US09472294B2
A device includes a cell array including cells. A sense node transmits logic of data stored in the cell selected by a WL and a BL. A verify read in a data program sequence includes a first read and a second read. In a time period of shifting from the first read to the second read, a charge state of the sense node is maintained.
US09472285B2
Systems and methods are provided for testing a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory. The non-volatile memory may be virtually partitioned into a test region and a general purpose region. A test application may be stored in the general purpose region, and the test application can be executed to run a test of the memory locations in the test region. The results of the test may be stored in the general purpose region. At the completion of the test, the test results may be provided from the general purpose region and displayed to a user. The virtual partitions may be removed prior to shipping the electronic device for distribution.
US09472283B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a semiconductor layer connected between a first conductive line and one end of a third conductive line, resistance change elements connected between second conductive lines and the third conductive line respectively, a select FET having a select gate electrode, and using the semiconductor layer as a channel, and a control circuit executing a write/erase of at least one of the resistance change elements, and executing a recovering operation which adjusts a threshold voltage shift of the select FET after the write/erase.
US09472282B2
A resistive memory device includes a memory cell array that has a plurality of resistive memory cells that are arranged respectively on regions where a plurality of first signal lines and a plurality of second signal lines cross each other. A write circuit is connected to a selected first signal line that is connected to a selected memory cell from among the plurality of memory cells, and provides pulses to the selected memory cell. A voltage detector detects a node voltage at a connection node between the selected first signal line and the write circuit. A voltage generation circuit generates a first inhibit voltage and a second inhibit voltage that are applied respectively to unselected first and second signal lines connected to unselected memory cells from among the plurality of memory cells, and changes a voltage level of the second inhibit voltage based on the node voltage that is detected.
US09472280B2
Methods for forming non-volatile storage elements in a non-volatile storage system are described. In some embodiments, a plurality of forming operations may be performed in which non-volatile storage elements located near the far end of a plurality of word line fingers associated with a word line comb are formed prior to forming other non-volatile storage elements. In one example, non-volatile storage elements may be formed in each of the plurality of word line fingers in parallel and in an order that forms non-volatile storage elements in each of the plurality of word line fingers that are located near the far ends of the plurality of word line fingers before forming other non-volatile storage elements. Each non-volatile storage element that is formed during a forming operation may be current limited while a forming voltage is applied across the non-volatile storage element.
US09472276B1
A semiconductor apparatus includes a variable resistor, a variable resistor selection unit configured to electrically couple the variable resistor to a sense amplifier in response to a resistor selection signal, a power supply unit configured to apply a first voltage to the variable resistor selection unit in response to a read signal, and a switch driving unit configured to generate the resistor selection signal in response to a resistor selection control signal, and to raise a voltage of the resistor selection signal when the first voltage is applied to the variable resistor selection unit.
US09472275B2
A memory device and a method of operating the memory device are provided for performing a read-retry operation. The method of operating the memory device includes starting a read-retry mode, reading data of multiple cell regions using different read conditions, and setting a final read condition for the cell regions according to results of data determination operations on data read from the cell regions.
US09472270B2
A non-volatile storage system includes non-volatile storage elements and one or more managing circuits in communication with the non-volatile storage elements. The non-volatile storage elements are arranged in blocks including a first block reserved for system use and a second block. The first block stores a pre-determined data pattern that was written to the first block subsequent to system testing and prior to completion of manufacturing of the non-volatile storage system. Subsequent to completion of manufacturing of the non-volatile storage system, the one or more managing circuits sense information stored in the first block and determine an error metric for the sensed information with respect to the pre-determined data pattern. The one or more managing circuits determine that the system experienced an IR reflow process if the error metric was determined to satisfy the threshold.
US09472266B2
A semiconductor device may include pad blocks configured for receiving and outputting data. The semiconductor device may also include input/output driving blocks configured to transfer data received from global input/output lines to the pad blocks in response to a read operation, and transfer data from the pad blocks to the global input/output lines in response to a write operation. The input/output driving blocks are disposed in a peripheral region and control a width of the data.
US09472257B2
A hybrid cache architecture uses magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) caches but has two different types of bit cell sensing. One type of bit cell sensing is single-ended and the other type of bit cell sensing is differential. The result is a uniform bit cell array but a non-uniform sense amplifier configuration.
US09472256B1
Circuits and methods for driving generating multiple word line voltages used for writing to two-transistor two-magnetic tunnel junction (2T2MTJ) spin-torque magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cells. Some embodiments include auto-booting isolated word lines using common lines such as bit and source lines that are capacitively coupled to the word lines. Different memory architectures for 2T2MTJ memory arrays are also presented that include read/write circuits and word line drivers.
US09472251B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cell region regions with each memory cell region region having a plurality of normal memory cell regions, a dummy memory cell region disposed at one side of the plurality of normal memory cell regions, and another dummy memory cell region disposed at another side of the plurality of normal memory cell regions. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of circuit regions, each including a control circuit to control a portion of the plurality of normal memory cell regions, the dummy memory cell region, and the other dummy memory cell region. The plurality of memory cell region regions and the plurality of control regions are symmetrically disposed about a peripheral region of the semiconductor device.
US09472236B1
Methods, systems, and computer program product embodiments for improving track-follow control in a tape storage system using a time-varying filter, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises, dynamically updating coefficients used to determine parameters of the time-varying filter based upon a reel radius and a reel rotation to reduce computation delay.
US09472229B1
A current temperature of a data storage device having a heat assisted recording (HAMR) device is measured while in idle. A threshold laser diode power output of the HAMR device is calculated at the current temperature when there is a change between a previous temperature and the current temperature. A new laser diode current that produced the calculated threshold laser diode power output is applied to the HAMR device when there is a change between the currently applied laser diode current and the new laser diode current.
US09472219B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a laser configured to heat the disk while writing data to the disk. A write power for the laser is calibrated, wherein the write power is applied to the laser while writing user data to the disk. A calibration power is applied to the laser for a first interval, wherein the calibration power is high enough to cause the head to contact the disk if applied for a second interval longer than the first interval. While applying the calibration power to the laser, test data is written to the disk during at least part of the first interval. The test data is read from the disk to generate a read signal, and a metric is generated based on the read signal.
US09472216B1
A magnetic read apparatus has an air-bearing surface (ABS) and includes a differential read sensor, side bias structure(s) and rear magnetic bias structure(s). The differential read sensor includes first and second free layers and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the first and second free layers in a down-track direction. The side bias structure(s) are adjacent to the first and second free layers in a cross-track direction perpendicular to the down-track direction. The side bias structure(s) magnetically bias the first and second free layers in the cross-track direction. The differential read sensor is between the ABS and the rear magnetic bias structure(s). The rear magnetic bias structure(s) provide a first magnetic bias for the first free layer in a first direction along a stripe height direction perpendicular to the ABS and provide a second magnetic bias for the second free layer in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US09472193B2
A cloud server extracts voiceprint data from voice data of a user, and distinguishes the user. The cloud server identifies a task which the user instructs, from the voice data of the user. If contexts required to execute the task have not been amassed, the cloud server registers the distinguished user as a task owner, and notifies the user with a reply sentence to cause the user to speak the required context. If the voiceprint data of the voice data which the user has uttered matches the voiceprint data of the user A, and all required contexts are amassed, the cloud server causes a device to execute the task.
US09472189B2
A parse unit parses an input sequence of token elements for an input string, wherein each token element contains a token and/or at least one corresponding token classifier. In a first mode the parse unit applies regular production rules on the token elements and on multi-token classifiers for phrases obtained from the token classifiers. If the first mode parsing does not result in a multi-token classifier encompassing all tokens of the input string, a control unit controls the parse unit to parse the input sequence in a second mode that applies both the regular and artificial production rules. A rule generator unit generates the artificial production rules based on the input sequence and/or intermediate results of the parsing. The parser unit provides a complete parse tree for ungrammatical sentences and a solution where the regular production rules do not cover the complete grammar of the respective natural language.
US09472186B1
An automated system to build a user audio profile for a natural or continuous language speech to text dictation/transcription system is provided. The system uses previously recorded audio files that may have been already transcribed. The previously recorded audio file is split into a plurality of smaller audio files of about 15 seconds in length. The plurality of smaller audio files are matched to the transcribed text (e.g., small text files) or the smaller audio files are transcribed. All, some, or a selection of the small audio files and the small text files are linked as a training pair. The training pair may be edited in certain embodiments herein, both the text and the audio. The training pairs are submitted to the server to build the initial user audio profile.
US09472183B2
A method for providing an audible prompt to a user within a vehicle. The method includes retrieving one or more data files from a memory device. The data files define certain characteristics of an audio prompt. The method also includes creating the audio prompt from the data files and outputting the audio prompt as an audio signal.
US09472182B2
Multi-voice font interpolation is provided. A multi-voice font interpolation engine allows the production of computer generated speech with a wide variety of speaker characteristics and/or prosody by interpolating speaker characteristics and prosody from existing fonts. Using prediction models from multiple voice fonts, the multi-voice font interpolation engine predicts values for the parameters that influence speaker characteristics and/or prosody for the phoneme sequence obtained from the text to spoken. For each parameter, additional parameter values are generated by a weighted interpolation from the predicted values. Modifying an existing voice font with the interpolated parameters changes the style and/or emotion of the speech while retaining the base sound qualities of the original voice. The multi-voice font interpolation engine allows the speaker characteristics and/or prosody to be transplanted from one voice font to another or entirely new speaker characteristics and/or prosody to be generated for an existing voice font.
US09472181B2
An audio read-out device comprises an audio signal generator, a first information receiver, a first information transmitter, a first controller, and a mixed audio signal generator, and when the first information receiver receives audio output enablement information indicating that audio output is disabled, the first controller causes the mixed audio signal generator to generate a mixed audio signal composed of a broadcast audio signal and causes the first information transmitter to transmit the mixed audio signal until the first information receiver receives audio output enablement information indicating that audio output is enabled; and when the first information receiver receives audio output enablement information indicating that audio output is enabled, the first controller causes the mixed audio signal generator to generate a mixed audio signal obtained by mixing a read-out audio signal and a broadcast audio signal, and causes the first information transmitter to transmit the mixed audio signal.
US09472178B2
Despite practical limitations imposed by mobile device platforms and applications, truly captivating musical instruments may be synthesized in ways that allow musically expressive performances to be captured and rendered in real-time. Visual cues presented on a multi-touch sensitive display provide the user with temporally sequenced string excitation cues. Note or chord soundings are indicated by user gestures (e.g., pluck-type gestures, strum-type gestures, chord selections, etc.) captured at the multi-touch sensitive display. Those captured gestures, rather than simply the score itself, are used as inputs to a digital synthesis of the musical instrument.
US09472175B2
A drum head includes a skin having an inner skin and an outer skin formed integrally with an outer edge of the inner skin. The inner skin has a plurality of openings arranged in a circumferential direction of the inner skin. An outline of each of the plurality of openings has an inner end portion in a radial direction of the skin in plan view, and the inner end portion protrudes and tapers inward in the radial direction.
US09472168B2
In an embodiment, a system includes a display processing unit configured to process a video sequence for a target display. In some embodiments, the display processing unit is configured to composite the frames from frames of the video sequence and one or more other image sources. The display processing unit may be configured to write the processed/composited frames to memory, and may also be configured to generate statistics over the frame data, where the generated statistics are usable to encode the frame in a video encoder. The display processing unit may be configured to write the generated statistics to memory, and the video encoder may be configured to read the statistics and the frames. The video encoder may be configured to encode the frame responsive to the statistics.
US09472167B2
Activating a screen capture tool in a display adapter to capture information on a display. An operating system sends a command to the display adapter to initiate the capture of information from the graphical user interface of a display. The display adapter captures the information on the graphical user interface of the display. The information may be stored by the display adapter to a storage device that may be connected to the display adapter. The display is monitored for additional changes. Any changes that occur to the information on areas of the display may be captured and stored to the storage device. The operating system may enable the display adapter to retrieve the information stored in the storage device and/or play back the information retrieved to the display.
US09472166B2
A digital picture frame including a camera integrated with the frame, and a network connection module allowing the frame for use as a Mobile Positional Social Media (MPSM) device for displaying social media pictures from a user's social media account or her or his community members' social media accounts. The integrated camera is used to automatically determine an identity of a frame viewer, and a viewer profile automatically determined from the identity of the viewer. The displayed photos are automatically shown and/or changed according to the detected viewers.
US09472163B2
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes receiving information representative of one or more environmental conditions. The method also includes determining one or more adjustments for rendering content on one or more electronic displays based upon the received information representative of the one or more environmental conditions, and, adjusting the rendering of the content for being presented on at least one display based upon the received information representing the one or more environmental conditions.
US09472161B1
Customizing virtual assets is disclosed, including: transforming each of a plurality of initially identical copies of a virtual asset or a portion thereof to isolate a feature of the virtual asset or portion thereof; and enabling the isolated feature to be changed by a user in at least one of the transformed copies. In some embodiments, customizing virtual assets includes: receiving a three-dimensional model associated with the virtual asset; receiving an indication to save a two-dimensional virtual asset based on the 3D model with a 2D image wrapped on it; and using the 3D model with the 2D image wrapped on it to generate the 2D virtual asset.
US09472153B2
A display apparatus includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction, a plurality of data lines extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a plurality of auxiliary gate lines extending in the second direction, a plurality of auxiliary data lines extending in the first direction, a display panel including first pixels and second pixels, and a driving part controlling the display panel to display an image. The first pixels are connected to the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines, respectively. The second pixels are connected to the plurality of auxiliary gate lines and the plurality of auxiliary data lines, respectively. The auxiliary gate lines correspond to the gate lines, respectively. Each of the auxiliary gate lines is electrically connected to the corresponding one of the gate lines.
US09472151B2
A display panel comprises a display area, a plurality of scan lines and data lines, a data driving circuit and a demultiplexing unit. The scan lines and the data lines cross each other within the display area. At least two of the data lines have different capacitances. The data driving circuit outputs a plurality of control signal and a data signal. The demultiplexing unit includes a plurality of thin-film transistors coupled with the data driving circuit and the data lines. The thin-film transistors receive the data signal and transmit the data signal to the correspondingly coupled data lines through channel layers of the thin-film transistors according to the control signals. The channel layers of at least two of the thin-film transistors coupled with the at least two data lines have different widths.
US09472133B2
A display controller includes a synchronization signal adjusting circuit, which adjusts at least one of the delay and the pulse width of a synchronization signal generated in a display driver and outputs an adjusted synchronization signal, and a transmission timing control circuit configured to control the transmission timing of display data, which will be transmitted to the display driver, in response to the adjusted synchronization signal.
US09472126B2
Disclosed are removable pressure sensitive adhesive compositions (PSAs) useful with facestocks and/or packaging labels designed to be removed in the recycling of polymeric packaging. The PSAs of the invention include (a) at least one monomer which may undergo free radical polymerization and whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature of less than or equal to 10° C., (b) at least one mono-olefinically unsaturated monomer having aldehyde or ketone functionality, and (c) an effective amount of at least one polyhydrazide crosslinker having hydrazine functionality. The PSA composition of the invention exhibits a peel adhesion value of between about 0.4 lbs/in (70 N/m) and about 4 lbs/in (700 N/m), and the percent film remaining on the polymeric packaging after a sink-float testing is 0% to about 8%.
US09472120B1
An exhibit to assist in teaching mathematical properties to individuals may include a tricycle with square wheels. The tricycle may be mounted on a circular track with arcuate segments that effectively smooth out the motion imparted by the square wheels.
US09472110B2
An aircraft taxi path guidance and display system is provided. The aircraft taxi path guidance and display system includes or cooperates with at least one source of aircraft status data, and a source of airport feature data associated with an airport field. The aircraft taxi path guidance and display system includes a processor operationally coupled to the source of aircraft status data and to the source of airport feature data. In response to aircraft status data and airport feature data, the processor predicts undesired deviations from an active surface area (e.g., an excursion). The processor generates corrective action associated with the excursion, and displays symbology that is graphically representative of the corrective action.
US09472105B2
A lane marking crossing warning system for a vehicle includes a sensor arrangement arranged to detect at least one lane marking line that defines a corresponding lane boundary, a control unit arranged to determine if the vehicle has entered a curve, and a warning device arranged to issue a warning. When the control unit has determined that the vehicle has entered a curve, the control unit is arranged to determine if an imaginary sensor line running a certain distance from the lane marking line has been crossed by the vehicle. If that is the case, the control unit is arranged to determine that a warning is to be issued by the warning device.
US09472101B2
A mobile system is provided for a vehicle for recognizing a parking place that is potentially becoming free, along with a method for recognizing a parking place that is potentially becoming free. The system includes at least one sensor for detecting a signal that is typical for a parking place that is potentially becoming free, an evaluation unit for assessing whether a signal received by the sensor signifies a parking place that is potentially becoming free, and an optical and/or acoustic indicator unit for indicating a parking place that is potentially becoming free. With the system and method, parking places that are becoming free can be detected automatically when travelling through a specific road section.
US09472098B2
A travel reporter system is used to report abnormal travel events. In use, a sensor mounted on a vehicle obtains real-time data about an object near the vehicle. The object has an object type which is identified by processing the real-time data with an object recognition subsystem of the travel reporter system. An event evaluation subsystem of the travel reporter system processes the real-time data and the object type in order to determine that the object is associated with an abnormal travel event. The abnormal travel event has an event type which is processed by an event notification subsystem of the travel reporter system in order to select a first information consumer type. The event notification subsystem reports the abnormal travel event to information consumers having the first information consumer type.
US09472096B2
An apparatus, system, and method for monitoring traffic and roadway water conditions. Traffic flow and roadway flooding is monitored concurrently through a wireless sensor network. The apparatus and system comprises ultrasound rangefinders monitoring traffic flow, flood water conditions, or both. Routing information may be calculated from the traffic conditions, such that routes are calculated to avoid roadways that are impassable or are slow due to traffic conditions.
US09472090B2
A method of operating a security monitoring system comprises defining a primary user at a location, defining at least one backup user based on input from the primary user, determining that an event has taken place that the primary contact is to be notified of, notifying the primary user of the event, and if the primary user does not respond to the notification in a predetermined period of time, notifying the at least one backup contact of the event. Backup users may be defined based on input from the primary user. Backup contacts may be contacted in an order based on the preferences of the primary user or the location of the backup contacts, for example. The police, a fire department, and/or an ambulance service may be notified if the primary user and the backup contact do not respond to the notifications. Systems are also disclosed.
US09472088B2
A low-power wireless communication device is in a sleep or standby mode of operation for extended periods of time, periodically becoming fully operational and issuing a “check in” message to a base station, thereby inhibiting the ability of the base station to assist in the locating of device, and remotely updating the settings or operational programming of the device much of the time. Upon receipt of a command to locate a misplaced low-power wireless device or to update the device, a base station queues an associated command in a task queue. Upon receipt of a check-in message from an associated low-power wireless device, indicating it is in a fully powered and communicative state of operation, the base station searches its task queue for applicable commands relative to the specific wireless device and executes them via communication with the now fully-operational wireless device.
US09472080B1
A method for determining a status of a user of an electronic device. The method includes a computer processor determining information associated with a first user of an electronic device. The method further includes identifying a plurality of electronic devices that are within a range of wireless communications to the electronic device. The method further includes defining an area monitored by the electronic device. The method further includes monitoring a group of the identified plurality of electronic devices that are within the defined area. The method further includes calculating a first safe-threshold value for the electronic device based on information associated with a first user of an electronic device and monitored information from the group of the identified plurality of electronic devices. The method further includes determining a status for the first user based, at least in part, on the calculated first safe-threshold value for the electronic device.
US09472075B1
Systems (100) and methods (400) for determining a location of an object within a facility. The methods involve: performing operations by beacons to illuminate a plurality of Zone-Of-Interests (“ZOIs”) including objects within the facility; performing operations by a handheld reader to read RFID tags coupled to the objects; performing operations by a beacon receiver to obtain a first location identifier transmitted from a first beacon while the handheld reader is reading the RFID tags; using the first location identifier to determine approximate locations of the RFID tags which were read in time proximity to the beacon receiver's reception of the location identifier; and optionally generating a three dimensional map showing locations of the RFID tags. Notably, the beacon receiver is an accessory of the handheld receiver or a standalone device worn by an operator of the handheld device.
US09472074B2
A tag controller may be configured to interface with one or more security tags and at least one of the tags may be adapted to be disposed on a product in a monitoring environment. The tag controller may include processing circuitry configured to receive location information indicative of tag location responsive to initial movement of a tag, and compare the location information to alerting criteria. The alerting criteria may include at least a position component and a temporal component. The processing circuitry may be further configured to initiate an alerting function responsive to the alerting criteria being met.
US09472073B2
An anti-theft device monitors bottles. It is comprised of a two components hingably connected together. They can move from an open position to a closed position to enclose the neck of a bottle. One component has a first latch element and contains electronics including switches. The other component has a second latch element. The latch elements combine to hold the two components in the closed position. When the two components are moved to the closed position, and a bottle is in position, the bottle contacts elements which in turn change the states of associated switches. One of these elements also functions to retain the bottle on the tag. The anti-theft device may be armed or disarmed by remote devices. The latching elements may be releasably lockable such as by a magnet. The anti-theft device may have passcode protection capabilities.
US09472070B2
A multiple detection function modularized lighting device includes a substrate on which a photographing module is mounted and also includes an indication module, a detection module, an alarm module, and an LED module that are circumferentially arranged as an annular array along a circumference of the photographing module so that the number of all components can be simplified and integrated on the substrate. An opposite side of the substrate includes a control module mounted thereon to drive all the previous modules. The photographing module and the detection module are received and housed in isolation hoods, which are arranged, through an upper housing member having a plurality of positioning holes being mounted atop a lower casing housing member, to have the photographing module and the detection module embedded in the positioning holes so that the modules on the substrate are respectively set in independent areas defined in the upper housing member.
US09472067B1
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to security-based apparatuses and methods. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a presence sensor that senses the presence of an individual, and an image sensor that captures an image of the individual in response to the sensed presence, and that provides the captured image as image data. A user authorization circuit identifies the individual as being authorized or unauthorized based upon the provided image data and stored image data for authorized individuals. An electromechanical device operates with the user authorization circuit to deploy one or more deterrents in the vicinity of the individual, in response to the user authorization circuit identifying the individual as being unauthorized.
US09472066B2
Systems and techniques for managing orders from one or more of a plurality of vendors. A self service terminal includes a display presenting order icons that may be moved to an open area for initiation of an order, and a plurality of vendor icons representing different vendors. Initiating an order opens a transaction record for the order, and moving a vendor icon to an order icon opens a selection menu allowing selections from the vendor represented by the icon. The transaction record is continuously updated as selections are made. Upon a user selection to complete the order, a payment interface is presented allowing for payment. Upon payment, an order identifier is created and displayed, together with instructions for collecting or receiving the order, and order information is transmitted to each vendor contributing to the order, in association with the order identifier.
US09472063B2
The present disclosure relates generally to gaming systems and methods for providing a card game that employs multiple-sided playing cards. In various embodiments, the gaming system enables a player to play one or more games which utilize one or more sets or decks of multiple-sided playing cards or multiple-sided tiles. In such embodiments, a first side of each multiple-sided playing card is associated with one of a plurality of playing cards from a first set or deck of playing cards for a first game and a second side of each multiple-sided playing card is associated with one of a plurality of playing cards from a second, different set or deck of playing cards for a second, different game.
US09472060B2
A gaming system and method which forms, tracks and maintains one or more groups or teams. The gaming system and method also maintains at least one team progressive award. At any designated point in time, each group or team includes one or more players, wherein as a player plays one or more games at one or more gaming devices, the player accumulates or builds up equity in their current team or group. Upon a determination to provide a team progressive award to a player of a designated team, each eligible player actively associated with the designated team (i.e., each player actively belonging to the team) is provided a portion of the team progressive award. Each player's provided portion of the team progressive award is based on that player's relative accumulated equity in the designated team compared to each other eligible player's accumulated equity in the designated team.
US09472058B2
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for executing wagering games are disclosed. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes an input device, a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions which cause the processor to operate with the display device to: randomly determine an outcome of the wagering game; display symbols indicative of the wagering-game outcome; determine if the displayed symbols include to an expected-value (EV) enhancement symbol combination or an EV-elimination symbol combination, the EV-enhancement and EV-elimination symbol combinations both including a common symbol arranged in a common manner; activate, responsive to the displayed symbols including the EV-enhancement symbol combination, an EV-increasing opportunity that modifies a wagering-game parameter thereby increasing the EV of the wagering game; and deactivate, responsive to the displayed symbol-combination corresponding to the EV-elimination symbol combination, one or more EV-increasing opportunities.
US09472050B2
Disclosed are community award distribution systems and related methods, which are arranged to control an award made to a use playing the systems. Also disclosed, the community award systems are arranged to communicate over the Internet and/or make use of the World Wide Web.
