US09431727B2
A terminal connection structure for an electric wire, the electric wire including an internal conductor which is covered with a first insulating cover (21) and an external conductor which is provided coaxially with the internal conductor to surround an outer circumference of the first insulating cover and covered with a second insulating cover, the terminal connection structure including: a first terminal which is connected to a part where the internal conductor is exposed; a second terminal which is connected to a part where the external conductor is exposed; and an insulating portion which is interposed between the first insulating cover and the second terminal.
US09431723B2
A female terminal fitting (10) is provided with a tubular main body portion (20) into which a mating male tab (90) is to be inserted, and a resilient contact piece (21) deflectably arranged in the main body portion (20). The resilient contact piece (21) is resiliently deformed toward a base wall (22) of the main body portion (20) to resiliently come into contact with the male tab (90) when the male tab (90) is inserted into the main body portion (20). An excessive deflection regulating piece (33) for regulating excessive deflection of the resilient contact piece (21) by coming into contact with the base wall (22) of the main body portion (20) is integrally provided to the resilient contact piece (21).
US09431722B2
An electrical contact system is provided for contacting a coil, in particular a coil of a rotational speed sensor, having: a holding body, the holding body being electrically insulated, a line segment, at least one electrical line, the electrical line being surrounded by an electrical insulating layer, at least one spring element, the at least one spring element being electrically conductive, the at least one spring element having at least one opening, the at least one opening forming a cutting edge in at least some regions of its edge, the at least one spring element being pressed with the at least one cutting edge against the line segment in such a way that the at least one cutting edge pierces through the electrical insulating layer and an electrical contact is produced between the at least one spring element and the at least one line segment.
US09431721B2
A contact element for creating an electrical contact between a first and a second electrical or electronic component, including a one-piece, elongated, and flat body. The body may include a first end segment, a second end segment opposite the first end segment, an insulation displacement connection site in the first end segment, and a lamellae contact with two lamellae being located at the second end segment. At least one lamella may be resilient.
US09431720B2
A portion of a conductor of a flat circuit body is exposed from an insulating layer covering at least one of surfaces of the conductor. A terminal includes a bottom plate on which the exposed portion of the conductor is provided, and crimp claws which are raised at two side edges of the bottom plate so that the exposed portion of the conductor is disposed therebetween. A protective plate is provided on the exposed portion of the conductor, and has a strength so as not to be penetrated by the crimp claws when the crimp claws are crimped onto the protective member. The crimp claws are crimped onto the protective plate so that the terminal is crimped to the conductor in a state where the exposed portion of the conductor is in surface contact with the bottom plate.
US09431715B1
A flared feed horn including a plurality of signal lines deposited on a bottom surface of a substrate and forming part of a TE11 sum mode launcher, a ground plane deposited a top surface of the substrate, and an outer conductor electrically coupled to the ground plane and having an internal chamber, where the conductor includes a flared portion and a cylindrical portion. The outer conductor includes an opening opposite to the substrate defining an aperture of the feed horn. The feed horn also includes an embedded conductor positioned within the chamber and being coaxial with the outer conductor, where the embedded conductor is in electrical contact with the plurality of signal lines. The feed horn also includes a TE12 difference mode launcher electrically coupled to the outer conductor proximate the aperture.
US09431714B2
An antenna formed on a semiconductor structure having a substrate with electrical circuits thereon operationally related to the functionality of an antenna and one or more metallic structures formed by a through silicon via, microbump, copper pillar, or redistribution layer proximate to the substrate. The one or more metallic structures form a radiating element of the antenna. Exemplary antennas thus formed can include a slot antenna, a WLAN slot antenna, a planar invented F antenna (PIFA), a spiral antenna, a dipole antenna, a Yagi antenna, a planar dipole antenna, a vertical dipole antenna, a patch antenna, a helical antenna, a loop patch antenna, and combinations thereof.
US09431713B2
In one example, a patch antenna includes a conductive ground plane layer, a conductive circular patch layer, a dielectric layer, a grounding connection, and a RF feed. The conductive circular patch layer includes a plurality of voids. The dielectric layer is disposed between and contacts each of the ground plane layer and the circular patch layer. The grounding connection extends from the ground plane layer through the dielectric layer and contacts the circular patch layer at a grounding location of the circular patch layer. The RF feed extends through the ground plane layer and the dielectric layer and contacts the circular patch layer at a RF feed location of the circular patch layer. The RF feed location is offset from a central axis of the circular patch layer.
US09431710B2
A printed wide band monopole antenna module is provided. The module comprises: a substrate having a first surface, a ground terminal part formed on the first surface, and an antenna body disposed on the first surface opposite to the ground terminal part. The antenna body comprises: a first extending part having a first length, a second extending part having a second length, and a third extending part having a first width. The width of the second extending part is the first width plus a second width. The second extending part forms a connection with the first and the third extending part. The ratio of the first length to the second length is less than a first value. The ratio of the first length to the sum of the first and the second width is less than a second value.
US09431706B2
A multi-band antenna including a ground plane, a radiation element, a first extension element and a second extension element is provided. The radiation element includes a first portion and a second portion electrically connected with each other. The first portion has a feeding point. The first and the second extension elements are extended from the ground plane. The first extension element and the first portion are spaced by a first coupling distance. The second extension element and the second portion are spaced by a second coupling distance. The multi-band antenna is operated in a first band through the radiation element. A feeding signal from the radiation element excites the first and the second extension elements through the first and the second coupling distances so that the multi-band antenna is operated further in a second band and a third band.
US09431703B1
A differential phase shifter assembly with n striplines positioned concentrically with one another, on the opposite stripline ends of which connecting points for connecting lines leading to radiators are provided, where n is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2. A feeding and/or tapping device is pivotable about a central and/or pivot axis, and is therefore pivotable over the plurality of striplines while establishing a primary capacitive coupling. A central feed serves to feed the feeding and/or tapping device. At least one to n−1 secondary capacitive couplings are additionally provided. The one or more secondary capacitive couplings are provided on the side of the feeding and/or tapping assembly facing the primary capacitive coupling. For the at least one additional secondary capacitive coupling, at least one additional branched feeding and/or tapping device is provided, which together with the feeding and/or tapping device is pivotable about the central and/or pivot axis.
US09431702B2
An antenna system connected to a radio in a Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) arrangement and configured to communicate in an area of coverage. The antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements. The plurality of antenna elements further includes a first plurality of antenna elements configured to communicate on a first frequency band and a second plurality of antenna elements configured to communicate on a second frequency band. A plurality of MIMO-configured radio ports on the radio communicates radio signals to and from the antenna elements. A beam-forming network is connected to at least two of the first plurality of antenna elements and to at least two radio ports. The beam-forming network is configured to form space diversity beams in the area of coverage.
US09431700B2
A modal antenna is formed within a battery assembly for use with a portable electronic device. In certain embodiments, the antenna is printed on an exterior surface of a battery enclosure using a conductive ink. In other embodiments, the antenna is attached, or etched, on a substrate; the substrate may at least partially include a battery housing. The antenna can include an Isolated Magnetic Dipole (IMD) antenna, or other radiating structure. Active components, such as active tuning components, are optionally included in the antenna-integrated battery assembly for the purpose of tuning the antenna.
US09431699B2
Electronic devices may be provided that contain conductive paths. A conductive path may be formed from an elongated metal member that extends across a dielectric gap in an antenna. The antenna may be formed from conductive structures that form an antenna ground and conductive structures that are part of a peripheral conductive housing member in the electronic device. The gap may separate the peripheral conductive housing member from the conductive structures. A conductive path may also be formed using one or more springs. A spring may be welded to a conductive member and may have prongs that press against an additional conductive member when the spring is compressed. The prongs may have narrowed tips, curved shapes, and burrs that help form a satisfactory electrical contact between the spring prongs and the additional conductive member.
US09431696B2
A communication device including a ground element, a dielectric substrate, and an antenna element is provided. The dielectric substrate is disposed nearby the ground element and has a first surface and a second surface. The antenna element includes a first metal portion and a second metal portion. The first metal portion is disposed on the first surface and has a feeding point. The second metal portion is disposed on the second surface. The first metal portion is electrically connected to the second metal portion through a conductive via-hole, and the conductive via-hole is located at or nearby a first edge of the first metal portion. The first edge is away from the ground element. The projection of the second metal portion on the first surface is covered by the first metal portion.
US09431694B2
A dual band antenna mounted to a case of an implantable medical device (IMD) for implant within a patient is provided. The dual band antenna includes a first antenna sub-structure (FAS) and a second antenna sub-structure (SAS) each separately tuned to match a corresponding first and second resonant frequency, by adjusting at least one of relative lengths of the FAS and SAS, a capacitance of the FAS, a location of the SAS relative to the FAS and a cross-sectional area of conducting elements forming the components of the antenna. The FAS is formed as an inverted E-shaped antenna having three branches. The first branch of the antenna is capacitive, a second branch provides a radio frequency signal feed and a third branch provides a shunt to ground. The SAS is formed as a mono-pole antenna that is formed integral with, and extends from, the FAS.
US09431691B2
A suspended line resonator and a tunable filter comprising multiple suspended line resonators. A microstrip resonator and a tunable filter comprising multiple microstrip resonators. A suspended substrate resonator and a tunable filter comprising multiple suspended substrate resonators.
US09431684B2
A master-slave type battery management system for accurate capacity gauge of battery packs is disclosed. It includes several battery management units linked to each other via a communication line. Each battery management unit is linked to a specified rechargeable battery set to manage the specified rechargeable battery set, detect a physical measurement data from the specified rechargeable battery set and calculates battery set capacity related value based on the physical measurement data. Each battery management unit has a unique battery ID. By assigning a battery management unit having a specified battery ID as a master battery management unit, the rest battery management units become slave battery management units. Each slave battery management unit sends the physical measurement data and battery set capacity related value to the master battery management unit via the communication line. The master battery management unit is in charge of calculating related values and transmitting them.
US09431676B2
An electrode for a biplate assembly includes an active material made from a compressed powder 11, and a non-metal carrier 10. A biplate assembly 20 includes electrodes 27, 28 each having a non-metal carrier 10. A method is disclosed for manufacturing an electrode 13 having a non-metal carrier 10. An apparatus 30 is disclosed for manufacturing such an electrode 13. A bipolar battery includes at least one such an electrode 13. The non-metal carrier 10 is preferably a non-conductive carrier.
US09431656B2
A hybrid battery with a sodium anode is designed for use at a range of temperatures where the sodium is solid and where the sodium is molten. When the battery is at colder temperatures or when the vehicle is idle and needs to be “started,” the anode will be solid sodium metal. At the same time, the battery is designed such that, once the electric vehicle has been “started” and operated for a short period of time, heat is directed to the battery to melt the solid sodium anode into a molten form. In other words, the hybrid battery operates under temperature conditions where the sodium is solid and under temperature conditions where the sodium is molten.
US09431652B2
Provided are an anode active material including silicon oxide particles (SiOx, where x satisfies 0
US09431650B2
An anode active material including anode active material particles including silicon, tin, or both and at least partially coated with an oxide-containing film including an oxide of silicon, germanium, tin, or a combination of them formed by a liquid-phase method such as a liquid-phase deposition method. A region of the particles in contact with the electrolytic solution is covered with the oxide-containing film, to thereby improve the chemical stability of the anode and the charge-discharge efficiency. The thickness of the oxide-containing film is preferably within a range from 0.1 nm to 500 nm both inclusive.
US09431649B2
A process includes suspending an electroactive material in a solvent, suspending or dissolving a carbon precursor in the solvent; and depositing the carbon precursor on the electroactive material to form a carbon-coated electroactive material. Compositions include a graphene-coated electroactive material prepared from a solution phase mixture or suspension of an electroactive material and graphene, graphene oxide, or a mixture thereof.
US09431632B2
A surface light source device is provided that has high light extraction efficiency and high mechanical strength and can suppress a change in color tone at different viewing angles. To that end, the surface light source device includes: an organic EL element including a luminescent layer; and a light-emitting surface structure layer that is disposed in contact with one of the surfaces of the organic EL element and defines a concave-convex structure on the surface on the device light-emitting surface side. The concave-convex structure includes a plurality of concave portions having oblique surfaces and flat portions disposed around the concave portions. The surface light source device further includes a diffusing member on which the light emitted from the luminescent layer is incident, the diffusing member allowing the incident light to pass therethrough or reflecting the incident light in a diffused manner.
US09431631B2
Methods for forming an OLED device are described. An encapsulation layer having a buffer layer sandwiched between barrier layers is deposited over an OLED structure. The buffer layer is deposited on the first barrier layer and is cured with a fluorine-containing plasma at a temperature less than 100 degrees Celsius. The second barrier layer is then deposited on the buffer layer.
US09431628B2
The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting device, which includes: a cover plate, a substrate and an organic light emitting diode. The cover plate has a carbon nanotube layer thereon. The organic light emitting diode and the substrate are packaged on the cover plate by adhesive applied around the carbon nanotube layer. The organic light emitting display device provided by the present disclosure has a good packaging effect, a good tightness and a good heat dissipation performance.
US09431627B2
An organic light-emitting device includes, in order an anode, an organic layer comprising a light-emitting layer, and a cathode. The anode is a laminated structure comprising in order: a first anode layer comprising a metal compound or a conductive oxide; a second anode layer that is a reflective layer; and a third anode layer comprising a metal compound or a conductive oxide. Light generated in the light-emitting layer is extracted through the cathode.
US09431614B2
Discussed is an organic light emitting device that exhibits improved efficiency and driving voltage by applying a novel material facilitating charge generation to a charge generation layer. The charge generation layer contains a compound represented by the following formulae: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are optionally substituted and are independently selected from an aromatic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and R9 and R10 are independently selected from hydrogen, an optionally substituted aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and an optionally substituted heterocyclic compound having 3 to 17 carbon atoms and one or more elements of N, S and P.
US09431613B2
A method of fabricating a perovskite solar cell includes forming a hole transport layer on a transparent electrically conductive substrate, and forming a perovskite layer on the hole transport layer via a two-stage vacuum evaporation process. Then, an electron transport layer and an electrode layer are formed in order. The two-stage vacuum evaporation process includes first vacuum evaporating a first material on the hole transport layer and then vacuum evaporating a second material on the first material so as to react the first material with the second material in situ and form the perovskite layer.
US09431601B2
Magnetic element including a first magnetic layer having a first magnetization; a second magnetic layer having a second magnetization; a tunnel barrier layer between the first and the second magnetic layers; and an antiferromagnetic layer exchanged coupling the second magnetic layer such that the second magnetization is pinned below a critical temperature of the antiferromagnetic layer, and can be freely varied when the antiferromagnetic layer is heated above that critical temperature. The magnetic element also includes an oxygen gettering layer between the second magnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer, or within the second magnetic layer. The magnetic element has reduced insertion of oxygen atoms in the antiferromagnetic layer and possibly reduced diffusion of manganese in the second magnetic layer resulting in an enhanced exchange bias and/or enhanced resistance to temperature cycles and improved life-time.
US09431597B2
A piezoelectric laminate including a base and a first piezoelectric layer formed above the base and including potassium sodium niobate. The first piezoelectric layer is shown by a compositional formula (KaNa1-a)xNbO3, “a” and “x” in the compositional formula being respectively 0.1
US09431592B2
A wafer having a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) submounts and a method for fabricating an LED submount are provided. Each of the plurality of LED submounts of the wafer includes: a substrate (201), including through vias (203a); an LED die (208) mounted in a cavity (204) on a first side of the substrate (201) and connected to the through vias (203a); a redistribution layer (205a) attached to a second side of the substrate (201) connected to the LED die (208) through the through vias (203a). The method includes providing a wafer as a substrate (201); providing a cavity (204) in the substrate (201) on a first side of the substrate (201); providing through vias (203a) in the substrate (201), providing a redistribution layer (205a) on the second side of the substrate (201), and mounting an LED (208) in the cavity (204), wherein the LED die (208) is connected to the redistribution layer (205a) through the through vias (203a).
US09431590B2
Light emitter devices, such as light emitting diode (LED) devices and related methods are disclosed. A light emitter device includes a ceramic based substrate, at least one LED chip disposed on the substrate, and a filling material. The ceramic substrate can include one or more surface features. The filling material can be disposed over and/or within a portion of the one or more surface features. Surface features can include one or more pedestals, trenches, holes, indentions, depressions, waves, and/or convexly or concavely curved surfaces. Surface features can improve optics of the LED device, for example, improving brightness, reflection, and/or light extraction associated with the device. Related methods are disclosed.
US09431589B2
A packaged LED device having a textured encapsulant that is conformal with a mount surface on which at least one LED chip is disposed. The textured encapsulant, which can be textured using an additive or subtractive process, is applied to the LED either prior to or during packaging. The encapsulant includes at least one textured surface from which light is emitted. The textured surface helps to reduce total internal reflection within the encapsulant, improving the extraction efficiency and the color temperature uniformity of the output profile. Several chips can be mounted beneath a single textured encapsulant. A mold having irregular surfaces can be used to form multiple encapsulants over many LEDs simultaneously.
US09431576B2
A lighting device includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes including a first light-emitting diode with a non-rectangular shape in a top view, a submount to which each of the plurality of light-emitting diodes is coupled, and a plurality of conductive elements formed between the submount and the plurality of light-emitting diodes to electrically connecting at least a portion of the plurality of light-emitting diodes with each other in series.
US09431571B2
A method of manufacturing a thin-film photovoltaic module in which a photoelectric conversion element is deposited on a substrate, includes removing the photoelectric conversion element at a frame shape area from sides of the substrate toward inside with a predetermined width by a first removing step of scanning a first photoelectric conversion element removing device at the area along the sides of the substrate to remove the photoelectric conversion element for the predetermined width, and a second removing step of scanning a second photoelectric conversion element removing device within the area along the sides of the substrate to remove the photoelectric conversion element that is not removed in the first removing step at a width narrower than the predetermined width and without superimposing a center line of a scanning path on a center line of a scanning path of the first photoelectric conversion element removing device.
US09431569B2
Embodiments provided herein describe methods for forming cadmium-manganese-telluride (CMT), such as for use in photovoltaic devices. A substrate including a material with a zinc blend crystalline structure is provided. CMT is formed above the substrate. During the formation of the CMT, cation-rich processing conditions are maintained. The resulting CMT may be more readily provided with p-type dopants when compared to conventionally-formed CMT.
US09431568B2
A method for making an optical receiver assembly that can receive optical signals via an input optical fiber and can generate output electrical signals, including the following steps: providing an open-ended cavity formed of insulating material, such as a ceramic, comprising a base, peripheral sidewalls, and an open end opposite the base, the outside surface of the base defining a first surface and the inside surface of the base defining a second surface; disposing a first conductive region on a portion of the first surface and a second conductive region on a portion of the second surface; mounting, on the first surface, a semiconductor photodetector device having an active region for communicating optically with the input optical fiber, and coupling an electrical output of the photodetector device with the first conductive region; mounting, on the second surface, an amplifier that is electrically coupled with the second conductive region and produces the output electrical signals; and providing at least one conductive via through the thickness of the base and between the first and second conductive regions for coupling the electrical output of the photodetector device with the amplifier.
US09431566B2
A photo detector comprising a first doped impurity region (adapted to receive a first voltage) disposed in or on a substrate; a body region, juxtaposed the first doped impurity region; a gate (adapted to receive a second voltage) spaced from a first portion of the body region; a light absorbing region, juxtaposed a second portion of the body region, includes a material which, in response to light incident thereon, generates carrier pairs including a first and second type carriers; a contact region (adapted to receive a third voltage) juxtaposed the light absorbing region; wherein, in response to incident light, the gate attracts first type carriers of the carrier pairs to the first portion of the body region which causes second carriers from the first doped impurity region to flow to the contact region, and the contact region attracts second type carriers.
US09431556B2
A dilute nitrogen alloy of InNxSb1-x epilayers strained to an epitaxial substrate useful for Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) Focal Plane Arrays, and method of fabricating. Strained materials of composition InNxSb1-x exhibiting increased Auger lifetimes and improved absorption properties.
US09431545B2
A miniaturized transistor having high electric characteristics is provided with high yield. In a semiconductor device including the transistor, high performance, high reliability, and high productivity are achieved. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode layer on side surfaces of which sidewall insulating layers are provided are stacked in this order, source and drain electrode layers are provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the sidewall insulating layers. In a process for manufacturing the semiconductor device, a conductive film and an interlayer insulating film are stacked to cover the oxide semiconductor film, the sidewall insulating layers, and the gate electrode layer, and the interlayer insulating film and the conductive film over the gate electrode layer are removed by a chemical mechanical polishing method, so that the source and drain electrode layers are formed.
US09431544B2
The present invention provides a polysilicon thin-film transistor array substrate and a method for preparing the same, and a display device, wherein the method comprises a step of forming a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode of the polysilicon thin-film transistor, and a first electrode and a second electrode of a storage capacitor, and a gate line and a data line, wherein, the semiconductor layer and the first electrode of the storage capacitor are formed via a one-time patterning process, and the gate electrode, the gate line and the second electrode of the storage capacitor are formed via a one-time patterning process. By the solution of the invention, the number of mask plates used can be lowered, so that the process can be simplified, and the production cost can be lowered.
US09431537B2
Methods of forming a semiconductor device may include forming a fin-type active pattern that extends in a first direction on a substrate, the fin-type active pattern including a lower pattern on the substrate and an upper pattern on the lower pattern. A field insulating layer is formed on the substrate, the sidewalls of the fin-type active pattern, and a portion upper pattern protruding further away from the substrate than a top surface of the field insulating layer. A dummy gate pattern that intersects the fin-type active pattern and that extends in a second direction that is different from the first direction is formed. The methods include forming dummy gate spacers on side walls of the dummy gate pattern, forming recesses in the fin-type active pattern on both sides of the dummy gate pattern and forming source and drain regions on both sides of the dummy gate pattern.
US09431516B2
MOS transistors and fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary MOS transistor includes a gate structure formed on a semiconductor substrate. A lightly doped region is formed by a light ion implantation in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate structure. A first halo region is formed by a first halo implantation to substantially cover the lightly doped region in the semiconductor substrate. A groove is formed in the semiconductor substrate on the both sides of the gate structure. Prior to forming a source and a drain in the groove, a second halo region is formed in the semiconductor substrate by a second halo implantation performed into a groove sidewall that is adjacent to the gate structure. The second halo region substantially covers the lightly doped region in the semiconductor substrate and substantially covers the groove sidewall that is adjacent to the gate structure.
US09431513B2
A structure and method for implementation of dummy gate structures within multi-gate device structures includes a semiconductor device including an isolation region that separates a first and second active region. The first active region is adjacent to a first side of the isolation region and the second active region is adjacent to a second side of the isolation region. A device including a source, a drain, and a gate is formed within the first active region. One of the source and drain regions are disposed adjacent to the isolation region. A dummy gate is formed at least partially over the isolation region and adjacent to the one of the source and drain regions. In various examples, the gate includes a first dielectric layer having a first thickness and the dummy gate includes a second dielectric layer having a second thickness greater than the first thickness.
US09431511B2
A semiconductor device includes a Schottky diode and a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) formed on a III-nitride stack. The III-nitride stack includes at least a lower and an upper III-nitride layer forming a heterojunction therebetween, so that a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer may be formed in the lower layer. The 2DEG layer serves as a charge carrier for the diode and the HEMT. A doped III-nitride layer may be present between a portion of the anode of the diode and the III-nitride stack, and the portion may be located between the diode's Schottky junction and the cathode. A further layer of doped III-nitride material may be present between the gate electrode of the HEMT and the III-nitride stack. The thickness of the III-nitride layers is not equal, so that the turn-on voltage of the diode and the threshold voltage of the HEMT may be tuned according to specific requirements. The disclosure also involves a method of producing such a semiconductor device.
US09431509B2
An integrated circuit containing metal replacement gates may be formed by forming a nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier between a high-k gate dielectric layer and a metal work function layer of a PMOS transistor. The nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier is less than 1 nanometer thick and has an atomic ratio of titanium to nitrogen of less than 43:57. The nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier may be formed by forming a titanium based layer over the gate dielectric layer and subsequently adding nitrogen to the titanium based layer. The metal work function layer is formed over the nitrogen-rich titanium-based barrier.
US09431505B2
A method of making a gate structure includes forming a gate electrode in an opening defined by a gate dielectric layer having a top surface. Forming the gate electrode includes filling a width of a bottom portion of the opening with a first metal material having a first resistance. Forming the gate electrode further includes defining a recess in the first metal material. Forming the gate electrode further includes filling an entire width of a top portion of the opening and the recess with a homogeneous second metal material having a second resistance less than the first resistance, wherein a maximum width of the homogeneous second metal material is equal to a maximum width of the first metal material, and the top surface of the gate dielectric layer is co-planar with a top surface of the homogeneous second metal material.
US09431501B2
A semiconductor device includes a third first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate; a first pillar-shaped semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and including a first first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a first body region, a second first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a first second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second body region, a second second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and a third second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer; a first gate insulating film around the first body region; a first gate around the first gate insulating film; a second gate insulating film around the second body region; a second gate around the second gate insulating film; an output terminal made of a semiconductor and connected to the second first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the first second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer; and a first contact that connects the first gate and the second gate. The second first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the first second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer are further formed in the output terminal.
US09431498B2
In an n-channel HK/MG transistor including: a gate insulating film made of a first high dielectric film containing La and Hf; and a gate electrode which is formed of a stacked film of a metal film and a polycrystalline Si film and which is formed in an active region in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and surrounded by an element separation portion formed of an insulating film containing oxygen atoms, a second high dielectric film which contains Hf but whose La content is smaller than a La content of the first high dielectric film is formed below the gate electrode which rides on the element separation portion, instead of the first high dielectric film.
US09431494B2
A disposable gate structure straddling a semiconductor fin is formed. A source region and a drain region are formed employing the disposable gate structure as an implantation mask. A planarization dielectric layer is formed such that a top surface of the planarization dielectric layer is coplanar with the disposable gate structure. A gate cavity is formed by removing the disposable gate structure. An epitaxial cap layer is deposited on physically exposed semiconductor surfaces of the semiconductor fin by selective epitaxy. A gate dielectric layer is formed on the epitaxial cap layer, and a gate electrode can be formed by filling the gate cavity. The epitaxial cap layer can include a material that reduces the density of interfacial defects at an interface with the gate dielectric layer.
US09431492B2
Integrated circuit devices including contacts and methods of forming the same are provided. The devices may include a fin on a substrate, a gate structure on the fin and a source/drain region in the fin at a side of the gate structure. The devices may further include a contact plug covering an uppermost surface of the source/drain region and a sidewall of the gate structure. The contact plug may include an inner portion including a first material and an outer portion including a second material different from the first material. The outer portion may at least partially cover a sidewall of the inner portion, and a portion of the outer portion may be disposed between the sidewall of the gate structure and the sidewall of the inner portion.
US09431490B2
A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first side, a second side opposite the first side and an outer rim. The semiconductor body includes an active region, an edge termination region arranged between the active region and the outer rim, a first doping region in the active region and connected to a first electrode arranged on the first side, a second doping region in the active region and the edge termination region and connected to a second electrode arranged on the second side, a drift region between the first doping region and the second doping region, the drift region including a first portion adjacent to the first side and a second portion arranged between the first portion and the second doping region, and an insulating region arranged in the edge termination region between the second doping region and the first portion of the drift region.
US09431485B2
A method of forming a finFET structure having an ion implanted intermediate region next to the channel region of a finFET gate. The intermediate region is formed in a manner to reduce or eliminate migration of the dopant to undoped regions of the finFET thus forming abrupt finFET junction.
US09431483B1
A method of forming a nanowire includes providing a substrate. The substrate is etched to form at least one fin. Subsequently, a first epitaxial layer is formed on an upper portion of the fin. Later, an undercut is formed on a middle portion the fin. A second epitaxial layer is formed to fill into the undercut. Finally, the fin, the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer are oxidized to condense the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer into a germanium-containing nanowire.
US09431482B2
The present invention provides some methods for forming at least two different nanowire structures with different diameters on one substrate. Since the diameter of the nanowire structure will influence the threshold voltage (Vt) and the drive currents of a nanowire field effect transistor, in this invention, at least two nanowire structures with different diameters can be formed on one substrate. Therefore, in the following steps, these nanowire structures can be applied in different nanowire field effect transistors with different Vt and drive currents. This way, the flexibility of the nanowire field effect transistors can be improved.
US09431481B2
In a general aspect, a power device can include an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type, an active region, a termination region surrounding the active region, a plurality of trenches disposed in the epitaxial layer, and silicon material of a second conductivity type disposed in the plurality of trenches. The silicon material of the second conductivity type and a plurality of mesas defined in the epitaxial layer by the trenches, can define a plurality of concentric octagon-shaped pillars of alternating conductivity type, a first portion of the pillars being disposed in the active region and a second portion of the pillars being disposed in the termination region. Sidewalls of the plurality of trenches can define a first four legs and a second four legs of each of the pillars. The sidewalls can have a same crystallographic plane direction.
US09431479B2
In a semiconductor device according to the present invention, an electrode layer and a recessed part are formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. Further, in the semiconductor substrate, a RESURF layer that is in contact with a bottom surface of the recessed part and the electrode layer is formed. In addition, an insulating film is formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to fill the recessed part. Moreover, a field plate electrode is formed on the insulating film above the recessed part.
US09431473B2
Several novel features pertain to a hybrid transformer formed within a semiconductor die having multiple layers. The hybrid transformer includes a first set of windings positioned on a first layer of the die. The first layer is positioned above a substrate of the die. The first set of windings includes a first port and a second port. The first set of windings is arranged to operate as a first inductor. The hybrid transformer includes a second set of windings positioned on a second layer of the die. The second layer is positioned above the substrate. The second set of windings includes a third port, a fourth port and a fifth port. The second set of windings is arranged to operate as a second inductor and a third inductor. The first set of windings and the second set of windings are arranged to operate as a vertical coupling hybrid transformer.
US09431470B2
A display device has a plurality of pixels which are arranged on a substrate. Each of the pixels is provided with an EL element which utilizes as a cathode a pixel electrode connected to a current control TFT. On a counter substrate, a light shielding film, a first color filter having a first color and a second color filter have a second color are provided. The second color is different from the first color.
US09431463B2
Provided are a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus. A color filter layer including at least a red color filter, a green color filter, and a blue color filter is disposed on a first substrate. A black matrix is disposed on the color filter layer. A color filter overlapped unit where the red, green and blue color filters are overlapped is disposed in a black matrix area corresponding to the black matrix. The color filter overlapped unit has a lower reflectivity with respect to an external light than the other color filters. The color filter overlapped unit is formed in the black matrix area, and the color filter overlapped unit is formed by overlapping the blue, red and green color filters in order, and, thus, can prevent mixing of colors and reduce reflection with respect to an external light.
