, provide CPU and memory resources for these managers, manage a data bus used for communication, etc.
US09185716B2
Methods and apparatus of a NodeB or a user equipment (UE) in communication with each other are provided. The NodeB transmits and the UE receives via a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). Control Channel Elements (CCEs) corresponding to a PDCCH candidate are obtained based on nCI, where nCI is a carrier index.
US09185705B2
An apparatus includes a baseband signal processing block, processing circuitry, and at least one radio frequency (RF) communication module communicably coupled to the baseband signal processing block and configured to communicate using a selected mode of communication in a channel. The processing circuitry is configured to detect a sub-channel band of unavailable spectrum within the channel, the band of unavailable spectrum being less than a whole of the channel. The channel includes one contiguous band of frequencies divisible into at least two non-overlapping non-adjacent sub-channels. The processing circuitry is configured to select one mode of communication selected from a plurality of modes including: a carrier aggregation (CA) only mode, a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) only mode, and a carrier aggregation multiple input multiple output (CA-MIMO) hybrid mode.
US09185697B2
A first user equipment (UE) and a second UE communicate with a network element (e.g., an eNB) over a carrier (e.g., an uplink or downlink cellular carrier). The first and second UEs also engage in D2D communication using resources of the carrier that have been allocated to them by the network entity. Using the allocated resources, the first and second UEs communicate using a subframe that has a first set of symbols in during which the first UE transmits, a second set of symbols during which the second UE transmits, and a guard interval between the first and second UEs.
US09185690B2
An evolved Node B (eNB) for allocating resources for a device-to-device (D2D) link between User Equipments (UEs) is described. The eNB includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The eNB allocates resources for a D2D signal. The D2D signal is transmitted or received by the UE in uplink spectrum in a case of Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) or in uplink subframes in a case of Time Division Duplexing (TDD).
US09185686B2
A base station judges whether backup channel of the base station has therein a channel which is not an operating channel of another base station configuring an adjacent cell by the channel management unit, and, if there is at least one channel which is not an operating channel of the another base station, performs fairness processing according to a prescribed etiquette to have one of the channels as an operating channel of the base station, and, if not, determines a base station which requests a release of an operating channel from the another based on the basis of a degree of satisfaction defined as a function of an offered communication traffic within a cell, a transmission rate depending on a propagation environment between the base station and a wireless communication terminal and an actually allocated operating channel number, and performs negotiation processing to cause a release of an operating channel.
US09185680B2
A contextual push notification service is provided, including: receiving, by a mobile device, a notification message. The notification message comprises at least one context rule and a notification message. The at least one context rule is compared, on the mobile device, with at least one user context preference. Based on the results of the comparison, a notification action is taken.
US09185679B2
A method of setting a cycle of a low-duty mode in a femto base station is provided. The cycle of the low-duty mode has a pattern in which an available interval and an unavailable interval repeatedly appear, and the available interval is set to include a paging listening interval of a paging cycle. A method of setting a cycle of a low-duty mode in a femto base station having a service area overlapping with that of a macrocell is provided. An unavailable interval is set by taking the overlapping degree of the service area of the femto base station with the macrocell into consideration. A method of setting a cycle of a low-duty mode in a plurality of femto base stations operated in the low-duty mode is provided. The same cycle can be set for a plurality of base stations.
US09185677B2
The present disclosure provides a system, device and method for estimating an AP location using log data. Information, which is not pre-stored in a database when the information is updated, is classified and then location information of an AP is estimated by using log data of a user in such a manner of estimating a location of the AP by using log data of a user in wireless LAN based positioning and thus updating the database for the wireless LAN based positioning, thereby improving positioning accuracy.
US09185676B2
There is provided a method in a cellular telecommunications network, the cellular telecommunications network comprising at least a first cell and a second cell. The method comprises the steps of transmitting first periodic physical signals, usable by a device to determine its location, to the first cell; and transmitting second periodic physical signals, usable by a device to determine its location, to the second cell. The second periodic physical signals are synchronized with the first periodic physical signals and have a timing offset, such that the first periodic physical signals and the second periodic physical signals are not transmitted simultaneously. The method is characterized in that transmission of data or control signals to the first cell is inhibited when the second periodic physical signals are transmitted to the second cell.
US09185675B2
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for classifying a mobile device location are described. An example of a method for classifying the mobile device location includes mapping the mobile device location to a pixel address in a dilated test texture, wherein the dilated test texture corresponds to an uncertainty estimation associated with the mobile device location and determining an in-out classification of the mobile device location based on a query of a pixel value associated with the pixel address in the dilated test texture.
US09185669B2
A method for uplink synchronization in a distributed antenna system is provided. A user equipment determines a transmission offset based on a transmission point for uplink synchronization, allocates uplink synchronization signal to a second communication channel based on the transmission offset, and transmits the uplink transmission signal to the transmission point for uplink synchronization through the second communication channel.
US09185667B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus (e.g., first transmitter) determines a transmission power of each of a plurality of neighboring transmitters respectively transmitting on a plurality of subchannels in a bandwidth, detects a pathloss to each of the plurality of neighboring transmitters respectively transmitting on the plurality of subchannels, and selects one of the plurality of subchannels for transmitting a signal based on the determined transmission power on each of the plurality of subchannels and the detected pathloss to each of the plurality of neighboring transmitters respectively transmitting on the plurality of subchannels.
US09185665B2
A Power Headroom Report (PHR) method and apparatus for a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method for transmitting PHR of a terminal in a mobile communication system includes configuring, when a PHR is triggered for at least one activated serving cell, an extended PHR for the at least one activated serving cell, the PHR being triggered when a change of a downlink path loss in the at least one activated serving cell is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and transmitting the extended PHR.
US09185656B2
An integrated circuit chip includes an output node, receiver front ends, and control logic. The receiver front ends are configured to receive an input signal. Each of the receiver front ends is configured to receive the input signal and provide an output signal at the output node. At least one of the receiver front ends is configured to selectively consume less power. The control logic is configured to select the number of receiver front ends providing an output signal to the output node based on a received signal strength indication.