US09472037B2
The present invention provides a method of re-orienting an image of a media item, comprising determining at least one linear array formed by a plurality of locations associated with an image of the media item; determining a skew angle of said linear array with respect to a reference axis; and re-orienting said image by rotating said image responsive to said skew angle. Apparatus for re-orienting an image of a media item and a document processing module are also provided.
US09472035B2
A vehicle control system is described including radio-frequency receiver. The receiver includes an antenna input adapted for connection to an antenna for receiving radio frequency signals, a source of at least a first local oscillator frequency and a second local oscillator frequency, a demodulator for demodulating the signal received via the antenna input with the first local oscillator frequency to generate a first demodulated signal and, separately, for demodulating the signal received via the antenna input with the second local oscillator frequency to generate a second demodulated signal, and a control circuit that evaluates the first and second demodulated signals according to at least one criterion and utilizes for control purposes whichever of the demodulated signals is better, according to that criterion.
US09472032B2
Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for animal access control are described. In embodiments, a device may include an identification module to receive a digital identification from an animal. Moreover, the device may include an authentication module, coupled to the identification module, to determine an access authorization for the animal based on the digital identification and at least one access rule. Furthermore, the device may include an action module, coupled to the authentication module, to control operating of an entry based on the access authorization. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09472030B2
According to various embodiments, a fleet management system is provided for capturing, storing, and analyzing telematics data to improve fleet management operations. The fleet management system may be used, for example, by a shipping entity (e.g., a common carrier) to capture telematics data from a plurality of vehicle sensors located on various delivery vehicles and to analyze the captured telematics data. In particular, various embodiments of the fleet management system are configured to analyze engine idle data in relation to other telematics data in order to identify inefficiencies, safety hazards, and theft hazards in a driver's delivery process. The fleet management system may also be configured to assess various aspects of vehicle performance, such as vehicle travel delays and vehicle speeds. These analytical capabilities allow the fleet management system to assist fleet managing entities, or other entities, in analyzing driver performance, reducing fuel and maintenance costs, and improving route planning.
US09472020B2
Computer-implemented methods and systems are described for discrete element modelling of a plurality of discrete elements corresponding to particles and physical geometry elements. The disclosed embodiments provide a plurality of discrete element material models, each discrete element material model corresponding to a respective bulk material and containing (i) information regarding the properties of particles within said bulk material, and (ii) information regarding the behavior of interactions between such particles. The following information can be received from a user: a selection of a bulk material for use in a simulation, and a specification of properties associated with the selected bulk material. The disclosed embodiments can perform a discrete element model simulation on a set of particles, wherein the simulation uses the information regarding the behavior of interactions between particles from the discrete element material model for a user-selected bulk material.
US09472018B2
In a tile-based graphics processing system, when an overlay image is to be rendered onto an existing image, the existing tile data for the existing image from the frame buffer in the main memory is pre-loaded into the local color buffer of the graphics processor (step 41). The overlay content is then rendered and used to modify the tile data stored in the color buffer (step 44). When the data for a given sampling position stored in the tile buffer is modified as a result of the overlay image, a corresponding dirty bit for the tile region that the sampling position falls within is set (step 45). Then, when all the rendering for the tile has been completed, the dirty bits are examined to determine which regions of the tile have been modified (step 46). The modified tile regions are written back to the output image in the frame buffer in the main memory (step 47), but any regions whose dirty bits have not been set are not written back to the frame buffer in the main memory.
US09472014B2
An invention for generating an alternative representation of virtual content in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is an alternative representation tool, including a visual component configured to determine a visual capacity of a user of a virtual universe. The alternative representation tool further includes an alternative component configured to provide an alternative representation of a virtual content renderable in the virtual universe based on the visual capacity of the user of the virtual universe.
US09472010B2
Systems and methods for editing an image file include a server and at least one client device of the server including a display. An imaging module accesses from the server an image file including image content and a header, wherein the header provides information regarding the image file. An editing module receives user edits to the image content and insert information regarding the user edits into the header. The imaging module applies the user edits in an order that is determined based on a weight assigned to each user edit. The imaging module may also access, from the server, an image file including image content and a header thereof, wherein the header provides information regarding the image file and an edit decision list reflecting historical user edits to the image content. The editing module then identifies the edit decision list in the header for application by the imaging module.
US09472009B2
Aspects provide for selection and display of context-based animated objects and streaming video content display within an electronic map presentation. Animated content data collected from network data sources includes live-action video or animation representations of the location-based user activity. Location context data is extracted from the collected animated content data that identifies a geographic location of a user activity depicted within the animated content data live-action video or animation representations. Boundaries of an area within an electronic cartographic map are correlated with the identified geographic location of the activity, as well as with a type of the activity depicted within the live-action video or animation. The correlated boundaries are stored for use in plotting locations of the live-action video or animations within presentations of the electronic cartographic map, at the correlated area boundaries.
US09472007B2
In phase-contrast imaging, different types of image information, such as absorption image information and differential phase-contrast image information, may be obtained by a single image acquisition process and have different image properties. A frequency dependent combination of different types of image information is obtained, the combined image having improved properties over the image information and respective image information types. Accordingly, an apparatus and a method for image processing in X-ray imaging of an object is provided, including receiving first and second image information of the object of first and second image information types, respectively, where the second image information type is different from the first image information type. The first and second image information is combined to obtain combined image information of the object, where the combined image information is frequency-dependent, depending on spatial frequencies of the first and second image information, respectively.
US09471996B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a renderer-agnostic method for representing materials independently from an underlying rendering engine. Advantageously, materials libraries may be extended with new materials for rendering with an existing rendering engine and implementation. Also, new rendering engines and implementations may be added for existing materials. Thus, at run-time, rather than limiting the rendering to being performed on a pre-determined rendering engine, the rendering application may efficiently and conveniently manage rendering a graphics scene on a plurality of rendering engines or implementations.
US09471994B2
Systems and methods for generating images of an object having a known object velocity include imaging electromagnetic radiation from the object onto a sensor array of an imaging system, adjusting at least one of a shutter rate and a shutter direction of the imaging system in accordance with an image velocity of the image across the sensor array, and sampling output of the sensor array in accordance with the shutter rate and the shutter direction to generate the images. Systems and methods for generating images of an object moving through a scene include a first imaging system generating image data samples of the scene, a post processing system that analyzes the samples to determine when the object is present in the scene, and one or more second imaging systems triggered by the post processing system to generate one or more second image data samples of the object.
US09471982B2
An association degree evaluation unit acquires pieces of position information of an image sensing apparatus at respective times within an adjacent time range to an imaging time of a designated image of those sensed by the image sensing apparatus. Furthermore, the association degree evaluation unit acquires pieces of position information of a moving object at the respective times within the adjacent time range. Then, the association degree evaluation unit calculates a similarity between routes of the image sensing apparatus and moving object based on the acquired position information group, and decides a degree of association between the designated image and moving object based on the calculated similarity. An associating unit registers information indicating the degree of association in association with the designated image.
US09471981B2
An ultrasonic image is captured by an ultrasonic probe. A reference image is obtained by extracting a tomographic image corresponding to the scan plane of the ultrasonic image from volume image data that is pre-obtained by a diagnostic imaging apparatus and that is stored in a volume-data storing unit. The ultrasonic image and the reference image are displayed on the same screen. In this case, of the reference image, a portion corresponding to the view area of the ultrasonic image is extracted and the resulting reference image having the same region as the ultrasonic image is displayed as a fan-shaped image.
US09471978B2
A method is disclosed to acquire imaging and non-imaging datasets from like objects. A linkage is found using a partial least squares (PLS) technique between imaging and non-imaging datasets. The linkage is then reduced to an expression of a single numerical assessment. The single numerical assessment is then used as an objective, quantified assessment of the differences and similarities between the objects. The data each dataset can be aspects of performance, physical characteristics, or measurements of appearance.
US09471977B2
There is provided an image processing device. Pixels serving as a candidate for a nucleus are extracted from pixels included in a captured image obtained by imaging a sample including a target cell having the nucleus. A connected pixel group constituted of adjacent connected pixels is extracted from the extracted pixels. A value indicating a possibility that the target cell is included within a region surrounding the connected pixel group is determined. The value indicates the possibility being determined based on a value obtained by aggregating image feature amounts expressing luminance gradients determined based on luminance distribution with respect to a blue component within different partial regions included in the region surrounding the connected pixel group without performing normalization on each partial region.
US09471973B2
A computer aided detection (CAD) method and system is configured to input chest radiographs and generate overlay layer for labeling and tracing tubes detected within the image. The input image is first preprocessed and then segmented according to anatomy. Seeds are generated from the segmented image and then used to grow the region. Tubes are selected from the grown region and data is overlayed on the image based on the grown seed path.
US09471970B2
The present disclosure relates to combination of images. A method according to an embodiment comprises: receiving a visual image and an infrared (IR) image of a scene and for a portion of said IR image extracting high spatial frequency content from a corresponding portion of said visual image. The method according to the embodiment further comprises combining said extracted high spatial frequency content from said portion of the visual image with said portion of the IR image, to generate a combined image, wherein the contrast and/or resolution in the portion of the IR image is increased compared to the contrast and/or resolution of said received IR image.
US09471969B2
Methods for differential image quality enhancement for a detection system including multiple electromagnetic radiation detectors which include obtaining an image from a chemical band electromagnetic radiation detector and an image from a reference band electromagnetic radiation detector. Each of the images includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an associated intensity value. One or more intensity values of a plurality of pixels from the reference band image are adjusted based on one or more intensity value parameters of the chemical band image.
US09471964B2
The present disclosure provides a non-local mean-based video denoising method, so as to remove illumination variation in a video by using image histogram specification filtering processing. The present disclosure further provides a non-local mean-based video denoising apparatus. The apparatus comprises a filtering module used for remove illumination variation in a video by using image histogram specification filtering processing. In the present disclosure, self-adaptive adjustment can be carried out on a change of an illumination condition.
US09471959B2
To generate a description of a raster map image that includes a representation of a body of water having a color gradient that appears constant in response to a zoom operation, a description of geometry of the body of water is generated for a selected geographic area. Using a raster representation of the body of water having a color gradient, at least two blur raster images are generated: a first blur raster image is generated using a first blur radius, and a second blur raster image is generated using a second blur radius different from the first blur radius. The description of the geometry of the body of water, the first blur raster image, and the second blur raster image are provided to a client device for generating raster map images of the selected geographic area.
US09471956B2
An embodiment of a graphic remoting system of the present invention includes a network, a server and a client device. The network is applied to a RDP protocol. The server transfers display rendering commands which indicates a destination region through the network. The client device receives the display rendering commands. The client device of the present invention includes at least a graphic render engine, at least a surface, at least a mask generator, a plurality of mask buffer, at least a direct memory access with masks, and a plurality of display buffers. The surface is used for storing an image. The graphic render engine generates the image and stores the image into the surface according to the destination region. The mask buffers is used for storing bit masks; wherein the content values of the mask buffers are indicating updated areas of the image stored in the surface. The mask generator generates the bit masks according to the destination region, and stores the bit masks into the mask buffers. The direct memory access with masks reads the content values of a current mask buffer and a previous mask buffer of the plurality of mask buffers, and copies the image stored in the surface to output a copied image to the display buffer according to the content values of the current mask buffer and the previous mask buffer. The plurality of display buffers receive the copied image from the direct memory access with masks and reconstruct a complete image according to the copied image to output the complete image to a display device.
US09471952B2
A method and system for coordinated data execution in a computer system. The system includes a first graphics processor coupled to a first memory and a second graphics processor coupled to a second memory. A graphics bus is configured to couple the first graphics processor and the second graphics processor. The first graphics processor and the second graphics processor are configured for coordinated data execution via communication across the graphics bus.
US09471950B2
Provided are a watermark insertion apparatus and method. The watermark insertion method includes acquiring content through upload by a user, storing the uploaded content, receiving a content conversion request from a user or a manager, determining whether content for which content conversion has been requested is video or an image, converting the content according to the determined content kind, and inserting watermark suitable for the content kind into the converted content.
US09471949B1
Methods disclosed for lead generation relate to matching prospective applicants with educational institutions. Prospective applicants provide personal information and educational background information which are used to find matching educational institutions. Methods include enhancing connections between education institutions and prospective applicants by setting up mutually agree appointments. Systems and apparatuses are also disclosed to implement the disclosed methods.
US09471947B2
Disclosed is a system for carrying out inspection of a physical asset according to a database of defined criteria for each type of physical asset. The system includes a database server, including a database of acceptable criteria, including images, for each type of physical asset; a database of unacceptable criteria, including images, for each type of physical asset; a database of information, including images, of each physical asset inspected. The system also includes a portable data collector for use by a field inspector, including the database of acceptable criteria, including images, for each type of physical asset; the database of unacceptable criteria, including images, for each type of physical asset; and the database of information, including images, of each physical asset inspected; and a program of sequential steps to be followed by the field inspector for inspecting each physical asset.
US09471937B2
A device is configured to create an account including a plurality of members and a shared data plan. The device stores a content associated with the account and the shared data plan is set up to be charged for data used on an operating network to provide the content to the plurality of members associated with a plurality of operator networks. Further, the device provides the content to a user device associated with a member of the plurality of members. The content is provided through the operator network. The device charges the shared data plan for the amount of data used by the operator network to provide the content to the user device without causing a data plan between the member and the operator network to be charged for the amount of data.
US09471929B2
Systems and methods for providing games, challenges, and/or promotions to mobile devices are usable to provide incentives to customers. According to one embodiment, a system can be provided. The system can be operable to receive information, such as location information, associated with a mobile device; transmit content being associated with a location of a merchant to the mobile device; receive an event outcome indicator associated with the content; provide a promotional offer to the mobile device when the event outcome indicator matches a desired event outcome indicated by a third-party or the merchant; and process the reward or promotional offer associated with the event outcome indicator via interaction with a point of sale system.
US09471926B2
In one aspect, a computing apparatus includes: a transaction handler configured to process transactions; a data warehouse configured to store transaction data recording the transactions and to store event data for travel related events; a pattern detector configured to identify correlation data relating transaction patterns in the transaction data and the events identified in the event data; a portal configured to, in response to an occurrence of a first event, provide merchants with a report of a predicted spending pattern, including the identification of a set of consumers, identified based on the correlation data and data identifying the first event; a score generator to compute a value score for a traveler based on transaction data of the traveler; and a data services platform configured to provide the value score to a hotelier in response to a transaction processed by the transaction handler to check in the traveler at the hotelier.
US09471925B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for caching search related data on a mobile communication facility, coordinating the presentation of the cached information with network information to the mobile communication facility display to facilitate response to user queries with up to date information, and implicitly downloading updates to cached information while previously cached information is available to the user.
US09471923B2
When a user requests licensed content, a dynamic licensing mechanism automatically requests and receives licenses for the licensed content when one or more criterion in a licensing policy is satisfied by license information relating to the content, without the user providing any further input to acquire the licenses.
US09471913B1
A method for paying invoices using a mobile device. A retail enterprise (i.e., a seller) generates an invoice for goods or services that a client (i.e., a buyer) has selected. The invoice is stored in a database of a common payment service (CPS) and the invoice number is sent to buyer's mobile phone. The buyer uses his mobile phone to access his bank account via e-commerce 3-D Secure mechanism supported by the bank. The buyer is authenticated based on a procedure used by a particular bank. If the authentication is successful, the CPS initiates a payment for the seller's invoice. The payment information is sent to the buyer's mobile phone and also is sent to the seller for confirmation of closing the transaction.
US09471912B2
Electronic system for obtaining data, via one or more digital devices, on user behavior, digital transactions, and exposure relative to digital content and services, or external exposure and associated events between the user and the environment via sensors attached to digital devices, the system being configured to collect data reflecting the content and objects that the user at least potentially perceives as rendered on one or more digital screens attached to smart devices, reconstruct the at least potentially perceived visual landscape based on the collected data, and determine the target and/or level of user attention in view of the reconstruction and associated exposure events detected therein, and to apply locally stored information about rules or fingerprints in the digital object recognition process involving the collected data and validation of the type or identity of user actions, digital content, or external objects, as reflected by the reconstruction recapturing the visual landscape.
US09471898B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for e-mail message endorsement in an e-mail management system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for e-mail message endorsement in an e-mail management system can be provided. The method can include comparing a sender and a recipient of an e-mail message in a social network to identify linking relationships between the sender and the recipient, scoring the e-mail message based upon the identified linking relationships, and visually distinguishing the e-mail message based upon the scoring. In one aspect of the embodiment, the method further can include repeating the comparing to identify new linking relationships, updating the scoring based upon the identified new linking relationships, and updating the visual distinction of the e-mail message based upon the updated scoring.
US09471894B2
A system for managing inventory items includes a portable inventory holder and an unmanned drive unit configured to move the inventory holder between locations in an inventory facility. The inventory facility includes a plurality of uniquely identifiable fiducial markers having a small set of values distributed in a pattern. The drive unit captures at least one image of a subset of the plurality of the fiducial markers. The at least one captured image is processed to determine a location of the drive unit within the facility. A path is determined along which the drive unit moves to an inventory holder and moves the inventory holder to another location. The pattern of fiducial markers can include one or more repeated instances of uniquely identifiable fiducial markers. A fiducial marker can encode information using a readable code and at least one attribute of the fiducial marker.
US09471893B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to audit products in stores. An example method includes receiving, at a collection entity, a first request from a first entity to audit a first product, the first request including a first instruction to determine information about a second product that competes with the first product, in response to the first request, assigning a first auditor to audit the first product and to record the information about the second product, receiving, at the collection entity, a second request from a second entity to audit a third product, determining that the second request includes a second instruction to determine information about the second product identified in the first request, and in response to the second request, assigning a second auditor to audit the third product without including a further instruction to record the information about the second product.
US09471892B2
A system stores report descriptors. The report descriptors are used in sections of reports. The reports include a report type and subject. The system generates a pseudo random number seed for use in selecting a first subset of the report descriptors for the reports on a first report subject, and stores the pseudo random number seed. The system retrieves the first subset of report descriptors for the reports on the first report subject based on the pseudo random number seed and subsequently generated random numbers, places the retrieved first subset of report descriptors into an XML string, and generates two or more reports relating to the first report subject using the first subset of report descriptors in the XML string. The two or more reports include at least two different report types, and each common section among the two or more reports includes the same report descriptors.
US09471890B2
Embodiments relate to managing and executing interpreted language code. An aspect includes a parser configured to parse controlled language code against both a language grammar and for building an execution model comprising parsed known concepts. Another aspect includes a pattern matching engine configured to match patterns in the controlled language code with a patterns for a new concept. Yet another aspect includes a concept engine configured to create a new concept from the matched pattern and controlled language code and for saving the new concept into an object model and into a language grammar so that current and future parsing errors will not occur when recognizing the new concept.
US09471887B2
A system and method is provided that processes a training database of human-generated requests in each of a plurality of task categories with a machine learning algorithm to develop a task classifier model that may be applied to subsequent user requests to determine the most likely one of the task categories for the subsequent user request.
US09471884B2
A method and a system to perform multi-model blending are described. The method includes obtaining one or more sets of predictions of historical conditions, the historical conditions corresponding with a time T that is historical in reference to current time, and the one or more sets of predictions of the historical conditions being output by one or more models. The method also includes obtaining actual historical conditions, the actual historical conditions being measured conditions at the time T, assembling a training data set including designating the two or more set of predictions of historical conditions as predictor variables and the actual historical conditions as response variables, and training a machine learning algorithm based on the training data set. The method further includes obtaining a blended model based on the machine learning algorithm.
US09471878B2
Provided are techniques for dynamic mathematical validation using data mining. As text is being received, a mathematical statement is identified in the text based on context of the text. A mathematical solution to the mathematical statement is identified in the text based on the context of the text. It is determined that the mathematical solution is incorrect using data mining. In response to determining that auto-correction is to be performed, the mathematical solution is corrected.
US09471877B1
A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for performing a health check on a question answering system instance. The mechanism embeds a ground truth virtual checksum in a shared library accessible by the question answering system instance. The question answering system instance is trained using the ground truth virtual checksum as part of a ground truth including domain-specific ground truth. The ground truth virtual checksum comprises a test question, an answer to the test question, and a confidence level range for the answer to the test question. Responsive to a health check monitor triggering a health check servlet executing on the question answering system instance, the health check servlet submits a test question from the ground truth virtual checksum to the question answering system instance and receives a result answer and a result confidence value. Responsive to the health check servlet determining the result answer and the result confidence value match the ground truth virtual checksum, the health check servlet notifies the health check monitor that the question answering system instance is functional.
US09471871B2
A method of generating features optimal to a particular dataset and classifier is disclosed. A dataset of messages is inputted and a classifier is selected. An algebra of features is encoded. Computable features that are capable of describing the dataset from the algebra of features are selected. Irredundant features that are optimal for the classifier and the dataset are selected.
US09471862B2
Briefly, an intelligent label is associated with a good, and includes one or more permanent and irreversible electrochromic indicators that are used to report the condition of that good at selected points in the movement or usage of that good. These electrochromic indicators provide immediate visual information regarding the status of the good without need to interrogate or communicate with the electronics or processor on the intelligent label. In this way, anyone in the shipping or use chain for the good, including the end user consumer, can quickly understand whether the product is meeting shipping and quality standards. If a product fails to meet shipping or quality standards, the particular point where the product failed can be quickly and easily identified, and information can be used to assure the consumer remains safe, while providing essential information for improving the shipping process. It will be understood that the label may take many forms, such as a tag attached to the good, integrated into the packaging for the good, integrated into the good itself, or may even be an information area on a prepaid card for example. The label may also include, for example, print information regarding the good, usage or shipping rules, or address and coded information.
US09471857B2
A method is disclosed. The method includes analyzing color planes of a compressed sheetside image and generating an overcoat plane based on the color planes.
US09471847B2
Methods and systems for distance metric learning include generating two random projection matrices of a dataset from a d-dimensional space into an m-dimensional sub-space, where m is smaller than d. An optimization problem is solved in the m-dimensional subspace to learn a distance metric based on the random projection matrices. The distance metric is recovered in the d-dimensional space.
US09471844B2
Techniques are disclosed for creating a background model of a scene using both a pixel based approach and a context based approach. The combined approach provides an effective technique for segmenting scene foreground from background in frames of a video stream. Further, this approach can scale to process large numbers of camera feeds simultaneously, e.g., using parallel processing architectures, while still generating an accurate background model. Further, using both a pixel based approach and context based approach ensures that the video analytics system can effectively and efficiently respond to changes in a scene, without overly increasing computational complexity. In addition, techniques are disclosed for updating the background model, from frame-to-frame, by absorbing foreground pixels into the background model via an absorption window, and dynamically updating background/foreground thresholds.
US09471839B2
A machine may be configured as a vehicle identification machine to identify a model of a vehicle based on an image that depicts a dashboard of the vehicle. As configured, the machine may receive an image of the dashboard, where the image depicts a layout of instrumentation within the dashboard. The machine may identify the layout of instrumentation by processing the image. For example, the machine may process the image by determining a position of an instrument within the layout of instrumentation, determining an outline of instrument, or both. The machine may access a data record that correlates a model of the vehicle with the identified layout of instrumentation and, based on the data record, identify the model of the vehicle. The machine may then provide a notification that references the vehicle, references the identified model of the vehicle, or references both.
US09471835B2
A method performed by a device may include receiving information regarding a particular geographic area; retrieving an aerial image of the particular geographic area; displaying the aerial image; determining an approximate geographic location of a mark denoting an underground facility; overlaying, on the displayed aerial image, information concerning the approximate geographic location of the mark denoting the underground facility; and storing the aerial image and the information concerning the approximate geographic location of the mark denoting the underground facility.
US09471823B1
Various embodiments of apparatus, systems, and methods operate to identify, by a scanning device, whether barcode data includes one of a primary type or a secondary type. Additional activity includes reconfiguring the scanning device to receive secondary barcode data when the primary type comprises a non-standalone primary barcode, reporting a standalone secondary barcode of the secondary type to a transaction processing system, and buffering a non-standalone secondary barcode of the secondary type. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09471820B2
Method and systems for locating objects, in particular RFID tags, employ one or more RFID reading devices. The methods and/or systems make it possible to determine a distance between an RFID reading device and a deliberately selected RFID tag in a simple, robust manner. The RFID reading device determines a propagation time of a broadband signal by comparing the broadband signal with the scattered broadband signal. The RFID reading device determines a distance between the RFID reading device and the RFID tag from the propagation time difference.
US09471817B1
A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system includes at least one tag having tag circuitry configured to detect activation of a trigger switch resulting from a specific trigger action, provide electrical power to the tag circuitry when the specific trigger action is performed, and transmit an identification data signal for the at least one tag when the trigger switch is activated and in response to receiving an interrogator signal. An enclosure surrounds the tag circuitry including a separating end detachably attached to a primary end where the specific trigger action is the separation of the separating end from the primary end. A RFID reader has reader circuitry to determine that the at least one tag is unarmed, armed, or triggered based on a presence or absence of the identification data signal and the presence or absence of the tag identification data on an armed tag list.