US09431459B2
Some embodiments include a switching component which includes a selector region between a pair of electrodes. The selector region contains silicon doped with one or more of nitrogen, oxygen, germanium and carbon. Some embodiments include a memory unit which includes a memory cell and a select device electrically coupled to the memory cell. The select device has a selector region between a pair of electrodes. The selector region contains semiconductor doped with one or more of nitrogen, oxygen, germanium and carbon. The select device has current versus voltage characteristics which include snap-back voltage behavior.
US09431455B2
A method for fabricating image sensors and other semiconductor ICs that controls the amount of hydrogen generated during back-end processing. The back-end processing includes forming multiple metallization layers after front-end processing is completed (i.e., after forming the pre-metal dielectric), where each metallization layer includes a patterned aluminum structure, an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer including TEOS-based oxide formed over the patterned aluminum structure. A cap layer including a low-moisture content oxide such as silane oxide (i.e., SiO2 generated by way of a silane CVD process) is formed over at least one ILD layer. The cap layer serves as an etch-stop for the subsequently-formed metal layer of a next metallization layer by isolating the underlying ILD material from the plasma environment during aluminum over-etch, which significantly reduces the production and migration of hydrogen into front-end structures.
US09431453B2
An opto-sensitive device, a pixel configured for use in an opto-sensitive device, and a method of operating an opto-sensitive device are disclosed. The opto-sensitive device illustratively includes a capacitor stacked on top of a photodetector, thereby improving the fill factor of the opto-sensitive device. Transparent properties of the capacitor for a wavelength of interest ensure that the incident light is completely or mostly absorbed only within the photodetector and not within the capacitor.
US09431450B2
A semiconductor device including a first semiconductor section including a first wiring layer at one side thereof, the first semiconductor section further including a photodiode, a second semiconductor section including a second wiring layer at one side thereof, the first and second semiconductor sections being secured together, a third semiconductor section including a third wiring layer at one side thereof, the second and the third semiconductor sections being secured together such the first semiconductor section, second semiconductor section, and the third semiconductor section are stacked together, and a first conductive material electrically connecting at least two of (i) the first wiring layer, (ii) the second wiring layer, and (iii) the third wiring layer such that the electrically connected wiring layers are in electrical communication.
US09431444B2
A color imaging element including color filters arranged on pixels, wherein the color filter array includes a basic array pattern including first filters corresponding to a first color that most contributes to obtaining luminance signals and second filters corresponding to two or more second colors other than the first color, the basic array pattern repeatedly arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions, one or more first filters are arranged in each line in horizontal, vertical, and oblique directions of the color filter array, one or more second filters are arranged in each line in the horizontal and vertical directions of the color filter array in the basic array pattern, and a proportion of the number of pixels of the first color corresponding to the first filters is greater than proportions of the numbers of pixels of each color of the second colors corresponding to the second filters.
US09431439B2
There is provided a light detector having a light-receiving unit including a light-receiving element of a photon-counting type that receives incident light and outputs a binary pulse indicating presence or absence of photon incidence, and an integrating unit that calculates an output value in which a total of pulse widths of pulses is integrated over a measurement period.
US09431433B2
A TFT array substrate, a display panel and a display device are disclosed. The TFT array substrate includes a substrate, a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The display area and the peripheral area are arranged above the substrate. The peripheral area comprises a signal line and a shielding layer arranged above the signal line, and the shielding layer covers the signal line to shield EMI caused by a signal on the signal line. The TFT array substrate, the display panel and the display device can protect the display panel against EMI caused by the signal on the signal lines in the peripheral area, thereby improving stability and reliability of the TFT array substrate, the display panel and the display device, and enhancing sensitivity of a cellphone having the display panel.
US09431431B2
This invention provides a semiconductor device having high operation performance and high reliability. An LDD region 707 overlapping with a gate wiring is arranged in an n-channel TFT 802 forming a driving circuit, and a TFT structure highly resistant to hot carrier injection is achieved. LDD regions 717, 718, 719 and 720 not overlapping with a gate wiring are arranged in an n-channel TFT 804 forming a pixel unit. As a result, a TFT structure having a small OFF current value is achieved. In this instance, an element belonging to the Group 15 of the Periodic Table exists in a higher concentration in the LDD region 707 than in the LDD regions 717, 718, 719 and 720.
US09431428B2
A display device capable of operating at high speed and with low power consumption is provided. A miniaturized display device occupying a small area is also provided. The display device includes a support; a display portion which includes a pixel; a light-blocking unit which is in the support and includes a light-blocking layer having a first opening overlapping with at least part of the pixel, and a movable light-blocking layer blocking light passing through the first opening; a transistor which is electrically connected to the light-blocking unit and includes an oxide semiconductor film; and a capacitor electrically connected to the transistor.
US09431427B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device provided with a thin film transistor having excellent electric characteristics using an oxide semiconductor layer. An In—Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor layer including SiOX is used for a channel formation region. In order to reduce contact resistance between the In—Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor layer including SiOX and a wiring layer formed from a metal material having low electric resistance, a source region or drain region is formed between a source electrode layer or drain electrode layer and the In—Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor layer including SiOX. The source region or drain region and a pixel region are formed using an In—Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor layer which does not include SiOX.
US09431426B2
The present invention provides a thin film transistor array panel comprising an insulating substrate; a gate line formed on the insulating substrate; a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line; a drain electrode and a data line having a source electrode formed on the gate insulating layer, the drain electrode being adjacent to the source electrode with a gap therebetween; and a pixel electrode coupled to the drain electrode, wherein at least one of the gate line, the data line, and the drain electrode comprises a first conductive layer comprising a conductive oxide and a second conductive layer comprising copper (Cu).
US09431423B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor integrated circuit including: a cell layout region including circuit cells subject to power control the supply and interruption of power to which is controlled by a power switch, and always-on circuit cell groups which are always powered after the activation; a main line laid out in the cell layout region and applied with a source or reference voltage; and first and second branch lines which branch from the main line in the cell layout region.
US09431417B1
A semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a plurality of stacks, a plurality of memory layers, a plurality of channel layers and a plurality of connecting portions. The stacks are disposed on the substrate. Each of the stacks comprises alternately-stacked conductive layers and insulating layers. The memory layers are disposed on sidewalls of the stacks, respectively. The channel layers are disposed on the memory layers, respectively, wherein each of the channel layers comprises a surface being exposed. The connecting portions connect the surface of each of the channel layers to the substrate, respectively.
US09431416B2
A vertical-type nonvolatile memory device includes a first vertical channel structure, and first and second stacked structure. The first vertical channel structure extends vertically on a substrate. The first stacked structure includes gate electrodes and first interlayer insulating layers. The gate layers and the first interlayer insulating layers are alternately and vertically stacked on each other. The first stacked structure is disposed on a first sidewall of the first vertical channel structure. The second stacked structure includes first sacrificial layers and second interlayer insulating layers. The first sacrificial layers and the second interlayer insulating layers are alternately and vertically stacked on each other. The second stacked structure is disposed on a second sidewall of the first vertical channel structure. The first sacrificial layers is formed of a polysilicon layer.
US09431410B2
Methods for forming a string of memory cells, apparatuses having a string of memory cells, and systems are disclosed. One such method for forming a string of memory cells forms a source material over a substrate. A capping material may be formed over the source material. A select gate material may be formed over the capping material. A plurality of charge storage structures may be formed over the select gate material in a plurality of alternating levels of control gate and insulator materials. A first opening may be formed through the plurality of alternating levels of control gate and insulator materials, the select gate material, and the capping material. A channel material may be formed along the sidewall of the first opening. The channel material has a thickness that is less than a width of the first opening, such that a second opening is formed by the semiconductor channel material.
US09431404B2
A semiconductor device includes a dielectric layer on a substrate, a P-type transistor having a first gate stack embedded in the dielectric layer, and an N-type transistor having a second gate stack embedded in the dielectric layer. The first gate stack includes a first metal gate electrode, a first gate dielectric layer underlying the first metal gate electrode, and a first cap layer between the first gate dielectric layer and the first metal gate electrode. The second gate stack includes a second metal gate electrode, a second gate dielectric layer underlying the second metal gate electrode, and a second cap layer between the second gate dielectric layer and the second metal gate electrode. The first and second gate stacks are adjacent, and the first and second metal gate electrodes are separated from each other by the first and second cap layers.
US09431401B2
A semiconductor memory cell comprising an electrically floating body. A method of operating the memory cell is provided.
US09431380B2
A method of manufacturing a microelectronic assembly (100) and a microelectronic device (4100) that include a stacked structure (101). The stacked structure includes a heat spreader (104), at least one die (106) thermally coupled to at least a portion of one side of the heat spreader, at least one other die (108) thermal coupled to at least a portion of an opposite side of the heat spreader, at least one opening (401) in the heat spreader located in a region of between the two die, an insulator (603) disposed in the at least one opening, and electrically conductive material (1308, 1406) in an insulated hole (705) in the insulator. The heat spreader allows electrical communication between the two die through the opening while the insulator isolates the electrically conductive material and the heat spreader from each other.
US09431379B2
A signal transmission arrangement is disclosed. A voltage converter includes a signal transmission arrangement.
US09431363B1
A circuit arrangement includes a substrate, an integrated circuit (IC) component attached to the substrate, and one or more round wire segments attached to the substrate. The one or more round wire segments have first and second portions for connecting to the IC component, and each first and second portion has a planar landing area extending longitudinally along the wire. The circuit arrangement further includes bond wires connecting the landing areas to the IC component.
US09431356B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first region over the substrate, the first region comprising a first n type material; a second region over the substrate and laterally adjacent to the first region, the second region comprising a first p type material; a third region disposed within the second region and laterally separated from the first region, the third region comprising a second n type material; a fourth region disposed atop the third region, the fourth region comprising a second p type material; a fifth region disposed within the first region and laterally separated from the second region, the fifth region comprising a third p type material; and a sixth region disposed atop the fifth region, the sixth region comprising a third n type material.
US09431352B2
A semiconductor structure including a recess within a silicon substrate of an integrated circuit (IC) chip, wherein the recess is located near a circuit of the IC chip, and a metal layer in a bottom portion of the recess, wherein a portion of the silicon substrate is located below the metal layer in the bottom portion of the recess and above the circuit.
US09431350B2
A crack-stopping structure includes a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of dies defined by a plurality of scribe line regions, a plurality of metal patterns formed in the scribe line regions, and a plurality of groups of through silicon holes (TSHs) formed in the scribe line regions. The wafer further includes a front side and a back side, and the TSHs respectively include at least a bottom opening formed in the bottom side of the wafer. The groups of TSHs are formed between the metal patterns and the dies.
US09431324B2
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a plurality of active regions; a plurality of bit lines extending in a first direction, the plurality of bit lines being separate from the substrate with an insulating layer therebetween; a plurality of first insulating lines extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction, wherein the plurality of first insulating lines intersect the plurality of bit lines and have upper surfaces having levels which are higher than those of upper surfaces of the plurality of bit lines relative to the substrate; and a plurality of first contact structures connected to the plurality of active regions, the plurality of first contact structures being disposed in an area defined by the plurality of bit lines and the plurality of first insulating lines.
US09431322B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes chips and a first selection circuit. Each of the chips has at least first and second vias for transmitting at least first and second address signals, these chips are stacked to be electrically connected via the first and second vias. The first selection circuit is provided in each chip, includes a logic circuit that selects a chip based on at least the first and second address signals, and supplies a result of operating the first and second address signals to the subsequent chip.
US09431318B2
In an electronic device, a one-side heat radiation element and a two-side heat radiation element are disposed on a surface of a substrate adjacent to a heat sink. The one-side heat radiation element has a rear-side covered conductive portion and a rear-surface molded portion on the rear-side covered conductive portion adjacent to the heat sink, and radiates heat to the substrate. A surface of a rear-side exposed conductive portion of the two-side heat radiation element adjacent to the heat sink is exposed and the two-side heat radiation element radiates heat to the substrate and the heat sink. The rear-surface molded portion controls a limit position of the one-side heat radiation element toward the heat sink due to deformation of the substrate. A heat radiation gel is filled in between the rear-side exposed conductive portion and the heat sink to radiate heat from the two-side heat radiation element toward the heat sink.
US09431317B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a printed circuit board, and a circuit package mounted to the printed circuit board. The circuit package has a thermal pad. A first heat sink structure of the module is associated with the printed circuit board and has a wall defining a contact surface that contacts and thermally couples with the thermal pad. The wall includes at least one aperture there-through. Solder paste is provided between the contact surface and the thermal pad to bond the contact surface to the thermal pad, with the at least one aperture being constructed and arranged to aid in outgassing of the solder paste.
US09431315B2
A package for a chemical sensor including an encapsulation and a pressure balancing structure is disclosed. The encapsulation encapsulates a chemical sensor and has a hole for exposing a chemical sensitive part of the chemical sensor. The pressure balancing structure balances pressure applied to the chemical sensor at the chemical sensitive part.
US09431313B1
A device includes an integrated circuit (IC) carrier for a semiconductor device, and a coating on the IC carrier. In the presence of an electrical field or a magnetic field, the coating includes a first functional group that attracts anions and a second functional group that attracts cations.
US09431312B2
A medical device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a control module, and an energy storage device. The first substrate includes at least one of a first semiconductor material and a first insulating material. The second substrate includes at least one of a second semiconductor material and a second insulating material. The second substrate is bonded to the first substrate such that the first and second substrates define an enclosed cavity between the first and second substrates. The control module is disposed within the enclosed cavity. The control module is configured to at least one of determine a physiological parameter of a patient and deliver electrical stimulation to the patient. The energy storage device is disposed within the cavity and is configured to supply power to the control module.
US09431308B2
A critical dimension compensating method of a deep trench etching process includes: obtaining an etching critical dimension difference; compensating an masking layer layout for wafer etching according to a distance between an etching position and the center position of the wafer, and the etching critical dimension difference; and performing a deep trench etching to the wafer according to the compensated masking layer layout. The dimension of the etching patterns of the masking layer layout is compensated by using half of the critical dimension difference as the compensation value, such that the etch rate difference and the etching dimension difference caused by uneven distribution of the critical dimension at different wafer locations during the deep trench etching process are improved, thus greatly improving the uniformity of the critical dimension of the deep trench etching structure.
US09431280B2
A self-lockable opening and closing mechanism includes a frame, a vacuum cabin door, a driving cylinder mounted in the frame, and a linkage mechanism formed of a horizontal lever, one or a pair of first bars, one or a pair of rotational levers, one or a pair of adjustment blocks, one or a pair of second bars, one or a pair of sliding blocks and one or a pair of valve rods and coupled between the driving cylinder and the linkage mechanism in such a manner that operating the driving cylinder drives the valve rods to move the vacuum cabin door between an open position and a close position, and a locking force is automatically produced to hold the vacuum cabin door in the close position against any reaction force, preventing the problem of failure or reduced effect in vacuum sealing.
US09431270B2
A method for producing a semiconductor device is disclosed which includes a diffusion step of forming, on a CZ-FZ silicon semiconductor substrate, a deep diffusion layer involving a high-temperature and long-term thermal diffusion process which is performed at a thermal diffusion temperature of 1290° C. to a melting temperature of a silicon crystal for 100 hours or more; and a giving step of giving a diffusion source for an interstitial silicon atom to surface layers of two main surfaces of the silicon semiconductor substrate before the high-temperature, long-term thermal diffusion process. The step of giving the diffusion source for the interstitial silicon atom to the surface layers of the two main surfaces of the silicon semiconductor substrate is performed by forming thermally-oxidized films on two main surfaces of the silicon semiconductor substrate or by implanting silicon ions into surface layers of the two main surfaces of the silicon semiconductor substrate.
US09431269B2
The embodiments herein generally deal with semiconductor processing methods and apparatus. More specifically, the embodiments relate to methods and apparatus for etching a semiconductor substrate. A partially fabricated semiconductor substrate is provided in a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is divided into an upper sub-chamber and a lower sub-chamber by a grid assembly. Plasma is generated in the upper sub-chamber, and the substrate is positioned in the lower sub-chamber. The grid assembly includes at least two grids, each of which is negatively biased, and each of which includes perforations which allow certain species to pass through. The uppermost grid is negatively biased in order to repel electrons. The lowermost grid is biased further negative (compared to the uppermost grid) in order to accelerate positive ions from the upper to the lower sub-chamber. Etching gas is supplied directly to the lower sub-chamber. The etching gas and ions react with the surface of the substrate to etch the substrate as desired.
US09431256B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the following steps. At first, two gate stack layers are formed on a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the gate stack layers includes a top surface and two side surfaces. A conductive material layer is deposited to conformally cover the top surface and the two side surfaces of each of the gate stack layers. Then, a cap layer is deposited to conformally cover the conductive material layer. Finally, the cap layer and the conductive material layer above the top surface of each of the gate stack layers are removed to leave the cap layer adjacent to the two side surfaces of each of the gate stack layers and covering a portion of the conductive material layer.
US09431249B2
In one embodiment, a Super Junction metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) device can include a substrate and a charge compensation region located above the substrate. The charge compensation region can include a plurality of columns of P type dopant within an N type dopant region. In addition, the Super Junction MOSFET can include a termination region located above the charge compensation region and the termination region can include an N− type dopant. Furthermore, the Super Junction MOSFET can include an edge termination structure. The termination region includes a portion of the edge termination structure.
US09431245B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes generating a mask layout of patterns in which the distance between adjacent ones of the patterns is equal to or less than a resolution of a lithography process, the patterns are apportioned among a plurality of masks such that in each of the masks the space between adjacent ones of the patterns is greater than the resolution, and a dual pattern is added to one of the masks. A semiconductor pattern is formed on a substrate using the mask(s) and the mask to which the dual pattern has been added. Patterns having a pitch equal to or less than the resolution may be formed on the semiconductor device.
US09431242B2
To provide a PBNZT ferroelectric film capable of preventing sufficiently oxygen ion deficiency. The PBNZT ferroelectric film according to an embodiment of the present invention is a ferroelectric film including a perovskite-structured ferroelectric substance represented by ABO3, wherein the perovskite-structured ferroelectric substance is a PZT-based ferroelectric substance containing Pb2+ as A-site ions and containing Zr4+ and Ti4+ as B-site ions, and the A-site contains Bi3+ as A-site compensation ions and the B-site contains Nb5+ as B-site compensation ions.
US09431241B2
Method for manufacturing a silicon nitride thin film using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
A method for manufacturing a silicon nitride thin film comprises a step of charging silane, ammonia gas and nitrogen gas at an environment temperature below 350° C. to produce and deposit a silicon nitride thin film, wherein a rate of charging silane is 300-350 sccm, a rate of charging ammonia gas is 1000 sccm, a rate of charging nitrogen gas is 1000 sccm; a power of a high frequency source is 0.15˜0.30 KW, a power of a low frequency source is 0.15˜0.30 KW; a reaction pressure is 2.3˜2.6 Torr; a reaction duration is 4˜6 s. The above method for manufacturing a silicon nitride thin film provides a preferable parameter range and preferred parameters for generating a low-stress SIN thin film at low temperatures, achieves manufacture of a low-stress SIN thin film at low temperatures, and thus, better satisfies the situation requiring a low-stress SIN thin film.
US09431240B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor is provided. The method includes forming a thin film including a predetermined element and a borazine ring skeleton is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes supplying a source gas including the predetermined element and a halogen group to the substrate and supplying a reaction gas including a borazine compound to the substrate under a condition where the borazine ring skeleton in the borazine compound is maintained.
US09431231B2
The invention describes a lamp (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D) comprising a glass envelope (10) enclosing a light generating means (11), and an axially and/or circumferentially graded absorption coating (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) applied to a surface of the glass envelope (10), wherein the graded absorption coating (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) exhibits a smooth transition in a transition region (23A, 23C, 23D) from a first coated region (21 A, 21B, 21C, 21D) on the glass envelope (10) to a second coated region (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D) on the glass envelope (10). The invention further describes a lighting assembly (4) comprising a lamp according to any of claims 1 to 11 and a reflector (40) for collecting and shaping any light passing through the graded absorption coating (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) of the lamp (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D). The invention also describes a method of manufacturing a lamp (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D) comprising a glass envelope (10) enclosing a light generating means (11), which method comprises applying an axially and/or circumferentially graded absorption coating (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) to a surface of the glass envelope (10) such that the graded absorption coating (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) exhibits a smooth transition in a transition region (23A, 23B, 23C, 23D) from a first coated region (21A, 21B, 21C, 21D) to a second coated region (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D).
US09431212B2
The invention relates to a method for determining a performance of a photolithographic mask at an exposure wavelength with the steps of scanning at least one electron beam across at least one portion of the photolithographic mask, measuring signals generated by the at least one electron beam interacting with the at least one portion of the photolithographic mask, and determining the performance of the at least one portion of the photolithographic mask at the exposure wavelength based on the measured signals.
US09431206B2
Provided is a high-output X-ray generation tube in which thermal damage to a target is reduced. The X-ray generation tube includes a target, an electron source, and a grid electrode having multiple electron passage apertures disposed between the target and the electron source. A source-side electron beam on the electron source side with respect to the grid electrode has a current density distribution, and the grid electrode has an aperture ratio distribution so that a region of the source-side electron beam in which a current density is largest is aligned with a region of the grid electrode in which an aperture ratio is smallest.
US09431201B2
A circuit of N micromechanical resonant switches (resoswitches) is presented, which mimics a Dickson charge pump to amplify an input voltage to an output voltage of N plus 1 times the input voltage, while avoiding the diode voltage drop and breakdown voltage limitations of CMOS-based conventional charge pumps. Important aspects of successful charge pumping are: 1) the long cycle lifetime of resonant micromechanical switches, which has been shown to operate 173.9×1012 cycles, is orders of magnitude higher than non-resonant switches; 2) the use of gated-sinusoid drive excitation to allow a charging period independent of resoswitch resonance frequency; and 3) the use of resonance operation to lower required drive and DC-bias voltages to below the supply voltage. This mechanical charge pump obviates the need for custom high voltage CMOS for applications where large voltages are needed such as MEMS-based timing references, thereby allowing the use of virtually any CMOS process.
US09431197B2
A switching system has two contact points and a contact link disposed so at be rotatably movable about an axis of rotation of the contact link between the two contact points. The switching system further has at least one quenching chamber and a magnetic element for producing a magnetic field being parallel to the axis of rotation of the contact link, for driving an arc produced when the contact points are open into the quenching chamber.
US09431186B2
A clutch device of a gear transmission system of a circuit-breaker spring operating mechanism includes an energy storage shaft, a large gear, and a small gear. At an energy storage holding position of the large gear, a toothless and special teeth area is arranged corresponding to the small gear. A clutch cam is provided in a cavity in the large gear at the area and a backward extended part and may be reset by a resetting spring. In the area, the large gear includes a first special tooth, a second special tooth, and a space between the first and second special teeth. When energy storage is completed, the small gear pushes the first special tooth to push the large gear and energy storage shaft to the energy storage holding position that is away from a friction dead zone, and the small gear is automatically disengaged from the large gear.
US09431182B2
Provided are a double contact point switch and a magnetic connector having the same. The double contact point switch includes: a pin part; an additional terminal part; and an elastic part applying elastic force to the pin part, wherein the pin part includes a front contact point and a rear contact point, the pin part moves rearward when external force is applied to the front contact point of the pin part and again moves forward when the external force of the front contact point disappears, by the elastic part, and the rear contact point contacts the additional terminal part when the pin part moves rearward. As a result of this configuration, it is possible to confirm whether or not a contact of a magnetic connector was made without installing a separate signal terminal in the magnetic connector.
US09431174B2
An element body has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape whose length in a longitudinal direction and length in a width direction are larger than a length in a height direction. The element body has first and second principal faces opposed to each other in the height direction, first and second side faces opposed to each other in the width direction, and third and fourth side faces opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of internal electrodes are alternately arranged in the element body so as to be opposed to each other in the height direction. Each internal electrode has a main electrode portion and a leading portion. Each of a plurality of terminal electrodes has a first electrode portion arranged on the first principal face, and a second electrode portion arranged on the first side face and connected to the leading portion of each corresponding internal electrode.
US09431162B2
A solenoid operated locking mechanism for securing a lockable rod to the solenoid locking mechanism. Several ball bearings are inserted or removed from a passageway through which the lockable rod must pass to a locking chamber. The plunger has a configuration of locking flats and recesses to determine whether the ball bearings are disposed in the passageway, which restricts the movement of the locking rod past the ball bearings, or whether the ball bearings are out of the passageway, which allows the lockable rod to enter or be removed from the locking chamber or socket. The position of the plunger is controlled by a pair of springs and the solenoid.
US09431142B2
Methods include applying an electric charge to a coating material that includes carbon nanotubes and a carrier, such as paint, and depositing the electrically charged coating material to a substrate. In some methods, the applying includes utilizing an electrostatic sprayer. In some methods, the substrate is isolated from ground during the depositing. In some methods, the substrate is an insulator. Some methods result in regions of carbon nanotubes that are substantially longitudinally aligned after the depositing. Coated substrates may include a coating with carbon nanotubes that are substantially longitudinally aligned and in some examples that are arranged in a zig-zag pattern. Aircraft, spacecraft, land vehicles, marine vehicles, wind turbines, and apparatuses that may be susceptible to lightning strikes or other types of electromagnetic effects and that include a coated substrate also are disclosed.
US09431133B2
A highly flexible, compact, lightweight, and portable testing system for use with radiation testing activities. The testing system is coupled to a device under test (DUT), which can be positioned in such a way that the top of the die package is exposed to the direct ion beam during radiation testing. A variety of sensors, onboard memory systems, programmable interfaces, onboard control systems, data output devices, and different types of interfaces are also provided which provide an ability to perform testing procedures while having a maximum ability to orient the DUT and perform a wide variety of testing currently unavailable.
US09431129B2
A device includes a plurality of memory cells of a memory array, a sense amplifier of the memory array, and selection logic of the memory array. The sense amplifier is configured to sense at least one data value from at least one memory cell of the plurality of memory cells. The selection logic is configured to select between causing the sense amplifier to sense the at least one data value using a first sensing delay and causing the sense amplifier to sense the at least one data value using a second sensing delay. The second sensing delay is longer than the first sensing delay.
US09431128B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a fuse circuit including a fuse element, the fuse circuit configured to provide a first output signal having a first voltage or a second voltage responsive to a state of the fuse element, and a sense circuit configured to provide a second output signal having the first voltage or a third voltage responsive to the first output signal, the third voltage different from the second voltage.
US09431125B2
A system and method for computing MLC flash memory cell programming parameters to dynamically adjust verify voltage levels is provided. The method may use an iterative guess and check process that will result in a distribution of states, specifically a cell voltage distribution (CVD) that minimizes the cell error rate in cells encoded in interleaved error correction code (ECC) mode, and that balances the bit error rate between pages in cells encoded in non-interleaved ECC mode.
US09431114B2
A method of operating a semiconductor device includes dividing an operation of the semiconductor device into a plurality of periods, and determining a plurality of state codes respectively corresponding to the periods; performing the operation according to a received command; when a pause command is received, pausing the operation and storing a state code of the plurality of state codes corresponding to a paused period among the plurality of periods; and performing the operation starting from a period determined according to the stored state code when a resumption command is received.
US09431111B2
A one time programming memory cell includes a transistor, a first varactor, and a second varactor. The transistor has a gate terminal, a source terminal and a drain terminal. The gate terminal of the transistor is connected with a word line. The source terminal of the transistor is connected with a bit line. A first end of the first varactor is connected with the drain terminal of the transistor. A second end of the first varactor is connected with a first program line. A first end of the second varactor is connected with the drain terminal of the transistor. A second end of the second varactor is connected with a second program line.
US09431109B2
Various aspects provide for a new combination of non-volatile memory architecture and memory processing technology. A memory cell has a gate node, a source node and a drain node. The gate node is connected to a wordline of the memory, the source node is connected to a local source line of the memory, and the drain node is connected to a local data line of the memory. A channel-based processing component programs the memory cell and inhibits programming of a second memory cell on the wordline of the memory. The channel-based processing component also grounds the local source line and the local data line in conjunction with programming the memory cell, and floats a second local source line and a second local data line connected to the second memory cell in conjunction with inhibiting programming of the second memory cell.
US09431107B2
Memory devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory device includes a transistor having a gate disposed over a workpiece. The transistor includes a source region and a drain region disposed in the workpiece proximate the gate. The memory device includes an erase gate having a tip portion that extends towards the workpiece. The erase gate is coupled to the gate of the transistor.
US09431102B2
An apparatus and a method of reading a phase-change memory cell are described. A circuit includes a current ramp circuit. A current forcing module is coupled to the current ramp circuit. A selector device emulation circuit is coupled to the current forcing module by a voltage adder. The voltage adder is to sum an output from the selector device emulation circuit and a high impedance voltage source. A method includes forcing a current ramp into both a bitline and a dummy bitline, the dummy bitline having a voltage. The method also includes triggering a comparator when the current ramp provides a storage voltage with a predefined value, the storage voltage is associated with the phase-change memory cell, and the predefined value is independent from a resistance value of the phase-change memory cell and is added in series to the voltage of the dummy bitline. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
US09431101B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a resistive switching device includes applying a signal including a pulse on a first access terminal of an access device having the first access terminal and a second access terminal. The second access terminal is coupled to a first terminal of a two terminal resistive switching device. The resistive switching device has the first terminal and a second terminal. The resistive switching device has a first state and a second state. The pulse includes a first ramp from a first voltage to a second voltage over a first time period, a second ramp from the second voltage to a third voltage over a second time period, and a third ramp from the third voltage to a fourth voltage over a third time period. The second ramp and the third ramp have an opposite slope to the first ramp. The sum of the first time period and the second time period is less than the third time period.
US09431090B2
A memory system includes a memory controller that writes data to and reads data from a memory device. A write data strobe accompanying the write data indicates to the memory device when the write data is valid, whereas a read strobe accompanying data from the memory device indicates to the memory controller when the read data is valid. The memory controller adaptively controls the phase of the write data strobe to compensate for timing drift at the memory device. The memory controller uses read signals as a measure of the drift.
US09431087B2
A multi-channel self refresh device may include period generation circuit configured to output a self refresh pulse signal having a predetermined time period in response to a refresh enable signal. The multi-channel self refresh device may include a channel region configured to activate a refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal, when a self refresh command signal corresponding to a channel from among a plurality of self refresh command signals is activated.
US09431083B2
A nonvolatile memory device according to the inventive concepts performs a read operation from a true cell storing data and complementary cell storing complementary data, thereby increasing or maximizing sensing margin. Also, the nonvolatile memory device connects a plurality of true cell/complementary cells to a word line, thereby markedly reducing the size of a memory cell array.