US09185654B2
A network server, such as, for example, a mobile positioning center, having an information or schedule controller or having access to an information or schedule controller is provided. The information or schedule controller is provided with a schedule for a low duty cycle wireless device to provide the network server with the ability to store messages for transmission to the low duty cycle wireless device when the low duty cycle wireless device is in a low power mode of operation and transmit the messages during scheduled awake times.
US09185650B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for controlling by the User Equipment (UE) downlink power in early decode termination mode. In one aspect, the UE may be configured to perform early decoding of a downlink (DL) transmission from a base station. The UE further configured to estimate a signal-to-interference ratio (SIRE) of the DL transmission. Based on the SIRE, the UE is configured to select a Transmission Power Control (TPC) command sequence for a low power mode of operation of the UE in which a receiver is powered down. The UE is further configured to activate the low power mode and transmit the selected TPC command sequence to the base station to adjust a DL transmission power during the low power mode.
US09185644B2
A terminal device includes a communication unit, and a first identifying unit. The communication unit is configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of access points, receive an output signal from each of the plurality of access points, and send an instruction to an image processing device through one of the plurality of access points. The first identifying unit is configured to identify, from among the plurality of access points, at least one accessible access point from which the communication unit is currently capable of receiving the outputted signal, and identify a target access point through which the communication unit most recently has sent the instruction to the image processing device from among the at least one accessible access point. The communication unit connects to the target access point.
US09185642B2
A portable telephone equipped with a communication section used for communication inside and outside a country that includes an acquisition section configured to acquire information on a communications company that can be connected at the time of connection to a base station, a judgment section judges whether or not the acquired information on the communications company indicates a communications company for which flat-rate data communication is accessible, and a connection control section performs connection by the communication section to the communications company indicated by the acquired information on the communications company and sets that flat-rate data communication is accessible when judged YES by the judgment section, and conversely performs connection by the communication section to the communications company indicated by the acquired communications company information and sets that flat-rate data communication is not accessible when judged NO by judgment section.
US09185639B1
A system and method of assisting a radio in finding a network is presented. A method first detects existing nodes. A message is received on a slow communication link in a slow network from a new node. One or more existing nodes are found that may connect to new node with a fast communication link in a fast network. The fast network has a data rate that is faster than the slow network. A message is transmitted over the slow network to the new node to provide the new node possible existing nodes that are near it that it may connect to. Based on that message the new node establishes a fast communications link on the fast network between the new node and an existing node. The fast communications link can be a directional link.
US09185636B2
An apparatus and method for automatically searching for a low-power Base Station (BS) supporting access of a registered user in a mobile communication system includes a method of performing automatic search on a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) cell by a User Equipment (UE). The method includes determining by the UE whether automatic search needs to be performed on the CSG cell. The method also includes, if it is determined that automatic search does not need to be performed on the CSG cell, turning off by the UE a CSG cell automatic search function of the UE by emptying a first white list including CSG Identifiers of accessible CSG cells.
US09185632B2
An information storage apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits configuration information to an operation terminal connected to the information storage apparatus, the configuration information indicating whether the information storage apparatus is configured to store location information of the operation terminal; a control unit that performs a process requested by a request sent from the operation terminal; and a storage control unit that stores, in a storage unit of the information storage apparatus, the location information of the operation terminal in association with information related to the process requested by the request. When the configuration information indicates that the information storage apparatus is configured to store the location information, the control unit performs the process requested by the request only when the location information is received from the operation terminal together with the request.
US09185629B2
The present disclosure is directed to networks having reduced power consumption characteristics and associated methods. In one aspect, a method for reducing power consumption in a multi-hop network can include receiving data at a plurality of primary nodes in a multi-hop network and transmitting the data from the plurality of primary nodes to a plurality of secondary nodes. Individual primary nodes have nearest neighbors at a defined distance and the secondary nodes are spaced at a distance that is greater than the defined distance away from individual primary nodes. Data is transmitted from a given primary node to a secondary node by skipping at least one intervening node and reducing power consumption of the wireless network.
US09185626B1
A method of extending a peer-to-peer platform to a mobile communication device comprises assigning an identifier to a Voice over Internet Protocol identity and sending a license key to a trusted register in the mobile communication device. The method further comprises cross listing the identifier with the Voice over Internet Protocol identity, wherein a call placed to the Voice over Internet Protocol identity is routed to both an electronic device and the mobile communication device and routing a Voice Over Internet Protocol call addressed to the Voice over Internet Protocol identity to both the electronic device and the mobile communication device, wherein the call routing to the mobile communication device is based on the identifier and the cross listing.
US09185624B2
The present solution relates to a method in a user equipment (310) for setting up an activation time of a cell change of the user equipment (310) from a serving cell (305) to a target cell (308) in a wireless communications network (300). The user equipment (310) receives (501) a timing offset from a network controller (315), calculates (502) a cell change activation time based on the timing offset and transmits (503) the calculated activation time to the network controller (315). Then, the user equipment (310) receives (504) an approval of the cell change from the network controller (315) and moves (505) from the serving cell (306) to the target cell (308) at the activation time if the approval has been received.
US09185622B2
An approach is provided for cell re-selection. A notification message is generated to indicate initiation of a coverage area re-selection procedure to operate in a new coverage area from a current coverage area. The re-selection procedure is performed if an acknowledgement message is received in response to the notification message.
US09185621B2
The present invention provides a method for supporting mobility of selected IP traffic offload (SIPTO) by a server undertaking a control plane in a mobile communication network. The method can comprise the following steps: receiving a handover request message for a terminal receiving a SIPTO service by means of a source base station to a target base station; deciding whether to deactivate the SIPTO service; performing a process for disconnecting a public data network connection (PDN) for the SIPTO, based on the decision; and transmitting to the terminal via the source base station a message including information for reactivating the SIPTO after the handover, according to the decision.