US09471803B2
Exemplary methods for providing secure multi-tenancy in a Purpose Built Backup Appliance include creating a set of tenant-units (TUs), associating file system management objects (FSMOs) and users with the TUs. The methods further include maintaining a protocol config-metadata store based on the association of the FSMOs and users with the TUs. In one embodiment, in response to a first request from a first user to access a first FSMO of a first TU, the methods include determining whether the first user is authorized to access the first FSMO based on information of the protocol config-metadata store, and in response to the protocol config-metadata store indicating the first user is authorized to access the first FSMO, allowing the first user to access the first FSMO.
US09471801B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and techniques for creating, updating, and using an ACL (access control list). A database system may include a constraining ACL which represents a global security policy that is to be applied to all applications that interact with the database. By ensuring that all ACLs inherit from the constraining ACL, the database system can ensure that the global security policy is applied to all applications that interact with the database. During operation, the system may receive a request to create or update an ACL. Before creating or updating the ACL, the system may modify the ACL to ensure that it inherits from the constraining ACL. In an embodiment, the system grants a privilege to a user only if both the ACL and the constraining ACL grant the privilege.
US09471786B1
A method for dumping a confidential image on a trusted computer system. A trusted computer system loads an encrypted client dumper image key. The trusted computer system decrypts, with a private host key, the encrypted client dumper image key to generate a client dumper image key. The trusted computer system loads an encrypted dumper including a client dump key, in response to determining that the client dumper image key matches a client image key which encrypts a boot image of a current operating system. The trusted computer system decrypts, with the client dumper image key, the encrypted dumper to generate a dumper including the client dump key. The trusted computer system starts the dumper. The dumper generates an encrypted dump by encrypting, with the client dump key, an image to be dumped in the secure logical partition, and the dumper writes the encrypted dump on a client dump device.
US09471785B2
A data processing system includes a boot read only memory (ROM) configured to store boot code; one time programmable (OTP) storage circuitry configured to store patch instructions; a random access memory (RAM); and a processor coupled to the boot ROM, the OTP storage circuitry, and the RAM. The processor is configured to: in response to a reset of the data processing system, copy one or more patch instructions from the OTP storage circuitry into the RAM, and during execution of the boot code, execute a patch instruction from the RAM in place of a boot instruction of the boot code.
US09471782B2
A file scanning method and a file scanning system, a client and a server are disclosed. The server may determine a property indicator of a file, that represents probability of the file being a malicious program. The server may make this determination based on a comprehensive consideration of attribute information of the file. The attribute information may be reported by a plurality of clients. The server may send the property indicator to the clients. The clients may determine, according to the property indicator, a scanning strategy on whether to scan the file. Alternatively, the server may determine, according to the property indicator, a scanning strategy on whether to scan the file, and may send the scanning strategy to the clients. The clients may scan the file in accordance with the scanning strategy. Accordingly, only the file with higher probability of being a malicious program may be selectively scanned.
US09471769B2
A device for controlling access to a computer system, the device comprising at least one multifunctional port capable of being connected to various categories of peripherals and an access interface capable of being connected to the computer system, wherein the device comprises access management means connected between the multifunctional port and the interface, the access management means being physically configured to authorize the interface access by means of a peripheral connected to the multifunctional port, only if said peripheral belongs to a category of peripherals specifically and permanently associated with the multifunctional port to which same is connected.
US09471768B2
An approach is provided for displaying moving graphic objects on the display screen of the information handling system that are selected by a user while the objects are moving. The system is unlocked in response to the set of graphic objects selected by the user and the selection order matching an expected set of graphic objects and an expected selection order. Unlocking of the system allows the user to interact with one or more applications of the information handling system and to access data stored on the information handling system.
US09471753B2
The present disclosure involves a medical system that includes one or more implantable medical devices configured to deliver a medical therapy to a patient. The medical system also includes a portable electronic device on which a touch-sensitive user interface is implemented. The user interface is configured to provide a visual representation of the medical therapy through a hierarchy. The hierarchy includes a lower level representation of the medical therapy that corresponds to a stimulation program that includes a plurality of configurable stimulation parameters. The hierarchy includes a middle level representation of the medical therapy that corresponds to a stimulation program-set that includes a plurality of different stimulation programs. The hierarchy includes an upper level representation of the medical therapy that corresponds to a scrollable collection of stimulation program-sets that are represented by a plurality of digital cards, respectively.
US09471749B2
The present disclosure describes a system, method and computer readable medium capable of verifying healthcare encounters. In one embodiment, an electronic verification process is described which may utilize geographical information to determine the proximity of a health care worker to the patient during a scheduled healthcare visit. The proximity information may then be compared to a threshold value and an electronic signature screen may be presented to the patient based upon the results of the comparison. In one embodiment, a time stamp may be generated and stored to provide confirmation as to the time that the patient's electronic signature was obtained via the electronic signature screen. Verification information stored by the system may be used to simplify the verification process, hasten payments to healthcare organizations and protect against healthcare fraud.
US09471743B1
In an approach for predicting a process fail limit for a semiconductor manufacturing process, a computer determines a potential working process condition for each of a plurality of process parameters varied in forming a test wafer feature. The computer determines a process sigma value for each of the plurality of process parameters in forming the test wafer feature and a measurement sigma value. The computer evaluates a set of measurements of the test wafer feature compared to an acceptable wafer feature dimension, where each measurement of the set of measurements is a pass or fail as compared to the acceptable wafer feature dimension. The computer determines whether one or more fails are evaluated compared to the acceptable wafer feature dimension. The computer produces a predicted process fail limit based, at least in part, on the evaluation of fails, the measurement sigma value, and a desired target sigma value.
US09471741B1
A method, executed by a computer, for routing a circuit includes partitioning a netlist for a circuit into a plurality of nets, determining, for each net of the plurality of nets, a corresponding net cone to provide a corresponding plurality of net cones, computing a total negative timing slack for each net cone of the corresponding plurality of net cones, assigning routing constraints for the plurality of nets according to the total negative timing slack for the corresponding plurality of net cones, and routing the netlist according to the routing constraints. Examples of routing constraints include a routing priority, a routing weight, a scenic ratio, a wire code assignment, and a layer assignment. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
US09471736B2
A computing system includes a memory device into which a design file for a predetermined intellectual property (IP) and a transactor generating tool are loaded, and a processor configured to execute the transactor generating tool loaded into the memory device. The transactor generating tool executed by the processor extracts port information of the IP from the design file, and generates at least one transactor corresponding to the IP based on the port information.
US09471734B2
Liveness verification of a logic design is performed using various shadow abstraction refinement techniques. An initial subset of state elements are included in the shadow abstraction, and verification is performed (liveness-to-safety conversion) using this initial subset. If a liveness counterexample is detected, the shadow abstraction is refined by designating a second subset of the state elements different from the initial subset for inclusion in a refined abstraction. The initial subset can be designated by choosing all registers in a combinational fan-in of a liveness property of the design. High-performance algorithms for abstract liveness-to-safety conversion can be based upon simulation and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and counterexample refinement, bounded model checking and proof-based refinement, proofs obtained during bounded model checking of a precise liveness checking problem, a hybrid of counterexample-based refinement and proof analysis, and proofs obtained.
US09471726B2
Systems and methods for performing multi-message transaction based performance simulations of SoC IP cores within a Network on Chip (NoC) interconnect architecture by accurately imitating full SoC behavior are described. The example implementations involve simulations to evaluate and detect NoC behavior based on execution of multiple transactions at different rates/times/intervals, wherein each transaction can contain one or more messages, with each message being associated with a source agent and a destination agent. Each message can also be associated with multiple parameters such as rate, size, value, latency, among other like parameters that can be configured to indicate the execution of the transaction by a simulator to simulate a real-time scenario for generating performance reports for the NoC interconnect.
US09471716B2
A disclosed setting method includes: in response to an instruction to replace a first component with a second component, determining whether or not data that correlates a surface of the first component with a surface of a third component has been set; upon determining that the data that correlates the surface of the first component with the surface of the third component has been set, extracting a surface of the second component, which corresponds to the surface of the first component; and correlating the extracted surface of the second component with the surface of the third component instead of the surface of the first component in the data.
US09471709B1
Methods and apparatus for processing autocomplete suggestions. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for generating additional suggestions for provided multiple term autocomplete suggestions and determining additional suggestion scores for the additional suggestions. Like entries among the additional suggestions and the autocomplete suggestions may be identified and each similar grouping of the like entries combined into a consolidated entry. A combined consolidated score for each consolidated entry may be determined based on one or more of the additional suggestion scores and any of the autocomplete scores of the like entries combined into the consolidated entry.
US09471699B2
A computer-implemented method of managing bookmarks within a collaborative application can include receiving a user input specifying a universal resource locator (URL) to be bookmarked and determining whether a bookmark record including the URL exists. Responsive to determining that a bookmark record including the URL does not exist, an address and a network type for the URL can be determined. A bookmark record including the URL and the network type can be stored.
US09471698B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for embedding, transmitting and receiving a Quick Response (QR) code in an audio file. Initially, a set of data representing a QR Code and an audio file is received. A third file is generated based on a combination of the QR code and the audio file. The third file is broadcasted and received by a device. Data representing the QR code is extracted from the third file and displayed as an object on the device.
US09471696B2
Methods, systems and computer program products for pathing analysis are provided. The method includes receiving at a server, a query comprising one or more nodes. The method further includes identifying one or more prior queries, wherein the one or more prior queries comprise at least one of the one or more nodes. The method accesses metadata associated with the one or more prior queries. The method then selects based on the metadata, one or more data partitions for further processing. Next, the method causes one or more computers to identify one or more paths in the selected data partitions, wherein the one or more paths comprise at least the one or more nodes. Finally, the method presents the identified paths as an output to the query.
US09471693B2
Systems and methods are provided for determining continuous scoring models that describe one or more features regarding a geographic area. The scoring models can be fit to incorporate information from both point sources as well as area information. Based on the scoring models, a user can obtain feature values for the one or more features at any desired location or for a desired geographic area. Because the features are represented by a continuous function, comparisons of feature values for arbitrary geographic areas and/or combinations of features to form secondary values can also be performed.
US09471689B2
A first candidate answer to a time-sensitive question received by a question answering (QA) system is identified using a first document. A first temporal confidence subscore of the first candidate answer is then calculated using a first temporal confidence rule. A first general confidence score is then generated based on at least the first temporal confidence subscore. A second candidate answer to the question is identified using a second document. A second temporal confidence subscore of the second candidate answer is then calculated using a second temporal confidence rule. A second general confidence score is then generated based on at least the second temporal confidence subscore. The first general confidence score and the second general confidence score are then compared. Based on this comparison, a final answer is selected from the first candidate answer and the second candidate answer.
US09471688B2
Methods and arrangements are provided for the personalized targeting and customization of media stations in an online media service. A key set of inputs, with values unique to each user, is used to arrive at a personalized group of featured media stations that a user has access to. Demographic data, media preferences, user actions detected through the user's input, and other criteria allow for the content and screen time of featured stations to be personalized for each user.
US09471680B2
A method of archiving audio/video content is presented. In the method, a plurality of audio/video content streams is received. Each of the received audio/video content streams is indexed according to time. Each of the indexed audio/video content streams is transferred to a data storage system for storage. A request for a portion of one of the stored audio/video content streams associated with a time period is received. The requested portion of the one of the stored audio/video content streams is retrieved from the data storage system. The requested portion of the one of the stored audio/video content streams is transferred.
US09471675B2
Systems and methods are provided for automatically classifying videos based on faces discovered in the videos, wherein the discovered faces are not known to be associated with a particular category of videos. The detected face is compared to a set of unknown faces to generate a cluster of unknown faces that each match with the detected face. A set of categorized videos is identified based on the cluster of unknown faces. One or more categories are assigned to the video based on categories from the set of categorized videos so that the video can be automatically classified based on the detected face even though the detected face is not associated with a known person.
US09471642B2
Embodiments relate to management of data accessed from a database. A usage tracking engine of an application layer overlying a database, may automatically track (e.g. with a time stamp) access to specific data objects by particular users. This automatic tracking may be based upon one or more of the following: frequency of access, recency of access, user geographic location, and user calendar events. Based upon this data, the tracking engine applies an algorithm to automatically identify those data objects meriting special handling for quick access (e.g. for placement in a “shelf” or other construct readily accessible to the user). A heuristic learning module may generate a data object ranking based upon the usage data, and communicate that ranking to the usage tracking engine to determine a data object's eligibility for placement on the “shelf”. Such ranking may consider personalized settings, and/or a user's past manual shelf placement of data object(s).
US09471639B2
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method, system, and computer program product for managing a windowing operation. The method can include determining a sentinel value that defines a start of a grouping window for a stream of tuples and a terminating sentinel value that defines the end of the grouping window based upon an attribute contained in the stream of tuples. The stream of tuples can be monitored for the sentinel value and the terminating sentinel value by a stream operator. The stream operator can initiate a windowing operation that defines the start of the grouping window in response to a presence of the sentinel value and terminate the windowing operation in response to a presence of the terminating sentinel value.
US09471638B2
The invention concerns a query response device comprising: an input adapted to receive user queries; a memory (106) adapted to store one or more routing rules; one or more live agent engines (116) configured to support interactions with one or more live agents; one or more virtual assistant engines (120) configured to support interactions with one or more virtual assistants instantiated by an artificial intelligence module (103); and a routing module (104) coupled to said live agent engines and to said virtual assistant engines, the routing module comprising a processing device configured: to select, based on content of at least a first user message from a first user relating to a first user query and on said one or more routing rules, a first of said live agent engines or a first of said virtual assistant engines; and to route one or more further user messages relating to the first user query to the selected engine.
US09471627B2
A natural language processing system and method resolves partial matches when a natural language input query does not fully specify an entity. The input query is tokenized into a set of query tokens, which are compared to contents of a searchable index, the contents representing entities, each of which is tokenized into a set of entity tokens associated with the tokenized entity. A plurality of partial match query tokens are identified from the set of query tokens, each partial match query token matching at least one entity token in the index. The entity(s) corresponding to each partial match query token are selected if a sequential break exists in the input query between the partial match query tokens and there is no intersection between the entity(s) corresponding to each partial match query token.
US09471625B2
Interactive geographic information systems (GIS) and techniques are disclosed that provide users with a greater degree of flexibility, utility, and information. A markup language is provided that facilitates communication between servers and clients of the interactive GIS, which enables a number of GIS features, such as network links (time-based and/or view-dependent dynamic data layers), ground overlays, screen overlays, placemarks, 3D models, and stylized GIS elements, such as geometry, icons, description balloons, polygons, and labels in the viewer by which the user sees the target area. Also, “virtual tours” of user-defined paths in the context of distributed geospatial visualization is enabled. Streaming and interactive visualization of filled polygon data are also enabled thereby allowing buildings and other such features to be provided in 3D. Also, techniques for enabling ambiguous search requests in a GIS are provided.
US09471619B2
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for controlling the state of a post in a social networking system implemented using a database system. In some implementations, a post is received from a user device. The post is configured to be shared in a feed of the social networking system and configured to be stored or identified using at least one data object in a database. The post has a state, which is either editable to permit editing of the post or non-editable to prevent editing of the post. At least a first criterion is applied to content in relation to the post. When at least the first criterion is satisfied, the state of the post can be controlled to be editable or non-editable.
US09471617B2
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for transforming data from a first version, for example an initial version of a database, to a second version, for example a subsequent version of a database. An embodiment operates by modifying the metadata of the data to include transformational clauses, each of which describes how a portion of the data in the first version is transformed to data required by the second version.
US09471614B2
An apparatus and method utilize partitioned database tables divided into data allocation containers (DACs) where data is placed into the DACs based on usage of the data in past queries. Records that are used most often are placed together and records that are used less often are placed together to improve database performance. In preferred embodiments, a database manager determines where to place data into the DACs based on how often the data is selected by a database query using a DAC selection ratio (DSR). The database manager may determine when to perform table maintenance to move rows of data to the appropriate DACs based on a timestamp or last check date (LCD) stored in the database.
US09471613B2
Methods and systems allow indexing references to documents of a database according to database reference profiles. Documents may then be located in the database using decoding protocols based on the database reference profiles. To this end, the documents are stored in the database and searchable terms extracted therefrom are associated with posting lists. Each posting list is divided into blocks of M database references. The blocks are encoded according to a pattern that depends on the M database references. A corresponding pointer to a table of encoding patterns is appended to each block. When a query is received for a searchable term, blocks are extracted from a posting list corresponding to the searchable term and a pointer for each block is used to extract a decoding protocol related to an encoding pattern for the block.
US09471612B2
A data processing method, data query method in a database, and corresponding device. A data processing, wherein a query request for data records includes information indicating a source and destination IP address, the source IP address including N sections, the destination IP address including M sections, both M and N being positive integers, the method including: determining an index encoding manner for the database, wherein the index is an one-dimensional index including N+M sections, the encoding manner specifying a variation sequence of various sections for the index, at least one of the source IP address and the destination address indicated by the information contained in the possible query request including at least one section having a wildcard character, wherein according to the index, for any possible query requests, successive data records can be obtained as a query result; according to the encoding manner, establishing the index for the data records.
US09471593B1
Example embodiments of the present invention update copies of a file stored in a distributed storage system and provide a unique set of features, including multi-master writes, requiring a quorum response for writes, allowing multikey transactions, using an SQL relational database, and providing immediate write consistency. The method includes receiving a transaction request from a client served by the distributed storage system and requesting local priority messages from a plurality of receiver nodes in the distributed storage system. A global priority message, including a global priority value and the requested transaction, is then sent to the receiver nodes. Return codes from each receiver node are then processed to determine the status of the requested transaction at each receiver node. Other example embodiments include a method and computer program product that process a request priority message, processing a global priority message including a requested transaction and apply the requested transaction.
US09471590B2
Techniques for fast provisioning of virtual machine images using deduplication metadata are described, including receiving a request to copy a first virtual machine to form a second virtual machine, identifying a first portion of memory comprising data for the first virtual machine; and forming the second virtual machine based on the first portion of memory comprising data for the first virtual machine, wherein forming the second virtual machine further comprises linking the second virtual machine to the first portion of memory comprising data for the first virtual machine, and implementing a second portion of memory to store data for the second virtual machine independent of the first virtual machine.
US09471588B1
A method for managing file changes is provided. A file editor is able to view if the file he is submitting for review, is already under review with any reviewer. A reviewer would be informed that another editor has edited the same file and has submitted his changes for review. Editors would be informed of all reviewer comments if there are multiple reviewers on one file.
US09471585B1
A local de-duplication table for at least a particular partition of a data stream is instantiated at a particular ingestion node of a multi-tenant stream management service. A submission request indicating a data record of the partition is received at the ingestion node. In response to a determination that (a) the submission request was received within a de-duplication time window corresponding to the particular partition, and (b) the local de-duplication table does not indicate that the data record is a duplicate, a write operation to store the data record at one or more storage locations of the stream management system is initiated.
US09471584B2
A demand paging method for a mobile terminal, a controller and a mobile terminal, wherein the demand paging method determines, when a mobile terminal needs to operate a compressed file, a storage location of the compressed file in an external part of the controller of the mobile terminal; a decoding unit of the internal part of the controller of the mobile terminal decompresses the compressed file in the storage location; the mobile terminal saves the decompressed file to a designated part of the memory, wherein the designated part of the memory comprises the memory in the internal part of the controller of the mobile terminal and/or the memory in the external part of the controller of the mobile terminal; the mobile terminal continues to operate on the basis of the decompressed file. The technical solution increases the processing efficiency of demand paging of the mobile terminal.
US09471566B1
Method and apparatus for converting language text input into a different language text output. One embodiment may be configured to convert Pinyin into written Chinese language text. Embodiments may provide a language input mechanism that accepts phonetic language input text and generates written language output text, and that also accepts modifications to existing input text and automatically corrects the corresponding output text. Embodiments may display one or more alternative output text words and/or sentences as candidates for the transliteration of the input text. The candidate output words may be ranked according to calculated probabilities, with a most probable candidate appearing first. The user may select from the candidate output text to build an output sentence that represents the correct or preferred transliteration of the input text. A lexicon, language model and history cache of previously selected output text words may be referenced in determining the probabilities of candidate output words.
US09471557B2
Client-side modification of electronic documents by server-generated instructions in a client-server environment enables dynamic modification of formatting information in an electronic document to accommodate new data received from the server. A server generates machine instructions to send to a client along with new data for an electronic document. The generated instructions modify the electronic document at the client to accommodate the new data. The generated instructions may include at least one tag indicating a relative order in which the new data is to be imported into the electronic document and the instructions are to be performed.
US09471551B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a computer-implemented method that includes identifying, using one or more processors, a creative for processing. The creative includes a title portion and a body portion. The body portion includes a plurality of lines of text includes a first line of text and a second line of text. The method further includes evaluating the body portion including determining when the body portion includes a complete phrase. The evaluating includes applying a test to one or more words in the body portion. The method further includes promoting, using the one or more processors, the complete phrase into the title portion. The method further includes providing the creative includes the title portion with the promoted complete phrase.
US09471550B2
Method and apparatus for converting a document from a fixed-layout format (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF) into a non-fixed layout format (e.g., HTML) portable to different platforms (e.g., desktop computers, tablet computer, smart phones) operating different operating systems (e.g., Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X) and different web browsers (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, Mozilla FireFox). In one stream, fonts are identified, extracted, and processed to enhance compatibility with the portable format. In another stream, textual content is extracted and processed to enhance compatibility and images are taken of non-textual content. These images are used as backgrounds in the output document, over which the textual content is rendered in the appropriate fonts, with sizing, spacing, positioning and/or other characteristics matching or closely approximating that of the original document. Error detection is applied by comparing images of the original document to corresponding images of the output document, to ensure high fidelity.
US09471549B2
Systems and methods are provided for displaying and manipulating the display of digital character strings where the length of the character string extends beyond the width of a desired output display. In response to a user request to display a character string, a client can generate a truncated representation of the character string using at least one truncation symbol when the character string extends beyond the width of an output display. A client can modify the display of the truncated representation of the character string in response to detecting a signal corresponding to a change in location of the truncation symbol. The signal can be detected from a touchscreen or input device. This allows a user to view any portion of a selected character string, including those portions that may be obscured by the truncation symbol.
US09471540B2
A computer determines a threshold signal voltage of a semiconductor device. The computer determines a first expected signal propagation time for a signal travelling through a first test path of the semiconductor device. The computer transmits a first signal through the first test path. The computer measures a signal voltage and signal propagation time of the first signal. The computer determines that the signal voltage of the first signal does not reach or exceed the threshold signal voltage within the first expected signal propagation time. The computer determines that the first test path contains a defect.
US09471531B2
A method of and a system for synchronizing isochronous audio data frames provided by a USB interface to a clock of a wireless RF communication device is provided. The USB interface and the wireless RF communication device are connected via an I2S link, the method comprising receiving the isochronous audio data frames and the wireless RF communication device clock in a streaming controller, phase locking the isochronous audio data frames to a USB interface clock, counting start-of-frame pulses of the phase locked isochronous audio data frames, comparing the counted start-of-frame pulses with the wireless RF communication device clock to determine a difference signal, the difference signal triggering a synchronization event code when a threshold difference has been reached, rate matching the isochronous audio data frames to the wireless RF communication device clock upon receiving the synchronization event code.
US09471526B2
A system including a controller and a bridge module. The controller is configured to (i) communicate with a host via a first interface, and (ii) communicate with a storage device via a second interface. The second interface is separate from the first interface. The bridge module is configured to allow the controller to transfer data between the storage device and the host without buffering the data, and to access a memory of the host via the first interface during the transfer.
US09471510B2
A system and method of cache monitoring in storage systems includes storing storage blocks in a cache memory. Each of the storage blocks is associated with status indicators. As requests are received at the cache memory, the requests are processed and the status indicators associated with the storage blocks are updated in response to the processing of the requests. One or more storage blocks are selected for eviction when a storage block limit is reached. As ones of the selected one or more storage blocks are evicted from the cache memory, the block counters are updated based on the status indicators associated with the evicted storage blocks. Each of the block counters is associated with a corresponding combination of the status indicators. Caching statistics are periodically updated based on the block counters.
US09471508B1
A computer-implemented method includes storing commands and maintaining an order of receipt of the commands in a command processing unit. The commands include address translation cache miss commands that are organized as one or more linked lists and stored in a content-addressable memory (CAM). All nodes within a single linked list include commands having addresses that map to the same hash value. Based on receiving a memory fetch completion indicator for a cache entry for a command in a head node in a linked list, all of the commands in the linked list are returned. The returning includes sending the commands in the linked list to an address translation unit in an order specified by the linked list.