US09431072B2
A trimmable sense amplifier for use in a memory device is disclosed.
US09431064B2
A cache memory die includes a substrate, a predetermined number of sets of memory cells on the substrate, a first set of input/output terminals on a first surface of the cache memory die, and a second set of input/output terminals on a second surface of the cache memory die. The first set of input/output terminals are connected to a primary memory circuit outside the cache memory die. A portion of the second set of input/output terminals are compatible with the first set of input/output terminals.
US09431056B2
A selective band management scheme for storage devices is disclosed that may be used in connection with shingled magnetic recording (SMR). SMR uses bands consisting of tracks separated by guard regions. The replacement of a defective sector may be attained by selecting a suitable guard region and by displacing the selected guard region onto the physical location of the defective sector. The boundaries of the bands may be shifted. The portion of the disk surface that is necessary for the guard regions may simultaneously function as a spare sector area for defective sectors without additional space requirements. In at least one embodiment, guard regions are selectively placed onto tracks with an elevated number of primary defects by means of an optimization algorithm.
US09431048B2
An apparatus generates outgoing data to be provided on an optical disk in a burst cutting area. The burst cutting area further comprises markings which cause a marking frequency spectrum when reading out the burst cutting area. The apparatus comprises a channel coder which receives processed data and supplies the outgoing data having an outgoing data frequency spectrum with suppressed DC-content. The apparatus further comprises a data processing device which generates the processed data to obtain an outgoing frequency spectrum wherein a frequency component causing interference with a low frequent component of the markings is suppressed or not present.
US09431022B2
A semiconductor device for realizing higher-precision noise elimination includes: a decoder which decodes an encoded input signal; a determining unit which determines whether or not a voice signal is included in the input signal; a suppressor which performs a suppressing process for suppressing a noise component included in the input signal on the basis of a result of determination by the determining unit; and a first storage for storing, as a determination criterion value used for the determination, a first criterion value which specifies the proportion of a voice signal with respect to voice distortion noise.
US09431013B2
Speech from a driver and speech from a passenger in a vehicle is selected directionally using two or more microphones. Samples of speech from a driver and picked up by a first microphone are delayed until samples of the speech picked up by a second microphone is in phase with the speech picked up by the first microphone. Samples of a passenger's speech and picked up by the second microphone are delayed until samples of the passenger's speech picked up by the first microphone are out-of-phase with the speech picked up by the second microphone.
US09431004B2
A respective sequence of tracks of Internet content of common subject matter is queued to each of a plurality of stations, where each of the tracks of Internet content resides on a respective Internet resource in textual form. In response to receiving a sample input, snippets of each of multiple tracks queued to a selected station among the plurality of stations is transmitted for audible presentation as synthesized human speech, where each of the snippets includes only a subset of a corresponding track. Thereafter, one or more complete tracks among the multiple tracks for which snippets were previously transmitted are transmitted for audio presentation as synthesized human speech.
US09431000B2
A vehicle wheel includes an additional air chamber member on an outer circumferential surface of a well functioning as a Helmholtz resonator in a tire air chamber. The additional air chamber includes a body including an additional air chamber and a communication through hole for communication between the additional air chamber with a tire air chamber, and a fastening part for fastening the body between the first vertical wall surface and the second vertical wall surface. An upper surface of the body inclines to have an upward slope from a side of the first vertical wall surface to a side of the second vertical wall surface. The upper surface of the body is formed to extend along and inside or outside in a wheel diametrical direction a line connecting from the top of the vertical wall to the top of the hump on the side of the second vertical wall.
US09430996B2
System and method for identifying tones present in a short segment of digitized music stream, and for reporting simultaneously and quantitatively their respective magnitude and phase in near real time. Also captured are pitch deviations from the nominal tones of a predetermined music scale. The resulting spectral data can be scrolled manually from frame to frame to facilitate detail music evaluation and editing. The apparatus can also operate at real time to display notes being played, or to tone-activate audio-visual music enhancement and display with automatic synchronization.
US09430995B1
A harmonica automatic positioner, comprising: a shoulder yoke configured to be worn over the shoulders of a user, the shoulder yoke having a first end and a second end configured for resting on opposite sides of the chest of the user; a harmonica support frame, rotatably attached to the first end and second end, the harmonica support frame having a first member and a second member configured to rotatably attach to the first end and the second end of the shoulder yoke, where the harmonica support frame is adapted to be wearable on a chest of a user and comprises a plurality of fasteners configured to hold a harmonica; a clutch mechanism that rotatably joins the first end and the first member, and rotatably joins the second end and the second member, where the clutch mechanism is configured to hold the harmonica automatic positioner in alternatively an at rest position and an at ready position, where in the at rest position the harmonica is out of the way of the user's mouth, and where at the at ready position the harmonica is near the mouth of the user such that the user can play the harmonica; an actuator in operable communication with the clutch mechanism, and configured to actuate the clutch mechanism from the at rest position to the at ready position, and further configured to actuate the clutch mechanism from the at ready position to the at rest position; and a switch mechanism in communication with the actuator and configured to actuate the actuator. The disclosed invention also relates to A method of using a harmonica, the method comprising: actuating a harmonica automatic positioner to move a harmonica from a rest position to a ready position; playing the harmonica; and actuating the harmonica automatic positioner to move a harmonica from the ready position to the rest position.
US09430994B2
A neck joint for guitars providing a secure joint with tight mechanical bonding that can be removable and maintainable. It is configurable so that it is adjustable in two directions to accommodate variations in string height and neck angle.
US09430991B2
A method comprising receiving sensor data from a sensor, obtaining image data from a graphical effects shader based on the sensor data, blending the image data with a plurality of application surfaces to create a blended image, and transmitting the blended image to a display. Also disclosed is a mobile node (MN) comprising a sensor configured to generate sensor data, a display device, and a processor coupled to the sensor and the device display, wherein the processor is configured to receive the sensor data, obtain image data generated by a graphical effects shader based on the sensor data, blend the image data with an application surface associated with a plurality of applications to create a blended image, and transmit the blended image to the display.
US09430987B2
An image display device includes a display section adapted to display an image, a photometric section including a variable wavelength interference filter adapted to transmit light with a predetermined wavelength from incident light and a photosensor adapted to detect light obtained by dispersion, and disposed so as to be opposed to the display section, and a control section adapted to control the display section and the photometric section, and the control section obtains a spectrum of the incident light based on light intensity of the light detected by the photosensor, and then performs a color correction of the display section based on the spectrum.
US09430975B2
An array substrate and a liquid crystal panel are disclosed. Each of the pixel cells of the array substrate includes at least two pixel electrodes and at least two switch circuits. The first pixel electrode connects to the corresponding scanning line and corresponding data line of the pixel cell via the first switch circuit. The second pixel electrode connects to the corresponding scanning line of the pixel cell via the second switch circuit. The second pixel electrode connects to the first switch circuit at least via the second switch circuit such that the second pixel electrode is connected to the corresponding data line of the pixel cell. In this way, the color distortion in wide viewing angle and the display performance are enhanced.
US09430973B2
A image signal processing method of a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: receiving a previous image signal and a current image signal as two sequential input image signals; performing a first correction (DCC) and a doubling for the current image signal to generate a correction image signal comprising a plurality of doubled frames for the current image signal; and post-processing the portion of the plurality of doubled frames to generate a final correction image signal.
US09430972B2
An electrowetting display device has at least one display element. The method of driving the display device comprises receiving data representing a display effect for display by the element. A driving scheme is selected for the display element in dependence on a characteristic of the data. The driving scheme is selected from at least an analog driving scheme and a pulse width modulation driving scheme.
US09430949B1
A verbal taxi clearance system for an aircraft and a method of controlling the same are provided. The system, for example, may include, but is not limited to a communication system, and a processor communicatively coupled to the communication system, the processor configured to receive, from the communication system, first audio data from air traffic control, convert the first audio data from air traffic control into first taxi route data, receive second audio data from a cockpit of the aircraft, convert the second audio data into second taxi route data, compare the first taxi route data to the second taxi route data, output, when the first taxi route data matches the second taxi route data, a taxi route corresponding to the first and second taxi route data, and generate an alert when the first taxi route data does not match the second taxi route data.
US09430940B2
A regulation information analysis system determines transit regulations imposed on a target road or intersection to be analyzed based on probe information sent from a plurality of vehicles. An analysis terminal determines if transit regulations are in effect or not by detecting if the probe information indicating a transition that violates a method of transition to be analyzed, such as right/left turn prohibition is present at the target road or intersection. The analysis terminal determines, based on the geometric shape and the like of the target road or intersection, if there is an avoidance factor which a driver would desire to avoid transiting the target rode or intersection. The quantity of the probe information used for determining the presence or absence of the transit regulations is increased if the avoidance factor is found, whereby the determination accuracy is increased while the overall quantity of the probe information is suppressed.
US09430924B2
An AC-coupled RFID system is disclosed. Embodiments of the invention statistically correlate the transmit data from a baseband transmit signal and the receive data in a receive signal after the signal has passed through a baseband receive filter. By using a receive bandpass or high-pass filter at baseband, the receiver can be AC-coupled in the baseband. This AC coupling significantly reduces cost and complexity by eliminating high-power reflected signals at and near DC. The high-pass corner frequency of the receive filter passes enough of the receive signal to still be measurable. The correlation is used to estimate the reflected carrier, which in turn enables cancellation of the carrier, improving RFID reader sensitivity.
US09430920B2
Belt wear of a treadmill is determined. Samples of electric current draw of a treadmill at different speeds of the treadmill belt of the treadmill are received. A value of each sample is differently weighted based on a speed of the treadmill belt at which the value of each sample was obtained. A belt wear notification is output based on the different weighted values of the samples.
US09430911B2
A gaming method and system, the method comprising providing one or more reels in a spinning reel game, the reels being displayed as three dimensional and displayed as provided with game symbols along and around the reels, displaying spinning of the reels and thereby sequentially displaying at least some of the game symbols displayed as provided along the reels, displaying rotating of the reels and thereby sequentially displaying at least some of the game symbols displayed as provided around the reels, stopping the spinning and the rotating of each of the reels at a respective stop position, and determining a game outcome based on at least some of the game symbols displayed when each of the reels is in its respective stop position.
US09430891B2
A wireless control method includes steps as follows. A connection with an authentication device is built through a directional antenna of a wireless host device. Information, which is received by the wireless host device from the authentication device, is transmitted to a switch control device through a data transmission interface. The switch control device is utilized to control a switch according to the information, which is received by the wireless host device from the authentication device. The present invention also discloses a wireless host device and a switch control device.
US09430890B2
An in-vehicle device stores a Wake Up pattern, which notifies a mobile device of a start of communication, in an area before a data storage area of a frame and transmits the frame, the mobile device includes a modulation/demodulation circuit and a microcomputer that perform a predetermined reception process on a reception signal, a pattern determination circuit that, when the reception signal includes a Wake Up pattern, determines to start communication and activates the modulation/demodulation circuit and the microcomputer, a power detection circuit that detects power of the reception signal, and, when power is detected for a certain period of time or longer, activates the pattern determination circuit, and a Wake-Up control unit that activates the power detection circuit for a predetermined time with a constant period during a time period other than during communication.
US09430886B2
A driving diagnosis device includes storage device which stores plural pieces of advice and a processor. The processor makes a diagnosis on driving by a driver according to vehicle information indicating at least one of behavior of a certain vehicle and an operation of the driver while the driver is driving the certain vehicle. The processor judges a degree of influence, on the diagnosis, of a driving experience of the driver before the driver drives the certain vehicle according to history information as for a history of the driver driving one or more different vehicles including the certain vehicle. And the processor determines to present to the driver a piece of advice stored in the storage device, from among plural pieces of advice, in association with a combination of a result of the diagnosis and the judged degree of influence.
US09430867B2
An image processing apparatus may include a storage unit to store a lookup table (LUT) including information on corresponding relations between an occlusion vector related to at least one point of a 3-dimensional (3D) object and a spherical harmonics (SH) coefficient; and a rendering unit to determine a first SH coefficient corresponding to a first occlusion vector related to a first point of the 3D object using the LUT and to determine a pixel value of the first point using the first SH coefficient.
US09430861B2
System and method for integrating multiple virtual rendering systems to provide an augmented reality
There is provided a system and method for integrating multiple virtual rendering systems to provide an augmented reality. There is provided a method for integrating multiple virtual rendering systems for outputting a composite render to a display, comprising obtaining a first environment data from a first virtual rendering system using a first camera view, obtaining a second environment data from a second virtual rendering system using a second camera view, rendering the composite render by processing the first environment and the second environment, and outputting the composite render to the display. Additionally, the first environment data and second environment data may depend on synchronized or corresponding inputs, and display priority algorithms or masking algorithms may be used to determine virtual and real object display priority.
US09430860B2
A system (and corresponding method) is provided that enables virtual spaces to be created based upon user activity and populated with users associated with, interested in or active within the same areas as the user, thus facilitating serendipitous interactions and exchange of knowledge. The system dynamically binds user representations (e.g., avatars, links) into a virtual space that is associated with an activity or topic. Essentially, the system is capable of dynamically gathering or generating representations of users associated with a workflow or tasks within an activity, project or topic thereby enhancing collaboration between users with regard to communications as well as generation and sharing of data.
US09430846B2
A method of tracking motion of at least one object of a group of moving objects using hyperspectral imaging includes, among other things, obtaining a series of hyperspectral image frames; comparing each frame in the series to a template to determine changes in the image between frames; identifying a group of pixels in each frame associated with the changes; identifying changes as motion of the moving objects; correlating the pixel groups frame to frame to spatially determine at least one parameter of the motion of the objects; and correlating the pixel groups with a spectral reflectance profile associated with the at least one object wherein the track of the at least one object is distinguishable from the tracks of other moving objects.
US09430844B2
Disclosed is an automated mammographic density estimation method using statistical image information, the method including a preprocessing step of reading the mammogram, segmenting a breast area and shifting pixel values; a step of constructing a tissue probability map in which population-based probability information is extracted, and a probability map for glandular and adipose tissues is constructed; and a density estimation step in which a breast area is segmented based on the constructed tissue probability map and a mammographic density is calculated.
US09430840B1
A method segments an image acquired by a sensor of a scene by first obtaining motion vectors corresponding to the image and generating a motion vanishing point image, wherein each pixel in the motion vanishing point image represents a number of intersections of pairs of motion vectors at the pixel. In the motion vanishing point image, a representation point for each motion vector is generated and distances between the motion vectors are determined based on the representation points. Then, a motion graph is constructed wherein each node represents a motion vector, and each edge represents a weight based on the distance between the nodes. Graph spectral clustering is performed on the motion graph to produce segments of the image.
US09430838B2
An interactive object tracing system includes an interactive object including a control unit, a first communication module and a first display module and a portable communication device including a control module, a second communication module and an image capture module. The first display module, the second communication module and the image capture module are respectively used for displaying a specific color light, exchanging information, and capturing an image of the interactive object. A color information of the background of the interactive object is analyzed and a control signal is generated. The control signal is transmitted to the first communication module, so that the specific color light is displayed by the first display module according to the control signal so as to be easily identified. Therefore, the tracing accuracy is enhanced, the fabricating cost and the product size are reduced, and the intentions of using and purchasing of users are raised.
US09430836B2
A method of constructing at least one 3 dimensional image from a plurality of data is provided, the method includes the steps of extracting data centerline using a center of gravity formula for at least one image, partitioning the at least one image into a plurality of portions, determining a plurality of gray scale points in each portion, comparing the plurality of gray scale points with a threshold value, determining the center of gravity for each portion and connecting a plurality of center of gravity. A 3 dimensional image constructible from a plurality of data is also provided, the image includes a plurality of 3 dimensional points linearly connectable to form at least one cloud of 3 dimensional points.
US09430833B2
An image processing device, comprising an obtaining means that obtains color endoscopic image data, a color space conversion means that converts a color space of the color endoscopic image data to an HSI color space based on hue, saturation and intensity or an HSV color space based hue, saturation and a value, a lesion pixel judgment means that judges, for each of pixels constituting a color endoscopic image, whether or not each pixel is a lesion portion based on the hue and the saturation, an overlay processing means that executes an overlay process which changes a color of the pixel judged to be the lesion portion by the lesion pixel judgment means, and an overlay image display means that displays an overlay image obtained by subjecting the color endoscopic image to the overlay process.
US09430832B2
For correcting differential phase image data 52, differential phase image data 52 acquired with radiation at different energy levels is received, wherein the differential phase image data 52 comprises pixels 60, each pixel 60 having a phase gradient value 62a, 62b, 62c for each energy level. After that an energy dependent behavior of phase gradient values 62a, 62b, 62c of a pixel 60 is determined and a corrected phase gradient value 68 for the pixel 60 is determined from the phase gradient values 62a, 62b, 62c of the pixel 60 and a model for the energy dependence of the phase gradient values 62a, 62b, 62c.
US09430823B1
Approaches discussed herein enable a computing device to be tested to determine whether light from an emitter is bleeding through the device, which can be indicative of an assembly failure. A light blocking member can be placed over a camera in order to prevent a camera from capturing light coming from outside the device. At least one light source of the device then can be caused to emit light, and the camera can capture at least one image to determine whether any of the light is bleeding through the device and being detected by the camera. If so, the device can be determined to fail the test, and can be sent for reassembly or another remedial action. In some cases, a type of failure might be able to be determined, and information for the failure can be logged for purposes such as quality assurance and failure rate monitoring.
US09430817B2
Blind image deblurring with a cascade architecture is described, for example, where photographs taken on a camera phone are deblurred in a process which revises blur estimates and estimates a blur function as a combined process. In various examples the estimates of the blur function are computed using first trained machine learning predictors arranged in a cascade architecture. In various examples a revised blur estimate is calculated at each level of the cascade using a latest deblurred version of a blurred image. In some examples the revised blur estimates are calculated using second trained machine learning predictors interleaved with the first trained machine learning predictors.
US09430813B2
An image processing system comprises an image processor configured to construct a designated functional based on a plurality of functions each associated with a corresponding portion of image information relating to at least first and second images, and to generate a target image utilizing the constructed functional. For example, the functions may comprise a set of functions ƒ1(A1), ƒ1(A1), . . . , ƒ1(A1) of pixels from respective input images A1, A2, AL of the image information, and the functional may be a function F(X) of the set of functions ƒ1,(A1) ƒ2(AL), ƒL(AL) where X denotes the target image and is generated by minimizing the functional F(X). The input images may be received from one or more image sources and the target image may be provided to one or more image destinations.
US09430812B2
The present invention discloses an image processing method comprising: using an image output device to generate a scale-down image; using the image output device to generate a plurality of divided images according to the scale-down image; using the image output device to encode the plurality of divided images to thereby generate a plurality of encoded images; having the image output device output the plurality of encoded images into an image reception device through a transmission interface; using the image reception device to decode the plurality of encoded images to thereby recover the plurality of divided images; using the image reception device to generate a combined image according to the plurality of divided images; and using the image reception device to generate a display image according to the combined image, in which the size of the display image is larger than the size of the combined image.
US09430809B2
A method for compiling image processing instructions is described. The method receives multiple image processing instruction sets. The method, for each received image processing instruction set, produces several image processing instruction sets, where two different produced image processing instruction sets that are associated with a same received image processing instruction set are for processing by at least two different processing units.
US09430806B2
A method and apparatus for image processing includes receiving images, detecting non-stationary objects in the images, displaying a first image that includes a non-stationary object, selecting a frame region including the non-stationary object in the first image, selecting a second image based on a low similarity with the first image, and replacing image data in the frame region of the first image with image data represented in the frame region of the second image.
US09430802B2
A method and system for collaborative content filtering on a communications network includes monitoring social networking communications of a plurality of users on a communications network using a program. The method and system further include selecting a filter parameter by a user. The content of the social networking communications is filtered based on the filter parameter including parsing input from the users, using the program. The filtered content is identified to at least one user.
US09430799B2
A method of fulfilling a transaction between a bank and a customer of the bank makes available a form used in a banking transaction to a customer digital device. The form has a plurality of fields. The method scans, within a physical bank branch, an encoded visual display on the client digital device. The encoded visual display has an encoded version of the form and some but not all of the plurality of fields completed with client data. The method further decodes the encoded visual display using a decoding algorithm to produce the form and completed and uncompleted fields. At least one datum may be added, within the physical bank branch, to at least one uncompleted field of the form, and the banking transaction may be processed based on the form with the at least one client datum within the at least one field of the form.
US09430790B2
Disclosed herein are methods for providing a buy option to social networking communications. The method includes receiving a posting of text, an image or a video through Facebook, identifying data associated with the posting and determining whether the data identifies a product within a database of products for sale from the posting entity. When the determination indicates that there is no reference to the product in the product database, the method includes transmitting the posting through Facebook without a buy now button. When the determination indicates that the posting references the product, thus indicating a sale-related intent, the method includes transmitting the posting through Facebook with a buy option, receiving a purchase interaction associated with the buy option and processing a purchase of the product.
US09430787B2
An electronic device receives a third-party beneficiary selection at least one of a good, a service, and a payment. A set of contacts is presented in response to receiving the selection. A selection of at least one promisor from the set of contacts is received. A wireless message comprising at least an identifier of the third-party beneficiary selection is generated. The wireless message is transmitted to a mobile device associated with the at least one promisor.
US09430786B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for detecting customer presence to initiate the ordering and purchase of goods and services are disclosed. In one example, a system includes a detection server configured to detect the presence of a mobile device in a designated area associated with a merchant location and for initiating a menu selection application in the mobile device for placing an order for at least one product. The system further includes a merchant server configured to receive, from the mobile device, purchase order data associated with the order for the at least one product, a customer identifier associated with the mobile device, and a location identifier associated with the designated area, and for utilizing the customer identifier to send a notification message that indicates that the at least one product is available to the mobile device.
US09430782B2
Advertisements in a social networking system may be targeted to searching users in relation with a real-time search engine operated by a social networking system. Ads are targeted to users based in part on social information included in a structured search query and/or search results on a page. In a typeahead search, a user of the social networking system may receive prefix search results of objects in the search box. The prefix search results are ranked by relevance to the user, and advertisers may bid for particular objects to increase their ranking in the results list. An option may be provided to a viewer of search query results to buy an ad that would be seen by other users who performed the same search query, received a targeted search result, or based on targeting criteria as determined by the viewer bidding on the ad.
US09430778B2
Online entities oftentimes desire to ascertain information about their audience members. To determine information about audience members and their activities, online transactions including information about transactions performed by audience members are collected. One or more audience analysis processes are applied to the online transactions to determine the collection of online transactions performed by a given audience member. With an accurate assignment of online transaction to the audience member, the audience member and associated transactions may be classified as a legitimate or illegitimate.
US09430775B2
A method for permitting a program to be analyzed and tuned includes the steps of receiving a program which itself includes a plurality of stages, where execution of the program follows a plurality of distinct paths, each of the distinct paths including one or more of the stages. The method further includes determining unique paths of the program and determining execution boundaries of the program. In addition, the method includes persisting the unique paths and the execution boundaries in a database, and changing an execution of the program based on the persisted unique paths and execution boundaries.
US09430773B2
A system and method provide rewards or loyalty incentives to card member customers. The system includes an enrolled card member customer database, an enrolled merchant database, a participating merchant offer database and a registered card processor. The enrolled card member customer database includes transaction accounts of card member customers enrolled in a loyalty incentive program. The enrolled merchant database includes a list of merchants participating in the loyalty incentive program. The participating merchant offer database includes loyalty incentive offers from participating merchants. The registered card processor receives a record for charge for a purchase made with an enrolled merchant by an enrolled card member customer and uses the record of charge to determine whether the purchase qualifies for a rebate credit in accordance with a discount offer from the enrolled merchant. If the purchase qualifies for a rebate credit, the registered card processor provides the rebate credit to an account of the enrolled card member customer. The system provides a coupon-less way for merchants to provide incentive discounts to enrolled customers.
US09430769B2
A method is provided for carrying out commercial transactions. The method includes the steps of: establishing a transaction processing system on an electronic communications network; establishing an account within the transaction processing system for a corresponding account holder; obtaining from the account holder a session description of acceptable future commercial transactions related to the account; administering commercial transactions carried out via the transaction processing system; and, verifying that administered commercial transactions related to the account meet one or more of the session description.
US09430767B2
Data can be protected in mobile and payment environments through various tokenization operations. A mobile device can tokenize communication data based on device information and session information associated with the mobile device. A payment terminal can tokenize payment information received at the payment terminal during a transaction based on transaction information associated with the transaction. Payment data tokenized first a first set of token tables and according to a first set of tokenization parameters by a first payment entity can be detokenized or re-tokenized with a second set of token tables and according to a second set of tokenization parameters. Payment information can be tokenized and sent to a mobile device as a token card based on one or more selected use rules, and a user can request a transaction based on the token card. The transaction can be authorized if the transaction satisfies the selected use rules.
US09430766B1
Various embodiments describe systems and methods enable a computing device of a user to capture an image of a gift card, or other such monetary device containing a code, with a camera or otherwise receive an image of that gift card. The computing device can be configured to recognize codes, such as digit claim codes, of the gift card by using one or more image processing, computer vision, and/or machine learning algorithms. After a successful detection and verification of a claim code, money or funds deposited in, or otherwise available from, an account associated with the gift card can be utilized, such as applied to a purchase or deposited into the user's account. In many instances, a user interface (UI) can be provided on the computing device for the user to use to capture an image of a gift card and redeem the funds from the corresponding card.
US09430764B2
A system capable of charging up electronic money cards using a credit card is provided. A PIN is authenticated between a card terminal and the credit card. The card terminal transmits to a credit company server an authentication result, amount information indicating an amount with which to charge up, and a credit card number of the credit card. After billing, the credit company server transmits the amount information and the credit card number to an electronic money server. The electronic money server identifies an electronic money card based on the credit card number. The electronic money server generates amount change information for adding the amount with which to charge up to “VALUE”, and transmits the amount change information to the card terminal. The electronic money card updates the amount of “VALUE” stored therein to an amount specified by the amount change information.
US09430750B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for building an environment. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to allocate resources and build an environment such that the environment is built when a user is prepared to test one or more portions of code in the environment. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to reduce the “lag time” developers experience between waiting for the code to be built and for resources to be provisioned, and can also provide a less costly alternative to maintaining and operating dedicated environments.
US09430745B2
In a Workflow Management System with a workflow having a sequence of activities of an underlying business process, logical wait situations occur when a given activity depends upon completion of a prerequisite preparation activity. A method for decreasing the resulting run-time delays includes: identifying a primary activity and an associated preparation activity required to be done before executing the primary activity; navigating through the process template of the underlying workflow and calculating the probability at a node of the process template that the primary activity will be reached for a current process instance; and pre-executing the preparation activity in parallel to the activity sequence if the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US09430744B2
Method and apparatus for dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. Determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, e.g., third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or intranet). Queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from suppliers, and responses may be used to generate results for the user. Results may include information and/or query status information. An electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more suppliers from which information was derived.
US09430742B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes generating a person-name Information Gain (IG)-Tree and a relation IG-Tree from annotated data. The method also includes tagging and partial parsing of an input document. The names of the persons are extracted within the input document using the person-name IG-tree. Additionally, names of organizations are extracted within the input document. The method also includes extracting entity names that are not names of persons and organizations within the input document. Further, the relations between the identified entity names are extracted using the relation-IG-tree.
US09430741B2
A system, method and program product for optimizing a team to solve a problem. The system includes: a team building system for building a fundamental analytic team from a database of analysts to solve an inputted problem, wherein the fundamental analytic team includes at least one cluster of analysts characterized with specificity and at least one cluster of analysts characterized with sensitivity; and a problem analysis system that collects sensor data from the fundamental analytic team operating within an immersive environment, wherein the problem analysis system includes a system for evaluating the sensor data to identify a bias condition from the fundamental analytic team, and includes a system for altering variables in the immersive environment in response to a detected bias condition.
US09430737B2
A neural network, wherein a portion of the neural network comprises: a first array having a first number of neurons, wherein the dendrite of each neuron of the first array is provided for receiving an input signal indicating that a measured parameter gets closer to a predetermined value assigned to said neuron; and a second array having a second number of neurons, wherein the second number is smaller than the first number, the dendrite of each neuron of the second array forming an excitatory STDP synapse with the axon of a plurality of neurons of the first array; the dendrite of each neuron of the second array forming an excitatory STDP synapse with the axon of neighboring neurons of the second array.
US09430733B2
A security device for the identification or authentication of valuable goods is described, including a thin material layer (22, 26) presenting a stochastic pattern including micro/submicrostructures, where the latter are arranged in blobs (2) each of which presents a complexity factor Cx = L 2 4 π · A , where L is the perimeter of the blob and A its area, and wherein blobs having a Cx value greater than or equal to 2 cover at least 5%, preferably at least 15%, of the device surface. According to a preferred embodiment, the material layer may include a film including at least a first and a second polymers arranged respectively within a first and a second phases defining the micro/submicrostructures. Preferred processes of fabrication are also disclosed, as well as a method for securing a valuable good based on such a security device.
US09430719B2
An embodiment provides for enabling retrieval of a collection of captured images that form at least a portion of a library of images. For each image in the collection, a captured image may be analyzed to recognize information from image data contained in the captured image, and an index may be generated, where the index data is based on the recognized information. Using the index, functionality such as search and retrieval is enabled. Various recognition techniques, including those that use the face, clothing, apparel, and combinations of characteristics may be utilized. Recognition may be performed on, among other things, persons and text carried on objects.
US09430718B1
The present disclosure generally relates to methods and computer program products for searching for a similar image among a plurality of stored images, and in particular to a method and computer program product used in a content based image retrieval system where roughly similar images are clustered and feature vectors for the clustered images are filtered based on a matching frequency for the feature vectors among the images in the cluster.
US09430713B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of detecting a repetitive pattern. The method includes: clustering a plurality of pixels that form an input image according to color and obtaining one or more color layers composed of pixels included in each cluster; selecting one or more effective layers from the color layers, wherein each of the effective layers includes a predetermined number or more of pixel components, each composed of a plurality of pixels and having a predetermined shape or a predetermined size of area; selecting a unit pattern repeatedly disposed at different locations in each effective layer from the pixel components included in each effective layer; calculating distances between the unit patterns in each effective layer; and calculating a repetition cycle of the unit pattern of the input image based on the calculated distances in each effective layer.