US09185617B2
A method and system for supporting an evolved universal mobile telecommunication systems (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) are disclosed. The system includes a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a UTRAN and an E-UTRAN. The UTRAN sends to the WTRU a list of available radio access technologies in a coverage area of the UTRAN. The list includes information related to the E-UTRAN. The WTRU receives the list and may initiate a handoff based on the list. The WTRU then sends its multi-mode/multi-RAT capability information including the E-UTRAN capability to the UTRAN. The UTRAN then sends a measurement capability message to the WTRU. The measurement capability message includes parameters necessary for performing measurements on an E-UTRAN channel. The WTRU performs measurements based on the measurement capability message and reports measurement results to the UTRAN. The UTRAN may initiate a handoff to the E-UTRAN based on the measurement results.
US09185615B2
A wireless communication system according to the present invention is a wireless communication system including a mobile station and a base station that wirelessly communicates with the mobile station. The wireless communication system includes area determination unit that determines, based on position information of the mobile station, which of a plurality of areas the mobile station is positioned, in which the plurality of areas are obtained by dividing a cell managed by the base station, and neighbor cell information notification unit that notifies the mobile station of neighbor cell information associated with the area where the mobile station is positioned. This configuration enables cell search for the neighbor cell at the mobile station in a smaller area than a cell corresponding to the position of the mobile station.
US09185609B2
A handover control method includes the follow steps. First, determining a geographical location of each femtocell and determining a maximum bandwidth provided by each femtocell, and determining which femtocells are in a same region according to the geographical information of each femtocell. Secondly, selecting one or more femtocells from one region as server femtocells of the region by comparing the maximum bandwidth of the femtocells in the same region, and transmitting identification information of each server femtocell to non-server femtocells near the server femtocell. Thirdly. transmitting registration information of all other femtocells of all regions to each server femtocell. Fourthly, when receiving a handover report from user equipment to switch from an original femtocell to a target femtocell, obtaining the registration information of the target femtocell from one server femtocell. Finally, transmitting a control signal including the obtained registration information to the user equipment.
US09185605B2
A radio communication apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive information controlling a timing at which an access request for accessing an access destination over a network is to be executed. The radio communication apparatus also includes a control unit configured to control execution of the access request with a timing controlled based at least in part on the information. An associated method, medium and an information processing apparatus are also described.
US09185599B2
Disclosed is method for controlling interference in a wireless system having multiple sending and receiving nodes. In the method for controlling interference in a wireless system having multiple sending and receiving nodes, a plurality of receiving nodes share each other's channel information, each of the receiving nodes uses the shared channel information to calculate a precoding matrix which is fed back to the sending nodes, and each of the sending nodes uses each of the precoding matrices received as feedback to transmit a send signal to the receiving nodes, thereby controlling interference. Complete interference alignment can be achieved even by just sharing channel information between receiving nodes, and the invention can be employed not only for inter-cell interference but also for intra-cell interference environments.
US09185594B2
The present patent application improves DARP by allowing multiple users on one time slot (MUROS). It comprises means and instructions for sharing signals on a single channel, comprising setting up a new connection, allocating a new time slot if there is an unused time slot on a channel frequency, selecting an used time slot for the new connection to share with an existing connection if there is not an unused time slot on the channel frequency, and selecting a different training sequence code for the new connection if the used time slot on the channel frequency has been selected for the new connection to share with an existing connection.
US09185593B2
Wireless communication systems and methods of scheduling access terminal responses to an interactive multicast message are provided. A radio access network (RAN) generates an access control message (ACM), the ACM indicating feedback instructions for a plurality of access terminals (ATs) belonging to a given multicast group. The feedback instructions of the ACM designate a temporary manner in which the plurality of access terminals are to respond to an interactive multicast message. The target ATs receive the interactive multicast message as well as the ACM. The target ATs, or multicast group members, respond to the interactive multicast message based on the feedback instructions for the plurality of access terminals indicated by the ACM.
US09185589B2
Example methods and apparatus to identify wireless carrier performance effects are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device, monitoring a wireless carrier operating parameter in response to receiving the indication of media content presentation, and monitoring the wireless communication device for a media content presentation command. The example method also includes associating the media content presentation command and the wireless carrier operating parameter with a scoring factor indicative of subscriber preferences, and generating a report including the scoring factor.
US09185581B2
The present disclosure relates to identifying stale failure reports in a cellular communications network. In one embodiment, a node in a cellular communications network receives a failure report associated with a connection failure for a user equipment and determines when the connection failure occurred with respect to a most recent mobility adjustment made by the node. If the connection failure occurred before the most recent mobility adjustment made by the node, the node classifies the failure report as a stale failure report. In one embodiment, if the failure report is classified as a stale failure report, the node discards the failure. In another embodiment, if the failure report is classified as a stale failure report, the node considers the failure report with reduced relevance for a next iteration of a process to determine whether new mobility adjustments are desired.
US09185580B2
A method for performing a logged measurement in wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving measurement configuration from a network, logging MDT (Minimization of Driving Tests) measurement, detecting whether a condition for state transition has occurred, performing state transition when the condition for state transition has occurred, and logging state transition information related to said state transition.
US09185560B2
A wireless device may perform a local authentication to reduce the traffic on a network. The local authentication may be performed using a local web server and/or a local OpenID provider (OP) associated with the wireless device. The local web server and/or local OP may be implemented on a security module, such as a smartcard or a trusted execution environment for example. The local OP and/or local web server may be used to implement a provisioning phase to derive a session key, associated with a service provider, from an authentication between the wireless device and the network. The session key may be reusable for subsequent local authentications to locally authenticate a user of the wireless device to the service provider.
US09185559B2
A method and apparatus are provided for a subsidizing service provider entity to personalize a subscriber device to ensure the subscriber device cannot be used in a network of a different service provider entity. As the service provider entity subsidizes the subscriber device, it desires to ensure that subscriber device is personalized such that the subscriber device may operate only in its network and not a network of a different service provider entity. The subscriber device is pre-configured with a plurality of provider-specific and/or unassociated root certificates by the manufacturer of the subscriber device. A communication service is established between the service provider entity and the subscriber device allowing for the mutual authentication of the subscriber device and the service provider entity. After mutual authentication, the service provider entity sends a command to the subscriber device to disable/delete some/all root certificates that are unassociated with the service provider entity.