US09471480B2
A data processing apparatus has a memory rename table for storing memory rename entries each identifying a mapping between a memory address of a location in memory and a mapped register of a plurality of registers. The mapped register is identified by a register number. In response to a store instruction, the store target memory address of the store instruction is mapped to a store destination register and so the data value is stored to the store destination register instead of memory. A memory rename entry is provided in the table to identify the mapping between the store target memory address and store destination target register. In response to a load instruction, if there is a hit in the memory rename table for the load target memory address then the loaded value can be read from the mapped register instead of memory.
US09471477B2
A deviance monitoring module is provided for examining various parameters of an operating system for deviance from a baseline behavior at specified intervals. A range of acceptable deviance values from a baseline behavior is set for parameters of an operating system. The parameters of the operating system are then monitored at specified intervals for deviance from the baseline behavior. In response to detecting that the deviance exceeds a predetermined threshold, the method triggers diagnostic data gathering on the parameters of the operating system according to an embodiment.
US09471466B1
Described herein are various embodiments of computer-implemented tools, systems, and methods for managing debugging of different portions of an application (e.g., front-end and back-end) with different respective debuggers in a manner that facilitates debugging the entire application from within the user interface associated with one of the debuggers (e.g., from within a browser interface). In some embodiments, a debug manager acts as a bridge between a web-browser debugger and a back-end debugger, allowing an application developer to debug web applications without leaving the browser.
US09471465B2
Data fields within a trace data set are interpreted using data field declarations of the data fields that each specify a data type definition of a respective data field. A data value of an interpreted data field is compared with the data type definition specified within a respective data field declaration for the interpreted data field within the trace date set. Based upon the comparison, a determination is made that the respective interpreted data field contains a data value that violates the data type definition specified within the respective data field declaration.
US09471454B2
A method, system and program product for performing automated tests on a system under test. A set of test blocks is provided, with each test block triggering at least one user activity on the system under test. The following is performed iteratively to execute multiple test blocks consecutively: defining a subset of executable test blocks; scoring the executable test blocks based on at least one scoring parameter; selecting a test block to be executed out of the subset of executable test blocks by randomly selecting a test block based on the scores, where the probability of selection of a test block depends on the score; executing the selected test block; updating the data of the status repository based on data of the system under test; and updating the data of the history log by adding data regarding the executed test block and the results of the test block execution.
US09471452B2
Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and methods related to assets and asset operating conditions. In particular, examples involve defining and executing predictive models for outputting health metrics that estimate the operating health of an asset or a part thereof, analyzing health metrics to determine variables that are associated with high health metrics, and modifying the handling of abnormal-condition indicators in accordance with a prediction of a likely response to such abnormal-condition indicators, among other examples.
US09471449B2
Mirroring of a logical storage unit initially associated with a first controller is performed, where the first log segment associated with the first controller is maintained of writes by the first controller to the logical storage unit. The first log segment is for use in mirroring writes to a mirror system. Control of the logical storage unit is transferred from the first controller to at least a second controller, and in response to the transfer, a first marker is provided in the first log segment to enable the mirror system to synchronize mirrored writes corresponding to writes to the logical storage units by the first controller and at least a second controller.
US09471441B1
Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for backing up a plurality of virtual machines, the method comprising. A computer system may initiate creation of a snapshot for each of the plurality of virtual machines. The computer system may select a first virtual machine from the plurality of virtual machines based on the input/output loads for each of the plurality of virtual machines and generate a backup archive of the first virtual machine.
US09471440B2
Saving database storage space includes receiving, using a processor, one or more properties associated with a newly released commodity input at a front-end server; determining whether the one or more properties of the newly released commodity match a standard property unit (SPU), wherein the SPU includes a plurality of properties common to at least two commodities of which data is stored at a back-end server; and in the event that the one or more properties of the newly released commodity match the SPU, storing data associated with binding the newly released commodity with the matching SPU at the back-end server.
US09471434B2
When a failure occurs in a storage system controller, the controller reboots after completing prescribed failure processing for respective control parts. Upon detecting a failure, first, second, and third control parts of the controller perform respective failure processing. The first control part controls block access requests, the second control part controls file system access, and the third control part manages the second control part. The first control part and third control part write prescribed information to a storage area and reboot at least a portion of the controller upon detecting the failure.
US09471431B2
A streams manager clones a portion of a primary flow graph to a virtual machine with a buffer to assure no data is lost if the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. The buffer can be on the input of the cloned portion or on the output of the cloned portion. Cloning a portion of a primary flow graph with a buffer assures no data is lost when the corresponding portion of the primary flow graph fails. When the primary flow graph recovers from the failure, the processing may be switched back to the primary flow graph, which causes the buffer to begin buffering once again.
US09471429B2
A method for disk failure protection, the method may include calculating a first set of parity units by processing a first group of sets of data units that are cached in a cache memory of a storage system; calculating a second set of parity units by processing the first group of sets of data units; wherein the calculating of the second set of parity units is responsive to a first shift that was virtually introduced between each set of data units of the first group of sets of data units; and destaging the first group of sets of data units and the first and second sets of parity units to the first group of disks.
US09471425B2
Methods for managing data stored in a memory device facilitate managing utilization of memory of different densities. The methods include reading first data from a first number of pages or blocks of memory cells having a first density, performing a data handling operation on the read first data to generate second data, and writing the second data to a second number of pages or blocks of memory cells having a second density, wherein the second density is different than the first density, and wherein the second number is different than the first number.
US09471424B2
The present technology relates to an information processing device and method, and a recording medium, which make it possible for a data recording system and so forth to be optimized in accordance with use. Provided are: a recording system decision unit that, on the basis of characteristics which are characteristics of data to be recorded in a recording medium, and include a lifespan value representing the retention period of the data and an error rate representing the percentage of errors assumed to be generated when the data is read, generates a plurality of recording regions of a logical device configured from the recording medium, and also decides recording systems to be applied in each of the recording regions; and a logical device initialization unit that initializes each of the recording regions of the logical device on the basis of the decided recording systems.
US09471423B1
A correctable memory error may be identified at a first address within a memory device. Based on at least the identifying, a first correctable memory error count may be updated from a first quantity to a second quantity. The second quantity may be determined to exceed or not exceed a threshold. In response to the determining, the first correctable memory error count of the second quantity may be: converted to a third quantity and reported to a host device accordingly, reported to a host device, or not reported to a host device.
US09471421B2
A data accessing method, a memory storage device and a memory controlling circuit unit are provided. The data accessing method includes: determining whether a first physical programming unit storing first data belongs to a first type physical programming unit or a second type physical programming unit; if the first physical programming unit belongs to the first type physical programming unit, generating a first verification code corresponding to the first data and a second verification code for being combined with the first verification code, and writing the first data and the first verification code into the first physical programming unit; and if the first data is decoded unsuccessfully by using the first verification code, combining the second verification code and the first verification code to decode the first data.
US09471415B2
Computer systems are managed by providing systems programmers with visual displays and user interfaces that identify certain issues and allow the system programmer to readily apply fixes, patches, and other updates without tediously sifting through a mountain of information and manually addressing those issues. The systems herein, provide a more streamlined approach for the system programmer by reducing the possibility of overlooking a particular issue that may adversely affect the system.
US09471404B1
For data integration using APIs, a request for data is analyzed to determine a set of functional characteristics and a set of non-functional characteristics expected in the data. A first API entry is selected in a registry of API entries, the first API entry corresponding to a first API of the first data source. The first API entry includes a first metadata corresponding to a first functional characteristic in the set of functional characteristics. The first API is invoked to obtain a first portion of the data, the first portion having the first functional characteristic. Using a second API entry in the registry, a second API is invoked to obtain a second portion of the data. The first portion and the second portion are returned in a response to the request.
US09471403B1
Granular event management for service platforms. First bundle information relating to the content of a bundle is received at a first time, wherein the bundle relates to one or more resources in an application of a distributed computing environment. The bundle is monitored for a bundle event, wherein the bundle event is generated from a change in a lifecycle state of the bundle. Whether the bundle event has occurred is determined. Responsive to determining that the bundle event has occurred, second bundle information relating to the content of the bundle is received at a second time. Responsive to receiving the second bundle information, a granular event associated with the bundle event is identified, wherein the granular event relates to a difference between the first bundle information and the second bundle information.
US09471397B2
An apparatus for lock acquisition is disclosed. A method and a computer program product also perform the functions of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a lock history module that adds a current contention state of a lock to a contention history. The lock includes a memory location for storing information used for excluding access to a resource by one or more threads while another thread accesses the resource. The apparatus, in some embodiments, includes a combination module that combines the contention history with a lock address for the lock to form a predictor table index, and a prediction module that uses the predictor table index to determine a lock prediction for the lock. The prediction includes a determination of an amount of contention.
US09471387B2
The present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer program product for scheduling in job execution. According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method for scheduling a plurality of job slots shared by one or more pre-processors and one or more post-processors in job execution, wherein the data generated by the pre-processor(s) will be fed to the post-processor(s) for processing. The method comprises: determining an overall data generation speed of the pre-processor(s); determining an overall data consumption speed of the post-processor(s); and scheduling allocation of at least one of the job slots between the pre-processor(s) and the post-processor(s) based on the overall data generation speed and the overall data consumption speed. Corresponding apparatus is disclosed as well.
US09471384B2
A cloud computing system including a computing device configured to run virtual machine instances is disclosed. The computing device includes a hypervisor program for managing the virtual machine instances. A customer virtual machine instance is run by the hypervisor program on the computing device, and a grid virtual machine instance is run by the hypervisor program on the computing device. The grid virtual machine instance is configured to run only when a resource of the computing device is not being utilized by the customer virtual machine instance.
US09471383B2
A method comprises, receiving, at each of a plurality of computing devices, a task execution estimation request message from a central server, the task execution estimation request message comprising a worst-case execution time (WCET) corresponding to the computing device. The method further comprises, computing, by each of the plurality of computing devices, an estimate task execution time for the task based on the WCET and a state transition model corresponding to the computing device, wherein the state transition model indicates available processing resources corresponding to the computing device. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by each of the plurality of computing devices, the estimate task execution time to the central server for allocation of the task to a computing device from amongst the plurality of computing devices based on the estimate task execution time corresponding to the computing device.
US09471365B2
In one embodiment, a computer system creates a first template VM that includes a first OS VMDK and a first software binary VMDK, and clones the first template VM to create a linked clone VM. The linked clone VM executes a guest OS by accessing the first OS VMDK and a software application by accessing the first software binary VMDK. The computer system further creates a second template VM that includes a second software binary VMDK, where the second software binary VMDK includes one or more upgrades to the software application that are not included in the first software binary VMDK. The computer system then detaches the first software binary VMDK from the linked clone VM and attaches the second software binary VMDK to the linked clone VM. The linked clone VM thereafter executes the software application by accessing the second software binary VMDK.
US09471364B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a virtual machine specification adjustment method and apparatus, where the virtual machine specification adjustment method includes: acquiring running status information of a virtual machine; determining, according to the running status information of the virtual machine, whether the virtual machine is a to-be-adjusted virtual machine; and if the virtual machine is a to-be-adjusted virtual machine, adjusting a specification of the to-be-adjusted virtual machine by using a resource in a reserved resource pool. By using the technical solutions of the present invention, efficiency of virtual machine specification adjustment is improved, thereby increasing a resource utilization rate of a data center. Setting of the reserved resource pool can ensure reliability of virtual machine specification adjustment, and can avoid, to some extent, a virtual machine specification adjustment failure due to insufficient resources, thereby increasing a success rate of virtual machine specification adjustment.
US09471359B2
The invention relates to a method for managing virtual machine image disk usage comprising a disk image emulator for a virtual machine provided by a hypervisor, comprising the steps of providing at least a first disk image comprising a sequence of data blocks for accumulating write operations to the first disk image, providing at least a second disk image comprising a sequence of data blocks for permanently storing disk image data, and providing a disk cleaning process for transferring disk image data from the first disk image to the second disk image and deleting unused data blocks in the first and/or the second disk image.
US09471356B2
An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a first hypervisor running on a first server and a second hypervisor running on a second server. The first hypervisor manages a first virtual switch and has an overlay forwarding table in memory supporting at least one virtual machine, while the second hypervisor manages a second virtual switch and also has the overlay forwarding table in memory and supports at least one other VM. The information handling system further includes a plurality of gateway devices coupled to the hypervisors. The gateway devices share a floating address and are configured to export a host route, associated with the address, into a corresponding entry in an underlay routing table to redirect network traffic from a first gateway device to a second gateway device.
US09471355B2
In one implementation, a secure operation system initiates a secure operation associated with a virtual machine hosted at a secured host, and determines when the secure operation is complete. In response to determining that the secure operation is complete, the secure operation system migrates the virtual machine to a host other than the secured host.
US09471354B1
A virtual computer system service determines, for a selected virtual machine image, information that is generated based at least in part on the contents of the selected virtual machine image. The virtual computer system service may compare this information to other information obtained from other virtual machine images to determine a similarity score for each of these other virtual machine images. Based at least in part on these similarity scores, the virtual computer system service determines a provenance for the selected virtual machine image, which is provided to an administrator, customer or other entity.
US09471348B2
Computerized methods, systems, and computer-storage media for allowing virtual machines (VMs) residing on a common physical node to fairly share network bandwidth are provided. Restrictions on resource consumption are implemented to ameliorate stressing the network bandwidth or adversely affecting the quality of service (QoS) guaranteed to tenants of the physical node. The restrictions involves providing a scheduler that dynamically controls networking bandwidth allocated to each of the VMs as a function of QoS policies. These QoS policies are enforced by controlling a volume of traffic being sent from the VMs. Controlling traffic includes depositing tokens into token-bucket queues assigned to the VMs, respectively. The tokens are consumed as packets pass through the token-bucket queues. Upon consumption, packets are held until sufficient tokens are reloaded to the token-bucket queues.
US09471345B2
An annotation generator utility is implemented. The annotation generator utility reads, from a properties file, configurations of a Java component. The annotation generator utility generates annotations corresponding to the configurations. The annotation generator utility injects the annotations into compiled source code of the Java component. In one aspect, the annotations are injected into compiled source code of the Java component at build time. In another aspect, the annotations are injected into compiled source code of the Java component at runtime.
US09471341B1
A computer-implemented method for class load optimizing. The method identifies a class in which a context can be determined at a compile time, using a compiler. The method determines whether a caller method within the class has a specific signature call using the context of the class. The method determines a callee method within the class using the context of the class. The method determines whether the callee method's receiver is a first argument of the caller method. Furthermore, the method retrieves a class object of the class and converts the callee method to a second method, in response to the caller method having the specific signature, the callee method being of the specific signature and callee method being the first argument of the caller method.
US09471320B2
A method is shown that eliminates the need for a dedicated reorder buffer register bank or memory space in a multi level cache system. As data requests from the L2 cache may be returned out of order, the L1 cache uses it's cache memory to buffer the out of order data and provides the data to the requesting processor in the correct order from the buffer.
US09471312B2
A Load to Block Boundary instruction is provided that loads a variable number of bytes of data into a register while ensuring that a specified memory boundary is not crossed. The boundary is dynamically determined based on a specified type of boundary and one or more characteristics of the processor executing the instruction, such as cache line size or page size used by the processor.
US09471302B1
Data updates to a record created under a computer program that involve data values of interest to a different record created under a different computer program can be managed by computing an initial value based on the application of a function (such as a hash or checksum function) to identified data values of interest. A poll can be periodically performed to identify data updates. If an updated record is identified, a current value is computed based on the application of the function to the data values of interest associated with the updated record. The initial value is compared to the current value. If the values are determined to be different, the changes to the updated record are determined to involve changes to the data values of interest and the data values of interest are then transmitted to the different record.
US09471298B2
A control method executed by an information processing apparatus, the control method includes deleting an application that is installed in the information processing apparatus; displaying a locked screen for which operation is limited; displaying an unlocked screen indicating a confirmation request for confirming that the application is deleted, when an input for releasing the operation limit for the locked screen is detected; and releasing the operation limit for the screen, when a response for the confirmation request is received.
US09471295B2
The automatic installation and uninstallation of software modules on equipment on an aircraft. For each reference of an obtained list of references of software modules to be installed or uninstalled, resolution rules linked to an operation associated with the software module in question are identified. The rules comprise at least one reference to an operation of installing or uninstalling at least the software module in question and a list of actions to be performed. For each reference on the obtained list, a list of references of operations to be carried out is determined depending on the obtained list and the identified resolution rules. A list of actions to be performed is determined depending on the list of references of operations to be carried out and the identified resolution rules. At least one referenced action on the list of actions to be performed is executed by calling a specific software agent.
US09471285B1
Systems, methods, and computer program embodiments are disclosed for detecting third party software components in a software codebase. In an embodiment, a source file containing source code may be received at a server, and a code signature may be generated for the source file based on a determined structure of the source code. The generated code signature may then be compared to signatures stored in a reference database to identify matching third party software files. In an embodiment, the reference database may store a plurality of code signatures corresponding to third party software files. A list of the identified third party software files may be created and presented to a user.
US09471284B2
This invention provides an apparatus use environment with higher flexibility and convenience. To achieve this, in a program including the first program layer with an instruction set to be interpreted and executed by a processor and the second program layer with an instruction set compiled in advance by a unit other than the processor, this invention controls to perform communication between an external device and the first program layer via the second program layer. Based on information about the external device received from the external device via communication, display contents of a display screen for using a function of the external device, which are displayed in the first program layer, are controlled.
US09471283B2
A virtualized Application Program Interface (API) implementation is generated based upon narrative API documentation that includes sentences that describe the API, by generating programming statements for the virtualized API implementation based upon parsing the narrative API documentation, and generating the virtualized API implementation based on upon the programming statements for the virtualized API implementation. The parsing of the narrative documentation may use a natural language parser and a domain-specific ontology for the API that may be obtained or created for the API. The virtualized API implementation may be generated using an API virtualizer.
US09471277B2
Data measured by PS-OCT is corrected in a non-linear manner to enhance the quantitative analysis capability of PS-OCT and permit accurate quantitative diagnosis, including diagnosis of disease stage of lesions, as a useful means for computer diagnosis. Even when retardation per PS-OCT 1 contains error and becomes noise and its distribution is not normal or symmetrical around the true value, measured data is converted using a distribution conversion function obtained by analyzing the characteristics of noise via Monte Carlo simulation to remove the systematic error and estimate the true value otherwise buried in noise and thereby correct the PS-OCT 1 image more clearly.
US09471271B2
A method of performing audio synthesis has a first audio event input to an audio algorithm along with associated parameters. A synthesis algorithm accesses a soundbank to generate audio output. The soundbank has two or more levels for a first desired sound. A first level is associated with a first sample of a relatively chaotic waveform, and a second level is associated with a second sample of a relatively stable waveform. Parameter data is associated with one or more of the levels. The first sample and the second sample begin to sound at the same point in time in response to the first audio event. The audio output is based in part on the parameter data, and the second sample is continuously looped until a second audio event is detected.
US09471265B2
An image processing system includes: a translating unit that translates text contained in translation target data to be subjected to translation processing and acquires translation data; and a generating unit that generates image data containing the translation target data and translation image data in which the text of the translation target data is replaced with the translation data.
US09471263B2
In one example of the disclosure, a subscription is received. The subscription is to authorize a computing device to at least one of dispense or consume a subscription quantity of a resource. An authorization quantity of the resource is calculated according to a formula that considers a parameter attributable to the subscription. The authorization quantity is to authorize at least one of a dispensation or consumption of the resource at the device. The authorization quantity is sent to the device.
US09471259B2
A shared storage architecture is described for coordinating management of a shared storage between nodes of a network storage system. In various embodiments, the shared storage is partitioned into and different partitions are assigned to different nodes of the network storage system. The shared storage architecture provides techniques for asserting reservations on the shared storage, managing state of the shared storage, and implementing various configurations of the network storage system using the shared storage.
US09471252B2
For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computing storage environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and tiered levels of storage, and at a time in which at least one data segment is to be migrated from one level to another level of the tiered levels of storage, a data migration mechanism is initiated by copying data resident in the lower-speed cache corresponding to the at least one data segment to be migrated to a target on the another level, reading remaining data, not previously copied from the lower-speed cache, from a source on the one level, and writing the remaining data to the target, and subsequent to the reading and the writing of the remaining data, destaging updates corresponding to the at least one data segment from either the higher and lower speed caches to the target.
US09471250B2
The intermittent sampling of storage access frequency is performed by determining a duration of a collection window and a duration of an observation window within the collection window. A position of the observation window within the collection window is randomly selected, and frequencies of accesses of one or more storage objects during the observation window are observed. When a new access of a given storage object occurs, a delta time for the given storage object is calculated as the time of the observed access minus the timestamp of the most recent observed prior access of the given storage object. Optionally, the delta time of two sequential accesses of a given storage object in two different observation windows may be calculated as if the two different observation windows are immediately adjacent to each other.
US09471248B2
In one embodiment, a node coupled to one or more storage devices executes a storage input/output (I/O) stack having a volume layer, a persistence layer and an administration layer that interact to create a copy of a parent volume associated with a storage container on the one or more storage devices. A copy create start message is received at the persistence layer from the administration layer. The persistence layer ensures that dirty data for the parent volume is incorporated into the copy of the parent volume. New data for the parent volume received at the persistence layer during creation of the copy of the parent volume is prevented from incorporation into the copy of the parent volume. A reply to the copy create start message is sent from the persistence layer to the administration layer to initiate the creation of the copy of the parent volume at the volume layer.
US09471243B2
Various systems and methods for performing dynamic storage tiering in a virtual environment. For example, one method can involve identifying a location of a storage object within a virtual machine file, where the virtual machine file includes multiple storage objects. The method then involves detecting whether the storage object meets a criterion of a tiering policy. If the storage object meets the criterion, the storage object is moved from one tier of a multi-tier storage system to another tier of the multi-tier storage system.
US09471236B1
A memory module contains a set of contacts configured to contact a second set of contacts on a memory module connector when the memory module is removed from the connector. The contacts on the connector can be activated. The memory module is configured to erase data on the memory module in response to the set of contacts on the memory module contacting the set of contacts on the connector when the set of contacts on the connector is activated.
US09471233B1
Embodiments are described for named mounts in a virtual tape engine (VTE) system. A system maintains a file list of named volumes for each of the VTEs. When named mount requests are received, the system searches the file list for the named volume rather than searching through each of the file systems for each of the VTEs. When the volume name is found on a file list, the VTE for the volume name is identified and the mount request can be completed.
US09471223B2
A method for setting up and managing large numbers of storage volumes is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method enables a user to establish a volume class comprising various volume attributes. The method further enables the user to assign a volume or range of volumes to the volume class. Once the volume or range of volumes is assigned to the volume class, the method automatically sets up, without user invention, the volumes with the attributes designated for the volume class. When a new volume is assigned to the volume class, the method automatically sets up the new volume with the attributes of the volume class, including automatically calculating a VTOC size for the new volume based on VTOC sizes for volumes already assigned to the volume class. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09471221B2
Implementations described and claimed herein provide a method and system for managing execution of commands for a storage device, the method comprising determining a plurality of commands to be executed for the storage device and while a storage device is executing at least one command, determining an execution order for at least two of the plurality of commands. Alternate implementation described and claimed herein provide a computer readable memory for storing a data structure, the data structure comprising a cost table comprising a number of cells, each cell containing one or more cost values related to one of a plurality of traversals between two locations on a storage device wherein each of the plurality of traversals is related to completion of one of a plurality of commands and a benefit array comprising a number of cells, each cell containing a benefit value related to completion of one of the plurality of commands.
US09471220B2
In one example a computing device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor may be configured to output for display, a graphical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys. The at least one processor may be configured to receive an indication of an input detected at a presence-sensitive input device operatively coupled to the computing device; and responsive to receiving the indication, determine an input posture of the input, wherein the input posture represents an orientation of the computing device in relation to an input unit used to provide the input. The at least one processor may be configured to select, based at least in part on the input posture, a spatial model that is used for determining a probability that at least one of the one or more of the plurality of keys has been selected.
US09471218B2
An apparatus and method for control a size of a display region in a portable terminal. The method includes determining a size control amount based on touch information when a size change event occurs and controlling a size of the display region according to the size control amount.
US09471216B2
A mobile terminal having a circle type display and a method for controlling the same is disclosed herein. A scroll bar is provided at an edge of the circle type display in response to a user input. The user may control the mobile terminal and the circle type display through touch inputs on the scroll bar.
US09471209B2
Provided is a layout editing device, a layout editing method, and a recording medium. The layout editing device includes a layout editing unit editing a layout, which is displayed on an editing screen of a screen display unit, based on the instruction of a user, an image analysis unit performing image analysis of each of a plurality of images, a preference estimation unit estimating the preference of the user based on the layout editing result and the image analysis result, an image evaluation unit calculating the evaluation value of each of the plurality of images based on the preference of the user and the image analysis result, and an edit assisting unit displaying assist information, which is for assisting the editing work of the layout by the user, on the editing screen of the screen display unit based on the evaluation value of each of the plurality of images.