US09430703B2
A word segmentation method for segmenting a text line into word segments, which is particularly advantageous for processing italic text but can also be used for regular text. A horizontal center zone of the text line, corresponding to the vertical center parts of the characters, is used to generate a center-zone-only vertical projection profile. The center zone is determined using a horizontal projection profile, by locating the two major peaks of that profile and defining the two major peak positions as the upper and lower boundaries of the center zone. Spacing segments (white gaps) in the vertical projection profile are identified, and classified into two classes, namely character spacing (gap between characters with a word) and word spacing (gap between words). The word spacings are used to segment the text line into word segments.
US09430700B2
The present invention relates to the field of computation and simulation and covers methods to optimize the fiducial marker positions in optical object tracking systems, by simulating the visibility. The method for optimizing tracker system which is realized to simulate camera and fiducial positions and pose estimation algorithm parameters to optimize the system comprises the steps of; acquire mesh data representing possible active marker positions and orientations on a tracked object, pose data representing possible poses of tracked object, camera positions and orientations; compute visibility of each node from all camera viewports and generate a visibility value list; select the node with highest visibility count as a marker placement node; remove nodes closer to the selected node than a threshold; remove the pose(s) having a predetermined number of selected nodes; does percentage of all poses have predetermined number of selected nodes?; project selected node positions on the image plane of each camera viewport and calculate the pose of the mesh using the tracker algorithm to be optimized; calculate pose error and pose coverage by comparing algorithm results with initial data; record and output results; and select among the results a parameter set satisfying at least one constraint.
US09430698B2
An information input apparatus includes an observation unit that observes an environment including a user and one or more apparatuses to be controlled and includes a sensor; a learning unit that separates a foreground including the user and the one or more apparatuses to be controlled and a background including the environment except for the foreground from observation data obtained by the observation unit and learns three-dimensional models of the foreground and the background; a state estimation unit that estimates positions and postures of already modeled foregrounds in the environment; a user recognition unit that identifies fingers of the user from the foreground and recognizes a shape, position, and posture of the fingers; and an apparatus control unit that outputs a control command to the one or more apparatuses to be controlled on the basis of the recognized shape, position, and posture of the fingers.
US09430689B2
A method includes identifying a set of functional parameters that are settable for processing the image and a plurality of instances of the set of functional parameters. A different mode for processing this image corresponds to each of these instances. The method includes selecting a determined processing mode for decoding the optical information from the processing modes of a working set of processing modes, and applying this selected processing mode and further comprises associating with each processing mode a respective probability of success. Selecting one of the methods of the working set includes choosing the processing mode with the highest value of probability of success and updating after each application of the selected processing mode, both if the decoding was successful and if the decoding was not successful, the probability of success of each processing mode of the working set, such as to perform adaptive decoding of the optical information.
US09430688B1
A system and method for multi-signal classification that classifies a signal or a variable utilizing topological data analysis (TDA) specifically, via the theory of persistent homology; and encode the persistent homology of a data set in the form of a parameterized version of a Betti number by way of a topology data function which is more generally referred to as a persistence diagram or barcode.
US09430687B2
One aspect of the present disclosure is related to a barcode reader that includes a bright field illumination system, a dark field illumination system, and an additional illumination system that is better able to illuminate an area of the reader's field of view between the far zone (where bright field illumination is optimal) and the close zone (where dark field illumination is optimal). In this “center zone,” the dark field illumination may not be bright enough and the bright field illumination may not be diffuse enough for reading a barcode.
US09430684B2
A license detector system enables a person such as a police officer to monitor vehicles on the road to ensure drivers have valid licenses. Within each valid license is an RFID tag which contains specific information and each RFID tag is able to send that information to a detector when requested. To use the system, the police officer aims the detector at a vehicle, initiates the signal to be received by the RFID tag within the license and waits to receive a signal back from the RFID tag. If a signal is received, then a valid license has been detected within the vehicle. However, if no signal or an invalid signal is received by the detector, then no one, specifically the driver of the car, has a valid license. Upon discovering such information, the police officer should be justified in stopping the vehicle and taking the necessary police action.
US09430683B1
A self-jammer-cancellation circuit in an RFID system uses passive variable capacitance networks to attenuate phase-adjusted carrier signals, which are then combined with a received signal to reduce unwanted carrier signals in the received signal. The self-jammer-cancellation circuit also adjusts the passive variable capacitance networks such that the overall capacitance of each network remains constant or the overall relationship of capacitances between the networks remains constant.
US09430682B1
The pressure profile data coding system and method maps the binary data standard format (0, 1) to a prominent and a non-prominent square shape milled inside a proper material called the code stamp. The code stamp can be scanned using a high spatial resolution, high sensitivity pressure sensor array to get a pressure profile coded image of this code stamp. The acquired gray level image has two color regions including one color region having high gray color values mapping the prominent region of the code stamp, and the second color region having low gray color values mapping the non-prominent region of the code stamp. The two color regions are arranged in a square grid, which can be processed using Reed-Solomon error correction until the image can be appropriately interpreted. The required data are then extracted from patterns present in both horizontal and vertical components of the image.
US09430681B2
A mobile scanner gun system efficiently and reliably processes a retail store purchase and/or performs daily store inventory management functions. The system has a main body portion extending toward a handle portion, the main body portion having a base, side walls, a front wall and a back wall constructed to form an interior cavity, wherein the front wall includes an aperture with a lens recessed therein. The front wall has a trigger member located near the base of the main body. A USB scanner input device is mounted above and in front of the trigger, the scanner having two drivers, including 1) a native device driver and 2) a keyboard input driver, the scanner device being in communication with the trigger for initiating a scan of a barcode. A USB MSR input device is integrated on the short edge of the mobile tablet device (upper receiver) and is used for processing payment card sales transactions through a secured PCI compliant, end to end encrypted bank card processor. The top wall of the main body portion includes an attachment means comprising a base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling means and a specialized universal serial bus wiring harness adapted to interchangeably mount and communicate with a mobile tablet device having a system integrated therein that enables real-time store level inventory management and a fully functioning POS capability for selling merchandise in a retail sales environment. The base mount universal receiver with rotational coupling allows the mobile tablet device to rotate from portrait mode to landscape mode without operational delay of the system.
US09430680B2
A deformable tamper sensor and tamper resistant electronic system is operable to detect opening of an enclosure and perform actions responsive to the detection. Movable elements within the tamper sensor are held in position when the sensor is compressed and define a multi-bit sensor value. Transitioning the sensor from a compressed to a non-compressed state non-destructively provides a new sensor value through movement of one or more elements.
US09430679B2
A display device and method aiming to protect access to audiovisual documents recorded in a memory. The display device includes a setting device for setting a masking threshold of the documents. The display device further includes a masking device for masking recorded documents the seniority of which in the memory is greater than the masking threshold.
US09430676B1
An apparatus for encrypting processor related noise is disclosed. A method and a computer program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a frequency selection module that selects frequencies for a first noise output. The frequencies are within a range of frequencies of a second noise output. The second noise output is produced by one or more first voltage regulating modules providing power to a processor. The apparatus includes an amplitude selection module that selects an amplitude for each frequency of the first noise output. The apparatus includes a noise scrambling module that produces the first noise output based on one or both of the frequency selection module and the amplitude selection module. The first noise output combines with the second noise output to produce a third noise output such that coherence between the third noise output and operations of the processor is below a threshold.
US09430659B2
Example embodiments provide various techniques for locating cryptographic keys stored in a cache. The cryptographic keys are temporarily stored in the cache until retrieved for use in a cryptographic operation. The cryptographic key may be located or found through reference to its cryptographic key identifier. In an example, a particular cryptographic key may be needed for a cryptographic operation. The cache is first searched to locate this cryptographic key. To locate the cryptographic key, the cryptographic key identifier that is associated with this cryptographic key is provided. In turn, the cryptographic key identifier may be used as an address into the cache. The address identifies a location of the cryptographic key within the cache. The cryptographic key may then be retrieved from the cache at the identified address and then used in the cryptographic operation.
US09430658B2
To securely configure an electronic circuit and provision a product that includes the electronic circuit, a first entity (e.g., a chip manufacturer) embeds one or more secret values into copies of the circuit. A second entity (e.g., an OEM): 1) derives a trust anchor from a code signing public key; 2) embeds the trust anchor in a first circuit copy; 3) causes the first circuit copy to generate a secret key derived from the trust anchor and the embedded secret value(s); 4) signs provisioning code using a code signing private key; and 5) sends the code signing public key, the trust anchor, and the signed provisioning code to a third entity (e.g., a product manufacturer). The third entity embeds the trust anchor in a second circuit copy and causes it to: 1) generate the secret key; 2) verify the signature of the signed provisioning code using the code signing public key; and 3) launch the provisioning code. The OEM can authenticate the second circuit copy using the first circuit copy and a challenge/response protocol.
US09430651B2
An arrangement is provided where a media server temporarily stores a DRM license that is associated with downloaded media content prior to copying the DRM license to a physical archival medium such as an optical disc. When the media server confirms that the DRM license is successfully copied to the physical archival medium, it destroys the temporarily stored DRM license.
US09430642B2
A virtual machine manager (e.g., hypervisor) implements a virtual secure mode that makes multiple different virtual trust levels available to virtual processors of a virtual machine. Different memory access protections (such as the ability to read, write, and/or execute memory) can be associated with different portions of memory (e.g., memory pages) for each virtual trust level. The virtual trust levels are organized as a hierarchy with a higher level virtual trust level being more privileged than a lower virtual trust level, and programs running in the higher virtual trust level being able to change memory access protections of a lower virtual trust level. The number of virtual trust levels can vary, and can vary for different virtual machines as well as for different virtual processors in the same virtual machine.
US09430636B2
A method for interactive policy evaluation using dynamically generated, interactive resultant sets of policies includes the step of receiving, by a graphical user interface, at least one of: a description of a client requesting access to a resource, a description of the resource, and a description of a method of access requested by the client. The graphical user interface displays at least one policy applicable to the client request for access to the resource. The graphical user interface displays a decision made by applying the at least one policy to the received description.
US09430633B2
When visual focus on a mobile device is limited, aural cues can be used to aid in entering a pattern based access code. The mobile device displays a plurality of positions from which an access code for accessing a mobile device can be selected. Indications of a set of positions of the plurality of positions in a sequence are received. The sequence of the set of the positions form an access code. For at least the first of the set of positions, an aural cue associated with the first position is determined, and the aural cue is emitted to indicate the first position based on the aural cue. It is determined whether the access code is correct. Access to the mobile device is allowed if the access code is correct.
US09430627B2
A method for biometric authentication of a user by a challenge/response procedure with a mobile station includes authenticating the enrolled user before performing a transaction by: setting up a communication channel between the mobile station and the authentication server; forwarding a challenge from the authentication server to the mobile station; recording a response sequence expressed by the user and recording simultaneously ambient signals or a response of the ambience; forwarding the recorded response sequence and the recorded ambient signals to the authentication server; evaluating the recorded response sequence based on related biometric data retrieved from the database and verifying whether the user corresponds to the enrolled user; evaluating the ambient signals and identifying signal changes within the ambient signals; and determining whether the identified signal changes represent a logical sequence of events in the user's vicinity.
US09430624B1
Methods and systems for efficiently logging in or onto a computer system or other restricted system are described. An enterprise device may detect that a user device is within a detectable range of the user device. A user profile associated with the user device may be identified. The user and/or the user device may provide authentication information to the enterprise device, and the user may be granted access when the authentication information has been verified.
US09430623B2
At the time of license authentication for a PC software product, an inquiry about the license authentication date of an MFP software product included in a combined product is made to an MFP in which the MFP software is installed, and the license authentication date of the earlier date information is deemed as the start date of a maintenance contract. A license management method is provided in which if the PC software product is released within the term of the maintenance contract, the PC software product is made usable.
US09430619B2
Innovations in the area of hardware-protected digital rights management (“DRM”) systems are presented. For example, a hardware-protected DRM system includes a trusted layer and untrusted layer. In the untrusted layer, a control module receives source media data that includes encrypted media data. The control module processes metadata about the media data. The metadata, possibly exposed by a module in the trusted layer, is not opaque within the untrusted layer. In the trusted layer, using key data, a module decrypts encrypted media data, which can be the encrypted media data from the source media data or a transcripted version thereof. A module in the trusted layer decodes the decrypted media data. A host decoder in the untrusted layer uses the metadata to manage at least some aspects of the decoding, rendering and display in the trusted layer, without exposure of decrypted media data or key data within the untrusted layer.
US09430607B2
An electron beam drawing apparatus includes: an accepting unit that accepts input graphic information, which is information representing at least one graphic; a graphic width acquiring unit that acquires a width of each of the at least one graphic represented by the input graphic information; a generating unit that generates approximate graphic information representing at least one approximate graphic, which is a graphic configured by at least one rectangle matching the width of the graphic, and is a graphic that approximates each of the at least one graphic represented by the input graphic information; and a drawing unit that draws the at least one approximate graphic represented by the approximate graphic information generated by the generating unit.
US09430590B2
Disclosed are optical design techniques for generating environmentally resilient optical elements used in optical computing devices. One method for designing an integrated computational element (ICE) includes generating a plurality of theoretical ICE designs with a design suite stored on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, each theoretical ICE design being configured to detect a characteristic of interest and comprising one or more layers, sorting the theoretical ICE designs based on performance criteria of each theoretical ICE design and thereby identifying one or more predictive ICE designs, calculating a theoretical effect of a temperature shift on each predictive ICE design, and selecting for fabrication one or more predictive ICE designs based on favorable temperature stability.
US09430576B2
Multi-dimensional barcodes at a product include service identifiers for the product so that an end user with a portable information handling system captures an image of the multi-dimensional barcode and extracts the service identifiers to obtain service information from a service network location. For example, a service identifier embeds a URL that links to a video demonstrating how to assemble the product. As another example, a service identifier links to a service network location and includes a unique identifier so that an end user retrieves warranty or purchase information for the product. In one embodiment, a chassis supports plural information handling system modules and present information for the modules with QR codes displayed at a chassis-wide dynamic fault code display.
US09430566B2
The integrity of an existing tag set associated with a web module is protected by reviewing user-generated proposed additions to the tag set to determine whether the proposed addition is appropriate. An initial test is made to determine whether a proposed addition is trivial; e.g., includes strings of the same character. If the proposed addition is not found to be trivial, it is assessed to determine its relatedness to the existing tag set. The proposed addition is made a part of the tag set only if it is found to be sufficiently related to the existing tag set.
US09430564B2
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving first sets of metadata elements representing an inventory of objects in a data storage location of a network environment and presenting an inventory view of the objects to a user. The inventory view includes a first summary of the inventory objects. The method further includes receiving a request from the user to manipulate the inventory view based on a first selected dimension group and presenting to the user a manipulated inventory view that includes a second summary of a first subset of the inventory objects. In more specific embodiments, the method includes receiving a request from the user to perform a protection task on objects of the first subset and initiating the protection task. The protection task includes one of applying a remediation policy to the objects of the first subset and registering the objects of the first subset.
US09430563B2
A set of word embedding transforms are applied to transform text words of a set of documents into K-dimensional word vectors in order to generate sets or sequences of word vectors representing the documents of the set of documents. A probabilistic topic model is learned using the sets or sequences of word vectors representing the documents of the set of documents. The set of word embedding transforms are applied to transform text words of an input document into K-dimensional word vectors in order to generate a set or sequence of word vectors representing the input document. The learned probabilistic topic model is applied to assign probabilities for topics of the probabilistic topic model to the set or sequence of word vectors representing the input document. A document processing operation such as annotation, classification, or similar document retrieval may be performed using the assigned topic probabilities.
US09430561B2
An analysis system analyzes known user affinities to identify particular objects that serve as useful predictors of whether a given user will have an affinity for a given topic, even if the user has not previously expressly specified an affinity for that topic. Specifically, both the topic group of users associated with a given topic and the category group of users associated with the topic's more general category are identified. For each of a set of objects, degrees of divergence between the topic group and the category group are evaluated for a criterion evaluated with respect to the object. A topic profile is created based on objects for which there is a high degree of divergence.
US09430558B2
A method providing an answer to at least one analytical question containing at least one table or at least one chart is provided. The method may include receiving an input question. The method may also include extracting a plurality of information from the input question based on a natural language analysis. The method may further include forming a well-defined sentence. The method may include extracting at least one table or at least one chart associated with the input question. The method may include forming at least one mathematical equation. The method may also include solving the at least one mathematical equation. The method may include determining the answer to the input question in natural language based on the solved at least one mathematical equation. The method may further include narrating the determined answer to the input question in natural language.
US09430557B2
A method providing an answer to at least one analytical question containing at least one table or at least one chart is provided. The method may include receiving an input question. The method may also include extracting a plurality of information from the input question based on a natural language analysis. The method may further include forming a well-defined sentence. The method may include extracting at least one table or at least one chart associated with the input question. The method may include forming at least one mathematical equation. The method may also include solving the at least one mathematical equation. The method may include determining the answer to the input question in natural language based on the solved at least one mathematical equation. The method may further include narrating the determined answer to the input question in natural language.
US09430552B2
A database update pipeline may be incorporated into a data access architecture for providing data services to applications, thereby bridging the gap between application data and data as persisted in databases. The update pipeline has the ability to translate changes made to object instances into data store change constructs, and carry those changes over to a data store. Such a pipeline can also advantageously perform the reverse operation, allowing applications to query using the database update pipeline, and receive materialized object instances.
US09430551B1
In a mirrored database system, mirror resynchronization of bulk load and append-only tables during ongoing transactions is optimized for quick repair and high availability by catching up any changes to primary database tables that have not been made to mirror database tables during the transaction itself, and making changes due to ongoing transactions when the databases are synchronized to the resynchronization process.
US09430546B2
A system, a method, and a computer program product for managing delta version chains are provided. A version chain having a plurality of versions of data is provided. A first delta-compressed version and a second delta-compressed version corresponding to a first version of data in the version chain and a second version of data in the version chain, respectively, are selected. A third delta-compressed version configured to be independent of at least one of the first delta-compressed version and the second delta-compressed version and further configured to contain at least one third instruction determined based on at least one of the following: the first insert instruction, the second insert instruction, the first copy instruction, and the second copy instruction, is generated.
US09430540B2
The disclosure is directed to metal fatigue analytics and alert systems. A system in accordance with an embodiment includes: a first database on a vehicle, the database storing a list of at least one metal part in the vehicle and corresponding metal batch information for each metal part in the list; a second database on a server remote from the first database, the second database storing metal batch information for at least one batch of metal from which faulty metal parts have been constructed; a comparing system for comparing the metal batch information stored in the first database with the metal batch information stored in the second database; and a messaging system for generating a failure alert message when the comparing system finds a match between the metal batch information stored in the first database and the metal batch information stored in the second database.
US09430537B2
Example embodiments describe a system and method for limiting shares of voice of individual users in a result set. In example embodiments, a user providing each publication in a result set of a search is identified. Sorting criteria indicating a number of publications a same user is allowed within a number of consecutive publications of the result set are reviewed. Using the sorting criteria, a sorted result set is generated by sorting the plurality of publications in accordance with the sorting criteria. The sorted result set is provided to a searching user.
US09430533B2
Various technologies described herein pertain to evaluating search preferences. A search query, a first search result list returned by a first ranker system responsive to the search query, and a second search result list returned by a second ranker system responsive to the search query are received. A classifier is employed to predict (e.g., based upon values of features of the search query, the first search result list, and the second search result list) whether a search preference judgment (e.g., a side-by-side search preference judgment, etc.) indicates a quality difference between the first search result list and the second search result list. The search query, the first search result list, and the second search result list are excluded from a set of search queries and search result list pairs to be manually judged for search preference judgments when predicted to lack the quality difference.
US09430524B1
SQL queries are optimized to operate directly on compressed data (and obtain the correct result) rather than requiring that the data be first decompressed prior to processing a query. Certain characteristic pattern trees are mapped against a logical input query plan that includes certain logical operators such as a DECOMPRESS that precedes a JOIN or a GROUPBY in association with a COUNT to identify instances in the plan that match a characteristic pattern. Upon locating a match, the input query plan is transformed into a logically equivalent plan that operates correctly on compressed data, by analyzing the interplay of the semantics of logical query operations with the compressed data and substituting less costly structures and operations. DECOMPRESS operations are moved to operate subsequent to a JOIN or eliminated altogether, and COUNT operations are replaced by a different operation, such as SUM, that is logically equivalent for compressed data.
US09430523B2
Embodiments extend the relational model and language of standard SQL, to recognize features of higher level entity-relationship models (ERMs). Annotation language is implemented in the data design language (DDL) to incorporate tables and entities Using DDL, annotations are typed structures of metadata. Annotations may be used for types, entities and elements. In the query language (QL), annotations may be added to the standard QL. A reflection program may use the metadata of the annotation language for reflection on the tables or entities.
US09430519B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for dynamically generating and configuring pre-aggregated datasets optimized for responding to particular types of data requests made against a large sub-optimal multidimensional dataset are disclosed. A dynamic aggregator monitors the query types and response latencies associated with queries made against the large multidimensional dataset. The dynamic aggregator defines pre-aggregated datasets based on the types of queries received from users and calculates a respective benefit score for each pre-aggregated dataset. The benefit score of each pre-aggregated dataset can be based on the recorded latencies and query count for the pre-aggregated dataset. The dynamic aggregator can decide whether to generate and/or maintain particular pre-aggregated datasets based on the current values of the benefit scores associated with the particular pre-aggregated datasets.
US09430518B2
A computerized system and method are presented that provide access to a research archive for researching fundamental texts of a variety of spiritual and religious domains. The research archive is oriented around ideas having snippets from the fundamental texts. Each idea is associated with a single life issue tag and a religious or spiritual domain. Each idea is further associated with a fixed number of commentaries that comment on the snippet from the point of view of the religious domain and its relationship to the associated life issue tag. The fixed number of commentaries are each written with respect to a particular role.
US09430513B1
Methods and apparatus for archiving files in a content addressable storage (CAS) system with support for folder renames on the CAS and optimizing the same by filtering unnecessary folder renames from being recorded on the CAS based on folder rename flush policy.
US09430512B2
Embodiments of methods and/or systems of manipulating tree expressions are disclosed.
US09430511B2
In an embodiment, a method of updating a memory with a plurality of memory lines, the memory storing a tree, a plurality of buckets, and a plurality of rules, includes maintaining a copy of the memory with a plurality of memory lines. The method further includes writing a plurality of changes to at least one of the tree, the plurality of buckets, and the plurality of rules to the copy. The method further includes determining whether each of the plurality of changes is an independent write or a dependent write. The method further includes merging independent writes to the same line of the copy. The method further includes transferring updates from the plurality of lines of the copy to the plurality of lines of the memory.
US09430497B2
A method of replaying measured data points includes receiving positions of a watercraft from a monitoring system, receiving sonar pings of a water body from the monitoring system at the positions of the watercraft, and aligning each of the sonar pings to each of the watercraft positions at which each of the sonar pings was taken. The method also includes generating a sonar image using the of sonar pings, providing a map of the water body, displaying the map including a pathway with an indicating point with the pathway representing the watercraft positions, and displaying the sonar image including an indicating line alongside of the contour map wherein the indicating line on the sonar image corresponds to the indicating point on the pathway.
US09430492B1
An improved technique involves identifying the location of backed free blocks, i.e., blocks within an upper deck file system that have been provisioned from storage devices of a data storage system to a lower deck file system, allocated from the lower deck file system to the upper deck file system, and later freed from the upper deck file system. A storage processor accesses a set of data structures that identifies backed free blocks as opposed to free blocks that have not been written into and thus do not correspond to any allocated blocks in storage. Once the storage processor identifies the backed free blocks, the storage processor frees each block in the lower deck file system from which the respective backed free block was allocated. The storage processor then updates the set of data structures to indicate that the respective backed free block is now simply a free block.
US09430485B2
An information processor coupled to a storage apparatus that stores information, includes: a creation unit configured to create a snapshot of a file system that manages first information stored in the storage apparatus and to output the snapshot to the storage apparatus; a writing unit configured to write second information stored in cache memory onto the storage apparatus after the snapshot has been created; and a replication instruction unit configured to instruct the storage apparatus to create a replication of the first information stored in the storage apparatus after the second information has been written and the snapshot.
US09430480B1
A technique for providing active-active access to pooled block-based objects and pooled file-based objects by multiple storage processors over distance in a metro-cluster includes virtualizing locally attached LUNs and making the virtualized LUNs available to all the storage processors in the metro-cluster. Storage pools and internal file systems operate on each of the storage processors and coordinate with one another to maintain consistent storage allocation and a consistent file system image across all storage processors in the metro-cluster. The resulting arrangement allows storage processors in the metro-cluster to access both block-based data objects and file-based data objects in an active-active manner, while maintaining consistency across all storage processors and allowing customers to benefit from the advantages of pooled data objects.
US09430476B2
A method and system for recommending applications to users of in-vehicle infotainment systems are disclosed. Application rating data from many road vehicle infotainment system users are collected on a central server, including both explicit ratings and implicit ratings. Implicit ratings may be calculated based on application usage data. The user/application rating data is filtered for relevance, and then analyzed to determine inferred ratings for user/application relationships where no rating exists. The inferred ratings are calculated using both a user-driven consensus rating calculation and an application-driven consensus rating calculation. The inferred ratings, along with optional cyberspace-based external inputs, are used to synthesize application recommendations for users. The synthesized recommendations for application consideration are provided to the appropriate user via downloading from the central server to the infotainment system in the user's vehicle.
US09430475B2
A method is disclosed in which a configuration code identifying the type and specification of a vehicle (1) is stored in a memory device (2) during manufacture of the vehicle (1). Information relating to one or more types of vehicle is uploaded into a mass storage device (3) located on the vehicle from an external data source (4). The stored configuration code is then used to select from the information stored on the mass storage device (3) only the information relating to the particular vehicle (1) so that only relevant information can be accessed by a user of the vehicle (1). The method may also include restricting the information provided if the vehicle speed is above a predetermined vehicle speed.
US09430469B2
Systems and methods for recursively generating pivot tables are described. A processor provides, for display, a first table including a first set of results, each result including values corresponding to a first dimension. Each value of the first dimension is associated with a corresponding actionable object for further filtering a data set. In response to an action on an actionable object, the processor identifies a first set of entries of the plurality of entries that correspond to a value of the first dimension with which the actionable object is associated. The processor receives a second request to generate a second table from the first table identifying a second dimension. The processor generates the second table including a second set of results having values corresponding to the second dimension identified in the second request.
US09430465B2
A hybrid speech translation system whereby a wireless-enabled client computing device can, in an offline mode, translate input speech utterances from one language to another locally, and also, in an online mode when there is wireless network connectivity, have a remote computer perform the translation and transmit it back to the client computing device via the wireless network for audible outputting by client computing device. The user of the client computing device can transition between modes or the transition can be automatic based on user preferences or settings. The back-end speech translation server system can adapt the various recognition and translation models used by the client computing device in the offline mode based on analysis of user data over time, to thereby configure the client computing device with scaled-down, yet more efficient and faster, models than the back-end speech translation server system, while still be adapted for the user's domain.
US09430463B2
Systems and processes for exemplar-based natural language processing are provided. In one example process, a first text phrase can be received. It can be determined whether editing the first text phrase to match a second text phrase requires one or more of inserting, deleting, and substituting a word of the first text phrase. In response to determining that editing the first text phrase to match the second text phrase requires one or more of inserting, deleting, and substituting a word of the first text phrase, one or more of an insertion cost, a deletion cost, and a substitution cost can be determined. A semantic edit distance between the first text phrase and the second text phrase in a semantic space can be determined based on one or more of the insertion cost, the deletion cost, and the substitution cost.
US09430453B1
Techniques to capture document data are disclosed. It is determined that a sequence of pages in a stream of document page images comprise a single multi-page document. Data is extracted from two or more different pages included in the sequence. The data extracted from two or more different pages included in the sequence of pages is used to populate a data entry form associated with the multi-page document.
US09430451B1
The present invention is directed to a method and corresponding system for parsing author name text strings in documents. The method and system may electronically scan a document that contains an author name text string comprising a set of initials, one or more author surnames, and punctuation. The author name text string may be in non-standardized format. The method and system may identify a character sequence in the document as potentially being the author name test string based on (i) a sequence of title-case words, capital letter, and punctuation, and (ii) the character sequence ending with a recognized indicator. The method and system may parse the identified character sequence by converting any punctuation and whitespace between terms in the character sequence to a single space character, identifying a pattern of surname and set of initials comprising each author name contained in the character sequence, and marking up the components of surname and set of initials comprising each author name. The method and system may use the marked up character sequence to identify and correct errors in punctuation and capitalization in the character sequence, and output an updated character sequence in standardized format.
US09430448B2
A computer implemented method for the cluster of media, the method comprises, selecting a media search source via a user interface; providing a form-based interface that allow the entry of inputs to form a media search query; submitting the media search query to the media search source; receiving a media search result for viewing on the user interface based on the media search query, the media search result comprising media items; displaying the media search result in a collection depository on the user interface; and clustering the media items into one or more stacks having a variable number of the media items, wherein the method is performed by one or more processors adapted to execute instructions stored on one or more memory components of the computer, is described herein.
US09430441B2
Disclosed are methods, circuits, devices, systems and associated computer executable code for distributed content caching and delivery. An access or gateway network may include two or more gateway nodes integral or otherwise functionally associated with a caching unit. Each of the caching units may include: (a) a caching repository, (b) caching/delivery logic and (c) an inter-cache communication module. Caching logic of a given caching unit may include content characterization functionality for generating one or more characterization parameters associated with and/or derived from content entering a gateway node with which the given caching unit is integral or otherwise functionally associated. Content characterization parameters generated by a characterization module of a given caching unit may be compared with content characterization parameters of content already cached in: one or more cache repositories of the given caching unit, and one or more cache repositories of other caching units.
US09430438B2
A two wire bidirectional bus system is provided in which at least one of the slave nodes is configured to enter into a sleep mode, thereby minimizing power drainage, whenever the bus master stops transferring data over the bidirectional bus, and to wake up whenever the bus master begins to transfer data over the bidirectional bus.
US09430432B2
In one implementation, an optimized multi-root input-output virtualization (MRIOV) aware switch configured to route data between multiple root complexes and I/O devices is described. The MRIOV aware switch may include two or more upstream ports and one or more downstream ports. Each of an upstream port and a downstream port may include a media access controller (MAC) configured to negotiate link width and link speed for exchange of data packets between the multiple root complexes and the I/O devices. Each of an upstream port and a downstream port may further include a clocking module configured to dynamically configure a clock rate of processing data packets based one or more negotiated link width and negotiated link speed, and a data link layer (DLL) coupled to the MAC configured to operate at the clock rate, wherein the clock rate is indicative of processing speed.