US09185556B2
An approach for forming a common network using shared private wireless networks is described. A shared access platform receives a request, from a user device, for connectivity to a wireless service provider network formed by a plurality of customer premise nodes. The shared access platform also authenticates, in response to the request, the user device for access to the wireless service provider network based on permission settings established for the plurality of nodes in association with the wireless service provider network.
US09185550B2
A vehicle wireless communication apparatus, including: a first portable device; a second portable device; a first receiver; a second receiver; a control apparatus; an in-vehicle communication network; and a relay unit, wherein, on receiving first directive data transmitted from the first portable device, the first receiver transmits first identification data of the first portable device to the relay unit; on receiving second directive data transmitted from the second portable device, the second receiver transmits second identification data of the second portable device to the relay unit; and on receiving the first identification data transmitted from the first portable device or the second identification data transmitted from the second portable device, the relay unit transmits more-recently received data to the control apparatus as identification data continuously at predetermined regular intervals.
US09185540B2
Apparatus configured to operate as a network element within an IMS to provide services to a subscriber. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving charging function information for the subscriber provided by a subscriber profile server, the charging function information including an indication of a plurality of IMS network element types that may be used to provide services to the subscriber and, for each of the plurality of IMS network element types, specifying whether an IMS network element of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether an IMS network of that type should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function. The apparatus further comprises a processor for determining whether the IMS network element should send charging information for the subscriber to an offline charging function and whether the IMS network should send charging information for the subscriber to an online charging function and a transmitter for sending charging information to any of an offline charging function accordingly.
US09185534B2
In a method of notifying a user of an option to participate in a meta game, a presence of a player of a computer-implemented game at a location is detected. An association between a computer-implemented meta-game and the location is identified. The player of the computer-implemented game is presented with an option to participate in the computer-implemented meta-game. An indication of an acceptance of the option to participate in the computer-implemented meta game is received from the player of the computer-implemented game. A performance of an action within the computer-implemented game by the player of the computer-implemented game is reflected within the computer-implemented meta game.
US09185533B2
A process includes receiving a first communication on a first call associated with a first subscriber identity module (SIM) in an user equipment (UE). The process further includes receiving a second communications on a second call associated with a second SIM in the UE. The process also includes outputting from the UE the received first communications and the received second communications. The process further includes selectively transmitting communications from the UE to an active call selected from one of the first call or the second call.
US09185532B2
A method and a device for transmitting electronic mail messages using a mobile wireless telephone network short message service are provided. An electronic mail message is transmitted by using the at least one short message which includes a short message header portion and a short message data portion. The short message data portion includes a user data header portion having: a) an identifying data field to identify that the short message data portion includes addressing information in accordance with RFC 822, and b) a length data field identifying a length of the addressing information in accordance with RFC 822. The addressing information in accordance with RFC 822 includes data fields differentiated from one another by keywords.
US09185509B2
An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform providing a visual representation of at least one audio parameter associated with at least one audio signal, detecting via an interface an interaction with the visual representation of the audio parameter, and processing the at least one audio signal associated with the audio parameter dependent on the interaction.
US09185507B2
Ambience signal components are obtained from source audio signals, matrix-decoded signal components are obtained from the source audio signals, and the ambience signal components are controllably combined with the matrix-decoded signal components. Obtaining ambience signal components may include applying at least one decorrelation filter sequence. The same decorrelation filter sequence may be applied to each of the input audio signals or, alternatively, a different decorrelation filter sequence may be applied to each of the input audio signals.
US09185502B2
An acoustic transmission device for transmission of acoustical energy to the cochlea includes a liquid conducting assembly, an acoustic input unit, and a vibration transducer abutting a transmission area on an outer surface of the skin over a transition area of the acoustic input unit. The assembly includes a tube with a liquid or semi-liquid medium filling the bore of the tube, and is adapted to be terminated in direct operative association with the cochlea. The acoustic input unit is adapted to be disposed subcutaneously between a skull bone surface and an external skin surface. The vibration transducer is adapted to be magnetically attachable at a fastening area adjacent to the transmission area by a magnetic assembly configured to be provided under the skin in the fastening area around the transition area.
US09185498B2
The invention regards a hearing device with two or more microphone units each having a conduit leading from a respective sound inlet in the hearing-device housing to a respective transducer, wherein the lengths of the conduits may differ without causing a difference in the frequency characteristics of the microphone units and wherein ultrasonic frequencies may be dampened, while at the same time providing higher freedom in the physical layout of the hearing device. This is achieved in that each conduit comprises a chamber and a pipe forming a resonator, and in that the frequencies of resonance (f1, f2) of the resonators are equal.
US09185492B2
The systems and methods described herein relate to, among other things, a transducer capable of producing acoustic and tactile stimulation. The transducer includes a rigid mass element disposed on the diaphragm of a speaker. The mass element may optionally be removable and may have a mass selected such that the resonant frequency of the transducer falls within the range of frequencies present in an input electrical audio signal. The systems and methods advantageously benefits from both the fidelity and audio performance of a full-range speaker while simultaneously producing high-fidelity, adjustable and palpable haptic vibrations.
US09185490B2
A single enclosure loudspeaker system projects multi-channel surround sound into a listener's room, and so replaces multiple conventional surround channel loudspeakers. The loudspeaker system includes a pair of opposing multi transducer arrays oriented laterally toward walls or reflecting surfaces (relative to the viewing axis) within the media space. The multi-element arrays are housed in a single self-powered loudspeaker enclosure along with a single (or multiple) low-frequency electro-acoustical drive element(s). In one embodiment of the invention, surround channel program material is pre-processed by an integrated wireless transmission device that performs certain digital signal processing and channel mixing steps in advance of wireless surround signal broadcast to a receiver.