US09471208B2
The present invention relates to a method for positioning of control elements within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a control unit, the method comprising the steps of determining a plurality of functions, represented by a corresponding plurality of control elements, of a first electronic device to be controlled, positioning the plurality of control elements for the first electronic device at predefined positions within the GUI by rating the related functionality of each of the plurality of functions by comparing the rating with a predetermined priority definition of different positions within the GUI, and displaying the GUI Advantages with the invention comprises the possibility to dynamically and on-the-fly position control elements, e.g. buttons presented in GUI, based on a matching between rating of the functionality corresponding to the control elements and a rating of different positions within the GUI.
US09471205B1
A computer-implemented method provides a media accompaniment for an activity having a set of segments, and has computer processes including: receiving and storing a first user input, if provided, defining the set of segments for the activity; retrieving a set of media files that are appropriate for each of the defined segments; receiving and storing a second user input, if provided, defining a set of media files for each of the defined segments; receiving a third user input, if provided, defining a set of playback parameters for each of the defined media files; receiving a fourth user input signaling the beginning of the activity; and causing play back of the defined set of media files according to the defined set of playback parameters.
US09471197B2
A category search method and a mobile device adapted thereto are provided. The mobile device includes a display unit for displaying screens according to a search function, and a controller. The controller controls the display unit to output a first search bar of higher category items, according to a first touch event that occurs on a certain area of the display unit, and a second search bar including lower category items of an item on the first search bar where a second touch event occurs.
US09471191B2
A touch panel includes a substrate and a plurality of sensing units. The sensing units are disposed on the substrate. Each sensing unit includes two sensing bars respectively having a first end and a second end. The sensing bars extend along a direction and cross a touch region. The second end of one of the sensing bars of each sensing unit is configured for receiving a first signal respectively. The first ends of the sensing bars of each sensing unit are electrically connected to each other and configured to receive a second signal. The second end of the other one of the sensing bars of each sensing unit is configured to receive a third signal respectively.
US09471188B2
A liquid crystal display device with a touch panel includes: pixel electrodes which are disposed in each pixel disposed in a display region and to which a potential is applied depending on a gradation value; common electrodes which extend in one direction across the display region; detection electrodes which extend in a direction different from the one direction across the display region, form an electric capacitance with driving electrodes that are a part of the common electrodes, and detect a contact position on a panel; a liquid crystal layer that is formed by a liquid crystal composition in which an orientation is changed by an electric field formed by the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes; and a driving pulse output section that applies a driving pulse once to the driving electrodes for detecting contact within two successive horizontal synchronizing periods that are periods of display.
US09471183B1
A mobile device providing a mobile processing function such as a mobile telephone and/or a personal digital assistant. The mobile device includes a mobile device body, a processing system within the body providing at least part of the mobile processing function, a projector coupled to the body to project an image onto a substantially planar surface when the mobile device body is on the surface such that the projector projects at a predetermined angle relative to the surface, and a pen-location transcription system coupled to the processing system to record the positions of a writing implement or stylus at a plurality of instants of time by transmitting acoustic energy between the writing implement or stylus and a device mechanically coupled to the mobile device body.
US09471180B2
The present invention discloses an optical touch panel system and a positioning method for positioning an object in a touch control area. The system includes: at least two reflective elements respectively disposed on a first side and a second side of the touch control area, wherein the sum of lengths of the first side and the second side is larger than the sum of lengths of the two reflective elements; two lighting elements respectively disposed on a third side and a fourth side of the touch control area; an image sensor forming projected images by capturing an image of the object and at least one mirror image of the object formed by the two reflective elements; and a processor calculating the coordinates of the object according to geometric information of the projected images.
US09471178B2
An electronic device includes a touch panel that detects operation point coordinates of touch input by a user and a line-of-sight detection section that calculates the coordinates of a gaze point on the touch panel at which a line of sight of the user is directed in a specific time range from a time point of the touch input on the touch panel by the user. The electronic device further includes a line-of-sight correction area calculation section that calculates a line-of-sight correction area in a specific range from the coordinates of the gaze point on the touch panel. The electronic device also includes an operation coordinate line-of-sight correction section that a) changes the operation point coordinates to the coordinates of the gaze point if the operation point coordinates are within the line-of-sight correction area; and b) does not change the operation point coordinates if the operation point coordinates are not within the line-of-sight correction area.
US09471170B2
A touch screen including a housing, a display mounted in the housing, a plurality of collimating lenses mounted in the housing along two opposite edges of the display and arranged along the two edges so as to be shift-aligned relative to one another, a plurality of light pulse emitters mounted in the housing that are spaced apart from and transmit light pulses through the collimating lenses of one of the two edges over the display, a plurality of light pulse receivers mounted in the housing that are spaced apart from and receive the light pulses through the collimating lenses of the opposite of the two edges, and a calculating unit, mounted in the housing and connected to the receivers, that determines a location of a pointer on the display that partially blocks the light pulses transmitted by the emitters, based on outputs of the receivers.
US09471156B2
A CRT light pen emulating interface with power save and remote access for flat panel displays includes a pen flat panel display that indicates at least one of a user action with a light pen switch or other device and a presence of a light pen emulating object positioned on or proximate to a display surface of the electromagnetic pen flat panel display. A light pen emulating object is positioned proximate to the electromagnetic pen flat panel display. A processor generates a light pen emulation signal comprising position data for the light pen emulating object relative to the display surface of the electromagnetic flat panel display. A light pen CRT electronic interface converts the position data for the light pen emulating object into a corresponding signal that is comparable to a signal generated by a CRT light pen viewing a scanning dot on the CRT screen.
US09471153B1
The amount of power and processing needed to process gesture input for a computing device can be reduced by utilizing a separate gesture sensor. The gesture sensor can have a form factor similar to that of conventional camera elements, in order to reduce costs by being able to utilize readily available low cost parts, but can have a lower resolution and adjustable virtual shutter such that fast motions can be captured and/or recognized by the device. In some devices, a subset of the pixels of the gesture sensor can be used as a motion detector, enabling the gesture sensor to run in a low power state unless there is likely gesture input to process. Further, at least some of the processing and circuitry can be included with the gesture sensor such that various functionality can be performed without accessing a central processor or system bus, thus further reducing power consumption.
US09471143B2
Haptic feedback is used on a device to give a indications as to the location and/or function of user interface (UI) elements presented on the screen of the device.
US09471141B1
Systems and approaches are provided for presenting incoming notifications to a computing device based on a determined context of the computing device. Various sensors of the device can be used to determine the context of the device with respect to a user, the state of the device itself, or the context of the device with respect to the environment in which the device is situated. The user can then be informed of received notifications in a manner likely to get the user's attention while not being overly obtrusive to the user or others within the vicinity of the user.
US09471127B2
The present application relates to carrying out energy management based on context information. In the method, apparatus and system according to the application, a context vector (820) is used to select a operational state plurality of operational state vectors (825, 835). The plurality of operational state vectors are indicative of the state and/or energy consumption of different operational units in the corresponding context. The selected operational state vectors are then used together in adapting an operational state of the operational units according to the needs in the context (855). There is also a method and devices for forming a data structure (810) that can be used in the selection of the operational state vectors. The method can be used in the energy management of mobile devices, where the operational units are components of these devices and the context can include data from sensors. The method may use an associative memory such as a sparse distributed memory in storing operational state vectors.
US09471125B1
A microcoded processor that uses microinstructions to reduce power consumption utilizing low power consumption registers to store most recently retrieved data from a high power consumption control store; a control store in combination with an indirect register file to provide the micro-orders necessary for operation of the microcoded processor without extending the size of the microinstruction; and a microcode driven single clock cycle control to turn off circuitry when not needed.
US09471124B2
A portable energy management device, disposed between a power outlet and an appliance load when being used, includes a transmission module, a micro processing unit, a schedule module, and a power control circuit. The transmission module communicates with a remote control device by receiving or sending a wireless signal or a cable signal, through which schedule commands are transmitted. The micro processing unit performs analysis and identification of the appliance load, and information related to the appliance load is sent to the remote control device through the transmission module. The schedule module executed by the micro-processing unit stores and runs the schedule commands. The power control circuit is controlled by schedule commands to determine whether power should be supplied.
US09471118B2
A method is described that involves controlling the traffic levels through an uncore to provide thermal management for the uncore. The method including determining if an uncore's temperature in a first uncore state is above a first threshold value and changing the first uncore state to a second uncore state if the uncore temperature is above the first threshold value.
US09471112B2
A communication module including a latching protrusion and an operating unit for operating the latching protrusion and easily accessing the operating unit even in the case of high-density mounting is achieved. The communication module includes a case including a plug connector which is inserted into/pulled out from a receptacle connector provided on a motherboard, a latching protrusion which has a variable protrusion length from the case and which can be latched with and unlatched from a latching hole provided on the motherboard, and an operating unit which moves the latching protrusion toward inside of the case to unlatch the latching protrusion from the latching hole. An operating direction of the operating unit is a direction (X direction) orthogonal to both of an arranging direction of the communication module and other communication module adjacent thereto and an inserting/pulling-out direction of the plug connector.
US09471106B2
A computer apparatus includes a base and a display device. The base includes a first casing and a ferromagnetic unit fastened to the first casing. The display device includes a second casing having a connecting side portion and a magnetic unit. In a first use state, the connecting side portion of the second casing is adjacent to the first casing of the base, and an angle formed therebetween is adjustable. The magnetic unit is fastened to the connecting side portion of the second casing, and magnetically attracts ferromagnetic unit of the base, thereby permitting sliding of the display device relative to the base without separating therefrom.
US09471100B2
An electronic device includes a device body, a cover that is attached to the device body so as to face the device body, a contact portion that is formed with a side of the cover and is arranged at one end side in an orthogonal direction which is orthogonal to a direction in which the cover faces the device body, and a suppression portion that is formed with one end side in the orthogonal direction of the device body, suppresses release of the cover by contacting the contact portion when the cover is moved in a separation direction in which the one end side of the cover becomes separated from the device body, and allows release of the cover when the cover is rotated with the one end side as a supporting point so that the other end side in the orthogonal direction becomes separated from the device body.
US09471096B2
A handle including at least one fixing portion, a handheld portion and at least one rotating module is provided. The fixing portion is fixed at a side of a body of an electronic device. The handheld portion is pivotally disposed at the fixing portion. The rotating module includes a ratchet and a positioning ball. The ratchet has a plurality of differences, and the ratchet passes through a pivotal end of the handheld portion and fixes to the fixing portion, and the positioning ball is fixed to the pivotal end and corresponding to the ratchet. The positioning ball moves along the differences of the ratchet when the handheld portion rotates relative to the fixing portion, and the handheld portion is positioned after rotating relative to the fixing portion through the ratchet to a first position or a second position. An electronic device using the handle aforementioned is also provided.
US09471091B2
A method and a system are provided for speculative periodic synchronization. A phase value representing a measured phase of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal measured at least one cycle earlier is received. A period value representing a period of the second clock signal relative to the first clock signal measured at least one cycle earlier is also received. A reduced timing margin is determined based on the phase value and the period value. A speculatively synchronized output signal is generated based on the reduced timing margin.
US09471088B2
In an embodiment, a processor includes a core to execute instructions, where the core includes a clock generation logic to receive and distribute a first clock signal to a plurality of units of the core, a restriction logic to receive a restriction command and to reduce delivery of the first clock signal to at least one of the plurality of units. The restriction logic may cause the first clock signal to be distributed to the plurality of units at a lower frequency than a frequency of the first clock signal. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09471085B2
A pedal system for the generation of a force path having hysteresis when a pedal is actuated. The system includes a pedal that is supported such that it can pivot between at least a first position and a second position. The pedal has a sliding element having a sliding surface, as well as a bearing device having at least one friction surface for supporting the sliding surface of the sliding element. The bearing device is supported such that it can pivot about a bearing axle. The friction surface and the sliding surface are in contact with one another in a first contact section when the pedal is in the first position, and are in contact with one another in a second contact section when the pedal is in the second position. The first contact section and the second contact section have different lever arms to the bearing axle.
US09471083B2
A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) device is provided that includes a converter, having a switched mode topology, where the switched mode topology includes a boost topology that establishes a variable transfer ratio between a variable input voltage and a variable output voltage of the converter, where the switched mode topology changes according to a power load on a power generator. The MPPT device further includes a control section, where the control section maximizes an output power of the power generator by controlling the variable transfer ratio, where the MPPT device optimizes an electrical operating point, of the power generator.
US09471082B2
Described herein are methods and systems, including computer program products, for optimizing and controlling the energy consumption of a building. A computing device generates thermal response coefficients for the building based on energy characteristics of the building and weather data associated with the location of the building. The computing device an energy response for each of a plurality of different points in time based on the thermal response coefficients and forecasted weather conditions. The computing device selects minimal energy requirements based on an energy consumption cost. The computing device determines a series of temperature set points based on the corresponding energy response and the minimal energy requirements. The computing device transmits the series of temperature set points to a thermostat, which adjusts operating parameters using each series of temperature set points when a time value matches the point in time associated with each series of temperature set points.
US09471080B2
A central site, using grid operator requirements to reduce portfolio power according to frequency decreases within a frequency band, determines the optimal frequency triggers at which each load within a portfolio should reduce power and by how much power. Power availability of each load is optimized. These triggers and individual load power reductions are periodically dispatched from the central site to the individual loads. Each load detects when a frequency deviation occurs and is able to independently and rapidly reduce its power consumption according to the triggers and corresponding power reductions it received previous to the frequency deviation. Reliance upon the central site to detect a frequency deviation and then to dispatch power reductions in real time is not needed. The system also detects frequency increases and directs a portfolio of loads to consume more power. The system applies to energy loads and detection of a grid signal in general.
US09471079B2
A method with function parameter setting and an integrated circuit using the same are provided. The integrated circuit includes a function pin coupled to an external setting unit, a switch unit, and first and second function adjustment circuits. The first function adjustment circuit includes first and second current sources. The second function adjustment circuit detects a percentage of a divided voltage at the function pin, to provide a reference value and to set a second function parameter. The first function adjustment circuit uses the first current source to detect a first voltage detecting value at the function pin, and compares the first voltage detecting value with a default value. The switch unit switches the first and second current sources according to a compare result. The present invention adopts an integrated circuit for switching a plurality of current sources and detections, and may determine more resistance value setting intervals.
US09471070B2
An apparatus may include at least one sensor and a transmitter coupled to the at least one sensor and configured send data to a gateway through a wireless communication link. The apparatus may further include a solar cell configured to provide power to the at least one sensor and the transmitter. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include an adhesive backing configured to secure the apparatus to a structure.
US09471057B2
A computer program product and method for performing position control on device members that have been identified as defective. The method may include providing a storage medium that stores data and programs used in processing images and a processing unit that processes the images, receiving, by the processing unit from an image capture device coupled to the processing unit, a set of images of a plurality of members inside of a device, detecting, by the processing unit, a defect in a first member of the plurality of members, and providing instructions to move the first member to an inspection position in the device. The device may be an engine and the members may be blades within the engine.
US09471055B2
A servo control device having a position control unit and a speed control unit to control a front end point of a machine of a machine tool, comprising: a position detecting unit for detecting a position of a motor; a first position error calculating unit for calculating a first position error based on a position command to a motor and position feedback from the position detecting unit; a torsion estimating unit for estimating an amount of torsion of the front end point of the machine; a second position error calculating unit for adding the first position error and estimated amount of torsion to calculate a second position error; a coefficient adapting unit for determining a coefficient of feedforward control so as to minimize the second position error; and a higher order feedforward control unit for performing feedforward control by using the determined coefficient and the position command.
US09471048B2
A system for managing accessing to a locking device is disclosed. A group of users can register with a social networking service and an access management application hosted by the social networking service. A first user can grant, to a second user connected to the first user, access to the locking device and contents thereof. The access management application can notify the second user of the access, and the second user can initialize a mobile application on a mobile device. The mobile application can synchronize with the access management application to verify credentials of the second user. The second user can use the mobile device to connect, via a short-range communication connection, to the locking device and open the locking device.
US09471047B2
This disclosure discloses a motor control apparatus including a current conversion part, a voltage control part, a current detection part, and a current estimation part. The current conversion part generates a voltage command on the basis of a current deviation between a current command and an estimated current. The voltage control part controls an output voltage to a motor. The current detection part detects a motor current. The current estimation part inputs the detected motor current and the voltage command and outputs the motor current in which an influence by a disturbance has been compensated for as the estimated current.
US09471039B2
A watch having gears for observation, including: a watch body; a hand assembly having a second hand, a minute hand or an hour hand to be rotated at a surface of the watch body so as to display a time; gears for observation independently and rotatably provided at one end of the had assembly and to be rotated in a rotation process of the hand assembly; and a driving gear assembly provided at one side of the outside or the inside of the watch body and engaged with the gears for observation. The present invention can utilize the watch as a studying material through the gears for observation which are independently rotated according to the rotation of the hand assembly such as the second hand and the like.
US09471026B2
A light guide member has a transmitting/reflecting portion transmitting and reflecting light that is emitted from a light source, to enter one end of the light guide member in a longitudinal direction, and be guided to the other end of the light guide member so that the light is applied to: a position between the developing roller and the transfer roller on the image carrier on a downstream side in the traveling direction of the transfer target member; and a position between the transfer roller and the cleaning portion on the image carrier on an upstream side in the traveling direction of the transfer target member. Furthermore, the light guide member has a convex portion having an arc-shaped cross section and being formed outward at a position opposing the transmitting/reflecting portion in a part of a predetermined specific region at one end or both ends in the longitudinal direction.
US09471021B2
An image forming apparatus includes a multi-color misalignment calculator that calculates an amount of multi-color misalignment of multiple color misalignment detection test pattern images based on position readings outputted by multiple test pattern image detectors, an image formation condition adjusting unit that adjusts an image formation condition of the image forming apparatus in accordance with the amount of multi-color misalignment of the multiple color misalignment detection test pattern images calculated by the multi-color misalignment calculator, and a process control unit that initiates a first multi-color misalignment correction control mode including a skew misalignment correction process and a second multi-color misalignment correction control mode excluding the skew misalignment correction process to correct multi-color misalignment of the multiple color misalignment detection test pattern images. A memory stores the amount of skew misalignment calculated by the multi-color misalignment calculator when the process control unit initiates the second multi-color misalignment correction control mode.
US09471017B2
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention can switch a fixing nip portion between a pressurized state and a pressure released state by rotating a cam via a first engagement portion provided in a fixing unit, and a second engagement portion provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus, in which a difference between a phase of the cam in the pressurized state and a phase of the cam in the pressure released state is 180°, and the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion engage with each other when the fixing unit is mounted on the main body regardless of whether the fixing nip portion is in the pressurized state or the pressure released state.
US09471007B2
A developer container includes an accommodating portion accommodating developer and is provided with an opening, a shutter member for opening and closing the opening, a projection for moving the shutter member, and a guiding portion for guiding the projection. When the projection is pushed in a pushing direction, the projection is moved in a direction different from the pushing direction by being guided by the guiding portion in contact with the guiding portion and thereafter is moved in the pushing direction, thereby to move the shutter member to open the opening.
US09470997B2
A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.
US09470989B2
A conductive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a first metal oxide particle, a second metal oxide particle, and a binder material. The first metal oxide particle is a zinc oxide particle or tin oxide particle coated with tin oxide doped with phosphorus, tungsten, fluorine, niobium, or tantalum, and the second metal oxide particle is a tin oxide particle doped with an element selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, tungsten, fluorine, niobium, and tantalum, the element being the same as the element with which the tin oxide of the first metal oxide particle is doped. The conductive layer satisfies formulae (1) and (2) 2≦{(V2/VT)/(V1/VT)}×100≦25 formulae (1): 15≦{(V1/VT)+(V2/VT)}×100≦45 formulae (2).
US09470985B2
A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a sensor. The sensor (S) comprises a photodiode (2) provided on a face (8) of a semiconductor substrate (4) towards which the radiation beam is directed during operation of the lithographic apparatus, a first radiation blocking material (10) being provided around the photodiode on the face of the semiconductor substrate, and a second radiation blocking material (12) is provided on a side (14) of the semiconductor substrate upon which the radiation beam is incident during operation of the lithographic apparatus.
US09470981B2
Optics, such as, for example, microlithographic projection exposure apparatus illumination optics, as well as related systems, methods, components and devices are disclosed.
US09470976B2
A photoresist composition includes a first polymer in which at least half of the repeat units are photoacid-generating repeat units, and a second polymer that exhibits a change in solubility in an alkali developer under the action of acid. In the first polymer, each of the photoacid-generating repeat units comprises photoacid-generating functionality and base-solubility-enhancing functionality.
US09470975B2
The present specification relates to a photoresist resin composition, a touch panel including a bezel pattern manufactured by using the photoresist resin composition, and a display device including the bezel pattern manufactured by using the photoresist resin composition.
US09470973B2
The present invention relates to TFT LCD array positioning mark designing and manufacturing methods. The TFT LCD array positioning mark manufacturing method includes: (1) forming a passivation layer of TFT LCD array; (2) providing a mask corresponding to the passivation layer, the mask comprising a passivation layer positioning mark that corresponds to a metal positioning mark of the TFT LCD array; and (3) using the mask to form a corresponding passivation layer positioning mark on the passivation layer. The TFT LCD array positioning mark designing method includes: forming a passivation layer positioning mark on a passivation layer of an TFT LCD array to correspond to a metal positioning mark of the TFT LCD array. The present invention provides TFT LCD array positioning mark designing and manufacturing method, wherein a passivation layer positioning mark that is designed and manufactured with them shows a pattern that is more stable and is not susceptible to deformation so as to eliminate the problem of positioning failure of the metal positioning mark occurring in the cell and module processes.
US09470966B2
The present invention is concerning an image projection apparatus comprising: a projecting unit that projects and displays on a projection surface each image in a time sharing manner for each of a plurality of color components, for an input image signal; a shooting unit that shoots a projected image on the projection surface; a shoot control unit that makes the shooting unit perform the shooting, when a detection mode of a irradiation point at which light is irradiated from an irradiation device on the projection surface is set, in timing shifted by a certain amount of time from a synchronized state to time sharing timing of each color component in the projecting unit; and an irradiation-point-position detecting unit that detects, from a projected image projected by the projecting unit, a position of the irradiation point on the image.
US09470965B2
A projection system includes a projection lens, an image modulation device, a light-guiding rod and two light sources. The light-guiding rod is defined with an axial direction and has a first end and a second end. The first end has a transmission surface and a reflection surface. The ratios of the widths of the transmission and reflection surfaces to the panel width of the image modulation device are 0.13˜0.35. The lights of the first and second light sources are incident into the light-guiding rod through the transmission surface and onto a first side surface and reflected into the light-guiding rod through the first reflection surface, respectively. The light-guiding rod homogenizes the incident lights and transmits the homogenized light to the image modulation device through the second end thereby forming an image light. The projection lens projects the image light.
US09470959B2
A photo booth with an improved lighting system may comprise a light reflecting element, a rear wall panel, and a side wall panel positioned to form a booth interior chamber which may function as an enclosure configured to receive one or more subjects. A camera may be positioned to the front of the booth and directed to take images of the booth interior chamber. A light source may be positioned at a location above the camera and oriented to direct an initial burst of light downward towards a portion of the light reflecting element positioned above the camera.
US09470953B2
An optical switch (10) is capable of routing a high-power beam incident at one or more input ports (12) of the optical switch to either of two or more output ports (14,16), the optical switch comprising: at least one switching stage, each of the at least one switching stages comprising: a switchable high-power liquid crystal (LC) half-wave plate (HWP), oriented with its fast axis at 45° to an input polarization direction such that in response to an incident polarized laser beam provided to said switchable high-power liquid crystal, half-wave plate, said HWP acts as a polarization rotator; and a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) disposed in an optical path to intercept light signals output from said switchable high-power liquid crystal (LC) half wave plate (HWP).
US09470949B2
Embodiments of the present invention relates to an electrophoretic display (EPD) device and a method for manufacturing the EPD device. The EPD device includes an electrophoretic substrate and a drive substrate arranged opposite to each other and a plurality of microcups disposed between the electrophoretic substrate and the drive substrate, each microcup includes a cup body for defining an accommodating space; a thickness of the cup body on one side of the microcup closer to the electrophoretic substrate is less than a thickness of the cup body on one side of the microcup closer to the drive substrate; and a cup surface of the microcup is a cambered surface which is away from a vertical central axis of the microcup and concave towards the cup body.
US09470942B2
The present invention provides a pixel structure and a liquid crystal panel having the pixel structure. The pixel structure includes a plurality of sub pixel units, a plurality of data lines respectively supplying data signals to the sub pixel units, and a black matrix (8) arranged to correspond to the data lines and the sub pixel units. The plurality of sub pixel units is arranged in multiple columns of which two adjacent columns of the sub pixel units are sequentially grouped and defined as a sub-pixel-unit-column pair (20). Each of the sub-pixel-unit-column pairs (20) shows mirror symmetry. The data lines are respectively arranged in the sub-pixel-unit-column pairs (20). The black matrix (8) includes first portions (82) located above the data lines, second portions (84) each located between two adjacent ones of the first portions (82), and third portions (86) respectively and perpendicularly connected to opposite ends of the first portions (82) and the second portions (84). The first portions (82) have a width that is greater than the width of the second portions (84).