US09430428B2
A circuit for software tracing in a system on chip is described as including a plurality of components, each component having at least one local processor connected to a first communication bus; and each component being connected to a second communication bus. The circuit may further include a separate trace data bus being configured to transmit trace data generated by code running on the components. A method associated with software tracing on such a circuit is also disclosed.
US09430406B2
An electronic system 100 for generating a cryptographic key, the system comprising a memory 110 used as a physically unclonable function, the memory being writable, volatile and configured such that upon each powering-up of the memory the memory settles into a memory content which depends upon at least partially random physical characteristics of the memory, the memory being accessible through a memory interface, and a key derivation unit 150 configured to derive the cryptographic key from the memory content into which the memory settled, wherein the electronic system for generating a cryptographic key further comprises, a memory read-out unit connected to the memory through the memory interface and to the key derivation unit, the memory read-out unit comprising an address scrambler 140 for retrieving the memory content over the memory interface in a scrambled order.
US09430397B2
A processor includes a directory cache provided with a data cache, a memory directory to hold directory information, to hold dirty information indicating if held directory information is the same as that held in the memory directory, and local information indicating that the directory information of the memory directory is not held in a data cache of a different processor when the directory information from the memory directory is registered, and makes a setting such that the directory information of the memory directory is the same as directory information held in a data cache of a different processor as dirty information of the directory cache when the directory information of the directory cache and the local information of the directory cache indicate that the directory information of the memory directory is not held in the data cache of the different processor.
US09430391B2
Existing multiprocessor computing systems often have insufficient memory coherency and, consequently, are unable to efficiently utilize separate memory systems. Specifically, a CPU cannot effectively write to a block of memory and then have a GPU access that memory unless there is explicit synchronization. In addition, because the GPU is forced to statically split memory locations between itself and the CPU, existing multiprocessor computing systems are unable to efficiently utilize the separate memory systems. Embodiments described herein overcome these deficiencies by receiving a notification within the GPU that the CPU has finished processing data that is stored in coherent memory, and invalidating data in the CPU caches that the GPU has finished processing from the coherent memory. Embodiments described herein also include dynamically partitioning a GPU memory into coherent memory and local memory through use of a probe filter.
US09430389B2
A method performed by a processor is described. The method includes executing an instruction. The instruction has an address as an operand. The executing of the instruction includes sending a signal to cache coherence protocol logic of the processor. In response to the signal, the cache coherence protocol logic issues a request for ownership of a cache line at the address. The cache line is not in a cache of the processor. The request for ownership also indicates that the cache line is not to be sent to the processor.
US09430383B2
A method and system for fast file initialization is provided. An initialization request to create or extend a file is received. The initialization request comprises or identifies file template metadata. A set of allocation units are allocated, the set of allocation units comprising at least one allocation unit for the file on a primary storage medium without initializing at least a portion of the file on the primary storage medium. The file template metadata is stored in a cache. The cache resides in at least one of volatile memory and persistent flash storage. A second request is received corresponding to a particular allocation unit of the set of allocation units. Particular file template metadata associated with the particular allocation unit is obtained. In response to the second request, at least a portion of a new allocation unit is generated.
US09430362B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for generating a fully traceable test design. In use, a repository of parameters and associated values that are predefined as valid for the parameters is defined. Activity flows including one or more activities are further graphically defined, and the parameters are mapped to the one or more activities, the mapping functioning to connect the one or more activities to the values that are predefined as valid for the parameters. Further, business rules define incompatible pairings of the values across two or more of the parameters mapped to one or more of the activities. A plurality of test scenarios associated with the activity flows are then determined, and a subset of the plurality of test scenarios are automatically selected based on various predefined criteria. Moreover, test design materials associated with the test design are output.
US09430359B1
Technologies are described herein for use in identifying and resolving software issues. One or more corrective actions may be identified and taken that are based upon the similarity between an unresolved issue and one or more resolved issues and/or upon the similarity between code changes made to resolve similar previously resolved issues. A version control graph might also be utilized to determine if a change made to resolve an issue in one branch of a software component is applicable to another branch of the software component. The version control graph might also be utilized to compute the relevance of an entry in an issue tracking system for an issue at a point in time after the entry is created in the issue tracking system.
US09430355B2
A thread dump analysis tool analyzes a series of thread dumps and identifies one or more potential problems in the application from which the thread dumps were generated. Hints regarding the potential problems are presented. The hints can be generated based on relative values generated by analysis of sequential dumps. The hints may be hints that could not be generated by analysis of a single thread dump. Other hints may be hints that are enhanced by analysis of multiple thread dumps, whose importance is made clearer by appearance in multiple thread dumps, or that are unchanged in detection, importance, or both, by the use of multiple thread dumps. The hints can then be presented in order of importance. Additionally or alternatively, hints below a certain threshold of importance can be hidden.
US09430350B2
Methods to facilitate monitoring the execution of a first instance and a second instance, such as multiple instantiations of a program, are generally described. The methods may include generating a first instance and a second instance, appending first monitoring instructions to the first instance to produce a first modified instance and appending second monitoring instructions to the second instance to produce a second modified instance. The first and second monitoring instructions may relate to monitoring an execution of the first instance and the second instance. The processor may further send the first modified instance to a first computing device and send the second modified instance to a second computing device different from the first computing device. The computing devices may provide different computational functionality and/or may split a load in processing the program.
US09430346B2
A system can include a processing core to execute machine readable instructions. The system can also include a memory accessible by the processor core. The memory can include preprogrammed test data that characterizes one of an impedance of a processor and a current output to the processor during execution of a test routine. The processor can include the processing core and the one of the impedance of the processor and the current output to the processor is based on a power measurement taken during execution of a test routine. The power measurement can be taken with a current sensor that is at least one of lossy or at least about 98% accurate.
US09430344B2
A memory system is disclosed, which may include a memory unit of a first type, susceptible to loss of data from corrupting events, and a memory unit of a second type, less susceptible to loss of data from corrupting events than the memory unit of the first type, and a mirrored memory interface (MMI). The MMI may be coupled to a memory controller, the memory unit of the first type, and the memory unit of the second type. The MMI may, in response to a memory controller write command, receive data from the memory controller and write the data to the memory unit of the first type and to the memory unit of the second type. The MMI may also, in response to a memory controller read command, read data from the memory unit of the first type and send the data to the memory controller.
US09430343B1
In a distributed storage system in which a first copy of a set of data such as a virtualized LUN is maintained by a first site, and a second copy is maintained by a second site, access is provided to both the first site and the second site during loss of communication between the first site and the second site. Affinity determines access privileges for each site, where affinity is an indication that a particular site has or should be given permission to perform an operation to a particular part of the data set. Affinities can be specified such that permissions are non-overlapping, or overlap in a manner which is acceptable and resolvable.
US09430331B1
Directory attributes are provided so that the time for creating an incremental backup of a file system by a scan of the file system tree is proportional generally to the number of files that change between backups instead of the number of files in the file system. A tree modification attribute indicates whether or not any file in a directory tree has changed since the last backup. If no file has changed in the directory tree, then the entire tree is skipped during the scan for changed files. In addition, a list is compiled of the files in the directory that represent branches having at least one changed file, so that the list is scanned instead of the directory entries. When a file is changed for the first time since the last backup, the file is queued so that the directory attributes are updated in a background process.
US09430330B1
Described herein is a system and method for managing environment metadata of a server system during a backup session between the server system and a storage system. In some embodiments, during the backup session, the server system sends a sequence of blocks or files comprising backup data and environment metadata to the storage system. The backup data may comprise data on the server that is typically sent to the storage system during a backup session, such as client or application data. The environment metadata may include information describing the server system, such as information describing hardware or software components of the server system or server metrics of the server system. In these embodiments, operations for processing environment metadata may be included with the operations for processing backup data during the backup session.
US09430323B2
Aspects of power mode register reduction and power rail bring up enhancements are described. In one embodiment, an operating parameter for a first power rail is set by power management circuit according to a predetermined programmed setting. In connection with a wait time, the power rail is enabled, and a processor is released to start. In turn, at least one of a command to modify the operating parameter for the first power rail or a command to set an operating parameter for a second power rail is received from the processor over a high speed interface. By accessing a grouped operating register for a group of power rails, the processor can update or modify settings of an entire group of power rails at one time. In connection with the processor, the power management circuit can power up a plurality of power rails in a flexible and efficient manner.
US09430320B1
Methods and systems for detecting error in data storage entities based at least in part on importance of data stored in the data storage entities. In an embodiment, multiple verification passes may be performed on a data storage entity comprising one or more data blocks. Each data block may be associated with a probability indicating the likelihood that the data block is to be selected for verification. During each verification pass, a subset of the data blocks may be selected based at least in part on the probabilities associated with the data blocks. The probabilities may be adjusted, for example, at the end of a verification pass, based on importance factors such as usage and verification information associated with the data blocks. The probabilities may be updated to facilitate timely detection of important data blocks. Additionally, error mitigation and/or correction routines may be performed in light of detected errors.
US09430319B2
Various embodiments are presented for bulk recovery or faults in a service oriented architecture system. The number of faults submitted for recovery is determined based on the capacity of the system. A linear programming model is used to determine the maximum recovery capacity of the system. The maximum recovery capacity is configured to be below the capacity of the system.
US09430313B2
Methods, non-transitory storage medium, and systems for generating an aggregated list of problem conditions associated with blade servers to facilitate efficient debugging thereof. In a blade server environment, each chassis is equipped with a chassis management module and each blade in each chassis is associated with a blade management controller. A data map representing the relationships between the blade servers and the shared resources is utilized by a chassis management module to aggregate and link problem conditions sensed by any of the blade management controllers.
US09430312B2
The system includes an analyzer that analyzes a sample, or a processing device that pre-processes the sample, and a management device that manages at least one of the analyzer and the processing device, wherein the management device includes: error detection means that detects errors in the analyzer or the processing device; storage means having stored therein an operator notification management table in which at least one operator is registered per kind of error; error notification means that notifies an error that the error detection means has detected to operators who are to individually handle the error, the means notifying on the basis of the operator notification management table and in accordance with the kind of error detected by the error detection means; and registration means that registers an operator, who has handled the error as a troubleshooter, among operators to whom the error was notified from the error notification means.
US09430310B2
A watchdog timer including a first register that stores a first overflow time, a second register that stores a second overflow time, a detector and a counter that continues to count a clock signal to the first overflow time. When the detector detects an execution of a program for a flash memory, the counter clears a count value and continues to count the clock signal to the second overflow time.
US09430303B2
An apparatus for inserting selected data from a source electronic document to a target electronic document includes a location tracking module and a data module. The location tracking module stores a location of a data insertion point within the target document. The data module inserts selected data from the source document at the data insertion point within the target document.
US09430300B2
A method includes duplicating, by an acceleration engine that is associated with a software application executing in a computing environment, a state of a kernel stack of an operating system of the computing environment to generate a duplicate network stack; receiving, by the acceleration engine, a request by the software application to send traffic over a network interface; and sending, by the acceleration engine, the request to a network driver relating to the network interface.
US09430296B2
Embodiments of apparatuses, methods for partitioning systems, and partitionable and partitioned systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes processors and a partition manager. The partition manager is to allocate a subset of the processors to a first partition and another subset of the processors to a second partition. The first partition is to execute first operating system level software and the second partition is to execute second operating system level software.
US09430287B2
A method includes assigning a thread performance counter to threads being created in the computing environment, the thread performance counter measuring a number of cache misses for a corresponding thread. The method also includes calculating a self-thread value S as a change in the thread performance counter of a given thread during a predetermined period, calculating an other-thread value O as a sum of changes in all the thread performance counters during the predetermined period minus S, and calculating an estimation adjustment value associated with a first probability that a second set of cache misses for the corresponding thread replace a cache area currently occupied by the corresponding thread. The method also includes estimating a cache occupancy for the thread based on a previous occupancy for the thread, S, O, and the estimation adjustment value, and assigning computing environment resources to the thread based on the estimated cache occupancy.
US09430285B2
Disclosed are a data processing system, etc., whereby total processing time of a data process including a parallel process and a serial process is optimized. This data processing system comprises: a task segmenting means for receiving a plurality of tasks which execute, upon a record set which is a set of a plurality of records, a data process which includes parallel processes which a plurality of computers are capable of executing in parallel and serial processes which are post-processes of the parallel processes and is executed by one computer, and, for a parallel process which is the pre-process of a serial process, among the serial processes which are included in the task, which is envisioned as requiring more time to process than another serial process, by subdividing the record set which is to be processed in the parallel process, segmenting the parallel process into a plurality of sub-tasks; and an assignment means for assigning the plurality of sub-tasks to the plurality of computers, such that the plurality of sub-tasks are executed prior to a task other than the task which includes the parallel processes being executed.
US09430283B2
An information processing apparatus includes a storage unit and a processing unit. The storage unit is configured to store therein a first execution time and a second execution time longer than the first execution time. The first execution time is a time expected to be taken to execute a first job included in a first job group. The processing unit is configured to determine in which time period an execution start time of the first job is included. The execution start time is a time at which execution of the first job is to be started. The processing unit is configured to select, as a predicted execution time of the first job, one of the first execution time and the second execution time based on a result of the determination. The processing unit is configured to perform scheduling of the first job group based on the predicted execution time.
US09430282B1
Systems and methods are provided for processing a computing task divided into a plurality of discrete tasks using a plurality of data processors. The system includes a system memory having memory space for storing results from processed discrete tasks. The system further includes a plurality of data processors of differing types, a first data processor writing results to the system memory in a first format that is different from a second format that a second data processor uses to write results to the system memory. Further, a scheduler is configured to assign a first set of discrete tasks to the first data processor and a second set of discrete tasks to the second data processor so that a results writing conflict where the second data processor writes results to the system memory that overwrite results written to the system memory by the first data processor is avoided.
US09430271B2
A data processing system includes an interrupt controller that counts, as an interrupt processing execution count, executions of interrupt processing by threads executed by data processing devices; and a processor that is configured to select one scheduling method from among a plurality of scheduling methods, based on the interrupt processing execution count.
US09430268B2
A new approach is proposed virtual machines (VMs) accessing remote storage devices over a network via non-volatile memory express (NVMe) controllers to migrate live from a current host to a destination host. A first virtual NVMe controller running on a first physical NVMe controller enables a first VM running on the current host to perform storage operations to logical volumes mapped to the remote storage devices over the network as if they were local storage volumes. During VM migration, the current host puts the first virtual NVMe controller into quiesce state and saves an image of its states. A second virtual NVMe controller is created on a second physical NVMe controller using the saved image, which is configured to serve a second VM on the destination host. The second virtual NVMe controller resumes the storage operations to the remote storage devices without being interrupted by the VM migration.
US09430267B2
Methods and arrangements for managing a consistency group for computing sites. A plurality of computing sites are communicated with, each of the sites comprising one or more of (i) and (ii): (i) at least one virtual machine; and (ii) at least one server. Updates captured at each of the sites are received, and the captured updates are batched. The batched updates are communicated to the plurality of sites, thereby ensuring data consistency across the plurality of sites. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
US09430262B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for managing hierarchy and optimization in network function virtualization based networks. In use, a first hardware unit of a plurality of hardware units associated with a network function virtualization (NFV) based communication network is identified, the first hardware unit being identified based on a first load characteristic associated with the first hardware unit. Further, a first virtual network function (VNF) instance associated with the first hardware unit is identified, the first VNF instance being associated with usage of at least one service. Additionally, at least one traffic route associated with the first VNF instance is identified, the at least one traffic route being associated with usage of the at least one service. Furthermore, a second hardware unit for handling at least a portion of a workload associated with the at least one service is identified, the second hardware unit being identified based on a second load characteristic associated with the second hardware unit, and the second hardware unit being capable of utilizing the at least one traffic route. Still yet, a second VNF instance is initiated in the second hardware unit. Moreover, at least part of the at least one service is migrated from the first VNF instance to the second VNF instance without disrupting the service.
US09430261B2
A controlling method realized by a computer connected to a plurality of physical devices in which respective virtual machines (VMs) are operated and a process device which is connected to the plurality of physical devices with a plurality of routes and in which a plurality of duplication process VMs for executing a duplication process of duplicating data used by the plurality of VMs to a memory device, the method includes: acquiring loads of the plurality of routes and percentages of completion of the duplication process executed by the plurality of duplication process VMs; and, when incompletion of the duplication process using the selected route within a regulated time is detected, moving any of the duplication process VMs using the selected route to any of the plurality of physical devices from the process device.
US09430256B2
The current document discloses methods and systems for extending an internal network within a source cloud-computing facility to a new target cloud-computing facility and redeploying a virtual machine or virtual application previously running on a target cloud-computing facility within the context of an extended internal network in the target cloud-computing facility. The currently disclosed methods and systems, which allow a virtual machine or virtual application formerly executing on a target cloud-computing facility to resume execution on a new target cloud-computing facility, using the computational and storage facilities of the new target cloud-computing facility but depending on network support from the source cloud-computing facility, without changing IP and local network addresses and the network connectivity, based on those addresses, between the virtual machines and virtual applications and other local and remote computational entities with which the virtual machines and virtual applications communicate.
US09430250B2
Bootability of a computer system with multiple LUNs. A flash device powers-on into a default LUN, from which the system boots, maintaining any other LUNs unavailable. The first LUN reconfigures the system to remove itself as the available LUN, to load a second LUN as the only available LUN, and to reboot the computer system into the newly available second LUN. The second LUN reconfigures the system to load any additional LUNs, such as removable storage on the flash drive. Upon reconfiguration, the system includes multiple LUNs. The second LUN includes an interpolated LUN driver, which exposes additional LUNs before operation of other device drivers. The interpolated LUN driver takes control during boot-up, exposing any available LUNs before the regular environment's operating system.
US09430246B2
A method of controlling booting of a computer system includes determining whether a booting mode of (BIOS) set is a first mode in which supportability of an EFI is automatically determined, if the booting mode of the BIOS is determined as the first mode, determining whether an OS that performs booting of the computer system supports the EFI, setting the booting mode of the BIOS as one of a mode in which the EFI is supported and a mode in which the EFI is not supported.
US09430237B2
A central processing unit includes a register file having a plurality of read ports, a first execution unit having a first plurality of input ports, and logic operable to selectively couple different arrangements of the read ports to the input ports. A method for reading operands from a register file having a plurality of read ports by a first execution unit having a first plurality of input ports includes scheduling an instruction for execution by the first execution unit and selectively coupling a particular arrangement of the read ports to the input ports based on a type of the instruction.
US09430227B2
A method for configuring a software application. The method includes obtaining user profiles each containing attribute values corresponding to a portion of an attribute list, identifying a user subset having same attribute values for a particular portion of the attribute list and forming an attribute signature, analyzing the configuration setting used by each user in the user subset to generate a statistical measure representing the user subset configuring the software application, matching a new user profile to the attribute signature of the user subset, presenting, to the new user and in response to the matching, the statistical measure representing the user subset configuring the software application, and receiving, in response to presenting the statistical measure, an approval from the new user to customize the software application, where the software application is automatically customized based on the statistical measure representing the user subset configuring the software application.
US09430216B2
Software is updated via a self-contained executable that includes software update patch for updating pre-existing software, and an updater package including at least one predetermined required computer state condition. Executing the self-contained executable on a client computer includes investigating a state of the client computer, and determining whether the state of the client computer matches the at least one predetermined required computer state condition. When the state of the client computer matches the at least one predetermined required computer state condition, the software update patch is installed. When the state of the client computer does not match the predetermined required computer state condition, the installation is terminated or, alternatively, the client computer is forced into a state that matches the predetermined required computer state condition and the software update patch installed.
US09430200B1
API (application program interface) features defined by a set of APIs provide a different cross-sectional view of an application or framework than the view provided by sectioning along class or library boundaries, or binding units, for example. An API feature includes a proper subset of a library of a framework used by an application, and/or APIs which collectively reside in different libraries. A functionality feature API set provides an exposed surface area of a functionality feature of an application. Upon receiving a compilation request and determining that an API feature is to be excluded, an attempt is made to produce a compiled version of the application without the feature's APIs. In some cases, the functionality feature is independent of a baseline functionality of the application. Developers can obtain smaller but fully functional binaries. Framework architects can identify dependencies between API implementations when creating or modifying a software framework's architecture.
US09430199B2
Described herein are optimizations of thread loop intermediate representation (IR) code. One embodiment involves an algorithm that, based on data-flow analysis, computes sets of temporary variables that are loaded at the beginning of a thread loop and stored upon exit from a thread loop. Another embodiment involves reducing the size of a thread loop trip for a commonly-found case where a piece of compute shader is executed by a single thread (or a compiler-analyzable range of threads). In yet another embodiment, compute shader thread indices are cached to avoid excessive divisions, further improving execution speed.
US09430195B1
A method of dynamically generating a graphic includes receiving, at a vector graphics engine loaded on a server system, graphic template input; receiving, at the vector graphics engine loaded on the server system, data template input; and generating, at the server system, code in a standard format representative of a vector graphic. The generating includes identifying a special tag associated with the vector graphics engine, converting code associated with this tag from a first format associated with the vector graphics engine to a second standardized format, and binding data content based on the received data template input to graphic content based on the received graphic template input.
US09430189B2
An impact detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine impact criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the impact criteria to determine a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.
US09430188B2
A method is for operating a cryptographic device to reduce effects of power analysis and time attacks. The method may include executing a first set of cryptographic algorithm computations with a first crypto-processor of the cryptographic device. The first set of cryptographic algorithm computations may provide encryption of a first set of data to be protected with a first secret key stored in the cryptographic device. The method may further include executing a second set of cryptographic algorithm computations with a second crypto-processor of the cryptographic device for providing encryption of a second set of data different from the first set of data to be protected with a second different secret key.
US09430178B1
An interactive centerpiece system includes a plurality of tablet computers with interactive display devices for displaying slideshows of photograph image data. A substantially flat base with opposing upper and lower surfaces is also provided. The base is formed to lay flat on a table in a table position whereat a base central axis that is perpendicular to both the upper and lower surfaces substantially aligns with a geometric center of the table, to surround a surface area defined by an outer perimeter, about which the plurality of docking stations, into which one of the tablet computers is fixed, are arranged at substantially equal distances from each other. The docking stations are configured to face the interactive display devices outward and define a usable area between the docking stations and the base central axis for uses including receiving traditional event centerpieces.
US09430177B2
An apparatus and method for providing an enhanced Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) display (WFD) session in a WFD network, and system thereof. Once a WFD connection is setup, a WFD source device broadcasts a WFD capability request frame to multiple WFD sink devices over the WFD connection. In response, each of the WFD sink devices sends a WFD capability response frame to the WFD source device. The WFD capability response frame contains capability information and audio and video intent value associated with the respective WFD sink devices. The WFD source device consolidates a sink property table using the capability information and the audio and video intent value associated with respective WFD sink devices. The WFD source device establishes a WFD session with the multiple WFD sink devices. The WFD source device streams multimedia content to the WFD sink devices in a multicast manner.
US09430173B2
An information processing device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires set values of chapters representing units into which an entire job is arbitrarily divided; an image generation unit that generates a setting image including the acquired set values of the chapters as one of options of a print setting; a display control unit that performs control to display the generated setting image on a display unit; and a ticket generation unit that generates a job ticket including a designated print setting based on the setting image displayed on the display unit.
US09430160B2
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to maintaining consistency in a storage system. In aspects, one or more objects may be updated in the context of a transaction. In conjunction with updating the objects, logical copies of the objects may be obtained and modified. A request to write the updated logical copies is sent to a storage controller. The logical copies do not overwrite the original copies. In conjunction with sending the request, a data structure is provided for the storage controller to store on the disk. The data structure indicates the one or more objects that were supposed to be written to disk and may include verification data to indicate the content that was supposed to be written to disk. During recovery, this data structure may be used to determine whether all of the object(s) were correctly written to disk.
US09430157B2
Continuous recording multichannel disk-based data logging apparatus. The apparatus includes a plurality of disk drives and an interface including a plurality of parallel inputs. The interface is responsive to data at the inputs to write the data on an active plurality of the disk drives, at least one disk drive being idle. The interface is responsive to a user request for data on one of the active disk drives to substitute an idle disk drive into the active plurality in place of that one, to read the requested data, and to cause that one to become idle.
US09430152B2
Techniques for operating a storage front-end system are disclosed. The techniques include identifying a synchronous group of data storage devices across two or more enclosures, each of which comprise a plurality of data storage devices. Data across the data storage devices is accessible by a storage front-end system as an aggregate memory space. The techniques further include sending an activation request to the enclosures to synchronously activate the data storage devices in the synchronous group and performing a data maintenance task in the aggregate memory space of the data storage devices.
US09430143B2
A screen capturing method and an electronic device using the same are provided. The screen capturing method includes that a continuous track is inputted. The continuous track includes a first stroke and a second stroke, and a first recording point is captured at a first moment of the first stroke, a second recording point is captured at a second moment of the second stroke. The first recording point includes a first velocity, and the second recording point includes a second velocity. The first velocity and the second velocity form an angle. A capturing box of a preset shape is enabled when the strokes meet the determining condition. An image is captured via the capturing box.
US09430141B1
Described herein are techniques for adding adaptive annotations to an electronic content item. For example, a user may insert an annotation by hand drawing the annotation over the content of the content item, in white space around the content, or within an annotation window. The user may also anchor, associate, or link annotations to particular portion of the content item, such that when the content is displayed or rendered on a display of an electronic device, the annotation appears in-line with the content and adjacent to the associated portion.
US09430135B2
Certain exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate to paging systems and methods that help users navigate through large or small datasets. For example, in certain exemplary embodiments, paging control elements are provided according to either a binary subdivision approach or a serial progressive approach. Paging control elements are displayed according to either the binary subdivision approach or the serial progressive approach in dependence on a determination as to which approach is more advantageous based at least in part on factors such as, for example, total number of pages, current page location, distance to end points, screen size, etc.
US09430132B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a text extraction unit that extracts selection candidate text from a text string displayed on a display screen, and a selection area placement unit that places selectable areas for the selection candidate text on the display screen in a manner that the selectable areas differ from a display area of the selection candidate text.
US09430130B2
A computing device includes an immersive environment module for facilitating simultaneous display of a plurality of applications on a display device without relying on system chrome. At least a first of the applications is displayed in a primary region of the display. The computing device also includes a UI management component for enabling a user selection of an application for simultaneous display on the display device with at least one other application. Processing logic is configured to determine a size in at least one direction of content of a user-selected application as it is displayed on a non-primary region of the display device simultaneous with display of content of the first application on the primary region of the display device. The determination is based at least in part on one or more pre-defined size requirements specified by the selected application.
US09430129B2
A smartphone includes: an image display section for displaying images in such a manner as to be selectable by a user, each of the images being associated with (i) specifying information for specifying a cleaning robot and (ii) instruction information for instructing the cleaning robot to execute a predetermined process; and a process instruction section for transmitting, in a case where the user selects at least one of the images thus displayed, image information (2) indicative of said at least one of the images to a server, so as to cause the cleaning robot specified by specifying information associated with said at least one of the images to execute a predetermined process that is instructed by instruction information associated with said at least one of the images.
US09430123B2
The present disclosure involves methods, systems, and devices, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing a generic refresh of displayed content on computing devices, e.g., handheld devices. In one aspect, a method comprises displaying on a screen of the device a content area and a tab area comprising at least one tab. The content area is being refreshed upon receiving an activation of the tab followed by a command associated to a dragging of the tab towards a center of the screen followed by a command associated to a release of the tab, wherein the command associated to a dragging of the tab towards the center of the screen is received while receiving the activation of the tab. In some instances, the refreshing of the content area causes the content area to display updated web content associated to the tab.
US09430121B2
A first electronic device having a first operating menu communicates with a second electronic device having a second operating menu. The second operated menu is obtained by the first electronic device from the second electronic device and is stored in the first electronic device. Each operating options of the second operating menu is correlated with one of applications of the first electronic devices. When an operating option of the second operation menu stored in the first electronic device is operated, a corresponding application of the first electronic device correlated with the operated option is activated.
US09430120B2
Techniques for identifying recently installed applications on a portable electronic device facilitating locating newly installed applications on a mobile device are disclosed. A visual indicator may be displayed on an icon associated with an application that was recently installed on the portable electronic device. The visual indicator may be removed after a user has interacted with the application in some meaningful way. One or more applications are selected in an application store session for installation on a portable electronic device. After a selection of one or more applications, the application store session continues, and other applications may be selected, until an exit instruction is received. Upon the exit instruction, a home screen page containing at least one of the new applications is displayed.
US09430115B1
Described herein are systems and methods for generating one or more storylines of content. Tags descriptive of events in the content are generated. Based at least in part on the tags, a storyline is generated from the tags describing the related events throughout the content. Some storylines may comprise multiple tags. A user may select one or more storylines for presentation.
US09430104B2
A capacitive two-dimensional (2D) touch panel has three sets of interleaved electrodes. A first set of electrodes is spaced apart along the y-direction and these are galvanically connected to each other by a resistive strip connected at either end to a connection line. A second set of electrodes is also arrayed along the y-direction and these are galvanically connected to each other via a notionally non-resistive first connection. A third set of electrodes is also arrayed along the y-direction and these are galvanically connected to each other via a notionally non-resistive second connection. The second and third sets of electrodes are interleaved without galvanic cross-conduction to provide a gradient along the x-direction to resolve touch position in the x-direction. The first set of electrodes resolves touch position along the y-direction. Passive or active capacitive sensing techniques may be used to acquire the position information from the 2D touch panel.
US09430100B2
An acoustic touch apparatus that utilizes the transfer of surface acoustic waves from one surface, through the touch substrate, to another surface to enable multi-touch capabilities.
US09430090B2
The present invention extends to a switch system for selecting multimedia content from one or various source inputs to be provided to a digital display. The switch system of the present invention provides a compact, convenient, and simple to use solution for updating a digital display in many environments. The switch system employs an IR touch screen for receiving user input. Based on the user input received by the IR touch screen, control signals are generated that control the position of a switch for selecting a source of content for display.
US09430088B1
A touch sensor driving device comprises: a plurality of touch sensing circuits that receive touch sensor sensing signals from touch sensors of a touchscreen through a plurality of receiving channels; and a plurality of discharge circuits connected between the receiving channels and the touch sensing circuits to receive charge eliminating pulse signals and reduce the swing amplitude of the touch sensor sensing signals input into the touch sensing circuits.
US09430085B2
The techniques described herein implement a classification process to evaluate information associated with a tool input (e.g., from an input tool such as a pen or a stylus) and a user touch input (e.g., from a finger or a palm of a hand) to determine whether the user touch input is an intended or an unintended touch input. The information evaluated may be associated with an arrival of the tool input relative to an arrival of the user touch input. The information evaluated may also be associated with a movement of the tool input relative to a movement of the user touch input. In various implementations, the techniques may calculate an evaluation score and compare the evaluation score to a confidence classification threshold. If a confident classification cannot be achieved, the techniques further the classification process as more information associated with the inputs is received.