US09185489B2
A device that may be used as an automatic voiding diary detects urinary and/or fecal voiding events and records voiding information indicative of the voiding events without the need for significant patient interaction. The device includes a microphone that captures internal and/or external sounds that are associated with voiding events and generates an electrical signal based the sounds. The device processes the electrical signal to determine whether the signal is indicative of the occurrence of a voiding event (i.e., the device detects voiding events) by, for example, comparing the electrical signal to a signal template or comparing an amplitude of the signal to a threshold. The device may be a device implanted within the patient or an external device that can be carried or attached to the body or clothing of the patient.
US09185472B2
When a communication session is implemented, the communications of a direct mode terminal may be mediated via a direct mode gateway such that messages of a direct mode first terminal are addressed with identification information of the direct mode gateway. In the invention identity information of a user of the direct mode terminal is delivered to a trunked mode terminal in a user plane signalling message of the communication session. In terminal procedures identity of the direct mode gateway may be replaced by identity information received in the user plane signalling message. Identity of the direct mode terminal is then in a simple manner made available to terminal procedures of the trunked mode terminal.
US09185467B2
A reception apparatus is configured to receive data including a plurality of packets each of which has information on a time point when the packet is generated; to extract a terminal packet which is a packet included in the data received and which has information on a time point which is nearest to a current time point; and to control an operation clock by comparing the information on the time point included in the terminal packet with information on an elapsed time obtained by adding information on a time point, which is included in a terminal packet of preceding data, to an elapsed time from when the preceding data is received to the current time point.
US09185466B2
Several million television receive antennas installed on roof tops in the US and around the world. A method is disclosed that uses each of the millions of television receive antennas as transmitters to provide high speed wireless mobile and broadband infrastructure to send and receive internet, data, audio, video, at user locations and communication between devices and sensors securely. This is the first converged broadcast and broadband interactive wireless infrastructure utilizing the television as an interface for applications such as financial transactions, home-to-home interconnection, environmental, energy management (smart meters), social networking, streaming, gaming, and security management. A personal server connects to a television receiver and antenna which connects among them wirelessly and connect to a broadcasting site server and an electric-substation server. The invention creates wireless cloud eliminating the need of a personal computer. The method overcomes the problem of interference whist preserving latency, synchronization, and time accuracy.
US09185465B2
A method can include initiating a video request via an application operating on a smart device. The method can also include transmitting the video request to a service provider from the smart device via a network to enable transmission of configuration information to a one-way set-top box and to enable transmission of video content corresponding to media content associated with the video request to the one-way set-top box based on the configuration information.
US09185464B2
A method includes providing identifying information for a customer premises communication device to a provider network, wherein the customer premises communication device is a node of a customer premises network. The method may further include registering a communication channel between the customer premises communication device and the provider network. In addition, the method may include receiving at least one service alert message from the provider network using the communication channel. The type of service alert message is selected based on the customer premises communication device.
US09185454B2
A system and method for linking the account of a subscriber of a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD) network to an account of the subscriber on a social networking site and to receive invitations to follow a page or join a group hosted on a social networking site that is relevant to the video content being displayed on the subscriber's television.
US09185449B2
An interactive television program guide system based on multiple user television equipment devices in a single household is provided. The system provides a user with an opportunity to adjust program guide settings with a given one of the interactive television program guides. The system coordinates the operation of the interactive television program guides so that the program guide settings that were adjusted with the given interactive television program guide are used by the other interactive television program guides. Program guide setting include features related to setting program reminders, profiles, program recording features, messaging features, favorites features, parental control features, program guide set up features (e.g., audio and video and language settings); etc. The operation of applications such as web browser applications; home shopping applications, home banking applications, game applications, etc. may also be coordinated.
US09185448B2
A remote control method comprises: providing a receiving device electrically connected with a display device; the receiving device establishing wireless communication connections respectively with a mobile internet device and a computer; a user inputting a control instruction to the mobile internet device to transmit the control instruction to the receiving device therefrom; the receiving device forwarding the control instruction to the computer; and the computer responding to the control instruction and transmitting a screen frame to the receiving device for the display device to output the screen frame. The remote control method may simplify the operating procedures for switching computers and enhance the communication quality between the mobile internet device and the computer.
US09185446B1
A method includes displaying content on a television, detecting a personal display device in proximity of the television, detecting a selection of content displayed on the television, detecting an instruction associated with the selection, displaying, based on the instruction, information associated with the selection on the personal display device and displaying on the television an alert indicating that the information associated with the selection is on the personal display device.
US09185445B2
Systems and methods for transmitting a prioritized audio stream along with multimedia content are disclosed. A particular method includes receiving a designation at a server of a prioritized audio stream to be transmitted with multimedia content. The designation is received at a server prior to transmission of the multimedia content. The multimedia content is retrieved from a first content source and the prioritized audio stream is retrieved from a second content source that is different than the first content source, where the first content source and the second content source are external to the server. The prioritized audio stream is added to a least a portion of the multimedia content to form a composite content stream. The method includes transmitting the composite content stream to a destination device via a network.
US09185444B2
A video playback system with multiple video decoders includes a content provider server for providing video signals of a target video; a first video decoder; a first display for displaying video content outputted from the first video decoder; a second video decoder; a second display for displaying video content outputted from the second video decoder; a playback control server for controlling the first and the second video decoders; and a mobile communication device for transmitting selection messages to the playback control server via internet and then transmitting modification messages to the playback control server via internet. The playback control server opts to utilize the first video decoder to receive a portion of video signals of the target video according to the selection message, and opts to utilize the second video decoder to receive subsequent video signals of the target video according to the modification message.
US09185439B2
A server may provide information describing characteristics of audio and video components to a client, separately from encoded samples of the audio and video components themselves. The client may use the information to select components, and then to request the selected components, e.g., in accordance with a streaming network protocol. In one example, an apparatus for sending encapsulated video data includes a processor configured to determine characteristics for components of a plurality of representations of video content, wherein the characteristics comprise at least one of a frame rate, a profile indicator, a level indicator, and dependencies between the components, and one or more interfaces configured to send the characteristics to a client device, receive a request from the client device for at least one of the components after sending the characteristics, and send the requested components to the client device in response to the request.