US09470934B2
A liquid crystal display includes: a lower panel electrode including a lower panel unit electrodes; an upper panel electrode including an upper panel unit electrodes facing the lower panel unit electrodes; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower panel electrode and the upper panel electrode, in which the lower panel unit electrode includes a stem portion which defines a boundary between a plurality of sub-regions therein, a center pattern disposed at a center of the stem portion and in which overlaps the sub-regions, and a plurality of micro branch portions which extends from the center pattern, where extending directions of the micro branch portions in different regions are different from each other, and an end portion of the micro branch portions is extended in a direction different from an extending direction thereof.
US09470922B2
A display device is equipped with a proximity touch panel that detects coming into proximity or contact of a detection target; a position detection unit that detects position coordinates of the detection target whose coming into proximity or contact has been detected, the position coordinates consisting of coordinates in the X and Y directions and a coordinate in the Z direction; a display unit on which the touch panel is placed; a direction judgment unit that judges a direction of the detection target on the basis of the detected position coordinates; and a display control unit for controlling the display unit to perform a display so that a part of display contents of the display unit which would otherwise be hidden by the detection target is prevented from being hidden, on the basis of the direction of the direction-judged detection target.
US09470921B2
A display device includes a display panel, a backlight unit that provides a light to the display panel, a bottom cover that accommodates a portion of the backlight unit, and a chassis frame coupled to the bottom cover and supporting the display panel.
US09470920B2
The present invention provides a mold frame for curved displaying and a curved liquid crystal display device using the mold frame. The mold frame for curved displaying includes two opposite first side frame members (11) and two opposite second side frame members (13) respectively mounted to two ends of the two first side frame members (11). Each of the first side frame members (11) includes a plurality of first engagement slots (115) and open notches (117) between two adjacent ones of the first engagement slots (115) formed therein. The first engagement slots (115) receive and are coupled to the first projection blocks (211) of the curved backplane the first side plates (21). The first side frame members (11) are made of an elastic plastic material. The first side frame members (11) show a flat and straight configuration before being assembled to a curved backplane and show a curved configuration after being assembled to the curved backplane. The mold frame for curved displaying has a simple structure is easy to design, manufacture, and inspect so as to help improve product yield rate and reduce manufacture costs.
US09470918B2
There is provided a liquid crystal display unit including a liquid crystal panel for modulating light; a light shielding plate for controlling light not to be incident on areas other than an effective pixel area of the liquid crystal panel; an optical compensation element arranged at sides on which the light is incident in the liquid crystal panel and the light shielding plate; and an optical compensation element holder for holding the optical compensation element to be spaced from the light shielding plate and not to contact other members.
US09470916B2
An array substrate is disclosed. The array substrate includes a display area, and a driving circuit arranged around the display area. The driving circuit includes a plurality of TFTs, and at least one of the TFTs includes a first sub-TFT and a second sub-TFT. In addition, the first sub-TFT is electrically connected to the second sub-TFT via a first bridge, and the first bridge includes a transparent conductive material.
US09470912B2
A method for manufacturing Q-switches includes coating a first Z-surface and second Z-surface of an oriented slab of a chemically reducible electro-optic lithium compound crystal (LC slab) with a condensed material including an active chemical operable once activated to chemically reduce the LC. The LC slab with condensed material thereon is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature above an activating temperature of the condensed material. The LC slab is cooled to a temperature below a quenching temperature below which re-oxidization of the LN slab is inhibited. A finishing process is performed including cutting the LC slab of LC into a plurality of Q-switch devices each having a chemically reduced LC substrate, and forming metal electrodes on opposing sides of the LC substrates that are orthogonal to the Z-surfaces, and coating the Z-surfaces with an antireflective (AR) coating material.
US09470911B2
Systems and methods for creating fully custom products from scratch without exclusive use of off-the-shelf or pre-specified components. A system for creating custom products includes an image capture device for capturing image data and/or measurement data of a user. A computer is communicatively coupled with the image capture device and configured to construct an anatomic model of the user based on the captured image data and/or measurement data. The computer provides a configurable product model and enables preview and automatic or user-guided customization of the product model. A display is communicatively coupled with the computer and displays the custom product model superimposed on the anatomic model or image data of the user. The computer is further configured to provide the customized product model to a manufacturer for manufacturing eyewear for the user in accordance with the customized product model. The manufacturing system is configured to interpret the product model and prepare instructions and control equipment for the manufacturing of the customized product.
US09470905B1
A device that shifts some weight of eyeglasses from the bridge of a wearer's nose to the wearer's ears using a pair of novel glider comfort assemblies and a pair of flexible plastic semi-circular pieces that are placed on the ears of the wearer. Use of this device may avoid headaches and prevent discomfort such as nasal congestion and other maladies that can result directly from the eyeglass placing undo pressure on the bridge of the nose.
US09470904B2
Provided is a zoom lens, including, in order from an object side to an image side: a positive first lens unit; a negative second lens unit; a positive third lens unit; a fourth lens unit having one of positive and negative refractive powers; and an aperture stop arranged one of between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, within the third lens unit, and between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit. In the zoom lens, a shift image stabilizing unit configured to be moved in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis to perform image blur correction and a tilt image stabilizing unit configured to be rotated with one of a point on the optical axis and a point near the optical axis as a rotation center to perform image blur correction are arranged in appropriate positions, respectively.
US09470893B2
A head-mountable display device includes a head-mountable frame defining an eye display position which, in use, is positioned in front of an eye of the user. The device also includes a reflective element mounted with respect to the eye display position and comprising a reflective surface which, in use, is visible to the user's eye. The device further includes a mobile device holder configured to hold a mobile device at a location and orientation on the frame. The reflective surface is configured to reflect light incident thereupon to form a reflected image. The location and orientation in which the mobile device is held relative to a location and orientation of the reflective surface are such that light arriving from the mobile device screen held in the holder is reflected by the surface so that a reflected image of at least a portion of the screen is visible to the user.
US09470890B2
A fogless mirror assembly includes a mirror enclosure and a water reservoir configured to be removably coupled to the mirror enclosure. The mirror enclosure includes a mirror and a frame defining an internal cavity having a water inlet and a water drain. The water reservoir defines a fluid cavity and includes a water outlet and an outlet valve configured to automatically open the water outlet when the water reservoir is coupled to the mirror enclosure such that a volume of water flows from the fluid cavity, into the internal cavity through the water inlet, and exits the internal cavity through the water drain to transfer thermal energy from the water to the mirror thereby increasing the temperature of the mirror from a starting temperature to at least approximately a dew point of water vapor proximate to mirror.
US09470888B2
The disclosure provides a driving apparatus, a driving method thereof, and a scanning mirror. The scanning mirror includes an accumulator unit and a processor unit. The accumulator unit receives and adds up a frequency control word and a first accumulation value to generate a second accumulation value. The processor unit coupled to the accumulator unit receives the second accumulation value. The processor unit generates a driving signal according the second accumulation value and the preset value and adjusts the second accumulation value for outputting the first accumulation value.
US09470887B2
A color wheel is suitable for being disposed at a transmission path of an illumination beam emitted from a light source of a projection device. The color wheel includes a disc. The disc is suitable for rotating with respect to an axis. The disc has a non-light converting region and a light converting region. The disc has a first reference surface and a second reference surface opposite to the first reference surface. The disc has a plurality of first disturbing portions and a plurality of second disturbing portions. The first disturbing portions are located at the first reference surface and in the non-light converting region. The second disturbing portions are located at the second reference surface and in the non-light converting region. The first disturbing portions and the second disturbing portions are structurally continuous relative to the disc.
US09470880B2
A position detecting apparatus includes: a scale having pattern arrays having different cycles of a mover, a sensor detecting phase signals having different cycles based on the scale depending on a position of the mover; a signal processor generating and outputting displacement signals based on the phase signals by switching the displacement signals at a cycle; a detector detecting a speed of the mover based on at least one displacement signal; an absolute calculator deriving the position of the mover based on displacement signals; and a relative calculator deriving a displacement amount with respect to a predetermined position based on a selected displacement signal, wherein the position is calculated by the absolute calculator when the mover moves slow, and when the mover moves fast, the position of the mover is calculated based on an absolute position of the mover obtained in advance and the displacement amount the relative calculator obtained.
US09470879B2
An optical imaging system, including a fixed lens group, a movable lens group, a first reflective optical element, a second reflective optical element, and an imaging surface. The movable lens group is driven to move by a driving mechanism. The first reflective optical element is disposed at one end of an object space and the second reflective optical element is disposed at one end of an image space. The imaging surface is disposed at one side of the second reflective optical element to receive emergent rays from the second reflective optical element.
US09470878B2
A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side to the image side, a positive first lens unit, a negative second lens unit, a positive third lens unit, and a positive fourth lens unit. The lens units move during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end. The first lens unit consists of three or less lenses. The second lens unit consists of four or less lenses. The third lens unit consists of four or less lenses. The fourth lens unit consists of two or less lenses. The lateral magnification β3w of the third lens unit at the wide angle end, the lateral magnification β3t of the third lens unit at the telephoto end, the focal length f3 of the third lens unit, and the focal length ft of the entire system at the telephoto end are determined appropriately.
US09470877B2
An image capturing optical lens assembly includes six lens elements, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface. The third lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface. The sixth lens element has an aspheric object-side surface and an aspheric concave image-side surface, and the sixth lens element has at least one inflection point on the image-side surface thereof.
US09470875B2
An image pickup device includes a photographing optical system having a central optical system disposed at a central region and a circular optical system disposed at an outer portion of the central optical system which are arranged along the same optical axis, a directional sensor having plural pixels including two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric conversion elements, the directional sensor including plural pixels for selectively receiving light beams of light fluxes which are incident via the central optical system and the circular optical system by applying pupil division, an image readout device that acquires from the directional sensor each of an image signal representing a first image received via the central optical system and an image signal representing a second image received via the circular optical system.
US09470863B2
The present invention achieves a way of mounting plural optical modules onto a wiring board more simply and more densely. There is provided an optical module assembly for mounting plural optical modules onto a wiring board. The optical module assembly includes the optical modules to which optical wiring has been connected and a module case to accommodate the optical modules. The optical modules and the module case are unified. The module case is provided with a floating mechanism for making the optical modules floating, when accommodated therein. The floating mechanism is comprised of plate springs or the like.
US09470862B2
An optical transmission device includes: a first cage and a second cage provided in parallel on a top surface of a substrate, into which modules connectable to an optical transmission path are inserted, respectively; a first heat sink including: a first main body arranged along surfaces of the first cage and the second cage at the opposite side to the substrate, and a first plate member rising from a bottom surface of the first main body which faces the substrate, and arranged between the first cage and the second cage.
US09470860B2
An optical communications module is provided that has improved heat dissipation, signal integrity and/or EMI shielding solutions. The heat dissipation solution thermally decouples the light source driver circuitry from the light source such that heat generated by the light source driver circuitry does not increase the temperature of the light source to the point that its performance is degraded. The heat dissipation solution may also include convective heat transfer features for further improving heat dissipation. The EMI solution includes features that increase the number of contact points between the outer surface of the module housing and EMI fingers of a cage that receives the module. The signal integrity solution includes features that reduce inductive coupling to improve impedance matching between electrical interconnections, thereby improving signal integrity.
US09470855B1
A multi-chip module (MCM) is described. This MCM includes two substrates that are passively self-assembled on another substrate using hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials on facing surfaces of the substrates and liquid surface tension as the restoring force. In particular, regions with a hydrophilic material on the two substrates overlap regions with the hydrophilic material on the other substrate. These regions on the other substrate may be surrounded by a region with a hydrophobic material. In addition, spacers on a surface of at least one of the two substrates may align optical waveguides disposed on the two substrates, so that the optical waveguides are coplanar. This fabrication technique may allow low-loss hybrid optical sources to be fabricated by edge coupling the two substrates. For example, a first of the two substrates may be a III/V compound semiconductor and a second of the two substrates may be a silicon-on-insulator photonic chip.
US09470854B2
A method to determine a position of a lens that concentrates an optical beam on an inclined end surface of an optical fiber is disclosed. The method first determines two positions at which optical power output from the lens and measured through a multi-mode fiber becomes a maximum on respective virtual plane apart from the lens; then, calculates the direction or the angle of the optical beam output from the lens, and moves the lens so as to compensate a deviation of the calculated direction from the designed direction.
US09470853B2
A method of manufacturing an optical transmission module includes temporary disposing, measuring, and placing steps. The temporary disposing step includes temporarily disposing a light-emitting-element receptacle over a mounting substrate so that a lens of the light-emitting-element receptacle and a light emitting element array face each other. The measuring step includes measuring the position of a light spot at which light emitted from the light-emitting element array emerges from the emergence surface of the light-emitting-element receptacle. The placing step includes placing the light-emitting-element receptacle over the mounting substrate on the basis of information on the position of a designed intersection point of the optical axis of an optical cable with the emergence surface of the light-emitting-element receptacle, and information on the position of the light spot.
US09470851B2
A fiber optic connector holder is sized to fit within an opening for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to permit a fiber optic connector with a dust cap positioned about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule to be inserted within and releasably held by the connector holder. A system for holding fiber optic connectors includes a fiber optic connector holder mounted within an opening in a bulkhead for mounting a fiber optic adapter. The fiber optic connector holder is configured to receive a fiber optic connector with a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule. An optical fiber connector may be held to a bulkhead when the fiber optic connector includes a dust cap mounted about a ferrule and a polished end face of an optical fiber held by the ferrule.
US09470844B1
A low loss high extinction ratio on-chip polarizer has at bi-layer optical taper with an input port of width W1 that communicates with a mode squeezer, followed by an S-bend (or dump bend), and finally a taper having an output port of width W1. The illumination that passes through the low loss high extinction ratio on-chip polarizer has a TM0 mode converted to a TE1 mode which is lost in the mode squeezer and S-bend section, while an input TE0 mode is delivered at the output as a substantially pure TE0 signal of nearly undiminished intensity.
US09470841B2
Multicore optical fibers that include between two and ten multimode cores surrounded by a cladding matrix and symmetrically arranged about a fiber axis are disclosed, with no core running along the fiber axis. The cores include a trench to stabilize delays of the higher order modes, which tend to propagate faster than do the central modes due to the amount of power at the core-clad interface. The trench also suppresses crosstalk and power leakage. The core configuration promotes efficient optical alignment and optical coupling with other multicore optical fibers or light sources, such as VSCEL and silicon-photonics light sources.
US09470836B2
A display device includes a display panel, a backlight module and a reel. The backlight module faces the display panel and includes a light transmissive region, a light emitting region and a peripheral region, in which the peripheral region is disposed between the light transmissive region and the light emitting region. The light transmissive region includes a first edge extending along a first direction and a second edge extending along a second direction. The backlight module includes a first brightness enhancing film including first microstructures arranged along the first direction. The first microstructures that pass through the peripheral region without connecting to the first edge have less light gathering efficiency than the first microstructures that only pass through the light emitting region. The reel faces the light transmissive region, and the display panel and the reel are respectively located on opposing sides of the backlight module.
US09470833B1
The present invention discloses a backlight module including a solar collector, a number of fibers, a light bar, an optical mixing block and a light guide plate. Each of the fibers includes a light incident end and a light output end. The solar light collector traces the sun and collects the solar light. The light incident ends are connected to the solar light collector and transmits the collected solar light to the light output end. The light bar includes a number of point light sources. The point light sources and the light output ends of the fibers are set on the light bar. The solar light collected by the solar light collector enters the optical mixing block to mix via the light output ends of the fibers and emits into the light guide plate to be spread as an even surface light source.
US09470831B2
An illumination apparatus for illuminating an image bearing surface, comprising including an end-coupled illuminator comprising a light pipe having a first end face, a lateral surface and an illuminator longitudinal axis, a first light source (e.g., an LED) arranged to emit first light into the light pipe through the first end face, and a plurality of extractors disposed at selected locations along the illuminator longitudinal axis each adapted to deflect a corresponding portion of the first light from the light pipe though the lateral surface. The apparatus also includes a diffuser positioned to receive the portions of the first light and diffuse the portions of the first light in the direction of the illuminator longitudinal axis. The illumination apparatus may be included in a copier or a printer.
US09470825B2
A color filter array includes a plurality of color filters having different center frequencies and each formed of static metal structures and an insulator, a first common electrode formed across the plurality of color filters, a second common electrode opposed to the first common electrode, separated from the static metal structures of the plurality of color filters by the insulator, and formed across the plurality of color filters, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage between the first common electrode and the second common electrode and change charge density on the surfaces of the static metal structures to thereby simultaneously change the center frequencies of the plurality of color filters.
US09470811B2
A method is described for of creating a high-resolution velocity model of a geological medium that includes generating a long-wavelength anisotropic velocity model using tomographic inversion of seismic data gathers and combining the long-wavelength velocity model with an attenuation model. The method further includes performing prestack depth migration on the seismic data gathers using the long-wavelength velocity and attenuation model to produce seismic image gathers, applying a dip-consistent filter to the seismic image gathers, and transforming the filtered seismic image gathers to the time domain. The method further includes generating a full-band impedance model by performing impedance inversion of the time-domain filtered seismic image gathers using the long-wavelength velocity and attenuation model. The full-band impedance or velocity model is calibrated in the frequency domain in a manner independent of the spatial coordinates. The full-band impedance or velocity model is used for detecting fluid pressure anomalies in the geological medium.
US09470806B2
An accelerometer. At least some of the example embodiments include an accelerometer having a first piezoelectric element having a first polarization, the first piezoelectric element defining an upper surface and a second piezoelectric element having a second polarization, the second piezoelectric element defines a lower surface parallel to the upper surface of the first piezoelectric element; the first polarization being aligned with the second polarization. The accelerometer further includes a first mounting plate that defines a first aperture, the first and second piezoelectric elements extending through the first aperture such that the first mounting plate transects the first and second piezoelectric elements. The piezoelectric elements define a first cantilever portion on a first side of the first mounting plate, and the piezoelectric elements define a second cantilever portion on a second side of the first mounting plate opposite the first side.
US09470803B2
An X-ray detector may include: a thin film transistor (TFT) unit; and/or a capacitor unit. The capacitor unit may include two or more storage capacitors. The TFT unit may include: a gate electrode on one region of a substrate; a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode; an active layer on the gate insulating layer; and/or a source electrode and a drain electrode respectively on sides of the active layer.
US09470800B2
A radiation imaging apparatus includes a pixel array having pixels including conversion elements and switching elements, a bias line for supplying a bias potential to the conversion elements; driving lines for supplying a signal to control the switching elements, a driving unit for performing an initialization operation of supplying a driving signal to each driving line group, switching each driving signal from an OFF voltage to an ON voltage, and then returning the driving signal to the OFF voltage; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of times in each driving cycle a signal value representing a current flowing through the bias line; a calculation unit configured to calculate radiation information based on the signal values; and a determination unit configured to determine whether irradiation of the pixel array with radiation is present based on the radiation information.
US09470798B2
This application discloses a GNSS rover having a data receiver, a position processor and a vector error reverser. The data receiver receives GNSS position-determination reference data based on a reference erroneous position having one or more keyed intentional errors made confidential with confidential error keys. The position processor uses the GNSS position-determination reference data to determine a rover erroneous position corresponding to the reference erroneous position. The vector error reverser uses confidential access to at least one confidential error key to reverse the corresponding confidential keyed intentional error in the rover erroneous position to determine a subscribed rover position.
US09470794B1
An aircraft collision warning system includes an optical detection system has a toroidal and conical field of view about the aircraft to detect near objects. The detection system utilizes thermal detection in a passive mode. Optionally, the detection system also includes radio frequency (RF) elements to form a directional radar for improved object detection confidence. The radar is used in either a passive or active mode. The detection system includes a detector array to detect light from the toroidal-shaped and conical-shaped airspace. Data from the detector array is accumulated and analyzed for objects. Upon object detection, the object is tracked, kinetically assessed for collision with the aircraft, and reported to the pilot and/or auto-pilot system. The detection system is configured as a non-cooperative system that stares into the toroidal and conical field of view.
US09470790B2
A collision determination device includes a radar detection unit that detects an object in front of a vehicle by a radar wave, an image detection unit that images in front of the vehicle and detects the object by the imaged image, and a collision determination unit that determines a collision between the vehicle and the object based on a combined target generated using a detection result of the radar detection unit and a detection result of the image detection unit. The collision determination unit performs collision determination with a speed of the object in the traveling direction of the vehicle as zero when the vehicle decelerates.
US09470784B2
Each antenna system processor performs coherent integration on a prescribed number of correlation values between a reception signal and a transmission code. A correlation matrix generator generates a correlation matrix on the basis of coherent integration values. A distance estimator estimates a distance to a target. A direction vector storage is stored with direction vectors each of which includes an azimuth component with respect to a target and an elevation angle component of a line connecting a transmission antenna and the target in which a prescribed direction is used as a reference. An incoming direction estimator estimates a signal incoming direction from the target using the correlation matrix and the direction vectors in which the elevation angle component range is restricted on the basis of the distance to the target.
US09470783B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for obtaining a radar signal, the apparatus including a radar transmitter to radiate a plurality of split band penetration signals toward a target object, and a radar receiver to receive a plurality of signals reflected from the target object, and to obtain a wideband response signal using the plurality of reflected signals.
US09470775B1
A method for localizing signals of interest includes initializing characteristics of the signals. Signals are acquired from a sensor array having at least three acoustic sensors. After digitization and conditioning, the signals associated with each sensor are validated by comparison with initialized characteristics. The signals are correlated across sensor groups to obtain time differences of arrival (TDOA). These TDOA are validated and associated with other TDOA from different times. TDOA from different sensor pairs are associated when they share a common sensor. A hyperbola of possible locations is created for each validated TDOA. Summation of the hyperbolas gives an intensity function. The location is identified as the most intense point in the intensity function. The source can be tracked across time as a computer output.
US09470771B2
Biomarkers and/or risk assessments identify patients having an increased risk of certain clinical disease states including, for example, CHD, type 2 diabetes, dementia, or all-cause death (ACD) using NMR signal to measure a level of “GlycA” in arbitrary units or in defined units (e.g., μmol/L) that can be determined using a defined single peak region of proton NMR spectra. The GlycA measurement can be used as an inflammation biomarker for clinical disease states. The NMR signal for GlycA can include a fitting region of signal between about 2.080 ppm and 1.845 ppm of the proton NMR spectra.
US09470770B2
A magnetic resonance (MR) sequence (14) is performed, including: applying a preparatory MR sub-sequence (S prep) providing water signal suppression; performing a magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) sub-sequence (S MRS) after applying the preparatory MR sub-sequence to acquire H MRS data with water signal suppression; and performing an MR reference sub-sequence (S Ref) to acquire MR reference data. The MR reference sub-sequence is performed after the MRS sub-sequence. Phase and B0 correction of the H MRS data with water signal suppression are performed using the MR reference data to generate corrected MRS data. The excitation pulse (g) of the MR reference sub-sequence has a flip angle of less than or equal to o, and more preferably has a flip angle of less than or equal to 3 o. In some embodiments the MR sequence has a total repetition time (TR) of 2000 msec or less.
US09470769B2
An electrically earthed protecting sleeve that reduces the electromagnetic energy propagation from a magnetic bore to the outer environment surrounding a magnet. The sleeve has a distal portion located within an open bore of an magnetic resonance device (MRD) and a proximal portion attachable to an aperture of the MRD. The sleeve accepts a non-imaged portion of a body portion inserted within the bore while the imaged portion protrudes from the distal end of sleeve.
US09470768B2
A cooling device for disposal between two flat coils of a gradient coil has at least one first and with at least one second foil that are connected to each other in areas such that continuous cooling channels for a cooling fluid are formed. The cooling channels are branched, whereby an improved cooling effect is produced with a smaller thickness of the cooling device.
US09470755B1
Methods and computer-readable media for effecting physically efficient scans of integrated circuit designs may include selecting a two-dimensional grid size for exposure to the method, the two-dimensional grid having a size that includes a first side length, a second side length, and a number of flops. The method is performed to select a two-dimensional grid size that maximizes compression efficiency and limit wiring congestion on the IC. In one aspect, the method may be performed on each region of the grid that maintains one of a respective first side length and a respective second side length greater than one, including selecting a larger side, determining if the larger side is odd or even, and dividing the grid along the larger side into two regions each having a proportion of the flops. The scans of the resulting regions are efficient, and consequently facilitate integrated circuit design and subsequent manufacture.