US09430084B2
Apparatuses and methods are provided for executing a function corresponding to a handwritten user input at the same time as providing a handwritten unlock command on a lock screen of an electronic device. The apparatus includes a touch screen that displays a lock screen including a first layer for unlocking the lock screen and a second layer that is laid over the first layer, and a controller that verifies that an unlock command is the same as a predetermined unlock command in response to the unlock command being input to the first layer, to display the second layer in response to the unlock command being the same as the predetermined unlock command, and to search for a command corresponding to a handwritten user input that is input to the second layer to execute the command.
US09430081B2
An electronic device includes a display unit configured to stereoscopically display a predetermined object; an operation unit configured to execute an operation associated with the predetermined object; a detecting unit configured to detect a movement of a physical body in a three-dimensional space above the display unit where the predetermined object is displayed; and a control unit configured to a strength of an operation performed by a user on the predetermined object based on the detected movement, change a content of the operation associated with the predetermined object according to the determined strength, and based on a result of detecting a position of the physical body contacting the predetermined object, adjust a degree of stereoscopic vision with which the predetermined object is stereoscopically displayed.
US09430064B2
An inner-sensor based pointing device is presented. The pointing device includes a central housing having an aperture and a sleeve disposed surrounding a portion of the central housing, the sleeves rotatable about the portion of the central housing and slidable along a generally horizontal axis about the portion of the central housing. The pointing device further includes a sensor disposed in the central housing and aligned with the aperture, the sleeve positioned surrounding the sensor, wherein the sensor is capable of detecting rotational movement of the sleeve relative to the central housing and wherein the sensor is capable of detecting axial movement of the sleeve relative to the central housing. Additionally, the pointing device has a circuit in communication with the sensor, the circuit disposed within the central housing, the circuit capable of transmitting data to a computer regarding the movement of the sleeve.
US09430061B2
A hybrid input device is described. The hybrid input device includes a stylus for writing on a touchscreen, a writing instrument and a pressure sensor. The hybrid input device also includes an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic data pattern. The hybrid input device also includes a control element that toggles ultrasonic functionality of the hybrid input device.
US09430059B2
An apparatus for interaction of a plurality of users with an application, comprising: a plurality of pointing devices (10) capable of emitting a signal (80; 110) (such as visible or infrared light, a laser or omnidirectional flashes), each pointing device comprising one or more triggers; a presentation device (20) (such as display, a wall, or any objects); and detection means (30) (camera, stereo camera, other) capable of detecting said signal (80; 110). The apparatus also comprises means (30, 40) for detecting trigger actions by said users, and recording the identity and time of said trigger actions (30, 40), means (40, 13) for enabling said pointing devices (10) to emit said signal (80; 110) and means (40) for enabling said detection means (30) to detect said signal (80, 110), and for linking said signal detection to a specific pointing device (10) trigger action.
US09430055B2
One embodiment provides a method for controlling a virtual depth of field perceived by a wearer of a see-thru display device. The method includes estimating the ocular depth of field of the wearer and projecting virtual imagery with a specified amount of blur. The amount of blur is determined as a function of the ocular depth of field. Another embodiment provides a method for controlling an ocular depth of field of a wearer of a see-thru display device. This method includes computing a target value for the depth of field and increasing the pixel brightness of the virtual imagery presented to the wearer. The increase in pixel brightness contracts the wearer's pupils and thereby deepens the depth of field to the target value.
US09430046B2
An image capturing system for a vehicle captures an image of a target area based on a predefined gesture performed by an occupant of the vehicle. A gesture capture device determines a gesture position of a gesture, which is the predefined gesture, with respect to a reference point. An eye tracking device determines an eye position of the occupant based on a viewpoint of the occupant. A target area determination module determines a target vector extending from the eye position toward the gesture position and aligns an on-board camera with the target vector, such that the target vector passes through an image field-of-view of the on-board camera. The on-board camera captures an image of the target area which is within the image field-of-view, and the image is stored in a computer-readable medium.
US09430039B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for controlling a virtual mouse based on a hand motion. The apparatus includes an image processing unit configured to measure a maximum horizontal width of a hand region of a user and a width of an index finger in any one of a first depth image captured in a state in which the index finger is spread out in a vertical direction with his or her fist and a second depth image captured in a state in which the index finger is folded with the fist, a hand motion recognizing unit configured to compare the maximum horizontal width and the width of the index finger to recognize whether the index finger is folded, and a function matching unit configured to match a change in a folded state of the index finger to a pre-set first function and output a control signal for the function.
US09430035B2
Interactive drawing recognition is described. In one example, a command is received indicating a type of drawing and a user drawing is observed. A library of drawing templates associated with the drawing type is accessed based on the command. The observed drawing is compared to the drawing templates to identify the observed drawing, and attributes are assigned to the identified drawing.
US09430027B2
An integrated circuit includes a physical layer interface having a control timing domain and a data timing domain, and circuits that enable the control timing domain during a change in power conservation mode in response to a first event, and that enable the data timing domain in response to a second event. The control timing domain can include interface circuits coupled to a command and address path, and the data timing domain can include interface circuits coupled to a data path.
US09430026B2
Provided are an electronic control device and a microcomputer control method not only enabling smooth transmission and reception of signals by using a plurality of microcomputers but also capable of achieving, with a simpler configuration, reduction of power consumed by the microcomputers. As a mode for reducing power consumption, the electronic control device brings microcomputers from which a sleep request has been issued into a sleep state. The electronic control device is equipped with a low power consumption mode for bringing a communication bus driver into the sleep state after all microcomputers constituting the electronic control device have been transferred into the sleep state.
US09430016B2
An information processing apparatus capable of operating in a first power state and a second power state different from the first power state includes a reception unit configured to receive data via a network from an external apparatus, a storage unit configured to store first pattern and second pattern that are to be compared with the data received by the reception unit, and a comparison unit configured to compare the data received by the reception unit with a pattern stored in the storage unit in a case where the information processing apparatus operates in the first power state, and to compare the data received by the reception unit with the second pattern stored in the storage unit in a case where the information processing apparatus operates in the second power state.
US09430013B2
An electrically operated installation and method has a plurality of electrical loads, in which the event of a failure of a basic supply voltage the electrical loads are supplied by a backup voltage, wherein a power supply unit exchanges data with several loads via a field bus, the loads each have a software module for communication via the field bus, a software module of a load is configured as a master and the software modules of the other loads are configured as slaves, the power supply unit as a communication partner of the master controls a regulated shutdown procedure of the loads, in the event of a failure of the basic supply voltage the power supply unit reports this to the master via the field bus, and the master and the software modules of the loads perform the shutdown procedure in configurable synchronization stages.
US09430011B2
Systems and methods for determining the state of health for a capacitor module are provided. In some embodiments, a method for monitoring the health of a capacitor module comprising an array of capacitors is provided. The method may include steps for disabling a charger coupled to an array of capacitors of the capacitor module, determining if the capacitor module is healthy based at least on operating values of the capacitor module, and enabling a write back mode for the memory module if the capacitor module is determined to be healthy.
US09430009B2
Electronic apparatus capable of controlling power usage, control method therefor, and storage medium
An electronic apparatus capable of controlling power usage without interfering with execution of processes. When the electronic apparatus is requested to execute a process, it is determined whether or not power consumption while the requested process is executed is greater than a predetermined amount of power. When it is determined that the power consumption is greater than the predetermined amount of power, power required to execute the requested process is borrowed from another electronic apparatus. When the power required to execute the requested process is borrowed, the requested process is executed.
US09430004B2
A pull tab with exchangeable identification marker for pluggable communications modules is provided. In general, the pull tab includes an identification region that receives an exchangeable identification marker. The exchangeable identification marker is attached to the pull tab via at least one of compression, fastening, clipping, spring force, and retention features built into the pull tab. This attachment can be permanent, semi-permanent, removable, and combinations thereof. Moreover, the exchangeable identification marker can be attached to, and even removed from, the pull tab while the pluggable communications module is connected to other communications equipment.
US09429998B2
The present disclosure is related to a method of fabricating display panels, especially to a method of fabricating flexible electronic devices. By means of adding an inorganic membrane with surface roughness between a bonding layer and a PI film, in order to effectively improve the dimensional stability of plastic substrate and the water/oxygen barrier property of flexible substrate during the PI film fabrication and the follow-up process, improving the yield of good products and prolonging the working life thereof.
US09429995B2
A docking station for mechanically supporting and electrically communicating with an electronic device, such as a portable phone, computer, media player, or the like includes a housing with upper and lower housing surfaces, a device mount pivotably coupled to the housing, and an electrical and mechanical connector on the device mount. The upper housing surface defines an opening through which the connector extends. The opening in the upper housing is sized and shaped to correspond to an upper portion of the device mount, which has arcuate surfaces that remain in close proximity or contact with surfaces defining the opening in the upper housing, to limit or preclude the intrusion of contaminants into the housing regardless of the position of the device mount relative to the housing.
US09429994B1
According to one embodiment, a docking station is provided with a support surface configured for supporting a back surface of a portable electronic device, a rotating cradle configured for receiving a base of the portable electronic device, and a floating docking connector that extends out of a recess of the rotating cradle for connecting to a docking connector of the portable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the support surface of the docking station may include one or more magnetic structures, which are positioned to align with one or more magnetic structures on the back surface of the portable electronic device and configured to provide a magnetic force to retain the portable electronic device on the support surface.
US09429992B1
A portable computer, system, and method for a wired and wireless docking station are provided. The portable computer may function to connect to a docking station via either a wired or wireless channel of communication depending on the signal strength of a wireless communication as determined by a comparator, or depending on whether it has been physically connected to a docking station. The system may also be modular so that it can be acquired by a computer user as separate modules, and may provide support for charging an additional battery through a power connection that is separate from the docking connector. A process is also provided that allows a portable computer user to automatically commence and switch between wired and wireless docking sessions by either placing the computer either within range of the docking station or by connecting it to the docking station with a docking station connector.
US09429980B2
A processor according to embodiments comprises an on-board sample rate converter for converting a source audio signal that is sampled at a first sampling rate to an output audio signal that is sampled at a second sampling rate. The sample rate converter utilizes a master clock signal in converting the audio signal. The sample rate converter selects the master clock signal from available reference clock signals, such as an on-chip system clock or a bus interface clock, and scales the frequency of the selected clock signal to generate the master clock signal with the frequency of the second sampling rate.
US09429979B2
A circuit for producing USB host working clock comprises: an internal oscillator, a controllable frequency divider, a frequency multiplier, a USB host interface, and a frequency division controller. According to the frequency multiplier providing clock, the USB host interface configures with USB peripherals for responding. The frequency division controller is connected to the USB host interface and the controllable frequency divider. The USB host interface transmits a response result that the USB host interface configures with USB peripherals for responding to the frequency division controller. According to the USB host interface feeding back the response result, the frequency division controller regulates a frequency dividing ratio of the controllable frequency divider in set scope of the frequency dividing ratio. After regulating the frequency dividing ratio of the controllable frequency divider, the frequency division controller controls the controllable frequency divider that is processed with frequency division in fixed frequency dividing ratio.
US09429968B2
A power-gated electronic device and a method of operating the same is provided. The power-gated electronic device comprises a low drop out voltage power supply (LDO), an auxiliary power supply and at least one electronic domain having a power gate. The LDO provides a supply voltage to the at least one electronic domain which is coupled to a supply rail of the LDO via a switch, acting as a power gate. The auxiliary power supply comprises at least one current source which is coupled to the electronic domain via an auxiliary switch acting as an auxiliary power gate. The auxiliary power supply is configured to control the auxiliary switch as a function of a voltage difference between a reference voltage and the auxiliary supply voltage.
US09429960B2
A computer-implemented method includes, in one aspect, retrieving HVAC system information; converting the retrieved HVAC system information from one or more first data formats to a second data format; storing the converted HVAC system information; identifying first portions of the stored HVAC system information that pertain to a particular component; and generating one or more associations among the identified, first portions of the stored HVAC system information; receiving a request for HVAC system information that is used by a performance analysis algorithm; determining a type of component of the HVAC system that is related to the requested HVAC system information; and identifying one or more items of the stored HVAC system information that is of the requested HVAC system information; and transmitting the identified one or more items of the stored HVAC system information for use in execution of the performance analysis algorithm.
US09429954B2
An example method may include receiving data representing an initial position and an initial attitude of an aircraft. The method further includes determining a change to a first attribute and a second attribute of the position or the attitude of the aircraft to achieve a subsequent position and a subsequent attitude. The method also includes determining a priority sequence for changing the first attribute and the second attribute of the position or the attitude of the aircraft based on a first thrust of the actuator to achieve the change to the first attribute and a second thrust of the actuator to achieve the change to the second attribute. The priority sequence is configured to cause changes to the first attribute before causing changes to the second attribute where the actuator is unable to concurrently provide the first thrust and the second thrust.
US09429950B2
A robotic work tool system (200), comprising a charging station (210), a boundary wire (250) and a signal generator (240) for generating and transmitting a signal through said boundary wire (250) for demarcating a work area (205), said robotic work tool system (200) further comprising a robotic work tool (100) configured to detect a magnetic field strength (M1, M2) in the work area (205) and said robotic work tool system (200) being configured to adapt a current level of the signal being transmitted through the boundary wire (250) based on the detected magnetic field strength (M1, M2).
US09429949B2
Disclosed are a robot cleaner capable of performing a cleaning operation by selecting a cleaning algorithm suitable for the peripheral circumstances based on an analysis result of captured image information, and a controlling method thereof. The robot cleaner comprises an image sensor unit configured to capture image information when an operation instructing command is received, and a controller configured to analyze the image information captured by the image sensor unit, and configured to control a cleaning operation based on a first cleaning algorithm selected from a plurality of pre-stored cleaning algorithms based on a result of the analysis.
US09429948B2
The invention relates to a humanoid robot endowed with particular capabilities for managing falls. The risks of falling limit the development of the mass-market use of humanoid robots. In the prior art, the modalities for detecting falls are not well suited to the case of very dynamic robots since the center of mass is very often outside their support polygons. The modalities for managing falls are also poorly suited to robots which must be economical in their computation resources. According to the invention, the conventional support polygon is supplemented with effectors for which it is determined that they are sufficiently close to the ground. Protection strategies are implemented, chosen from a set of strategies defined by a classification of the angles of fall.
US09429946B2
A driving control system mounted in a vehicle receives multiple pieces of information through a status detection module and a vehicle safety determination module thereof, performs a safety and collision analysis to predict whether a driving danger exists, when a driving danger exists, instructs an emergency control module to calculate an optimal barrier-avoiding path and send a corresponding control signal to a vehicle control module, and when no driving danger exists, instructs a normal control module to perform an adaptive algorithm according to different road conditions and driver's behavior information and send a control signal to the vehicle control module. Accordingly, the driving control system can instantly plan a barrier-avoiding path according the degree of emergency and collision danger to achieve the goal of enhancing safety and stability of the vehicle and driver in driving.
US09429945B2
System and methods for surveying areas using a radar system and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are described herein. For example, one or more embodiments include detecting an event in the area using movement measurements from a radar system, wherein the radar system transmits electromagnetic radiation waves to capture the movement measurements in the area, and determining geographic information system (GIS) coordinates of a location of the event. Further, one or more embodiments can include navigating an UAV to the location substantially autonomously using the GIS coordinates of the location of the event and capturing a second number of images of the location using the UAV.
US09429944B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide robotic control modules for use in a robotic control system of a vehicle, including structures, systems and methods, that can provide (i) a robotic control module that has multiple functional circuits, such as a processor and accompanying circuits, an actuator controller, an actuator amplifier, a packet network switch, and a power supply integrated into a mountable and/or stackable package/housing; (ii) a robotic control module with the noted complement of circuits that is configured to reduce heat, reduce space, shield sensitive components from electro-magnetic noise; (iii) a robotic control system utilizing robotic control modules that include the sufficiently interchangeable functionality allowing for interchangeability of modules; and (iv) a robotic control system that distributes the functionality and processing among a plurality of robotic control modules in a vehicle.
US09429943B2
Various examples are described for an artificial intelligence valet system. In one example, among others, a distributed information sharing system can obtain route information associated with a geographic area and provide the route information to a user vehicle in response to a request. In another example, an autonomous user vehicle can receive a request to autonomously proceed to a user defined location; obtain route information; and determine a route to the user defined location using the route information. In another example, a collision avoidance system can determine if an object is in a path of travel of a vehicle based at least in part upon sensory data and maneuver the vehicle based at least in part upon an object determination. In another example, an accident reporting system can determine an occurrence of a violation of a vehicle; obtain recordings of the environment surrounding the vehicle; and report the violation.
US09429941B2
A control apparatus of a vehicle is provided. In the control apparatus, an unable-to-drive state of the driver of the vehicle is detected or determined. The unable-to-drive state is a state where the driver is unable to drive the vehicle. When the emergency that the driver has become the unable-to-drive state is detected or determined, the detection or determination result is notified to the outside. A leading vehicle which is adapted to leading the vehicle based on the notification, is recognized. Automatic follow-up running control is performed wherein the vehicle is made to automatically follow the leading vehicle.
US09429934B2
A remote control station that controls a robot through a network. The remote control station transmits a robot control command that includes information to move the robot. The remote control station monitors at least one network parameter and scales the robot control command as a function of the network parameter. For example, the remote control station can monitor network latency and scale the robot control command to slow down the robot with an increase in the latency of the network. Such an approach can reduce the amount of overshoot or overcorrection by a user driving the robot.
US09429921B2
In order to reduce computation time and cost involved with determining one or more optimal parameters for a pre-cooling strategy, for a modeled system, a two-step genetic algorithms is used to optimize energy consumption of the modeled system with respect to cost of the energy consumption. A first step of the two-step genetic algorithms determines a population of potential solutions that are used to initialize a second step of the two-step genetic algorithm. The second step of the two-step genetic algorithm determines the one or more optimal parameters for the pre-cooling strategy from the population output by the first genetic algorithm.
US09429919B2
A delay line operates to propagate a plurality of delay stages comprising a first delay element and a second delay element. A generator coupled to the delay line is configured to provide the start edge to the plurality of delay stages of the delay line as a function of a digital control oscillator (DCO) counter value generated by a DCO counter. A DCO calculation component is configured to facilitate a determination of propagation counts of the delay line as a function of DCO periods of a DCO.
US09429917B2
A clock comprises an alarm clock housing having a front face, a clock display occupying at least a portion of the front face, a control on the housing for activating a shade positioning function, and a processor within the housing. The processor is responsive to the control for generating at least one shade positioning command to be transmitted to at least one motorized window shade, so as to cause the motorized window shade to move to one or more position at one or more corresponding predetermined interval relative to an alarm time.
US09429914B2
The invention relates to a mechanism for driving a jumping element comprising a drive wheel (1), an indicator of a unit of time, a jumping element (6) integral with said indicator and coaxial to said drive wheel (1) to which said jumping element (6) is coupled by a spring (8), a cam (12) arranged to rock a pallet-lever (20) in an oscillating motion so as to release the jumping element (6) once per unit of time. According to the invention, the cam (12) and the jumping element (6) have distinct pivot arbors, said drive mechanism, further comprising an intermediate train kinematically connecting the drive wheel (1) to the cam (12), and the pallet-lever (20) has four distinct arms (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), two (20a, 20b) of the four arms forming feelers arranged to cooperate with the cam (12) and the other two arms (20c, 20d) forming escapement arms arranged to successively block and release the jumping element (6) once per unit of time, alternately.
US09429894B2
A packaged image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus, and a packaging member for packaging the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a power supply connection unit to which one end of a power cable, the other end of which is connected to an external power source, is detachably connected, a power supply voltage generation unit receiving a voltage via the power cable and generating a power supply voltage, a load circuit operating based on the power supply voltage, a status determination unit determining whether a connection status of the load circuit is normal, and a communication interface unit sending a determination result to the external device. The packaging member includes an access part enabling the one end of the power cable to be connected to the power supply connection unit in a state where the image forming apparatus is packaged.
US09429893B2
An image forming apparatus includes an ejection tray including a support portion, a plurality of ejection rollers having a nip portion, and a tray cover having a first surface and a second surface and being configured to move between an extended position where the first surface faces upward and a covering position where the tray cover is supported by the support portion to cover an upper surface of the ejection tray and the second surface faces upward. When the tray cover is in the covering position, an upstream end portion of the second surface of the tray cover in a sheet ejection direction is disposed in a position closer to the nip portion than the upper surface of the ejection tray and lower than the nip portion such that a leading end of the recording sheet ejected from the nip portion passes on or over the second surface.
US09429886B2
An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.
US09429875B1
A developing device according to the present disclosure includes a developer container, a first stirring member, a second stirring member, and a developer carrying member. The developer container has a plurality of conveyance chambers including first and second conveyance chambers, is provided with a developer supply portion and a developer discharge portion and stores a two-component developer. The second stirring member is provided with an electro-conductive regulating portion that is disposed to oppose the developer discharge portion that regulates movement of the developer to the developer discharge portion. An electro-conductive plate is disposed on an inner wall surface of the developer container that opposes the regulating portion. During rotation of the first and second stirring members, by applying an alternating current bias to at least one of the regulating portion and the electro-conductive plate to generate an electric potential difference between the regulating portion and the electro-conductive plate.
US09429872B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station having an image bearing member for bearing a latent image and a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the image bearing member using toner, a toner container for accommodating toner to be supplied to the developing device, the toner container being provided with an expansion-and-contraction portion capable of being expanded and contracted in a longitudinal direction thereof by being driven, and a holding member for holding the toner container. In addition, a first side plate supports one end portion of the holding member, a second side plate supports the other end portion of the holding member, and a driving device drives the image forming station. The holding member is supported by the first side plate so as to be movable relative to the first side plate in the longitudinal direction and is fixed to the second side plate.
US09429871B1
A releasing mechanism usable for a toner supply container includes a rotatable structure, a stationary structure engaged with the rotatable structure, and a pump movably connected to the stationary structure. The rotatable structure has a first magnetic member. The stationary structure has an opening for releasing toner and a second magnetic member. The pump has a pumping portion that is expandable. A first force drives the rotatable structure to rotate relative to the stationary structure, such that the first magnetic member is alternatively aligned and misaligned with the second magnetic member. When the first and second magnetic members are aligned, the pump is pushed away from the stationary structure by a repelling force generated between the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member. When the first and second magnetic members are misaligned, the pump is pushed by a second force toward the stationary structure.
US09429868B2
An image forming apparatus includes a controller that executes a collection sequence to collect developer of opposite polarity adhering to a charging member. The controller executes the collection sequence by setting a first potential difference to allow the developer of opposite polarity to move from the charging member to an image bearing member, setting a second potential difference to allow the developer of opposite polarity to move from the image bearing member to a developer bearing member and to allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the developer bearing member to the image bearing member, setting a third potential difference to not allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the image bearing member to the charging member, and setting a fourth potential difference to allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the image bearing member to the developer bearing member.
US09429865B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member, which is charged by a charge voltage in which direct and alternating-current voltages are superposed on each other. A toner image is formed on the charged image-bearing member. A current flowing through the charging member is detected when the charge voltage is applied to the charging member. A current, in a frequency band including a discharge current component, is extracted from the detected current. The alternating-current voltage is adjusted based on the current extracted by an extraction unit. Environmental information is acquired. Based on the environmental information acquired by an acquisition unit, a frequency band for extraction performed by the extraction unit is set.
US09429862B2
A method for manufacturing carrier core particles for electrophotographic developer that include manganese, magnesium, and iron as a core composition. The method includes a granulation step (A) of granulating a mixture of raw materials containing manganese, magnesium, and iron with a reducing agent added at a ratio of 0.10% to 1.00% by mass to a total mass of the raw materials containing manganese, magnesium, and iron, and a firing step of firing the granular material granulated in the granulation step. The firing step includes a first heating step (C) of applying heat at a constant temperature ranging from 500° C. to 800° C. in an atmosphere with an oxygen concentration of 1000 ppm to 15000 ppm for a predetermined period of time and a second heating step (D) of applying heat at a temperature higher than 800° C. for a predetermined period of time after the first heating step.
US09429854B2
A controller measures positional information of a stage within an XY plane using three encoders which at least include one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and the stage is driven in the XY plane, based on measurement results of the positional information and positional information (p1, q1), (p2, q2), and (p3, q3) in a surface parallel to the XY plane of a head (an encoder) used for measurement of the positional information. Accordingly, it becomes possible to control the movement of the stage with good precision, while switching the head (the encoder) used for control during the movement of the stage using the encoder system which includes a plurality of heads.
US09429848B2
There is disclosed a polarization-modulating element for modulating a polarization state of incident light into a predetermined polarization state, the polarization-modulating element being made of an optical material with optical activity and having a circumferentially varying thickness profile.
US09429847B2
An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.
US09429846B2
A negative pattern is formed by applying a resist composition onto a substrate, exposing the resist film, and developing the exposed resist film in an organic solvent developer. The process further involves coating the negative pattern with a shrink agent solution of a copolymer comprising recurring units having an α-trifluoromethylhydroxy or fluoroalkylsulfonamide group and recurring units having an acid labile group-substituted amino group in a C6-C12 ether, C4-C10 alcohol, C6-C12 hydrocarbon, C6-C16 ester or C7-C16 ketone solvent, baking the coating, and removing the excessive shrink agent for thereby shrinking the size of spaces in the pattern.
US09429845B2
A method for performing micro fabrication includes using, as a photomask, a self-organizing material-patterned substrate which is soluble in an organic solvent. A method for emitting light includes emitting the light in a pattern of a nucleic acid which is a self-organizing material immobilized on a self-organizing material-patterned substrate. An immobilization layer containing a binding material capable of binding to a self-organizing material is formed on a substrate. Then this immobilization layer is patterned by transferring a protrusion and recess pattern formed in a mold thereto by the imprint process. The self-organizing material is supplied onto the side having the protrusion and recess pattern of the immobilization layer transferred thereto. Thus, the self-organizing material is immobilized according to the protrusion and recess pattern of the immobilization layer owning to the self-organizing ability of the material per se and the binding ability of the binding material contained in the immobilization layer.
US09429823B2
A camera security system including a camera housing having a camera therein, a bracket assembly and at least one non-standard fastener. The bracket assembly has at least two bracket members including a first bracket member configured to be securely connected to a second bracket member, with the bracket assembly securely receiving the camera housing therein such that the camera is exposed, but the camera cannot be removed from the bracket. The at least one non-standard fastener connects the first bracket member to the second bracket member. The first bracket member can be disconnected from the second bracket member by removing the at least one non-standard fastener to thereby allow the camera to be removed from the bracket assembly.
US09429822B2
A camera and accessory mounting adapter is a device that allows the user to mount a camera as well as various accessories to the end of a boom, pole, or similar device. The device features a prism body with an adapter mounting cavity and female threading for attaching the device to the boom, pole, or similar device. A threaded fastener may be inserted into a hex head bolt receiving hole within the prism body, allowing a camera to be mounted to the prism body. At least one cold shoe mount is present for attaching a cold/hot shoe-compatible accessory to the prism body. A secondary camera mount allows the user to mount an additional camera to the device. Various other accessories may be mounted to the device via an accessory mounting port traversing through the prism body.
US09429821B2
A retractable camera platform system allows a mounted camera to be hidden while not in use. The system retracts a camera platform into a recess in the ceiling, wall and the like of a room, building, hallway or other structure. The system includes the camera platform that opens a door assembly or a cover so that the camera may operate when needed. The door assembly or cover hides the camera and the associated frame structure when not in use. An actuator and linear slide track raise and lower the camera as desired.
US09429813B2
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a deep ultraviolet laser generation device 1000 having a first laser source 100 at a first wavelength between 1.87 μm and 2.1 μm, a second laser source 200 at a second wavelength between 1.53 μm and 1.57 μm, a nonlinear wavelength conversion element 3 for generating near-infrared light 31 at a wavelength between 841 nm and 899 nm through a sum-frequency mixing (SFM) process, a nonlinear wavelength conversion element 4 for generating blue light 41 at a wavelength between 420 nm and 450 nm from the near-infrared light through a second harmonic generation (SHG) process, and a third nonlinear wavelength conversion element 5 for generating deep ultraviolet light 51 at a wavelength between 210 nm and 225 nm from the blue light, through another SHG process. The first laser source may be a thulium-doped laser source or a thulium-doped fiber source, and the second laser source may be a semiconductor laser source, an erbium-doped fiber source, or an erbium/ytterbium-doped fiber source.
US09429803B2
A display may have a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer and a color filter layer. The TFT layer may have a first substrate, a first black masking layer, a planarization layer, and a layer of TFT circuitry on the planarization layer. The color filter layer may have a second substrate and a second black masking layer on the second substrate. A portion of the inactive area may serve as a logo area for displaying desired information to the user. A reflective structure may be formed on the bottom surface of the planarization layer, on the bottom surface of the first substrate, on the bottom surface of the second substrate, or on the upper surface of the first substrate in the logo area. In another embodiment, the logo area may be backlit by transmitting light through one or more openings in the first and second black masking layers in the logo area.
US09429802B2
A display panel and a display device are provided, and the display panel comprises a GOA circuit; a first conducting wire and a second conducting wire are disposed in a region outside the GOA circuit; an insulating layer is disposed between the first conducting wire and the second conducting wire; and the first conducting wire, the insulating layer and the second conducting wire form a first capacitor. The display panel can protect the internal signal lines of the GOA circuit and the display panel, and increase the antistatic ability of the display panel and the yield of products.
US09429800B2
The present invention intends to realize a narrow flame of a system on panel. In addition to this, a system mounted on a panel is intended to make higher and more versatile in the functionality. In the invention, on a panel on which a pixel portion (including a liquid crystal element, a light-emitting element) and a driving circuit are formed, integrated circuits that have so far constituted an external circuit are laminated and formed. Specifically, of the pixel portion and the driving circuit on the panel, on a position that overlaps with the driving circuit, any one kind or a plurality of kinds of the integrated circuits is formed by laminating according to a transcription technique.
US09429794B2
A pixel unit includes an active area pixel electrode and a passive area pixel electrode disposed in the same layer; a thin film transistor switch electrically connected to the active area pixel electrode; and a coupling electrode disposed in a different layer from the active area pixel electrode and electrically connected to the active area pixel electrode, wherein the coupling electrode and the passive area pixel electrode are arranged to be at least partly overlapped with each other to form a coupling capacitance. The present invention also discloses an array substrate comprising the pixel unit and a liquid crystal display comprising the array substrate.