US09185438B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving video content at a mobile device via a network from a video server wherein a single version of the video content is provided by the video server to a group of mobile devices that includes the mobile device, utilizing the mobile device for adjusting dimensions of an area of attention in an image of the video content based on a desired display resolution to generate an adjusted area of attention, utilizing the mobile device for adjusting dimensions of a peripheral portion that surrounds the area of attention in at least one of a horizontal or vertical direction based on the adjusted area of attention to generate an adjusted peripheral portion of an adjusted image, and replacing the image with the adjusted image during presentation of the video content at a display of the mobile device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09185427B2
Several improvements for use with Bidirectionally Predictive (B) pictures within a video sequence are provided. In certain improvements Direct Mode encoding and/or Motion Vector Prediction are enhanced using spatial prediction techniques. In other improvements Motion Vector prediction includes temporal distance and subblock information, for example, for more accurate prediction. Such improvements and other presented herein significantly improve the performance of any applicable video coding system/logic.
US09185417B2
Video decoder apparatus and method, for decoding a motion-compensated transform-coded video stream. The apparatus has: a first mode in which it is operable to decode the video stream at a first resolution, and wherein a motion-compensation step of the decoding is performed in the image-domain. It also has a second mode in which it is operable to decode the video stream at a second resolution, and wherein at least one motion-compensation step is performed in the transform-domain. The decoder is adapted to switch between the two modes while decoding the video stream.
US09185414B1
Disclosed herein are implementations of systems, methods, and apparatuses for video encoding using variance. One aspect of the disclosed implementations includes a method for encoding a video stream that includes generating a first input variance based on pixel values of a first block of a first frame of the video stream, generating a first reconstruction variance based on pixel values of a reconstructed first block that is reconstructed from an encoding of the first block, comparing the first input variance and the first reconstruction variance to detect a visual artifact in the reconstructed first block, and encoding a second block of a second frame of the video stream using an encoding mode that is selected based on the detection of the visual artifact in the reconstructed first block by the comparison.
US09185413B2
A channel equalizer includes a first transformer, an estimator, an average calculator, a second transformer, a coefficient calculator, a compensator, and a third transformer. The first transformer converts normal data into frequency domain data, where a known data sequence is periodically repeated in the normal data. The estimator estimates channel impulse responses (CIR) during known data intervals adjacent to each normal data block. The average calculator calculates an average value of the CIRs. The second transformer converts the average value into frequency domain data. The coefficient calculator calculates equalization coefficients using the average value, and the compensator compensates channel distortion of each normal data block using the coefficients. The third transformer converts the compensated data block into time domain data.
US09185412B2
Systems, methods, and processor executable code for high quality wide-range multi-layer image compression of a sequence of video images. A computer-implemented method of adding signal-to-noise improvement layers which are targeted to specific aspects of a sequence of images. The method comprises selecting one or more aspects of a coded image to improve, isolating those image aspects using the selection criteria, and coding a signal-to-noise layer using the isolated coded image aspects. A computer-implemented method for generating a signal-to-noise correction layer from a digitized video image represented as pixels. The method comprises quantizing and dequantizing the digitized video image to create a coded image, subtracting the coded image from the digitized video image to create a signal-to-noise difference image represented as pixels, and applying one or both of quantization weighting and pixel weighting to the signal-to-noise difference image pixel values such that larger difference image pixel values have smaller quantized values.
US09185411B2
A method for decoding video includes receiving a frame of the video that includes at least one slice and at least one tile. Each of the at least one slice and the at least one tile are not all aligned with one another. Each of the at least one slice is characterized that it is decoded independently of the other the at least one slice. Each of the at least one tile is characterized that it is a rectangular region of the frame and having coding units for the decoding arranged in a raster scan order. The at least one tile of the frame are collectively arranged in a raster scan order of the frame.
US09185408B2
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for signaling the storage of motion information describing the depicted motion associated with digital pictures. In one embodiment, the method comprises signaling the replacement of a motion vector stored in connection with a previously coded picture with the motion vector of the currently coded frame. Another signal may be used to indicate motion vector replacement for all pictures in a sequence.
US09185400B2
A computer-implemented method for determining a video frame type, comprising the steps of receiving a video frame and analyzing the contents of consecutive lines of the video frame in frequency domain by detecting a number of LR-type lines (μLR) of the video frame for which the left half of the line is phase-correlated with the right half of the line, detecting an LR mean error (εLR) as a function of the difference between the values of Fourier transform coefficients for the left half of the line and the right half of the line, detecting a number of TB lines (μTB) of a top half of the frame which are phase-correlated with lines of a bottom half of the frame and detecting a TB mean error (εTB) as a function of the difference between the values of Fourier transform coefficients for the lines of the top half of the frame and the lines of the bottom half of the frame. The method further comprises the step of calculating probability coefficients specifying that the frame type is a TB-type (pTB) or LR-type (pLR) 3D frame as a function of the LR mean error (εLR) and the TB mean error (εTB) and calculating a probability coefficient specifying that the frame type is a 2D frame as a function of the number of LR-type lines (μLR) and the number of TB lines (μTB).
US09185385B2
The present invention makes it possible to perform transmission of stereo image data between devices in a favorable manner. A source device (disc player 210) receives E-EDID from a sink device (television receiver 250) via DDC of an HDMI cable 350. This E-EDID contains information on 3D image data transmission modes that can be supported by the sink device. On the basis of the information on 3D image data transmission modes from the sink device, the source device selects a predetermined transmission mode from among the 3D image data transmission modes that can be supported by the sink device. The sink device transmits 3D image data in the selected transmission mode to the sink device. For the convenience of processing in the sink device, the source device transmits information on the transmission mode for the 3D image data transmitted, to the sink device by using an AVI InfoFrame packet or the like. The sink device processes the 3D image data received from the source device in accordance with its transmission mode, thereby obtaining left eye and right eye image data.