US09470748B2
The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for detecting faults in an electric power delivery system. In one embodiment, a system may include a data acquisition subsystem configured to receive a plurality of representations of electrical conditions. The system may also include a traveling wave differential subsystem configured to determine an operating quantity based on the plurality of representations of electrical conditions. The traveling wave differential subsystem may also determine a restraint quantity based on the plurality of representations of electrical conditions. The traveling wave differential subsystem may detect a traveling wave generated by the fault based on the plurality of representations. A fault detector subsystem may be configured to declare a fault based on a comparison of the operating quantity and the restraint quantity. A protective action subsystem may implement a protective action based on the declaration of the fault.
US09470746B2
A device for monitoring a working environment in which electronic circuit boards are present includes: a) test circuit boards with pairs of traces and circuitry for determining the electrical resistance between the traces, the test boards being positioned in a pathway effective for directing air across the test traces; b) control elements for controlling the flow of air through the pathway and for controlling power applied to the test board traces; c) data storage for storing data relating to acceptable electrical resistance between test traces; d) circuitry for comparing measured electrical resistance between two test traces to a stored value for the acceptable electrical resistance between two test traces; and e) an output for communicating the results of the comparison between the measured electrical resistance between two test traces and the stored value for the acceptable electrical resistance between two test traces.
US09470738B2
In one example, a method includes receiving, at an input of a system, an AC signal, rectifying the AC signal into a DC signal, and determining, based on a value of one or more counters in a detection logic, whether or not the input is connected to ground.
US09470737B2
A method for monitoring an insulation fault in an electric network with at least one electric power system supplying electric power to one or more electric loads, and at least one insulation resistance monitor is provided, wherein the at least one electric power system includes at least one electrical power source, and wherein the at least one insulation resistance monitor monitors an insulation resistance between terminal leads of the at least one electric power source and at least one reference potential. The steps are performed of disconnecting the at least one electric power source from the one or more loads by opening each terminal lead; measuring the insulation resistance between the electric circuit of at least one electrical power source and the reference potential; measuring the insulation resistance for the total electric network; closing the second terminal lead with the first terminal lead open; and measuring the insulation resistance for the total electric network.
US09470732B2
An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed that can be used to reduce the peak radiated flux density of a horn antenna or for testing the electronics associated with a horn antenna. A horn antenna with narrow and wide ends can have disposed within it a surrogate waveguide. The surrogate waveguide has a wide end smaller than the wide end of the horn antenna, and the wide end of surrogate waveguide extending to or beyond the wide end of the horn antenna. A mounting plate or face plate covers a portion of the wide end of the horn antenna.
US09470730B2
The invention relates to a power supply cord with at least two conductors N, L for transferring a supply voltage with two protective earths insulated from one another, which at the first end are conductively connected with each other and at the second end there is a measurement device provided for measurement of the resistance of a measuring circuit comprising the PE and measurement conductor P, and wherein in case of exceeding the resistance, a warning signal is output.
US09470726B2
Systems and methods of a temperature compensated real-time clock are disclosed. The systems and methods can include measuring a temperature with a temperature sensor, detecting a temperature dependent frequency from an oscillator, inputting the temperature and determining a temperature estimate for the oscillator with an infinite impulse response filter, and determining a compensation factor, for the oscillator.
US09470725B2
By powering an electronic component operating in an ultra-low power mode from a pre-charged measuring capacitor and measuring the time to discharge the capacitor to a trip voltage level, measurement data can be obtained. In some implementations, the capacitance of the capacitor can be obtained by adding a known current to the unknown current drawn from the capacitor and calculating the capacitance using a mathematical formula.
US09470721B1
A system for combining current from solar power arrays comprises a combiner element and a plurality of solar power arrays, including at least a first solar power array and a second solar power array. The combiner element is configured to receive and combine current from the solar power arrays thereby providing a combined current signal that is based on current from each of the solar power arrays. The combiner element has a current sensing element coupled to one of the solar power arrays and is configured to receive current from the one solar power array. The current sensing element also has a sensor configured to sense a magnetic flux induced by the current from the one solar power array, and the sensor is configured to transmit data indicative of the sensed magnetic flux. The current sensing element further has a magnetic core and a conductive coil for carrying the current from the one solar power array. The magnetic core has a plurality of segments, and the conductive coil passes around at least one of the segments. In addition, the sensor is positioned within a gap between at least two of the segments.
US09470718B2
A probe card, includes, a wiring substrate having an opening portion and including a first connection pad and a second connection pad, the first connection pad being arranged at a periphery of the opening portion, the second connection pad being arranged to be adjacent to the first connection pad, a resin portion formed inside the opening portion of the wiring substrate, a first wire buried in the resin portion and having one end connected to the first connection pad and the other end constituting a first contact terminal protruding from a lower face of the resin portion, and a second wire buried in the resin portion and having one end connected to the second connection pad and the other end constituting a second contact terminal protruding from a lower face of the resin portion.
US09470686B2
An in vitro method that allows detection of hepatitis C by detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein and antibodies to HCV core protein (anti-core antibodies) in a single assay is provided. Cross-reactivity is eliminated in the method preferably by utilizing short peptides, each of which has an amino acid sequence that corresponds to an immunodominant region of the native core protein but which does not wholly encompass the epitope bound by the antibodies utilized in the method. The method can be used to detect the presence of HCV in a subject, and/or to determine the suitability of donor blood or blood products for transfusion purposes. Also provided are diagnostic kits for carrying out the method and a process for selecting suitable capture peptides and monoclonal antibodies for use in the combination method.
US09470685B2
A method of distinguishing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a primary culture of cells derived from a placenta-related tissue is provided. Also provided is a method of increasing the purity of MSC population in a primary culture of cells derived from a placenta-related tissue. Further provided is a method of isolating a MSC population which is more responsive in an inflammatory environment. Said methods each comprise a step of sorting the cells by a marker of EphA2.
US09470683B2
A method of determining aggregates of a macromolecule monomer in a fluid containing the macromolecule, comprises the steps of: contacting a sample of the fluid with a sensing surface of an interaction analysis sensor, wherein the sensing surface is capable of specific binding interaction with the macromolecule, determining at least one kinetic parameter for the interaction of the fluid sample with the sensing surface, comparing the determined kinetic parameter or parameters with that or those determined for at least one fluid sample having a known fraction or fractions of aggregates of the macromolecule, and determining therefrom the fraction of macromolecule in the sample that is in the form of aggregate or aggregates.
US09470676B2
A method of bio-matching a topical gel, cream or lotion may comprise selecting a vagina of a living body, identifying a secretion of the selected vagina, identifying a composition of the identified secretion, and formulating the topical gel to match the identified composition of the identified secretion.
US09470675B2
The present invention provides a composition for acetone detection and a process of preparation thereof. The composition comprises γ-ferric oxide (γ-Fe2O3), antimony (Sb) salt, and platinum (Pt). The sensor fabricated using the said composition is selective to low concentration of breath acetone, the biomarker of diabetes, in presence of high amount of moisture normally present in breath. Such semiconductor sensors for diabetes monitoring are inexpensive, rugged, patient-friendly and on the top, non-invasive.
US09470667B2
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, comprising at least one sensor element sensitive for the process variable, a process connection for securing the apparatus to a container or pipeline and a housing connected with the process connection. The apparatus has at least one, first component of metal and at least one, second component of synthetic material, wherein the first component and the second component are embodied as hollow bodies. An annular, first connection region is formed on the first component, wherein on the second component an annular second connection region is formed, whose outer diameter corresponds at least sectionally to the inner diameter of the first connection region. The second connection region is introduced into the first connection region, and a securement structure is present, which is dimensioned and positioned in such a manner that the securement structure presses the second connection region at least sectionally against the first connection region.
US09470652B1
A sensing device includes a sensor die having a sensing region formed at a first surface of the sensor die. The sensing device further includes an encapsulant covering the sensing die, the encapsulant having a cavity formed therein, wherein the cavity exposes the sensing region. A sensitive membrane material is deposited within the cavity over the sensing region. A method of manufacturing sensing devices entails mounting a plurality of sensing dies to a carrier, encapsulating the dies in an encapsulant, forming cavities in the encapsulant, the cavities exposing a sensing region of each sensor die, and depositing the sensitive membrane material within each of the cavities. The encapsulating and forming operations can be performed simultaneously using a film-assisted molding (FAM) process, and the depositing operation is performed following FAM at an ambient temperature that is lower than the temperature needed to perform FAM.
US09470649B2
A hand-held test meter for use with an analytical test strip in the determination of an analyte in a bodily fluid sample includes a housing, a clock module disposed in the housing, a micro-controller disposed in the housing, a low-distortion signal generation circuit block (“LDSGCB”) disposed in the housing, and a strip port connector configured to operationally receive the analytical test strip. The LDSGCB includes a signal summation circuit (“SSC”) sub-block, a resistance-capacitance (RC) filter, and a single operational amplifier. The clock module and micro-controller are configured to generate phase-shifted square wave signals and output the phase-shifted square wave signals to the SSC. The SSC is configured to sum the phase-shifted square wave signals to generate a resultant summed-wave signal and output the resultant summed-wave signal to the RC filter. The RC filter is configured to filter harmonics from the resultant summed-wave signal thereby creating a reduced harmonic distortion signal.
US09470647B2
A measuring circuit used for the capacitive examination of a moving elongated textile test material such as card sliver, roving, yarn or woven fabric, having a measuring capacitor for accommodating the test material, and a component with a capacitance which can be changed by an electric control signal. The measuring circuit can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way.
US09470642B2
A crystal analysis apparatus includes: a measurement data storage configured to store electron back-scattering pattern (EBSP) data measured at electron beam irradiation points on a plurality of cross-sections of a sample formed substantially in parallel at prescribed intervals; a crystal orientation database configured to accumulate therein information of crystal orientations corresponding to EBSPs; and a map constructing unit that constructs a three-dimensional crystal orientation map based on distribution of crystal orientations in normal directions of a plurality of faces of a polyhedral image having the cross-sections arranged at the prescribed intervals by reading out the crystal orientations in the normal directions of the faces from the crystal orientation database on the basis of the EBSP data stored in the measurement data storage.
US09470635B2
Disclosed herein are a system of measuring a warpage and a method of measuring a warpage. The system of measuring a warpage of a sample by analyzing an image photographed by the camera using light that is diffused from a light source and reflected on a surface of a sample and is arrived at the camera through a reference grating part, the system includes: an intake part that removes a fume generated from the sample. By this configuration, it is possible to measure the warpage while effectively removing the fume generated from the sample according to the increase in the temperature of the sample at the time of measuring the warpage, thereby improving the accuracy of the warpage measurement.
US09470630B2
A sensor for detecting material degradation may include an optical fiber and a housing through which the optical fiber extends. An end cap may be affixed to an end of the housing. Light provided through the optical fiber may be reflected off of the end cap back through the optical fiber. The end cap may be made of a material of interest, and may be situated in an environment wherein the material of interest is present. A light source may provide input light through the optical fiber. A portion of the input light may be reflected off of the end cap. A light receptor may receive the reflected light via the optical fiber. A processing unit may be adapted to compare a measured intensity of the reflected light to a threshold, and to initiate an alarm condition if the measured intensity is below the threshold.
US09470629B2
Surface plasmon microscopy methods are described which comprise irradiating a sample with a beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least some of the radiation is incident on the sample at an angle or angles which results in the excitation of surface plasmons in the sample, and wherein the beam of radiation comprises a longitudinal axis passing through a focus of the beam. Both radiation reradiated from the sample by one or more surface plasmons and radiation reflected from a location on the sample which does not lie on the longitudinal axis passing through the focusare received at a detector. The received reradiated radiation is then interfered with the received reflected radiation to provide information about the sample. Apparatus for performing the methods is also described.
US09470621B2
A measuring cuvette (1), for the spectroscopic analysis of a gas sample in a ray path between a radiation source and a detector, preferably suitable for use in a gas-measuring device (19), has a vessel wall (2) that at least partially encloses a sample space (3) for receiving a process gas. At least one window element (4), through which electromagnetic radiation can be coupled into the sample space (3) from the outside, is indirectly or directly connected with the vessel wall (2). An inlet as well as an outlet (5) are included, through which the process gas can be introduced into the sample space (3) and can be removed from the sample space (3). At least one fastening element (6) makes possible both secure fastening of the window element (4) on the vessel wall (2) and separation of the window element (4) from the vessel wall (2) without destruction.
US09470602B2
A soft packaged sealed battery is contained in an airtight container. The airtight container is decompressed and images of the surface shape of the sealed battery in the airtight container before and after decompression are captured by a CCD camera or the like. Whether or not airtightness of the sealed battery is maintained is determined based on a change in the captured images, e.g. a change in the surface shape appearing as luminance differences of pixels. By this determination method, highly accurate airtightness determination is realized by eliminating the influence of invisible fine creases on a sealed battery surface.
US09470598B2
Provided are a pressure detection device having a fail-safe structure for minimizing leaking out of a fluid targeted for pressure detection, and a method for producing the same. A pressure detection device is provided with: a fluid inflow member having a flow path; a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the fluid that has flowed into the flow path; a base plate unit having a first resin section surrounding the pressure sensor; a lid section which is bonded to the first resin section so as to cover the pressure sensor from above, and forms a sealed space in the interior of which the pressure sensor is located; a terminal unit; and a resin cover section for bonding the fluid inflow member, the base plate unit, the lid section, and the terminal unit. The lid section is bonded to the first resin section and is pushed on from above by the resin cover section.
US09470597B2
A wireless interface system that interfaces with any one of a plurality of transducers of different types, such as pressure sensors, temperature sensors, and current probes. The transducers employ identical connectors with a common connecting scheme. In this manner, any transducer can be connected to a wireless interface which has the same input connection scheme. When the wireless interface is connected to the transducer, a rechargeable battery, which is associated with the wireless interface, is activated. The wireless interface then determines the type of transducer being utilized and provides sufficient circuitry as well as determining the requirements of the connected transducer. In this manner, the wireless interface, besides recognizing and determining the type of transducer, can determine the range of the sensor and can provide specific circuitry to be activated to supply power and to read data from the sensor via common output pins.
US09470596B2
A tunable pressure transducer assembly that comprises a sensing element disposed within a housing, wherein the sensing element is adapted to output a signal substantially indicative of an applied pressure, and a filter assembly also disposed within the housing. In one example embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a filter assembly having a tube, a cap and a cavity defined by a housing, a pressure, wherein the cap is positioned to set a predetermined volume of the cavity and the tube is associated with an application of the pressure to the cavity, wherein the pressure includes a static pressure component and a dynamic pressure component; filtering, by the tube and the cavity, at least a portion of the dynamic pressure component of the pressure to obtain a filtered pressure; outputting, from the filter assembly, the filtered pressure; and wherein the filtered pressure is used to determine the static pressure component of the pressure.
US09470586B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide self-calibrated thermal sensors of an integrated circuit (IC) die and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, a self-calibrating thermal sensing device includes a resonator configured to oscillate at a frequency corresponding with a temperature of circuitry of an integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the resonator is thermally coupled with the circuitry and configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode and logic operatively coupled with the resonator, and configured to calculate a first temperature corresponding with a first frequency of the resonator in the first mode using a first equation, calculate a second temperature corresponding with a second frequency of the resonator in the second mode using a second equation, and add an offset to the first equation and the second equation based on a result of a comparison of the first temperature and the second temperature. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09470581B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and method of detecting a temperature through a pyrometer in a non-contact manner, and an apparatus for processing a substrate using the apparatus, and more particularly, an apparatus and method of detecting a temperature, which precisely measures a temperature without any effect by humidity, and an apparatus for processing a substrate using the same. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for detecting a temperature includes a humidity sensor configured to measure a humidity value, a temperature compensation database configured to store a temperature compensation value for each humidity value, and a pyrometer providing a non-contact temperature calculated by adding a temperature compensation value corresponding to a humidity value detected by the humidity sensor to a temperature to be compensated, which is obtained by converting a measured a wavelength intensity of a radiation radiated from an object in a wavelength band to be compensated.
US09470577B2
A UV exposure dosimetry system includes at least one UV sensor that accurately measures the UV irradiance intensity. The UV dosimetry system integrates the measured UV irradiance intensity over time to calculate the real-time UV dosage and the vitamin D production by taking into account factors comprising UV sensor location, body surface area, clothing coverage, and sunscreen usage. Based on the measurement, the system can predict the time remaining to skin burn and the time remaining to reach daily goal of vitamin D production. The system can also provide feedback to the user of the device based on a composite metric assessing the degree of balance between the risk of UV exposure and the benefit of UV exposure. The UV dosimetry system supports multi-user control through an advanced and user friendly input and output interface.
US09470573B2
A leak sensor for sensing fluid flow through the bearings and seals about a shaft extending from a prover. Any leakage of fluid through the bearings and seals will migrate into the annular cavity within a housing and surrounding the shaft. A conduit or passageway in fluid communication with the annular cavity conveys the leaking fluid into a collection chamber. A float within the collection chamber will trigger an electrical or mechanical signal when the float rises a preset distance. If electrical, the signal is transmitted to an alarm unit to trigger a warning indicative of the amount of fluid in the collection chamber.
US09470572B2
A method of measuring a liquid level of a cell culture solution stored in a cell vessel, includes: irradiating the cell culture solution with at least two kinds of light beams including a first light beam having a first wavelength and a second light beam having a second wavelength; measuring a first absorbance of the cell culture solution with respect to the first light beam, and a second absorbance of the cell culture solution with respect to the second light beam; and determining a liquid level of the cell culture solution based on the first absorbance and the second absorbance.
US09470565B2
The present invention relates to a device for determining a mass flow rate of a fluid in a conduit, for instance a milk flow through a tube. The device includes a measuring member for determining an electrical conductivity of the fluid; an additional measuring member for determining the electrical conductivity of the fluid at an additional position; and a processing unit for determining the mass flow rate of the fluid in the conduit on the basis of the determinations, wherein the specific resistance can be determined per cross-sectional area in the flow.
US09470564B2
A magnetic-inductive flow meter with at least one measuring tube for through flow of an electrically conductive medium, with a magnetic field generating apparatus for generating an alternating magnetic field which runs at least also perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube, with at least two measuring electrodes which especially contact the medium and with an evaluation circuit, the magnetic field generating apparatus having at least one field coil and one coil power supply. Because the measuring electrode circuit, therefore the electrical circuit to which the measuring electrodes belong is monitored by a crosstalk voltage indicator of the evaluation circuit which is active in an operating state when an electrically conductive medium is not flowing through the measuring tube, whether the measuring electrode circuit is serviceable can be derived from the crosstalk voltage.
US09470562B2
The invention relates to a spindle flow meter with a housing which has two recesses. In the recesses two multi-turn screw spindles are arranged which are provided to be rotatable in the housing. It is provided according to the invention that the pitch circle diameters of the two screw spindles are of equal size.
US09470559B2
An optical linear measurement system and method are provided that determine movement of a movable device based on the signal strength of an optical signal propagating in a first optical fiber that is attached to the movable device. As the linear position of the movable device changes, the radius of a coil of the first optical fiber changes. As the radius of the coil changes, the strength of the optical signal changes. A second static optical fiber is used for performing temperature compensation. Changes in signal strength of an optical signal carried on the second optical fiber due to temperature are used to adjust the measured strength of the signal carried on the first optical fiber. The movement of the movable device is then made based on the adjusted signal strength measurement.
US09470556B2
An encoding sequence is configured to detect the position and direction of motion of an actuator. The actuator includes at least two members where one of the members moves with respect to the other. Two sets of binary indicators are either affixed to or integrally assembled along one of the members. Each pair of indicators defines a position of the actuator and each binary indicator is configured to identify one of two states, such as a magnetic pole or a graphical mark where each state corresponds to a logical zero or a logical one. The indicators are arranged on the actuator such that at least one of the indicators transitions between one of the two states at each position along the actuator. At least one sensor is provided to detect the state of the binary indicators as the two members of the actuator move with respect to each other.
US09470555B2
An encoder includes a scale, an encoder head, and a multiplication processing circuit. The encoder head includes a signal generation unit configured to generate a substantially sine-wave signal, and an output unit configured to output one of the substantially sine-wave signal and the center voltage of the substantially sine-wave signal to the multiplication processing circuit. The multiplication processing circuit includes a mode switching unit configured to switch a processing mode to one of an offset voltage detection processing mode in which an offset voltage serving as a difference between a predetermined reference voltage and the center voltage is corrected, and a displacement amount detection processing mode in which displacement detection processing is performed, an offset voltage detection unit configured to detect the offset voltage, and an offset voltage correction unit configured to correct an offset voltage of the substantially sine-wave signal output from the output unit.
US09470554B2
A position detector includes a Hall element that detects a magnetic flux density and a temperature detection element that detects the temperature of the Hall element. In a rotation angle calculation process, a temperature correction value a is calculated by substituting a detection temperature t of the temperature detection element and a reference maximum voltage V0 at a reference temperature t0 for a=V0×k (t−t0). Next, a correction maximum voltage Vt is calculated by substituting the temperature correction value a for a temperature characteristic formula of Vt=V0+a. Further, a rotation angle θ of a magnet relative to the Hall element is calculated by substituting an output voltage VH of the Hall element and the correction maximum voltage Vt for θ=sin−1 (VH/Vt). Since the correction maximum voltage Vt is corrected according to the temperature, the rotation angle is accurately detected.
US09470552B2
Embodiments relate to magnetic field angle sensors that utilize axial and perpendicular sensors collectively to infer a rotational angle. In embodiments, a sensor system comprises at least one axial sensor unit and at least one perpendicular sensor unit arranged in a single sensor package or on a single substrate. The axial and perpendicular sensor data both representative of the rotational position can be used to improve output angle accuracy by, e.g., calibrating the sensor system.
US09470542B2
Uncoded geographical image data for a pre-defined geographical region is stored in a server unit and at least one wireless communication interface is provided between the server unit and at least one navigation receiver module. At least one position information message is transmitted from the navigation receiver module to the server unit and an expectancy range is selected in the server unit according to the transmitted position information from the pre-defined geographical region. Uncoded geoimage data reproducing the expectancy range is determined and the first uncoded geoimage data is encoded in the server unit. The encoded geoimage data is then transferred to the navigation receiver module from the server unit via the wireless communication interface.
US09470538B2
A latency analysis system determines a latency period, such as a wait time, at a user destination. To determine the latency period, the latency analysis system receives location history from multiple user devices. With the location histories, the latency analysis system identifies points-of-interest that users have visited and determines the amount of time the user devices were at a point-of-interest. For example, the latency analysis system determines when a user device entered and exited a point-of-interest. Based on the elapsed time between entry and exit, the latency analysis system determines how long the user device was inside the point-of-interest. By averaging elapsed times for multiple user devices, the latency analysis system determines a latency period for the point-of-interest. The latency analysis system then uses the latency period to provide latency-based recommendations to a user. For example, the latency analysis system may determine a shopping route for a user.
US09470534B2
A method and system for identifying a lateral deviation in the course of a road segment is described. Positional data is collected from a plurality of vehicles travelling along a road stretch. A map matching error associated with the position data is used to determine an average map matching error and average absolute map matching error for travel along the road stretch. A lateral deviation in course is identified when the average map matching error measures are both above a given threshold, and where the detected deviation is of a given minimum length. Other indicators of deviation can be considered including a direction of the possible deviation, and impact on travel in the opposite driving direction. Data relating to the determined deviation is generated, including a speed of travel through the deviated region, and used to enhance traffic information.
US09470528B1
An aircraft synthetic vision display system (SVS) includes a topographical database including topographical information relating to an airport, a global positioning system receiver that receives a satellite signal from a global positioning satellite to determine a geographical position of the aircraft, and a ground-based augmentation system receiver that receives a ground-based signal from a ground-based transmitter associated with the airport, wherein the ground-based signal includes geographical information associated with the airport. The SVS further includes a computer processor that retrieves the topographical information from the topographical database based on the geographical position of the aircraft, that retrieves the geographical information associated with the airport, and that corrects the topographical information using the geographical information associated with the airport to generate corrected topographical information. Still further, the SVS includes a display device that renders three-dimensional synthetic imagery of environs of the aircraft based on the corrected topographical information.
US09470527B2
The invention provides for an accelerometer comprising a proof mass within a fixed substrate wherein the proof mass is connected to the substrate by one or more v-beams. Acceleration is determined by measuring the deflection of the v-beam or beams.
US09470525B2
A gyro sensor includes: a base body; a vibrating body; a driving portion driving the vibrating body in a direction of a first axis; a movable electrode portion displaceable, according to angular velocity about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, in a direction of a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; a first spring portion connected to the vibrating body and a first side surface of the movable electrode portion, the first side surface intersecting the first axis or the second axis; a second spring portion connected to the vibrating body and a second side surface of the movable electrode portion, the second side surface being parallel to the first side surface. The first spring portion and the second spring portion have portions extending in the direction of the first axis and portions extending in a direction of the second axis.
US09470524B1
A method and apparatus for determining a rotational orientation of an object is provided. Embodiments of the present invention utilize an electrically conductive fluid enclosed within a shell attached to the object such that the conductive fluid contacts different portions of electrically conductive nodes, located on the inner wall of the shell, depending on the rotational orientation of the shell. The electrically activated nodes in contact with the conductive fluid act as sensors and individually transmit electric signals to a microcontroller for transformation into an indicator of a rotational orientation of the object. The indicator of the rotational orientation is then output.