US09429792B2
The present disclosure provides a backlight, a display device and a method for controlling backlighting thereof. The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and enables a display panel with uniform brightness. The backlight comprises a backplate and a light emitting unit which is arranged on a surface of the backplate. The light emitting unit comprises a substrate and a plurality of light sources which are fixed onto the substrate. The substrate comprises an attached part which is fixed to a central area of the surface of the backplate and a bendable part which forms a preset angle with a non-central area of the surface of the backplate.
US09429788B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a common electrode, an insulation film, and a pixel electrode, and a second substrate including a black matrix which includes a first light-shield portion, a second light-shield portion and a third light-shield portion, a first crossing portion at which the first light-shield portion and the second light-shield intersect, a second crossing portion at which the first light-shield portion and the third light-shield portion intersect, and a columnar spacer extending from a position overlapping the first crossing portion toward the first substrate.
US09429780B2
An LCD device includes a plurality of first gate lines and a plurality of data lines vertically formed in a liquid crystal panel, a plurality of second gate lines horizontally formed in the liquid crystal panel, and a plurality of driving ICs disposed in an upper or lower non-display area of the liquid crystal panel, connected to the plurality of first gate lines to supply a scan signal, and connected to the plurality of data lines to supply data voltages. The plurality of first gate lines and the plurality of second gate lines are electrically connected to each other in pairs through a contact in an overlapping area therebetween, and the plurality of first gate lines and the plurality of data lines are formed on different layers.
US09429779B2
An electro-optic modulator can include a polymer film including liquid crystal (LC) droplets in the polymer film and a transparent electrode layer on an upper surface of the polymer film. A cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) polymer reflection film can be on a lower surface of the polymer film opposite the transparent electrode layer.
US09429778B2
An optical isolator for use with a wavelength band of 600-800 nm is improved in that it has a Faraday rotator made of an oxide material in which said oxide material contains (TbxR1-x)2O3 such that 0.5≦x≦1.0, and R is scandium, yttrium or any lanthanoid but Tb.
US09429772B1
An electronic device includes a frame configured to be worn on the head of a user and having first and second rims with lenses and a bridge between the rims for resting on the nose of the user. First and second temple portions extend away from the rims to ends and are can be positioned over the temples of the user with the ends near the ears of the user. The device further includes a display element over one of the lenses and a housing having an arm portion affixed to the first temple portion. An elbow portion of the housing defines a display end that supports the display element at an angle to the arm portion. Image generating means within the housing can present an image on the display element. An input device on the housing can receive an input from the user.
US09429771B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to eyeglasses that have a transparent display and a controlling method thereof. The eyeglasses that have a transparent display include a lens unit, a frame unit coupled with the lens unit, and a pair of leg units connected to respective sides of the frame unit, wherein each of the lens unit and the frame unit comprises a transparent display.
US09429767B2
An imaging optical system includes a front lens group including a front lens element and a reflector element which reflects a light bundle that exits from the front lens element; and a rear lens group on the image side of the front lens group. The front lens element is a spherically-swingable lens group which suppresses image shake by spherically-swinging about a predetermined spherical-swing center in accordance with vibrations applied to the imaging optical system. The following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: νd>58 (1), and f/y>3 (2), wherein νd designates the Abbe number with respect to the d-line of at least one lens element of the spherically-swingable lens group, f designates the focal length of the imaging optical system, in a state where the focal length is at a maximum, and y designates the maximum image height of the imaging plane.
US09429763B2
A liquid crystal lens and a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal lens includes a first substrate, a second substrate deposed oppositely, and a liquid crystal layer. A metal layer, an insulation layer, and an electrode layer are stacked on the second substrate adjacent to the first substrate. The electrode layer includes multiple electrodes disposed separately. Wherein, among the multiple electrodes disposed separately, a height of the electrode which a maximum voltage is applied on is lower than a height of an adjacent electrode. By the above way, the actual equivalent refractive index neff of the liquid crystal molecules corresponding to the electrode which the maximum voltage is applied on is close to an equivalent refractive index in an ideal condition. As a result, the three-dimensional (3D) crosstalk can be reduced and the 3D display effect can be improved.
US09429755B2
A wearable device and a method for controlling display of the same are disclosed. Herein, the method for controlling the wearable device includes the steps of, when a contents or channel change in information currently being viewed through an external device occurs, determining whether or not the contents change corresponds to a change performed by a wearer of the wearable device, and, when it is determined that the contents change corresponds to a change performed by a viewer other than the wearer of the wearable device, displaying a content signal that was previously viewed prior to the contents change to the display means.
US09429732B2
Embodiments disclosed herein include fiber optic cable crimp assemblies employing integrally connected cable strain relief boots to provide a single component crimp assembly. Related fiber optic connectors, cables, and methods are also disclosed. A fiber optic cable crimp assembly is employed for securing a fiber optic connector assembly to a fiber optic cable to form a terminated fiber optic connector. The fiber optic cable crimp assembly includes a cable strain relief boot configured to receive an end portion of a fiber optic cable to provide bend and strain relief for the end portion of the fiber optic cable. A fiber optic cable crimp band is integrally connected to the cable strain relief boot. The fiber optic crimp assembly is further configured to secure the end portion of the fiber optic cable to a fiber optic connector assembly.
US09429729B2
A storage and distribution module for optical fiber and cable includes a base having a bottom wall, and the bottom wall has a raised boss. A number of spool mounting fingers are arranged and configured on top of the boss to retain a fiber supply spool containing slack windings of an optical fiber. The bottom wall of the base, the boss, and an end face of the spool when retained on the mounting fingers, define a storage region underneath the spool for storing a slack length of a provider cable. A bracket is fixed inside the base, and the bracket is formed to support a connector adapter for connecting a first connector that terminates the slack fiber windings contained on the supply spool when retained on the mounting fingers, with a second connector that terminates the slack length of provider cable stored in the region under the spool.
US09429723B2
An embodiment relates to an image sensor comprising (a) a optical pipe comprising a core and a cladding, and (b) a pair of photosensitive elements comprising a central photosensitive element and a peripheral photosensitive element, wherein the central photosensitive element is operably coupled to the core and the peripheral photosensitive element is operably coupled to the cladding, and methods of fabricating and using the same. The image sensor could further comprise a lens structure or an optical coupler or an optical coupler over the optical pipe, wherein the lens structure or the optical coupler or the optical coupler is operably coupled to the optical pipe.
US09429718B1
Waveguide connectors and methods of forming the same include heating a polymer waveguide having one or more waveguide cores and alignment features to a first temperature. A ferrule having alignment features is heated to the first temperature, the ferrule having a different coefficient of thermal expansion from the polymer waveguide. The alignment features of the polymer waveguide align with the alignment features of the ferrule when the polymer waveguide and the ferrule are heated to the first temperature. The polymer waveguide is positioned on the ferrule. The alignment features of the polymer waveguide are bonded to the corresponding alignment features of the ferrule.
US09429715B2
An optical connector (1) for transferring light sent by fibers (2) and comprises a resin body (10) and a plurality of first lenses (11) and second lenses (12), the resin body (10) includes a bottom surface (102), a top surface (101) opposite to the bottom surface (102), a front surface (103) connecting the top surface (101) and the bottom surface (102), a first slant surface (106) and a second slant surface (105) form an angle with the bottom surface (102), the first lenses (11) are set on the first slant surface (106), the second lenses (121) are set on the second slant surface (105), the projections of the first lenses (11) and second lenses (12) that projected on the bottom surface (102) are not aligned with each other.
US09429714B2
A fiber optic adapter block is disclosed. The fiber optic adapter block includes at least three fiber optic adapters provided in a stacked arrangement extending widthwise in a longitudinal direction, wherein every other adapter of the at least three fiber optic adapters is staggered in a front to back direction with respect to an adjacent adapter such that front ends of the every other adapter of the at least three fiber optic adapters are aligned at a first depth and a front end of the adjacent adapter is at a second depth that is different than the first depth.
US09429713B2
An example medical device system includes a reusable connector cable having a female adaptor and a first fiber optic cable disposed within the reusable connector cable. A single use device is capable of connecting to the reusable connector cable and includes a male adaptor capable of mating with the female adaptor. A second fiber optic cable extends through the single use device such that the second fiber optic cable optically connects to the first fiber optic cable when the male adaptor of the single use device is disposed within the female adaptor of the reusable connector cable. A cleaning assembly is disposed within the single use device and is capable of cleaning an end of the first fiber optic cable when the male adaptor of the single use device is mated with the female adaptor of the reusable connector cable.
US09429711B2
An optical device includes a substrate including a waveguide array formed therein, each waveguide having a reflective surface; a lens array unit including a waveguide-side lens array arranged facing the waveguide array so each lens of the lens array is aligned with the corresponding reflective surface; and a connector unit including an optical transmission path-side lens array arranged and fixed so each lens of the lens array is aligned with the corresponding lens in the waveguide-side lens array, the plurality of inserted optical transmission paths aligned with the corresponding lens in the optical transmission path-side lens array.
US09429708B2
An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device of the invention includes: a pair of clamps that respectively grasp a coated portion of an optical fiber, the optical fiber including a fusion-spliced portion, the fusion-spliced portion being coated with a sleeve, the coated portion being exposed from the sleeve; at least two or more heaters that are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich the sleeve; a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the paired clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber; and a second force-applying member that applies a pressing force to at least one or more of the heaters via the sleeve by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member in accordance with control of a drive source, the heaters being arranged to face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween.
US09429704B2
The disclosed embodiments provide systems and methods for mitigating lensing and scattering as an optical fiber is being inscribed with a grating. The disclosed systems and methods mitigate the lensing phenomenon by surrounding an optical fiber with a liquid index-matching material that is held in a vessel. The disclosed systems also include a replenishment mechanism that replenishes the liquid index-matching material as the optical fiber is pulled through the vessel.
US09429701B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel; and a backlight unit disposed under the liquid crystal panel and including an LED assembly, wherein the LED assembly includes a frame portion, LED chips arranged in the frame portion in a line and spaced apart from each other, connecting portions each disposed between adjacent LED chips and connected to adjacent LED chips through wire bonding, and a sealing portion including a fluorescent substance and covering the LED chips and the connecting portions, and wherein the sealing portion changes light emitted from the LED chips into a linear light source.
US09429696B2
A shape sensing apparatus comprises an instrument including an elongated shaft with a neutral axis. The shape sensing apparatus also includes a first shape sensor with an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from the neutral axis. The apparatus also includes a shape sensor compensation device extending within the elongated shaft. The apparatus also comprises a tracking system for receiving shape data from the first shape sensor and compensating data from the shape sensor compensation device for use in calculating a bend measurement for the instrument.
US09429692B1
A substantially transparent optical component, which comprises polymer, is molded. The optical component has substantially matching grating imprints on respective portions of its surface, which imprints have a substantially zero relative orientation angle. Substantially transparent molten polymer is forced between two surfaces of a molding component. The molten polymer is forced into contact with surface modulations which form two substantially matching gratings. An alignment portion is located so that light which has interacted with both gratings is observable when the substantially transparent polymer is between the surfaces. While the polymer is still liquid, the molding component is reconfigured from a current configuration to a new configuration in which the fringe spacing of a fringe pattern formed by the two gratings is substantially maximal, thus aligning the gratings to have a substantially zero relative orientation angle. The new configuration is maintained while the polymer sets.
US09429687B2
A lens module is disclosed. The lens module includes a substrate assembly and an array of lens units. The substrate assembly includes a main body and a supporting layer formed on the substrate assembly. The main body has a front surface, a rear surface opposite to the front surface, and at least one lateral surface connecting the front surface to the rear surface. The supporting layer has a planar configuration and is formed on the main body. The main body is made of a first material and the supporting layer is made of a second material different from the first material.
US09429671B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for deploying and retrieving a plurality of autonomous seismic nodes from the back deck of a marine vessel using an overboard node deployment and retrieval system are presented. The overboard system may comprise one or more overboard wheels that are actively powered to move in response to changes in movement of the deployed cable. The overboard system may comprise a first overboard wheel with a plurality of rollers and a second overboard wheel configured to detect movement and/or changes in a position of the deployment line. The overboard system may be configured to move the first overboard wheel in response to movement of the second overboard wheel. In addition, the first overboard wheel may comprise at least one opening or pocket configured to hold a node while the node passes across the wheel. Other seismic devices may also pass through the overboard system, such as transponders and weights attached to the deployment cable.
US09429670B2
A system for collecting seismic data includes plural seismic sensors. The seismic sensors are buried underground. In one application, a first set of seismic sensors are buried at a first depth and a second set of seismic sensors are buried at a second depth. In another application, the sensors alternate along a line, one sensor from the first set and a next sensor from a second set. In still another application, the sensors are randomly distributed below the ground.
US09429663B2
A composition of matter includes an organic molecule having a composition different than stilbene. The organic molecule is embodied as a crystal, and exhibits: an optical response signature for neutrons; an optical response signature for gamma rays, and performance comparable to or superior to stilbene in terms of distinguishing neutrons from gamma rays. The optical response signature for neutrons is different than the optical response signature for gamma rays.
US09429650B2
A vehicle obstacle detection system includes an imaging system for capturing objects in a field of view and a radar device for sensing objects in a substantially same field of view. The substantially same field of view is partitioned into an occupancy grid having a plurality of observation cells. A fusion module receives radar data from the radar device and imaging data from the imaging system. The fusion module projects the occupancy grid and associated radar data onto the captured image. The fusion module extracts features from each corresponding cell using sensor data from the radar device and imaging data from the imaging system. A primary classifier determines whether an extracted feature extracted from a respective observation cell is an obstacle.
US09429649B2
According to an embodiment, there is provided a radar device including a generating unit, an estimating unit, and a determining unit. The generating unit generates a frequency spectrum from a beat signal corresponding to a predetermined period. The estimating unit estimates a peak frequency corresponding to a target on the basis of location information of the target corresponding to a past period. The determining unit determines, with respect to the frequency spectrum corresponding to the latest period, whether the peak frequency is a peak corresponding to the target by comparing power near the peak frequency estimated by the estimating unit with a predetermined threshold.
US09429639B2
A terrestrial positioning and timing system (TPTS) comprising a ground segment and user segment is disclosed that is comprised of a spread-spectrum based range and bearing reference signal, with respect to a reference time, transmitted by an antenna over a broad region of space; and a spread-spectrum based bearing variable signal with bearing specific modulation referenced to a reference time, transmitted using a scanning antenna over a spatial region of space that is more narrow than the spread-spectrum based range and bearing reference signal transmission spatial area. Various embodiments enable the TPTS station and user to support various position, velocity or time services. Most notably, an embodiment with a single TPTS station, active interrogation/transponder reply, and data delivery subsystem can provide a position, velocity, and time solution for the user. Additional embodiments disclosed provide varying levels of user solutions to include bearing, position, velocity, or time.
US09429630B2
A BIST circuit is provided for testing the status of power supplies in an integrated circuit in multiple power modes including multiple circuit blocks. The BIST circuit includes a finite state machine (FSM), power monitors and a comparator. The FSM sequentially enables at least two power mode states in a predetermined order. In each power mode state, the FSM outputs power mode signals to enable the power supplies used in the corresponding power mode. Each power monitor is connected to a power input node of one of the circuit blocks, and outputs a monitor signal indicative of the voltage at the corresponding power input node when the corresponding power supply is enabled. The comparator compares each monitor signal with a corresponding reference signal and generates a set of power supply status signals.
US09429622B2
A method and system for implementing enhanced scan chain diagnostics via a bypass multiplexing structure. A full scan chain structure is partitioned into a plurality of separate chains, such as three separate partitioned chains, with bypass multiplexers for implementing enhanced scan chain diagnostics. Each of the separate partitioned chains includes bypass multiplexers with independent controls enabling scan data being routed through multiple different independent scan paths, potentially bypassing failing latches. The information acquired from a combination of full scans and partitioned scans is used for scan failure isolation to enable pinpoint identification of stuck-at-zero (SA0) and stuck-at-one (SA1) faults in the scan chain.
US09429617B2
A testing apparatus for flip chip LEDs includes a transparent substrate, a spacing member, a flexible transparent carrier, and a vacuum generator. The spacing member is configured on a first surface of the transparent substrate. The flexible transparent carrier is removably assembled to the spacing member so that a closed space is formed by the flexible transparent carrier, the spacing member, and the first surface of the transparent substrate. The vacuum generator is connected to the closed space for pumping air out of the closed space, and then a part of the transparent substrate clings to the first surface to form a testing area for loading the flip chip LED.
US09429612B2
Disclosed are method and apparatus of generating noise that effectively performs performance evaluation of electronic equipment in a real environment by generating the noise having a statistic characteristic of real noise in a laboratory environment, by estimating a noise parameter set by measuring the noise and generating random noise data using a random noise data generation function having a statistic characteristic corresponding to the noise parameter set to generate radio noise.
US09429611B2
The present invention relates to a noise sensor for an alternating or direct current power supply. The sensor comprises a noise sensing unit and a noise separator. The noise separator is configured to receive first, second and third input signals and provide a first output signal representative of the common mode noise and a second output signal representative of the differential mode noise. The noise sensing unit comprises a first capacitive element, a second capacitive element, a first resistive element and a second resistive element.
US09429609B2
Systems and methods disclosed herein provide for the assessment of acousto-electrical probes, such as their connections (e.g., transducer leads) and their response characteristics. An example method of determining a capacitance capability of an electrical lead for an ultrasound device includes discharging stored capacitance of the electrical lead; applying power to the electrical lead; during applying power to the electrical lead, counting clock cycles from a microprocessor; comparing a electrical lead voltage to a reference voltage; stopping counting clock cycles when the electrical lead voltage passes the reference voltage; and processing a number of counted clock cycles, in response to stopping the counting clock cycles to determine a capacitance of the electrical lead.
US09429603B2
A method for detecting at least two amplitude-modulated transmitted signals contained in a received signal within the same frequency channel with respectively different frequency displacements, which determines from the received signal a modified received signal by means of a nonlinear signal processing. Following this, the spectrum of the modified received signal is determined by means of Fourier transform, and at least two transmitted signals contained in the received signal are detected if at least two first spectral lines each associated with carrier signals are significantly distinguishable within the determined spectrum from spectral components associated with noise signals and payload signals.
US09429602B2
According to an embodiment, a partial information generating device includes a receiver, a first generator, and a second generator. The receiver is configured to receive power usage amounts each collected for a unitary time by at least one power meter. The first generator is configured to generate a piece of first partial information from a range that is zero or more and less than a predetermined basal value for each of the power usage amounts. The second generator is configured to generate one or more pieces of auxiliary information and a piece of second partial information for the each of the power usage amounts, by using the each of the power usage amounts, the piece of first partial information, and the basal value.
US09429592B2
A connector includes a connector case and probe pins that are arranged two-dimensionally in the connector case. Each of the probe pins includes a housing, a first contact terminal disposed at one end of the housing, a second contact terminal disposed at another end of the housing, and plural bent parts formed in the housing and protruding outward from a surface of the housing. The connector case includes through holes. Each of the through holes accommodates the probe pin and includes grooves that are formed in its inner surface and correspond to the bent parts. The grooves of each through hole face substantially the same directions as the grooves of other through holes.
US09429589B2
A physical quantity sensor includes a base section, a movable body having a movable electrode section, pivot sections connected to the movable body, and forming a pivot axis of the movable body, a fixation section fixed to the substrate, and adapted to support the movable body via the pivot sections, and a fixed electrode section disposed on the substrate so as to be opposed to the movable electrode section, and the fixation section is provided with opening sections disposed on a line of the pivot axis.
US09429586B2
An automatic analyzer includes: first reagent storing means for storing a plurality of the reagent containers; second reagent storing means for storing a replacement reagent container in addition to the first reagent storing means; transfer means for transferring the reagent container from the second reagent storing means to the first reagent means; and a storing portion for storing the reagent container discharged from the second reagent storing means. The automatic analyzer includes control means for exercising control such that the information write means writes reagent information on the information recording medium immediately before the reagent container is transferred from the second reagent storing means to the first reagent storing means or immediately before the reagent container is discharged from the second reagent storing means to the storing portion.
US09429585B2
The present invention uses a wireless memory/communication device at least on the one or more sample storage devices, preferably on both the one or more sample storage devices and the sampling holder, optionally the port on the equipment as well. Data such as that relating to the vessel, the location of the port on the vessel, the device, its manufacture date or lot number, the date of the installation, sterilization and/or taking of a sample along with the person who installed the device and/or took the sample can be read and preferably added to the wireless device when a read/write type of device as these events occur through a scanner/reader/writer device (fixed or hand held). The sample storage device in the laboratory can also then be read and recorded to track the sample storage device's life.
US09429583B2
A system and method for the detection and quantification of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in human tissue and blood samples. The system includes several high avidity monoclonal antibodies that may be provided on Xmap microspheres to capture FMRP from a tissue or blood specimen. The resulting complex is reacted with a polyclonal anti-FMRP rabbit antibody and then mixed with an anti-rabbit IgG antibody conjugated to phycoerythrin. Fluorescence emitted from the resulting complex is a function of the amount of FMRP present in the specimen.
US09429572B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a complex between an analyte or an analog thereof, and a substance formable the complex with said analyte or said analog thereof (the complex forming substance), in a short time and in high reaction efficiency, and a method for separating a complex formed, and a complex forming substance not involved in formation of said complex or an analog not involved in formation of said complex rapidly, simply and in high accuracy, along with a method for measuring an analyte in a sample in high sensitivity.
US09429570B2
Stimuli-responsive polymer diagnostic assay comprising magnetic nanoparticles and capture conjugates
The present disclosure utilizes the aggregation of stimuli-responsive polymers to isolate a diagnostic target (e.g., an antigen) from a solution using magnetophoresis. Isolating the diagnostic target provides a route to identify the presence of the diagnostic target in the solution.
US09429559B2
A sensing device includes a shell comprising an elastomeric material, the shell including a first portion having a first end and a second portion having a second end. The shell may be egg-shaped. The first portion includes a conducting disc and a plate that includes a temperature sensor, a location sensor, and a micro-fiber composite sensor. The first portion also includes an antenna and a first electrode extending through a first hole in the first portion of the shell. The second portion includes a quantity of a metallic substance embedded on the inside surface of an end of the second portion, and a second electrode extending through a second hole in the second portion of the shell. The sensing device may be inserted into a concrete mixture, obtain measurements relating to the concrete mixture, and transmit data to a database.
US09429553B2
The present invention is directed to a processor-based analysis system and method. The technology includes a water analysis computer program, which may be an app for a smart device. Beneficially, an interactive visual display device is in communication with a sensing device. Advantageously, test parameter algorithms may be updated, and use of an auxiliary product with an intended test may be validated. Benefits further include improved accuracy of test results, user customization, and storage, management and output of associated data.
US09429542B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to substance detection technology, and to signal extraction circuits and methods for ion mobility tubes, and ion mobility detectors, which can solve the problem with the conventional technologies that it is difficult to design and manufacture the leadout circuit for the pulsed voltage on the Faraday plates. A signal extraction circuit for an ion mobility tube includes an DC-blocking module configured to remove a DC voltage contained in a voltage extracted, by a signal leadin terminal, from the Faraday plate, and to output, by a signal leadout terminal, a pulsed voltage contained in the voltage extracted from the Faraday plate. An ion mobility detector includes the signal extraction circuit for an ion mobility tube according to the present invention. A signal extraction method for an ion mobility tube includes extracting a voltage on a Faraday plate in the ion mobility tube, removing a DC voltage contained in the voltage extracted from the Faraday plate, and outputting a pulsed voltage contained in the voltage extracted from the Faraday plate. The present invention is used to extract a pulsed voltage from the Faraday plate.
US09429538B2
A MEMS biochemical sensor configured to sense a target molecule, such as a DNA molecule, a protein molecule, and a viruses molecule. The biochemical sensor may include a cell and a readout module. The cell is configured to be coupled to a probe molecule, to retain a pre-sensing charge before the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule, and to retain a sensing charge after the probe molecule is exposed to the target molecule. The readout module is coupled to the cell and configured to generate a measurement signal based on the pre-sensing charge and the sensing charge.
US09429535B2
A humidity determining device 20 includes first and second humidity determining sensors 17, 18 and a control unit 21. When the first and second humidity determining sensors 17, 18 react with a chemical substance, the humidity determining performance of the first humidity determining sensor 17 and the humidity determining performance of the second humidity determining sensor 18 change with time at different amounts of change. The control unit 21 computes a difference value between a first humidity value and a second humidity value determined by the first and second humidity determining sensors 17, 18. When the difference value is greater than a predetermined reference value, the control unit 21 outputs an anomaly signal indicating that the humidity determining performance of at least one of the first or second humidity determining sensors 17, 18 has been reduced.
US09429533B2
A hard, transparent coating for a substrate and associated method for coating is disclosed. The coating includes alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating. The coating further includes a sensor. The electrical resistivity of the sensor may be measured to determine if the coating has been degraded. The coating may further include a hydrophobic outer layer.
US09429531B2
A device for thermal analysis. This device includes at least one thermoanalytical measurement device and at least one infrared spectrometer, wherein the infrared spectrometer is fully integrated into the thermoanalytical measurement device. The thermoanalytical measurement device and the at least one infrared spectrometer are connected to one another by a lift-swivel unit. The at least one infrared spectrometer is disposed above the thermoanalytical measurement device.
US09429528B2
A method to detect a gas absorption line that includes alternately transmitting and sweeping two radio frequency (RF) signals through an absorption cell, wherein the two RF signals are transmitted at different frequencies separated by a range and are swept across a span of frequencies in a microwave and millimeter wave regions of a frequency spectrum. Receiving the RF signals by a receiver and analyzing the received signals by a closed loop system for relative absorption by a gas due to an absorption line of the gas in the span of the swept frequencies. Detecting the absorption line of the gas when the two RF signals straddle the gas absorption line and the relative absorption by the two RF signals is equal.
US09429527B1
An automatic optical inspection method for periodic patterns includes defining regular control points in a periodic pattern, forming aligned images surrounded by the control points, obtaining a median image and a deviation image from the aligned images and defining upper- and lower-limit images to form an adaptive model, using the adaptive model to compare each point of all aligned images, defining the point of the aligned image having a gray-scale pixel greater than the upper-limit image or the smaller than the lower-limit image as a defect area. The optical inspection method is applicable for the defect detection of various periodic patterns and users simply need to manually select a first reference point to a fifth reference point from the control points and further select a rectangular range of one of the control points to create an edge image to detect a defect of the periodic pattern.
US09429525B2
An optical module for surface inspection includes a first light source unit that illuminates a substrate with first light produced by a first light source and a first beam splitter that changes the path of the first light, a second light source unit that illuminates the substrate with second light polarized in a first direction, a direction of polarization changing unit that illuminates the substrate with the third light polarized in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a detection unit that detects fourth light which is a product of the first light reflecting from the substrate, fifth light which is a product of the second light scattered from the substrate, and sixth light which is a product of the third light scattered from the substrate. The third light is produced by changing the direction of polarization of the second light reflected from the inspected substrate.
US09429523B2
A method for the colorimetric detection of two compounds in a bulk sample comprises the steps of forming an aqueous solution of the bulk sample, inserting a single dip strip having a pair of test regions each having separate colorimetric indicator reagents for a different one of the two compounds to be tested for into the solution and then removing the dip strip from the solution, and observing the test regions for color changes denoting the presence of the two compounds. The methodology is especially adapted for the colorimetric detection of nitrates and chlorates, two components commonly associated with explosives and particularly homemade explosives.
US09429522B2
The present invention generally relates to emissive materials, devices, and related methods. In some cases, the present invention provides sensors and methods for the determination of analytes, wherein the analytes may be determined by monitoring, for example, a change in an optical signal of an emissive material upon exposure to an analyte. The analyte and the emissive material may interact via a chemical reaction, such as an oxidative addition reaction, or other chemical, biochemical or biological interaction (e.g., recognition), to form a new emissive species. In some cases, the present invention may be useful in the detection of a wide variety of analytes, such as toxins, chemical warfare agents, and explosives. The present invention also provides emissive compounds, and related methods, including metal complexes that are capable of interacting with an analyte to produce a change in the emission of the compound. Some advantages of the present invention include the determination of analytes with high specificity and sensitivity and the ability to fabricate simplified and highly portable devices.
US09429507B2
All of bio-related substances, such as cells or bacteria, are placed at single and independent positions. A flow cell according to the present invention is used for analyzing a bio-related substance and includes a flow passageway and an injection opening and a discharge opening that are connected to the flow passageway. The flow passageway is provided with trapping structural members for trapping the bio-related substance. The trapping structural members include a structure forming a dead water region in which the bio-related substance is trapped.
US09429499B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for controlling depressurization of a vial containing a gas sample. The disclosed systems and methods are employed during sampling and/or analysis of the gas sample. One exemplary method for controlling depressurization of a vial containing a gas sample includes establishing fluid communication between a sample loop of a head space sampling device and the head space of the vial. A sample gas pressure is established within the head space of the vial. The sample loop is connected in fluid communication with a lower pressure environment through a ventilation pathway. A ventilation valve within the ventilation pathway is used to vent gas from the vial through the sample loop to the lower pressure environment at a predetermined rate. Devices and systems for depressurizing a vial containing a gas sample at a predetermined rate are also disclosed.
US09429493B2
A manifold assembly for a portable leak tester includes a manifold housing defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a pressure port, and a fluid passage. The fluid passage connects the fluid inlet, the pressure port, and the fluid outlet in fluid communication. A supply control valve is mounted to the manifold housing. The supply control valve is operable to open and close fluid communication through the fluid passage, between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A pressure transducer is coupled to the pressure port. The pressure transducer is operable to sense a fluid pressure in the fluid passage. A manifold controller is mounted to and supported by the manifold housing, and is in communication with the supply control valve and the pressure transducer. The manifold controller includes all software and hardware necessary to control the supply control valve, the pressure transducer, and to communicate with a testing controller.
US09429491B2
Example embodiments of the disclosed technology methods, devices, and systems for compensating a sensor having thermal gradients. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a sensor, including a first half-bridge transducer configured to output a first pressure signal associated with a first received pressure; a first set of span resistors coupled to the first half-bridge transducer, and configured generate a first compensated pressure signal; a second half-bridge transducer, configured to output a second pressure signal associated with a second received pressure; and a second set of span resistors coupled to the second half-bridge transducer and configured to generate a second compensated pressure signal. The system includes an output port that is configured to output a signal associated with a difference between the first compensated pressure signal and the second compensated pressure signal.