US09185380B2
One embodiment is a method of presenting an audio-visual work which includes: (a) detecting media work content properties in a visual portion of the audio-visual work using a media work content properties detection apparatus; (b) associating a presentation rate of the portion of the audio-visual work with the detected media work content properties; and (c) presenting the portion of the audio-visual work using the media work content properties detection apparatus; wherein the media work content properties comprise one or more of a predetermined number of items in a video frame, a predetermined number of moving items in a video frame, and one or more predetermined individuals; and wherein the audio-visual work is output from a surveillance camera.
US09185375B2
The color imaging element and the imaging device according to the present invention can improve reproduction precision of demosaicing processing in a high frequency region and suppress aliasing. Further, the color imaging element can achieve high resolution by reducing occurrence of color moire (false color). Furthermore, the color imaging element and the imaging device can perform pixel demosaicing processing with high precision. Still furthermore, a basic array pattern including a square pattern and a grating filter line is repeated in a first direction and a second direction, and thus a color filter array can perform signal processing in a subsequent stage according to a repeating pattern of the square pattern and the grating filter line, and can simplify the processing in a subsequent stage more than a conventional random array.
US09185372B2
An illumination apparatus emits light onto an optical modulation device for forming an image according to a modulation signal and illuminating an object. The illumination apparatus includes a light source; a fluorescent material that emits light of a color different from a color of light emitted by the light source; and a light guiding unit that switches between a state in which the light emitted from the light source is guided to the fluorescent material and a state in which the light emitted from the light source is not guided to the fluorescent material.
US09185370B2
A camera according to the present invention, which is capable of continuous shooting before and after a still image shot according to photographer's operation, comprises: an imaging section converting an object image into image data; a still image shooting section obtaining image data of the still image according to release operation; a continuous shooting section obtaining the image data by continuous shooting before and after the obtaining of the still image in the still image shooting section; an image processing section performing image processing which is different from that of the image data obtained by the still image shooting section and changed sequentially, on the image data obtained by the continuous shooting section; and a recording section recording the image data image-processed by the image processing section.
US09185363B2
An imaging system is provided for a vehicle. The imaging system includes: an imager configured to image a forward external scene of the controlled vehicle and to generate image frame data corresponding to each frame of a series of acquired image frames; and a processor configured to receive and analyze the image frame data to detect a dominant scene motion and to determine relative motion of objects as compared to the dominant scene motion, and wherein the analysis of the image frame data performed by the processor includes categorizing objects detected in the image frame data using the relative motion of those objects.
US09185357B2
According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a multimodal optical sectioning microscope (200, 400, 600) for full-field imaging of a volumic and scattering sample comprising: —a full-field OCT system for providing an image of a first section in depth of the sample comprising an illumination sub-system (201, 401, 601) and a full-field imaging interferometer with a detection sub system (208, 408, 608) and an optical conjugation device for optically conjugating the sample and said detection sub system, wherein said optical conjugation device comprises a microscope objective (203, 403, 603), —a supplementary full-field optical sectioning imaging system for providing a fluorescent image of a second section in depth of said sample comprising a structured illumination microscope with an illumination sub system (623), means (421, 422) for generating at the focal plane of said microscope objective of said full-field imaging interferometer a variable spatial pattern illumination and a detection sub system (624), optically conjugated with said focal plane of the microscope objective.
US09185354B2
A home health care monitoring method and system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes: capturing a plurality of video sequences from a plurality of respective cameras disposed in different locations within a patient's home, including capturing two-dimensional image data and depth data for each video sequence; defining a plurality of events to monitor associated with the patient, the events including, during a predetermined time period, at least (1) the patient's body being in a particular position for at least a predetermined amount of time; performing depth-enhanced video content analysis on the plurality of video sequences to determine whether the event (1) has occurred. The video content analysis may include: for each of at least two cameras: automatically detecting a human object based on the two-dimensional image data; using the depth data to confirm whether the human object is in the particular position; and based on the confirmation, tracking an amount of time that the human object is in the particular position; and then determining that the event (1) has occurred based on the collective tracked amount of time.
US09185351B2
Roughly described, a system and method for delivering video content to a user's client device in a video-on-demand (VOD) system, which includes providing a collection of video segments, the segments having a predefined default sequence; establishing a streaming video session according to a session-oriented protocol; transmitting toward the client device a script executable by the client device, the script operable to transmit navigational codes toward the head-end equipment in response to and indicating user selection among navigational choices; beginning transmission of the video segments in the collection toward the client device in accordance with the default sequence of segments; and in response to receipt of one of the navigational codes, and without tearing down the streaming video session, altering the transmission sequence to jump to the segment that the user selected.
US09185349B2
According to conventional arts, object data must be included in video data in advance. However, including the object data in the video data causes a problem to increase a data amount to be transmitted from a broadcasting station (transmission terminal) to a reception terminal. In addition, according to the conventional arts, since there is no opportunity to previously insert the object data in video data of real-time broadcasting such as live broadcasting, the user cannot display detailed information of a desired object. Provided is a technique to display detailed information of a desired object in video without increasing an amount of data in distribution of the video data when a user indicates the object in the video through a touch panel or the like, by transmitting indicated coordinate information and indication timing information corresponding to such indication to a search server, obtaining corresponding object data from the search server and displaying the object data on the display.
US09185348B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for recommending broadcasting contents by using a multimedia contents reproducing device, the method including the operations of generating a user list about one or more second users related to a first user; displaying the user list on a screen of the multimedia contents reproducing device; selecting at least a third user from among the one or more second users in the user list; and transmitting a recommendation message to the third user, wherein the recommendation message is related to recommending a first broadcasting content currently being watched by the first user, or a second broadcasting content selected from an Electronic Program Guide (EPG).
US09185344B2
A transmission terminal is connected to a management device via a network. The transmission terminal includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a communication state of another transmission terminal from the management device; a selection accepting unit configured to accept a selection of the another transmission terminal from a user to participate in an established session that has been already established for the another transmission terminal; a participation determination unit configured to determine that it is not possible to participate in the established session when the communication state of the another transmission terminal whose selection has been accepted indicates participation restriction; and a communication unit configured not to transmit a participation request to the management device when it is determined that the participation is not possible.
US09185336B2
According to the present invention, provided is a disc player device (100) that automatically performs a user operation for playing a first play that is a title played before playing of a main part or display of a menu, faster than playing at a normal speed after the power is applied. A signal processing unit (15) is provided with a menu detection unit (17) to analyze structure of various data and detect a menu state, a main part detection unit (18) to detect playing state of a main part from the various data, and a user operation unit (19) to automatically perform a user operation for playing a title currently being played faster than playing at a normal speed until a menu state is detected by the menu detection unit (17) or a playing state of a main part is detected by the main part detection unit (18) when the signal processing unit (15) determines that a First Playback exists after the power is applied.
US09185334B2
In one embodiment, there is provided an image processing device. The image processing device includes: an acquisition module configured to acquire one or more images stored in one or more servers through a network; a generator configured to generate video data based on the images; a first transmitter configured to transmit an instruction through the network to a display device to play back the video data; and a second transmitter configured to transmit the video data to the display device through the network in response to a request from the display device.
US09185324B2
An EPG data service for an Intelligent TV includes various of source plugins polling and retrieving updated EPG information from a plurality of respective EPG information sources and an EPG subservice receiving the EPG information retrieved by the various source plugins, aggregate the EPG information, and provide a relevant portion of the EPG information to an application of the Intelligent TV. For an EPG source with substantially no updated EPG information, the respective source plugin associates EPG information from the EPG source with dummy EPG data. The EPG subservice aggregates the updated EPG information from the plurality of EPG sources and resolve conflicts between duplicate EPG information from the plurality of EPG sources according to various rules.
US09185321B1
An apparatus is configured to process at least one of video data, audio data and ancillary data to generate an output for broadcast. The apparatus includes a plurality of processing components and a control engine configured to receive at least one topology from a host system, each of the at least one topology provides a grouping of the plurality of processing components to process the at least one of the video data, the audio data and the ancillary data received by the apparatus, respectively. For each of the at least one topology, the control engine is configured to determine commands for execution by the processing components on a frame-by-frame basis, to generate the commands for execution by the processing components, and to send commands to the processing components to process the data.
US09185313B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device, including, a pixel array unit, first driving means, second driving means, and third driving means.
US09185307B2
Imaging systems may be provided with stacked-chip image sensors. A stacked-chip image sensor may include a vertical chip stack that includes an array of image pixels, control circuitry and storage and processing circuitry. The image pixel array may be coupled to the control circuitry using vertical metal interconnects. The control circuitry may provide digital image data to the storage and processing circuitry over additional vertical conductive. The stacked-chip image sensor may be configured to capture image frames at a capture frame rate and to output processed image frames at an output frame rate that is lower that the capture frame rate. The storage and processing circuitry may be configured to process image frames concurrently with image capture operations. Processing image frames concurrently with image capture operations may include adjusting the positions of moving objects and by adjusting the pixel brightness values of regions of image frames that have changing brightness.
US09185300B2
A photographing apparatus is disclosed. The photographing apparatus includes a determination unit which determines a scene category to which an input image belongs from a plurality of predetermined scene categories, a photographing unit which photographs the input image, a control unit which controls the photographing unit to generate an original image corresponding to the input image and an additional image where image processing corresponding to the determined scene category has been performed on the input image, and a display unit which displays the generated original image and additional image according to a predetermined event.
US09185298B2
Provided is an image blur correction apparatus including a lens unit having an imaging optical system and an imaging unit configured to generate an image signal of a captured image, a blur detection unit configured to detect blurring occurring in the lens unit, a first correction unit configured to perform image blur correction by turning the lens unit in a first direction and in a second direction, a second correction unit configured to perform image blur correction on a captured image obtained by the imaging optical system, and an image blur correction control unit configured to drive the first correction unit and the second correction unit based on blurring detected by the blur detection unit.
US09185289B2
Generating a composite geo-referenced panoramic field of view image of a geographic area is provided. Geodetic coordinates are generated for each of a plurality of pixels in a digital image capturing the geographic area based on a corrected amount of image distortion in each line of pixels in the plurality of pixels in the digital image. Each of the plurality of pixels in the digital image with the calculated geodetic coordinates is mapped to a geo-referenced map corresponding to the geographic area based on the calculated geodetic coordinates of each pixel. The composite geo-referenced panoramic field of view image of the geographic area is generated based on the mapping of each of the plurality of pixels in the digital image with the calculated geodetic coordinates to the geo-referenced map corresponding to the geographic area captured in the digital image.
US09185284B2
Certain embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating a single group image from multiple captured images. A first image and a second image may be captured, the first image including a first part of a group and the second image including a second part of the group. A user interface may be provided, in some embodiments, for capture of the second image that enables a photographer to provide input regarding the relative positioning of the first and second image as well as providing input on the relative positioning of the first and second parts of the group and the image scene background. In some embodiments, a lowest energy seam line may be determined for an overlapping portion of the first and second images, and the lowest energy seam line may be used for generating a final stitched image including both the first and second parts of the group.
US09185282B2
There is provided a system including a housing configured to be grasped by a hand, a determination unit configured to determine whether an object point is present in a vicinity of an electronic apparatus, a recognition unit configured to recognize a relative relationship between the object point and a position of the electronic apparatus when the determination unit has determined that the object point is present in the vicinity, and a stimulation control unit configured to perform control in a manner that a stimulus is provided to a hand in accordance with the recognized relative relationship.
US09185278B2
There is provided headgear having a variety of components. In one form, the headgear includes a camera device mounted to a brim thereof. Camera accessories that can be mounted to the headgear can include a switch, a control panel, a view finder, one or more lights. The headgear can also include a heat sink mounted to the brim to dissipate heat, and can be configured to block radio frequency emissions, generated by powered components of the headgear, such as the camera, a circuit board, one or more lights, or the like. The headgear can also include a 3D camera device having first and second lens devices mounted to the brim in a spaced configuration.