US09429490B2
The present disclosure provides improved process measurement assemblies and methods for replacing/installing devices/instruments (e.g., gauges, digital gauges, transducers, switches, etc.) associated with process measurement assemblies. More particularly, the present disclosure provides improved process measurement assemblies (e.g., diaphragm seal assemblies or isolation ring assemblies) having couplings (e.g., dry-break couplings) that allow a user to replace and/or install process measurement instruments/devices to and/or from the process measurement assemblies, and related methods of use. In general, the present disclosure provides for improved systems/methods for installing or replacing a process measurement instrument to and/or from process measurement assemblies (e.g., diaphragm seal assemblies or isolation ring assemblies). In exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides for a system/method for installing/replacing a process measurement instrument wherein the process operating under pressure is a flow stream process, the flow stream process having a solids content.
US09429483B2
A method for calibrating a transmitter with measurement circuitry electrically connected to first and second input terminals includes connecting a primary temperature sensor to the first input terminal and connecting a calibrated reference device to the second input terminal. The measurement circuitry is calibrated with respect to the first input terminal according to signals received from the second input terminal while measuring temperature according to signals received from the first input terminal.
US09429482B2
Deicing performance of a total air temperature (TAT) probe may be improved by reducing the size of a frontal projected area upstream of an inertial bend of the TAT probe. In accordance with various embodiments, a TAT probe may comprise an airflow inlet having a first surface substantially parallel to an incoming airflow, a primary airflow passage through the TAT probe from the airflow inlet to a primary airflow outlet, and a total air temperature sensor assembly disposed within a sensor flow passage. In various embodiments, the sensor flow passage may be oriented perpendicular to a mounting surface of the TAT probe. Further, the first surface may be perpendicular to the sensor flow passage. In various embodiments, the airflow inlet may have a second surface that is inclined relative to the first surface to help facilitate a desirable pressure gradient and boundary bleed passage function.
US09429465B2
An ultrasonic transducer and a transducer holder for preventing the transmission of housing waves has a decoupling ring between a housing flange of a transducer housing and a holder flange of the transducer holder. Preferably, there is a gasket between the housing flange of the transducer housing and the decoupling ring in addition to a gasket between the decoupling ring and the holder flange of the transducer holder.
US09429451B2
A sensor includes: a sensing module furnished with a sensing function; metal terminals transmitting a sensing signal from the sensing module; an insulating fixing portion holding multiple metal terminals separately; and a resin portion encapsulating the metal terminals and the sensing module and also forming a connector portion from which tip ends of the metal terminals are exposed. Protruding portions of the fixing portion are fit into hole portions of the metal terminals before resin encapsulation in a stage where the metal terminals are bonded to the sensing module, so that rigidity of the metal terminals is enhanced to stabilize the locations thereof.
US09429447B2
An image utilizing method based on location information of an image is provided. The method includes displaying an image, setting a Region Of Interest (ROI) on the image, obtaining location information associated with the ROI, and storing the obtained location information together with an image of the ROI. The location information is stored together when the ROI is designated and thus, it is possible to provide various services based on the location information.
US09429442B2
There is provided a navigation apparatus including an estimation section which estimates first environmental information in a movement route candidate of an object based on observation information observed in real time in the movement route candidate, an acquisition section which acquires second environmental information of a surrounding of the movement route candidate, and a guidance section which guides a movement direction for the object based on the first environmental information estimated by the estimation section and the second environmental information acquired by the acquisition section.
US09429441B2
Arrangement for warning of and/or for consideration of utility-vehicle-relevant driving restrictions
A device for installation in a utility vehicle for warning or consideration of a utility-vehicle-relevant driving restriction. The device includes a receiving unit for receiving at least one item of utility-vehicle-relevant information, which is transmitted from an apparatus arranged on a traffic infrastructure or at least adjacent thereto and which relates to the traffic infrastructure, and a provision unit for providing the item of utility-vehicle-relevant information or an item of information based thereon to the driver of the utility vehicle. The apparatus for placement on or at least adjacent to a traffic infrastructure comprises a functional unit for storing or processing at least one item of utility-vehicle-relevant information relating to the traffic infrastructure and a transmitting unit for transmitting the item of utility-vehicle-relevant information to one or more utility vehicles.
US09429432B2
Systems and methods for computing a geographic position of an object or event based on a geographic position of a computing device and a user gesture are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a method includes determining a geographic position of a computing device. The method also includes receiving a user gesture on the computing device to indicate a direction towards a location from the computing device. Further, the method includes defining a geographic position of the location based on the geographic position of the computing device and the user gesture.
US09429414B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus having a simple configuration capable of correctly detecting malfunction of an OCT apparatus by detecting the states of a light source and a sensor.An image pickup apparatus includes a switching unit that switches between a first mode in which a combined light beam of a return light beam from a specimen and a reference light beam is detectable by a detecting unit and a second mode in which the reference light beam is detectable by the detecting unit.The image pickup apparatus is switchable to the first mode on the basis of an intensity of the reference light beam detected by the detecting unit in the second mode.
US09429403B2
A flight safety assembly onboard an aerial vehicle includes a first sensor configured to sense first information related to flight of the aerial vehicle and a second sensor configured to sense second information related to the flight of the aerial vehicle. A sensor input is adapted to receive third information related to the flight of the aerial vehicle. A processor is operably coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the sensor input. The processor is configured to determine three independent instantaneous impact points for the aerial vehicle by independently analyzing each of the first information, the second information and the third information. The processor is also configured to generate three independent onboard flight termination indicators for each of the three independent instantaneous impact points that intersects with a region to be protected.
US09429402B2
A multi-stage drive includes a linear actuator configured for linear movement along an actuation axis, and a control surface. The control surface is operatively connected to the linear actuator for rotation about a deployment axis in a deployment stage, and for rotation in a control stage about a control axis that is different from the deployment axis, so that movement of the linear actuator along the actuation axis drives rotation of the control surface in both the deployment stage and in the control stage.
US09429399B2
A projectile that includes a shocking function is presented. The projectile, such as an arrow, is structured to shock an animal as the arrow strikes its target. A capacitor may be used to store energy to generate the shock, or a shocking circuit may be self-contained. The shocking mechanism may be controlled by switch. In other embodiments electrically isolated electrodes could be present on the arrow, including the broadhead, that automatically cause the shocking system to discharge when the arrow has reached its target. The shocking function may be combined with a vibrating function for an even more lethal strike.
US09429395B2
The invention is a gradient ballistic material and honeycomb grille that includes a louver system and a honeycomb structure. The louver system contains a gradient of ballistic materials to improve air handling and protection. The louver system may be constructed of one or more pieces of ballistic material so that at least one section is harder than a second section. The honeycomb structure acts a “catcher” or backstop to collect the fragments created by a projectiles contact with the harder section of the louver system.
US09429393B2
An illumination device for a sight guard and pin for an archery bow, crossbow, or similar weapon or firearm includes at least one fiber optic or other optic element that carries light from an onboard artificial light source to an arc or to pinpoints positioned around the perimeter or circumference of the sight guard. The tip of a sight pin in the sight guard may also be illuminated by the optic element. Light emitted from the optic element is blocked from shining in the direction of the target, but remains visible from the perspective of the shooter. The illumination device enables the user to see the shape of the sight guard and the relative position of the sight pin in low light conditions where reflective tape, glowing materials, and other conventional devices would be difficult to use. Methods of using and activating the illuminated sight guard are also disclosed.
US09429384B2
An archery release aid is provided. The archery release aid includes a body having a circular inner surface forming a finger opening within. A trigger hook protrudes from an outer surface of the body and is configured to releasably hook onto a string of a bow. The present invention further includes a circular sleeve forming a finger opening within. The circular sleeve is suspended within the circular inner surface of the body and is rotatable relative to the circular inner surface.
US09429376B2
A mechanical gun charger configured to charge a gun, including a cradle configured to support the gun. A lever is rotatably coupled to the cradle, wherein an outboard cable coupled between the lever and a first pulley is configured such that displacement of the lever causes the first pulley, a shaft, and a second pulley to rotate. A charging cable is coupled to the second pulley and is configured to couple to and charge the gun upon rotation of the second pulley.
US09429370B1
A heat sink apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a base unit for use with an electronic component operable to make contact with a heat generating source, wherein the heat generating source is affixed to a printed circuit board. It also comprises a top unit wherein the top unit of the heat sink is rotatively coupled to the base unit, and wherein a slot forms in between the top unit and the base unit when the top unit is coupled to the base unit. Finally it comprises a heat pipe, wherein the heat pipe is received through the slot and held tightly therein, and wherein the heat pipe is operable to dissipate heat transferred through the base unit away from the heat generating source.
US09429367B2
The invention relates to a condenser (10, 20) to be used in an air-conditioning circuit of an automobile, including punched plates (20) stacked in a longitudinal direction and defining first blades for the circulation of a first fluid as well as second blades for the circulation of a second fluid, said second blades being interleaved with the first blades, said condenser enabling the alternating circulation of the first fluid. According to the invention, said condenser includes inlet tubing (28) for the first fluid and outlet tubing (30) for the first fluid provided on a single first end surface (24) of said stack.
US09429363B2
A lift and pivot device for a cover of a furnace including a guide housing having a base plate, a rotatably mounted slide roller, and a vertical opening; a lift pin that can be lifted and lowered inside the vertical opening; a lift cylinder for lifting and lowering the lift pin, the lift cylinder being articulated to the lift pin at one end as well as articulated and rotatably connected to the base plate at the other end; and a guide frame for carrying the cover. The guide frame includes a support arm, wherein an upper end of the support arm is equipped for connection to the cover and includes a lift nose having a lift eye which is in engagement with an end of the lift pin facing away from the lift cylinder. The support arm at the other end thereof has a slide plate.
US09429358B2
A vacuum heat insulating material having an improved structure to prevent the heat bridge phenomenon while improving the durability thereof, and a refrigerator having the same, the vacuum heat insulating material including a core material in a vacuum state, a sealing layer surrounding the core material, an inner layer covering the sealing layer, and having a first side and a second side connected to the first side, a protective layer located at an outside of the inner layer, a first blocking layer having at least one portion located between the first side of the inner layer and the protective layer, and a second blocking layer having at least one portion located between the second side of the inner layer and the protective layer.
US09429356B2
A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment, a first door that is rotatably disposed in front of the main body and has an opening, a door guard disposed in the opening, a second door that is rotatably disposed in front of the first door, opens/closes the opening, and is rotated in the same direction as the first door, first hinges coupling the first door rotatably to the main body, and second hinges coupling the second door rotatably to the first door, elastic levers coupled to the first door applying an elastic force in a direction in which the first door is closed, and a first stopping member coupled to the first door to limit an angle at which the first door is opened and a second stopping member coupled to the second door to limit an angle at which the second door is opened.
US09429346B2
An evaporative chiller utilizes an evaporative-cooled gypsum-ceramic casting to chill air passing through a passageway formed within the casting. Placed within an outer housing, the gypsum-ceramic casting has an outer wicking layer that maintains water saturation of the casting. Nano-evaporation from the casting surface into the air passageway cools the casting. Water is provided to the wicking layer from a supply connected to the outer housing. The chiller may be placed in-line within air ductwork, and blowers may be used to enhance the flow of air to be chilled through the evaporative chiller passageway.
US09429329B2
A household cooking appliance including a housing having an oven chamber accessible through an opening, the opening having a seal surrounding a perimeter of the opening, and a door covering the opening and moveable about a hinge between an open position and a closed position. The door includes an outer door skin forming an outer surface of the door, the outer door skin including an outer glass panel, a full glass inner panel forming an inner surface of the door, the full glass inner panel abutting the seal when the door is in a closed position, a middle glass panel disposed between the outer glass panel and the inner glass panel, and a middle glass support system that supports the middle glass panel at a predetermined position between the outer glass panel and the full glass inner panel.
US09429320B2
Provided is a gas-air mixing device for a combustor which effectively controls the amount of gas and air supplied to a burner provided in a combustor, thus improving the turn-down ratio which leads to increased convenience for using hot water and heat and enhanced durability of the burner. The gas-air mixing device for a combustor comprises: a housing, connected on one side to a turbo fan; a discharge part disposed on one side of the housing and in contact with the turbo fan; first and second air supply parts, provided on the other side of the discharge part and separated by a first partition; first gas supply part, divided by a second partition, and a second gas supply part having a protruding part; and an opening/closing means for controlling the flow of gas and air by opening or closing the second air supply part and the second gas supply part.
US09429318B2
A carbon dioxide separation process for a fossil-fueled power station process, including an absorption process and a desorption process, the carbon dioxide separation process includes when a special operating state which deviates from the normal operating state, opening a first bypass so that regenerated solvent from the desorption process is at least partially fed back again into the desorption process; and opening a second bypass so that a laden solvent from the absorption process is at least partially fed back again into the absorption process.
US09429314B2
Apparatus for a steam generator that employs tube support plates within a shroud that is in turn disposed within a shell. The tube support plates are made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than that of the shroud. The tube support plates are aligned during fabrication, with minimal clearances between components. Using a tube support displacement system, a controlled misalignment is then imposed on one or more tube support plates, as the steam generator heats up. The tube support plate displacement system has only one part, a push rod, which is internal to the steam generator shroud, thereby minimizing the potential of loose parts. The tube support plate displacement system can be used to provide controlled misalignments on one or more tube support plates, in the same or varying amounts and directions, and with one or more apparatus for each individual tube support plate.
US09429310B2
Flexible, fabric-encapsulated light arrays particularly suitable for use in clothing are disclosed. The light arrays are light-emitting diode (LED) arrays disposed on flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs). The flexible PCBs include substantially sinusoidal metal contact traces, along which the LEDs are attached at an angle preselected to minimize stresses in the expected directions of bending. The PCBs may also include enlarged metal contact pads and a coverlay arrangement to prevent delamination. The light arrays are contained within pockets that may be made of conductive fabric in order to form a Faraday cage. Systems and methods are also disclosed that use local and wide-area controllers to send words, images, and video to the light arrays substantially in real time.
US09429308B2
An illumination module may include at least one flexible carrier for a plurality of heat sources, including light sources, wherein the carrier is provided for being bent over at least part of its width.
US09429305B2
A light emitting device includes a substrate that has a circular light emitting region thereon, and a plurality of light emitting elements that is mounted on the light emitting region. The light emitting elements are arranged in a matrix shape of multiple rows and multiple columns. At least one of the rows or the columns is arranged so as to follow an outer end of the circular light emitting region and to deviate from virtual straight lines of the rows or the columns.
US09429302B2
Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system includes a plurality of synthetic jets. The synthetic jets are arranged within the lighting system such that they are secured at contact points.
US09429298B1
A light fixture includes a fixture housing and at least one adjustable lighting head assembly coupled thereto. Each lighting head assembly includes a lighting head and a mounting assembly that couples the lighting head to the fixture housing. The lighting head includes a housing, a light source inserted therein, a cover coupled to the distal end of the housing, and an optic lens rotatably disposed between the housing and the cover which produces an asymmetric light output. The mounting assembly includes a rotatable mounting base, a pin head, and a pin extending from the mounting base to the pin head. The pin is inserted through a slot formed within the housing and the pin head slides within the housing along the length of the slot. Hence, the asymmetric light output is adjustable using the rotation of each of the optic lens, the sliding pin head, and the rotatable mounting base.
US09429295B2
A lighting apparatus including a body having a cavity, a plurality of LEDs, a substrate provided in the cavity and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The plurality of LEDs provided on the first surface, a fan provided below the second surface to face the second surface, wherein the body includes a partition positioned between a side surface of the cavity and the substrate, the partition extending to the fan to form a first air passage between the side surface of the cavity and the partition and a second air passage between the partition and the substrate, and wherein the first air passage is in communication with a first side of the fan and the second air passage is in communication with a second side of the fan.
US09429287B2
A wide-angle lighting display and projection device with the features of its original patent application, and further has the bottom of a transparent bottle to be able to be fixed on a positioning hole by spinning, displaying an unlimited extension of an inward serial arrangement of a transparent bottle from the middle with a wider area of visual effects. Also, the transparent bottle thereof is easy for assembling and maintaining.
US09429286B2
A ceiling fan includes a plurality of steel ropes; an attachment device secured to first ends of the steel ropes; and a fan and light assembly secured to second ends of the steel ropes. The steel rope has two enlargements at respective ends thereof. The enlargements are moveably disposed in the attachment device and the fan and light assembly so that both installation and detachment are made easy.
US09429285B2
A downlight auxiliary ring device and method of control and use of same is disclosed. Specifically, the downlight auxiliary ring device, comprising light-emitting diodes, allows a dimmable and reduced-glare reflected downlight. It is also an aspect of the present disclosure to provide easy-to-implement and cost-effective methods of control and use of the downlight auxiliary ring device system.
US09429284B2
An adjustable recessed trim for a lighting fixture includes an enclosure with a light output opening and a light source opening provided upward from the light output opening. An adjustable cover piece having a cover piece light source opening is provided over the enclosure in registration with the enclosure light source opening and is adjustable between at least a first position and a second position.
US09429276B2
A flow channel device includes an inflow unit into which a transfer fluid that transfers particles is caused to flow, a first outflow unit including an inflow port into which a part of the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow unit is caused to flow, a holding unit that is connected to the inflow port and holds particles, and a particle outflow port from which the particles held in the holding unit are caused to flow out to a predetermined flow channel area by the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow port, and a second outflow unit including a peripheral outflow channel through which another part of the transfer fluid caused to flow from the inflow unit is caused to flow out to a peripheral flow channel area that surrounds the predetermined flow channel area, the peripheral outflow channel surrounding at least the particle outflow port.
US09429273B2
A vessel apparatus includes a pressurized vessel and at least one flow control element. The at least one flow control element is located within the pressurized vessel and has an upwardly-converging wall.
US09429271B2
A safety circuit assembly for switching on or switching off a hazardous system in a failsafe manner has an evaluating device which is designed to produce a redundant switching signal. The evaluating device is connected to a signaling device via a first and a second line forming a pair of lines. The signaling device has an actuator which can be switched between a defined first state and at least one further state. The evaluating device produces a first defined pulse signal and transmits the first defined pulse signal to the signaling device using the pair of lines in a first direction. The signaling device produces a second defined pulse signal, which is a predefined replica of the first pulse signal, and transmits the second defined pulse signal to the evaluating device using the same pair of lines when the actuator is in the defined first state.
US09429270B2
A bench top bearing packer tool includes supply means for delivering a controlled amount of grease, support means for locating a bearing in a position where a bearing cage and rollers of the bearing may be lubricated with the grease delivered by the supply means, the supply means having a grease delivery outlet communicating with a grease livery inlet of the support means by a grease flow passageway, and a means for controlling the passage of grease through the inlet to the bearing cage and rollers of the bearing.
US09429265B2
A lining material obtained by rolling a lining material sheet into a tubular form is installed in a conduit with both ends of the lining material sheet in its circumferential direction circumferentially overlapping each other. In this process, the lining material is installed so that, in a bending portion of a conduit, an overlapping portion where the both ends of the lining material sheet overlap each other faces toward an outer curvature side of the bending portion. Then, the diameter of the lining material installed in the conduit is expanded with the both ends of the lining material sheet circumferentially slid on each other. This facilitates inflation of a portion of the lining material which portion faces toward the outer curvature side in the bending portion, thereby decreasing a gap between the lining material and an inner surface of the bending portion.
US09429260B2
Disclosed herein is a fluid coupling system and method. The system may include a supply bladder, a discharge bladder, and a ball valve. The supply bladder having a supply inflation portion, the supply housing having a supply inflation passage that provides fluid communication between a central fluid passage and the supply inflation portion, the discharge bladder having a discharge inflation portion, and the ball valve secured in the supply housing or the discharge housing, wherein the discharge inflation portion may be placed in fluid communication with the central fluid passage by twisting the supply housing while the discharge housing remains stationary, and wherein the ball valve may block the central fluid passage while in a first position and may open a fluid passage through the supply housing and the discharge housing while in a second position.
US09429259B2
A line connector having a connector piece with at least one junction portion for junction connection to a media line or to an assembly, a transitional portion contiguous to the junction portion, and a flow duct. In at least the region of the transitional portion, an electrical heating element for the media line is provided in an arrangement at least partially surrounding the flow duct. The connector piece, together with the heating element, is surrounded by an outer cladding. At least one of the junction portions is designed as a hollow, cylindrical receptacle for directly plugging in the end of the media line, the media line being capable of being fastened in a materially integral manner. The junction portion including, at least in regions, a material transparent to laser beams in such a way that the media line can be fastened by way of laser welding.
US09429258B2
A connection arrangement is provided for mechanically and fluidly connecting a fuel filter to a fluid meter in a fuel dispenser, and a method is provided for assembly of the connection arrangement. The connection arrangement can include a first part, a second part and a filter holding part, all parts being connected along a common centre axis. The first part can include an outlet, a first connection interface, an inlet, and a second connection interface. The second part can include a third connection interface and a fourth connection interface. The filter holding part can include an outlet and a fifth connection interface. The second part can be adjustable to move the connection arrangement between an unlocked state and a locked state.
US09429256B2
The present invention relates to an assembly of pipe surrounded by a multilayer oxygen barrier film wherein the multilayer oxygen barrier film comprises, in the following order, a) a layer comprising 60-100 wt % of LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene) and 0-40 wt % of LDPE (low density polyethylene), b) a first tie layer, c) a polar oxygen barrier layer, d) a second tie layer and e) a layer comprising 60-100 wt % of LLDPE and 0-40 wt % of LDPE, preferably wherein the pipe is closer to the layer e) than to the layer a).
US09429253B1
A mechanism for securing devices to various openings in tanks, vessels, walls, and the like. The system includes a fastening mechanism, a securing device, and a raised lip. The fastening mechanism functions to hold devices up against the vessel opening where the system is used while the securing device may function to secure hoses that may be utilized with fans or ventilators that are to be utilized with the system.
US09429241B2
Disclosed herein is a dual packing retainer and dual sealing ball valve for use generally in high pressure applications. Further disclosed herein are methods of detecting seal failure before the ball valve must be taken offline due to the presence of secondary or backup seals.
US09429240B2
A valve device switching between an open position and a close position, the open position allowing passage of oil through a gap between two ports in a spool bore from a small-diameter portion of a spool via a notch formed in a large-diameter portion of the spool, the close position blocking passage of oil through the gap between the two ports by the large-diameter portion, wherein the notch of the large-diameter portion has an inner bottom face at a portion located on a center side of the spool and is open to an outer peripheral space of the small-diameter portion and an outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion, and is formed such that an opening width of an opening at the outer peripheral surface is larger than a width of the inner bottom face.
US09429238B2
A seal backup ring assembly is provided that eliminates fluid differential pressure acting radially on the backup ring, preventing collapse of the backup ring against a shaft. The backup ring is assembled so that the initial clearance (extrusion gap) between the backup ring and relatively rotating member is not affected by the differential pressure acting across the assembly. This allows for an initially small extrusion gap to be present throughout the differential pressure range.
US09429217B2
A drive mechanism includes an input member rotatable about an input axis of rotation. The input member includes a partial spheroid-shaped input traction surface. The drive mechanism further includes an output member rotatable about an output axis of rotation. The output member includes a partial spheroid-shaped output traction surface. A ring member overlays the input and output members. The ring member is rotatable in a rotational plane and includes a ring traction surface that engages the input traction surface of the input member and the output traction surface of the output member to rotatably couple the input member to the output member.
US09429209B2
A magnetically suspended and plane-drove vibration isolator with zero stiffness comprises an upper mounting plate, a lower mounting plate and a main body. A sleeve of the main body is lubricated and supported against the lower mounting plate by a magnetically suspended planar motor. A piston cylinder fitted in the sleeve is lubricated against the sleeve by a cylindrical air bearing surface. The angle degree of freedom between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate is decoupled by a spherical air bearing. A position close-loop control system is formed to precisely control the relative position between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate.
US09429208B2
A vibration isolator with zero stiffness whose angle degree of freedom is decoupled with a spherical air bearing has a main body, in which a sleeve and a lower mounting plate, a piston cylinder and the sleeve are both lubricated and supported with air bearing surfaces respectively, and the angle degree of freedom between a upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate is decoupled with a spherical air bearing; a position close-loop control system comprising voice coil motors, displacement sensors, limit switches, a controller and a driver is introduced, and the relative position between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate is precisely controlled.
US09429202B2
The present application discloses a ceramic preform, a method of making a ceramic preform and a metal matrix composite comprising a ceramic preform. In one exemplary embodiment, the ceramic preform comprises a ceramic compound compressed into the shape of a cylinder by rotational compression molding. The cylinder has an inner surface and an outer surface. A first liner may be attached to the inner surface of the cylinder and a second liner may attached to the outer surface of the cylinder. The metal matrix composite of the present application may be formed as a brake drum or a brake disc.
US09429192B2
A modular plain bearing is provided. The modular plain bearing includes a first end portion having a terminal edge with a plurality of first fingers and a second end portion having a terminal edge with a plurality of second fingers. The plurality of fingers cooperatively engage to provide a snap fit connection between the parts. For longer plain bearings, a bearing extender is provided. The bearing extender includes at least a first connector having a plurality of first connector fingers. The bearing extender may include either a second connector opposite the first connector having a plurality of second connector fingers.
US09429186B2
A joint housing of a ball joint comprises a sheet-metal part for accommodating a ball head, which is substantially rotationally symmetrical with respect to a joint axis and includes a circumferential wall portion, wherein the circumferential wall portion includes a housing opening at an axial end, through which a joint pin can extend, wherein the sheet-metal part is formed with two layers at this axial end of the circumferential wall portion.
US09429178B2
A wall fastening is disclosed for a hollow wall, which includes a first section forming a hook configured to remain in front of the hollow wall and a second section which extends through a bore in the hollow wall and configured to fasten behind the hollow wall. The second section is bent, after insertion, in a final installation position, such that a tip at an end of a final section of the second section presses against a rear side of the hollow wall at a lateral distance, with a definable radius, from the bore in the hollow wall.
US09429177B2
The invention relates to a strip (31) for clamping a panel (29) onto a section (28) of a support structure to form a chamber, this strip (31) comprising a body comprising a base (42) prolonged by two sides (39, 41) that together delimit a straight groove (38) that will overlap one edge of the panel (29) and one edge of the section (32) to clamp them together, one of the edges (41) comprising several threaded holes (44), each threaded hole being provided with a clamping screw.
US09429176B2
In one aspect, an elastically averaged alignment system is provided. The system includes a first component having a first alignment member and a second alignment member extending outwardly away from each other, and a second component having an inner wall defining an alignment aperture, the inner wall having a first wall and an opposite second wall. The first and second alignment members are an elastically deformable material such that when the first and second alignment members are inserted into the alignment aperture, the first and second alignment members elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning the first component with the second component in a desired orientation.
US09429174B1
Disclosed is a power conversion system for controlling the flow of a hydraulic power signal between a power source and a hydraulic actuator having first and second ports. The power conversion system includes a control valve that is configured to selectively expose each of the first and second ports to one of the power source and a low pressure reservoir. An enabling valve having a disabled position, a first enabled position, and a second enabled position receives an input from the control valve and provides an output to the hydraulic actuator.
US09429171B2
An object is to reduce a load acting on an engine upon starting up the engine such that the engine can be quickly started up to reliably feed pressure oil from a hydraulic pump to an accumulator. A hydraulic control system is provided with first accumulators (24,25) connected to a hydraulic pump (23) via a first line (28) and second accumulators (26,27) connected to a second line (29) branching from the first line (28), an on/off valve (32) arranged in the second line and interposed between the first line (28) and the second accumulators (26,27), an operation detection device (41) for detecting whether or not a starter (22) is in an operation state, a rotational frequency detection device (a rotary encoder (47) and rotational frequency calculation device (43)) for detecting a rotational frequency of an engine (21), and a valve control device for, upon detection of the operation state of the starter (22) by the operation detection device (41), controlling a valve position of the on/off valve (32) at a closed position until the rotational frequency reaches an idling rotational frequency set beforehand but then controlling the valve position of the on/off valve (32) at a closed position.
US09429166B2
A sealing structure for a vacuum pump motor which maintains the sealing properties of the vacuum pump motor in an ensured fashion, including a lead wire which is passed through an opening portion formed in a motor frame to be connected to a motor stator and a seal member which seals the opening portion. The lead wire includes a core wire portion and a covering portion which covers the core wire portion. The lead wire also includes a seal portion formed around at least part of the core wire portion inside the covering portion.
US09429162B2
A statorless or nozzleless axial turbine for a turbocharger has an axial turbine wheel that receives a swirling flow of exhaust gas substantially in an axial direction. The turbine includes a sector-divided turbine housing defining a plurality of separate exhaust gas inlets each for receiving a separate exhaust gas stream from an internal combustion engine, the sector-divided turbine housing further defining a plurality of separate angular sector passageways each of which occupies a fractional part of a circumference surrounding the turbine wheel, each angular sector passageway being supplied with exhaust gas by a respective one of the plurality of exhaust gas inlets. The turbine housing assembly defines a separate sector outlet for each angular sector passageway. The turbine housing assembly can include a separately formed heat shroud, and the sector outlets can be formed at least in part by the heat shroud.
US09429161B2
Provided is a method of controlling a compressor system including measuring variables for generating a performance curve of a compressor, calculating changing rates of the variables; comparing the calculated changing rates with preset changing rate variations; and determining a surge control line different from a preset surge control line according to the calculated changing rates if the calculated changing rates are out of ranges of the preset changing rate variations.
US09429151B2
A heat sink assembly is disclosed for cooling a power electronics module, such as a variable frequency drive. The heat sink assembly includes a housing and a heat sink structure. The housing defines an interior chamber for enclosing the power electronics module and also defines a cooling air flow channel exterior to the interior chamber. The heat sink structure is disposed in conductive heat transfer relationship with the interior chamber and has a heat transfer surface positioned within the exterior cooling air flow channel in convective heat transfer relationship with the cooling air flow.
US09429150B2
A linear compressor is provided. The linear compressor includes a machined spring. An inner back iron assembly is fixed to the machined spring at a middle portion of the machined spring. A driving coil is operable to move the inner back iron assembly in order to reciprocate a piston within a chamber of a cylinder assembly.
US09429140B2
Structural preform layers of multiple rigid unidirectional strength elements or rods are constructed and arranged for use in fabricating load-bearing support structures and reinforcements of wind turbine blades. Individual preform layers include multiple elongate unidirectional strength elements or rods arranged in a single layer along a longitudinal axis of the preform layer. Each preform layer includes one or more fibrous carrier layers to which the multiple strength elements or rods are joined and arranged in the single layer. Each strength element or rod is longitudinally oriented and adjacent to other elements or rods. Individual strength elements or rods include a mass of substantially straight unidirectional structural fibers embedded within a matrix resin such that the elements or rods have a substantially uniform distribution of fibers and high degree of fiber collimation. The relative straightness of the fibers and fiber collimation provide strength elements or rods and the preform layers with high rigidity and significant compression strength.