US09470520B2
A LiDAR sensor can include a laser, a directional sensor, a window, an electromagnetic pulse receiving sensor, and a processor. The laser can be configured to emit a narrow electromagnetic pulse. Further, the directional sensor can be configured to measure the direction of the narrow electromagnetic pulse emitted by the laser. The narrow emitted electromagnetic pulse can pass through the window. The pulse can then be reflected by at least the window and an object external from the LiDAR sensor, creating at least two reflected pulses. The electromagnetic pulse receiving sensor can be configured to measure the two reflected pulses resulting from the narrow pulse emitted by the laser. The processor can be configured to receive information from the sensors, indicating a position of the object relative to the LiDAR sensor. Further, the processor can be configured to measure the intensity of the pulse being reflected by the window.
US09470506B2
Embodiments relate to sensor systems and methods for rapidly detecting a direction of rotation. In one embodiment, a sensor system is configured to identify positive and negative peaks of both speed and direction signals and to evaluate a sequential order of the peaks. A direction of rotation can be identified rapidly from the evaluation of the sequential order of peaks.
US09470503B2
Mechanical apparatus includes a base, a moving element, and a hinge, having a first end attached to the moving element. A supporting structure is attached to the base and to the second end of the hinge and has at least a component perpendicular to the hinge so as to translate rotation of the moving element about the hinge into elongation of the component, whereby the moving element rotates about the hinge relative to the base while the supporting structure is deformed as a result of the rotation of the moving element about the hinge. A strain-based rotation sensor is associated with the supporting structure and is configured to provide a signal indicative of the rotation of the moving element responsively to a strain induced due to deformation of the supporting structure as the result of the rotation of the moving element.
US09470494B2
A projectile includes a head, a tail, and an interface that interconnects the head and tail. Multiple sections of the interface are deformed by being compressed radially inwardly into respective annular recesses formed between the interface and the head and tail during manufacturing or by rifling when the projectile is fired. The amount of deformation is controlled by the depth of each of the annular recesses. In all embodiments, annular ridges formed in the head, the tail, or both, define the longitudinal extent of the annular recesses. The interface includes an annular obturation region and has a beveled open leading end to facilitate insertion of the head and tail into the interface.
US09470490B2
The present invention relates to a hot-wire detonator emulator that has the capability of monitoring switching in a simulated, mock, or inert improvised explosive device (IED) powered by direct current. One purpose of the inventive emulator is to function as an energetic witness substitute by replacing the detonator in an actual IED, thus enabling bomb technicians to conduct bench top and field analyses of IEDs, and to assess the effectiveness of render-safe procedures by, for example, illustrating how a detonator would react in a render-safe procedure.
US09470489B2
A spherical pellet marking round for gas propelled guns, such as airsoft electric guns and gas blow back guns, allows a user or military/law enforcement trainees to actually when they hit their opponent. The marking round is heavier than conventional gas propelled gun rounds, allowing for more reliable breaking on target. The marking round has a hard, brittle shell and is sized for the gun or rifle type. The marking round can include colored marking material, ultraviolet, infrared, forward looking infrared (FLIR) and luminous “glow-in-the-dark” shells for tracer versions. An oversized wedge can be used in production that allows for heavier weighted fill material to be used.
US09470488B2
The present invention is a rear-deploying broadhead with a body that is attachable to an arrow shaft. The body has an inner portion and an outer cylinder, with the inner portion being disposed within the outer cylinder when the broadhead is in a nondeployed position. The inner portion has a solid internal shaft, a head, and an inner cylinder. The internal shaft is disposed in a position forward to the head of the broadhead, and is situated substantially in the center of the inner portion and movable within the inner cylinder in a plunger-like manner. The solid internal shaft terminates within the inner cylinder and is attached proximate its termination to an internal sleeve, and at least two blades are pivotally attached to the internal sleeve. The outer cylinder comprises slots there-through adapted for deployment of blades.
US09470479B2
A method of aligning a point of aim with a point of impact for a projectile device is disclosed. Using at least one superposition device coupled to the projectile device, multiple optical reference points are superposed within a first target area. Positions for at least two of the optical reference points are noted. A projectile is shot from the projectile device at a second target area, while the positions of the at least two optical reference points are maintained, to create the point of impact. The point of aim for the projectile device is adjusted to correspond with the point of impact while the positions of the at least two optical reference points are maintained. A system for aligning a point of aim with a point of impact for a projectile device is also disclosed.
US09470477B2
An unmanned aerial launch vehicle (UAV) launch apparatus is disclosed that includes a UAV (400) having an exterior surface, an aerial vehicle (AV) tab (510) extending from the exterior surface, a tube (440) containing the UAV (400), the tube (440) including a tab stop (515) configured to controllably hinder travel of the AV tab (510) past the tab stop (515), and a pair of opposing tab guides (700, 705) configured to position the AV tab (510) for travel over the tab stop (515).
US09470470B2
An apparatus is for a scope assembly having a front scope section and a back scope section, and a firearm including a mounting rail having a front rail section and a back rail section. The apparatus includes a front scope guard frame configured to guard, at least in part, the front scope section of the scope assembly. A back scope guard frame is configured to guard, at least in part, the back scope section of the scope assembly. The front scope guard frame and the back scope guard frame are selectively positionable and movable, independently of each other, relative to the mounting rail. The front scope guard frame and the back scope guard frame are configured to selectively affix, independently of each other, once the front scope guard frame and the back scope guard frame are positioned just so.
US09470468B2
Firearms and handguards for firearms having three pivotably attached pods wherein a first pod is deployable as a monopod and second and third pods are deployable together as a bipod, or having at least one pivotable pod having at least one hinge pin, at least one locking pin, and at least one return spring that biases the at least one locking pin. In some embodiments, a return spring, a slide spindle, a locking spindle, or a combination thereof, push two locking pins, for example, into opposite detents when the pod is pivoted into a deployed position, and the pod can be released by moving a slide button and secured in a stowed position with a catch. In certain embodiments, the monopod is pivotably attached to the handguard aft of where the bipod is pivotably attached to the handguard. In particular embodiments, the firearm is an AR-15 or an M-16.
US09470466B2
A monolithic noise suppression device comprising a monolithic, integral baffle housing module. The module comprising, in turn, at least no welded joints or seams between the various components that make up the core of the module and no welded joints or seams between the core, or any structures that make up the core, and the various interior surfaces and/or structures that make up the body of the module. The module is preferably plastic and manufactured using a layered printing process. The monolithic, integral baffle housing module may include various other features that enhance performance, reduce manufacturing cost, facilitate customization and eliminate restrictions on disposability as compared to conventional noise suppression devices. The monolithic noise suppression device may further comprise a first stage noise suppression device to be used in conjunction with the monolithic, integral baffle housing module.
US09470464B2
A follower for a firearm magazine is disclosed, with a platform that may support a cartridge and has a top surface defining a plane and a bottom surface. The front end may be coupled to a front portion of the platform and engage a spring and a magazine body. The interior surface of the front end may be substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platform and form an obtuse angle with the plane of the platform. The rear end may be coupled to a rear portion of the platform and engage the spring and the magazine body. The interior surface of the rear end may be perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platform and form an acute angle with the plane of the platform. The front end may extend further below the platform than does the rear end.
US09470463B2
A heat exchange fill apparatus for use with a cooling tower that employs a support frame assembly. The heat exchange fill apparatus has a media fill pack that includes a of fill pack media modules wherein a stake, prevents the modules from shifting with respect to one another. The modules are installed in a cooling tower of the like via a hanging fill support.
US09470461B2
A heat exchanger having a collection tank having an internal chamber and a header connected to the collection tank and receiving a number of flat tubes through apertures in the header. A reinforcing member received within the collection tank and/or the header functions to reinforce the header and/or the collection tank in applications where these elements are subject to internal pressures that would otherwise deform the header and/or collection tank to an unacceptable extent. The heat exchanger may include a curved gasket on each flat tube to match the shape of the flat tubes and a curved header. Also, another gasket can be located between a metal or plastic collection tank and a plastic or metal header, respectively, to prevent leakage therebetween.
US09470456B2
A melter gasifier of a smelting reduction installation is charged by bringing together coal -containing material in lump form and iron carrier material (which may be hot) before and/or while they enter the melter gasifier. The ratio of the combined amounts of iron carrier material and coal-containing material in lump form is variable. The combined amounts of iron carrier material and coal-containing material in lump form are distributed over the cross section of the melter gasifier by a dynamic distributing device, and the ratio of the combined amounts of the iron carrier material and coal-containing material in lump form is set depending on the position of the dynamic distributing device.
US09470455B2
A method of sorting green lumber is based on a ratio of moisture content to either weight or density. The moisture content of each piece of green lumber is measured, and the weight or density of the green lumber is measure. One more thresholds of moisture content to weight or density ratios are used to divide the green lumber into groups. Such a sort tends to produce groups of green lumber that require similar kiln drying schedules.
US09470453B2
A method of controlling and enhancing the nucleation of product in a freeze dryer wherein a product is maintained at a predetermined temperature and pressure. A mixture of water vapor and CO2 gas is introduced into a condenser chamber separate from the product chamber to create a predetermined volume of condensed frost, ice and dry ice crystals on an inner surface of the condenser chamber. The condenser chamber is connected to the product chamber and has a predetermined pressure that is greater than that of the product chamber. Upon the opening of the condenser chamber into the product chamber, gas turbulence is created that causes the condensed frost in the form of an ice fog and accompanying ice and dry ice crystals to rapidly enter the product chamber for even distribution therein to create uniform and rapid nucleation of the product in different areas of the product chamber.
US09470451B2
Provided is a method for controlling an operation of a refrigerator. Different operation modes are selected according to whether a refrigerator door is opened and closed, and according to an inner temperature and an ambient noise. Freezing capacity of a compressor, the number of rotations of an evaporator fan, and the number of rotations of a condenser fan are varied in conjunction with one another, to reduce a noise.
US09470429B2
A housing for a ventilation arrangement, with a profiled rod providing a radial extension in each corner, with a pivotted guide vane extending between the rod and the remainder of the housing. In normal wind conditions this radial extension guides air into or out of the housing. In very high wind conditions the guide vane can however pivot and/or flex to release any excessive pressure caused by the high wind.
US09470427B2
A humidity control apparatus performs a humidification operation in which outdoor air is supplied to the inside of a room through a moisture-desorption adsorption heat exchanger serving as a condenser and room air is discharged to the outside through a moisture-absorption adsorption heat exchanger serving as an evaporator. The humidity control apparatus includes a preheat heat exchanger which, in the humidification operation, is positioned upstream of the moisture-desorption adsorption heat exchanger in the flow of outdoor air in an air passage and serves as a condenser to heat outdoor air in a refrigerant circuit, and a heat-recovery heat exchanger which, in the humidification operation, is positioned downstream of the moisture-absorption adsorption heat exchanger in the flow of room air in the air passage and serves as an evaporator to recover heat from room air in the refrigerant circuit.
US09470426B2
An air-conditioning system includes a plurality of liquid desiccant in-ceiling units, each installed in a building for treating air in a space in the building. Dedicated outside air systems (DOAS) for providing a stream of treated outside air to the building are also disclosed.
US09470421B2
A combustor cap assembly includes an annular shroud and an impingement plate coupled to the shroud. The impingement plate at least partially defines a plurality of impingement cooling holes and a cooling flow return passage. A cap plate is coupled to the impingement plate. The cap plate includes an impingement side which faces a second side portion of the impingement plate where the impingement side is axially spaced from the second side portion to define an impingement air plenum therebetween. The cooling flow return passage is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum. A fluid conduit extends from a first side portion of the impingement plate towards a first end portion of the shroud. The fluid conduit is in fluid communication with the cooling flow return passage and provides for fluid communication out of the impingement air plenum.
US09470420B2
Counterflow burner having a combustion chamber (5) to which combustible gas (B) and an oxidising agent (0) can be fed from opposite sides, having three planar substrates (1, 2, 3) which are interconnected, lying one above the other, the middle substrate (2) having the combustion chamber (5), from which passages (4), lying in the plane of the substrate, lead to the edge, the upper substrate (3) and the lower substrate (1) being closed, and at least the middle substrate (2) is produced using methods of microsystem technology.
US09470414B2
A delivery system for remotely driving an eddy current probe through the tubing of a heat exchanger. The system uses a flexible shaft and air pressure to move an inspection probe through the heat exchanger tubes. The flexible shaft initially drives the probe through a sealed conduit to deliver the probe to the tube end at which point a seal on the shaft near the probe head contacts the tube inner surface allowing a buildup of air pressure behind the seal, thus driving the probe through the tube.
US09470413B2
Aspects of the present invention relates to a solar powered LED lighting system for an umbrella. In certain embodiments, the solar powered LED lighting system has (a) a rechargeable battery, (b) a solar panel, (c) one or more LED lights, (d) one or more touch control sensors, and (e) an unipath touch control circuit. The rechargeable battery is used to provide electricity to the solar powered LED lighting system. The solar panel converts optical energy to electrical energy and charges the rechargeable battery. The LED lights are installed on the umbrella to provide lighting. The touch control sensors are used to sense a user's touch event, and responsively generate a control signal. The unipath touch control circuit receives the control signals from the touch control sensors, and controls the solar powered LED lighting system according to the received control signal.
US09470406B2
Light sources with arrangements of multiple LEDs (or other light-emitting devices) disposed at or near the focus of a reflecting optic having multiple segments facilitate varying the angular distribution of the light beam (e.g., the beam divergence) via the drive currents supplied to the LEDs.
US09470405B2
A surgical light including a substrate having a substantially planar top surface with a plurality of light sources on the substantially planar top surface, with each of the light sources emitting light in a cone when activated. The cone has a first spread angle. An optical system having a first area such that the light emitted from the light sources has a second spread angle after passing through the first area and a second area focusing or redirecting the light passing through the first area at a location a desired distance from the optical system. The second spread angle is less than the first spread angle.
US09470398B2
A light engine comprises: a wavelength conversion device, receiving source light of a first wavelength range and a first polarisation, generating light of a second wavelength range from a portion of the received source light, at least a portion of the second wavelength range being non-overlapping with the first wavelength range, the wavelength conversion device reflects output light comprising the generated light and comprises a polarisation converter that sets at least some of the output light to a second polarisation, different from the first polarisation; and a dichroic element, that receives the reflected output light and directs light of the first polarisation differently from light of the second polarisation.
US09470397B2
The present invention relates to a light collector for an illumination device collecting light from a plurality of light sources and combing the collected light into a common light beam, where the common light beam is coupled through an optical gate. The light sources are distributed offset and around an optical axis and the light beam collector comprises a first reflector surrounding the optical axis and a second reflector surrounding the optical axis, where the first reflector reflects the sources light beams towards the second reflector and where the second reflector reflects the source light beams in a direction along the optical axis. The light beam collectors is divided into a number of reflector pairs, where each reflector pair comprises a first surface part of the first reflector and a second surface part of the second reflector, where the second surface part receives light from the corresponding first surface part of the reflector pair.
US09470393B2
Disclosed is an optical plate and an illuminating member, and particularly an optical plate for reducing UGR, which has a plurality of micro lens patterns formed on a base substrate, a fill factor of the micro lens patterns being in range of 0.5 to 1.0.
US09470390B2
A vehicular lamp includes a light source; and a light guide including a sub-light guiding part and a main light guiding part that are arranged adjacent to each other in a first direction. The sub-light guiding part extends in a second direction. The sub-light guiding part is configured such that light entering the sub-light guiding part from the light source is guided in the second direction and is emitted to the main light guiding part. The main light guiding part extends in a lamp front-rear direction and the second direction. The main light guiding part is configured such that the light that is emitted by the light source and enters the main light guiding part through the sub-light guiding part is internally reflected at a rear end face of the main light guiding part, and is emitted forward through a front end face of the main light guiding part.
US09470389B2
A lighting device including: a light guide which is elongated and has a first end portion with an entrance surface; and a light source provided facing the entrance surface of the light guide, wherein the light guide includes: a reflective surface between the first end portion and a second end portion of the light guide; and an exit surface opposite the reflective surface, the reflective surface includes a plurality of grooves which extend in a direction oblique to a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the light guide in a first region between the first end portion and the second end portion, and the exit surface includes a concave portion which extends from the first end portion toward the second end portion.
US09470388B2
A design part installation structure includes a lamp body exposed on a vehicle design surface, an outer panel having an installation section for installing the lamp body and defining the design surface, and a parting line, which includes a curved third parting line segment, is formed between the lamp body and the outer panel. The outer panel has an orthogonal flange portion and an inclined flange portion. The orthogonal flange portion is provided in a section corresponding to the third parting line segment, extends from the installation section toward a vehicle inside, and is orthogonal to a main body. The inclined flange portion is provided in a section corresponding to the third parting line segment, extends from an extending end of the orthogonal flange portion toward the vehicle cabin, and inclines toward the lamp body as a position thereon shifts in the direction from vehicle outside to vehicle inside.
US09470387B2
Provided is a vehicular headlamp including a lamp casing configured by a lamp housing having an opening at least at one side thereof and a cover that covers the opening of the lamp housing, and a lamp unit disposed within the lamp casing. The lamp unit includes: a light source unit having a light source; a movable shade configured to be rotatable and change the shielding quantity of light; a solenoid having an output shaft which moves in a left-and-right direction and configured to rotate the movable shade; a rotation shaft configured to function as a rotation fulcrum of the movable shade, the axial direction of the shaft corresponding to the left and right direction; and an orthogonal transformation mechanism configured to convert a movement action of the output shaft to a rotation movement of the movable shade.
US09470384B2
Provided is a luminous sphere comprising a ball with a circular opening and a plug insertable into the ball. A battery container receiving one or more batteries is attached to the plug. A light source in electronic communication with the one or more batteries is enclosed with the inserted plug inside the ball and powered by the batteries to emit light from the ball. The plug can have a switch for activating the light source. The plug can also have one or more circuit boards attached to the plug for controlling power and timing to the light source. The light source can be a string of a plurality of light emitting diodes in series along a wire. A detachable solar panel can be in electronic communication with the one or more batteries. A sensor that turns on the light source when the sensor senses motion can also be provided.
US09470381B2
The present invention provides a light-emitting device having circular light emission. By disposing a light-emitting chip on a substrate and a frame on one side of the light-emitting chip, a transparent sheet is disposed on the frame. In addition, a shade layer is disposed on one surface of the transparent sheet and an opening is disposed at the center of the shade layer for providing circular light emission. Alternatively, the opening can be formed on the frame and aligning with the light-emitting and thus providing circular light emission.
US09470380B2
A lighting device has an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs), an adhesion layer having portions with photo-activated electrical conductivity over the LEDs, and electrically charged scattering particles adhered by electrostatic attraction to the adhesion layer portions, thereby forming scattering regions that are self-aligned to the light emitting diodes. A method for manufacturing the lighting device includes photo-activating the adhesion layer using light output from the light emitting diodes to locally vary the conductivity of the adhesion layer; and attaching electrically charged scattering particles to the adhesion layer by electrostatic attraction.
US09470370B2
Disclosed are a light emitting module and a light emitting device. The disclosed light emitting module includes a plurality of light emitting devices and a wire connecting the light emitting devices with each other and having at least a first end portion coupled with each light emitting device. The wire has a length longer than a distance between the light emitting devices, and is located higher than bottom surfaces of the light emitting devices. Each light emitting device includes a body including an insulating material, a first lead frame making contact with the body and having a first coupling part, a second lead frame making contact with the body and having a second coupling part, and a light emitting chip on at least one of the first and second lead frames. The first and second coupling parts are located higher than the bottom surfaces of the light emitting devices, and the wire is coupled with the first and second coupling parts of the light emitting devices.
US09470348B1
A flange adapter plate assembly comprising an inside flange pattern for accepting bolt locking heads in slots disposed within recesses beneath the surface thereof. The inside flange pattern may optionally include key holes for expeditiously removing the bolts while the outside flange is secured in situ. The eduction tube portion comprises tube members having tight convolutions and a plethora of pronounced barb members. A single adapter plate reduces number of prerequisite components and also increases eduction tube strength. A twist lock protocol is used to expeditiously attach the flange adapter transition plate to a corresponding mating flange.
US09470347B1
A fluid line connector facilitates the rapid and inexpensive replacement or repair of damaged portions of a fluid line or conduit, such as a vehicular refrigerant line, oil line, fuel line, or the like. The fluid line connector includes a main body that can accommodate different sizes of fluid lines, with ferrules and conduit couplers attached at opposite ends of the main body. The conduit couplers, ferrules, and seals cooperate with the main body to retain and seal the respective open ends of the fluid line in the connector, thus creating a secure and sealed junction or connection along a fluid conduit.
US09470342B2
This disclosure relates to a through-wall protection device which provides a passageway through a structure and to an aperture in a housing. The through-wall protection device includes an elongated tube and a bushing with a proximal opening, a distal opening and a bore connecting the openings. The elongated tube and bushing may be locked together using complementary engaging structures which prevent the elongated tube from being removed from within the bore of the bushing. The present disclosure also relates to a method of defining a protected passageway through a structure using the through-wall protection device described herein.
US09470339B2
A fitting for connecting first and second pieces of channel framing to one another includes a coupling component having first and second coupling portions. The first coupling portion has a dovetail cross-sectional shape, and the second coupling portion having a dovetail cross-sectional shape which is inverted relative to the first coupling portion. The first coupling portion is configured for reception in a fitting groove of the first piece of channel framing, and the second coupling portion is configured for reception in a fitting groove of the second piece of channel framing to connect the first and second pieces of channel framing to one another such that the fitting sides of the first and second pieces of channel framing are juxtaposed and face one another.
US09470333B1
A water valve having dual mechanisms for controlling the flow of water for both high pressure and low pressure applications. The first mechanism controlling the flow of water out of a first opening and the second mechanism controlling the flow of water out a second opening. The mechanisms work together to control the flow of water from a closed position to an open position.
US09470328B2
A valve is provided and includes a component including a surface and a wear plate including a surface disposed in sliding engagement with the surface of the component. The surface of the wear plate includes a corrosion resistant substrate, a secondary layer disposed on a surface of the corrosion resistant substrate, a noble metal layer disposed on a surface of the secondary layer and a tertiary layer disposed on a surface of the noble metal layer.
US09470327B2
The present invention is directed to improved assembly for transporting flammable fluids. In an example, the assembly comprises a conduit, a liner, and a core. The liner comprises a material that contracts in response to an elevation in temperature. In an example, the liner comprises a material that expands in response to an elevation in temperature.
US09470326B2
In one form, a vent apparatus includes an inlet frame, a venting member, and a retainer member. The venting member includes a mounting portion, a weakened area or burst slit, and a domed portion. The mounting portion of the venting member is secured between the inlet frame and the retainer member. The retainer member includes vent retainer portions or tab portions that extend over the burst slit. The vent apparatus is configured to burst when an inlet pressure exceeds a predetermined level, where the tab portions will bend away and the venting member will bend past the tab portions to relieve the pressure. The inlet frame is configured to support against a vacuum pressure acting in the opposite direction, with the tab portions generally free from the load caused by the vacuum pressure.
US09470325B2
This disclosure provides example methods, devices, and systems for a single and grouped pressure valve. In one embodiment, a pressure valve may include a housing having a first input port and a plurality of output ports and defining a cavity disposed therein; a flow coupler disposed in the cavity of the housing and having a passage transversely disposed therethrough, wherein the flow coupler is movable within the cavity of the housing; wherein a first alignment position of the flow coupler in the cavity of the housing allows fluid flow from the first input port of the housing through the passage of the flow coupler to all of the plurality of output ports of the housing; and wherein a second alignment position of the flow coupler in the cavity of the housing allows fluid flow from the first input port of the housing through the passage of the flow coupler to one of the plurality of output ports of the housing.
US09470311B2
Exemplary power cell assemblies and methods of making the same are disclosed. An exemplary power cell assembly may include a piston crown and connecting rod. In an exemplary illustration, a power cell assembly includes a piston crown having a ringland extending circumferentially about a combustion bowl. The boss portions may each include inwardly extending shoulders defining arcuate crown running surfaces. The power cell assembly may further include a connecting rod having a shank and an upper end received in a cavity of the crown. The upper end of the connecting rod may define arcuate connecting rod running surfaces extending away from the shank. The crown running surfaces and connecting rod running surfaces generally allow the connecting rod to pivot with respect to the piston crown about an axis of rotation that extends from one of the boss portions to the other of the boss portions.
US09470307B2
A method of operating a vehicle drive-train including a drive engine, a transmission device and a drive output. At least one shifting element is provided in the transmission, whose transmission capacity for obtaining an operating condition of the transmission device can at least, in part, be continuously varied. During overdrive operation of the drive-train, torque present at the output can be supported at least partially by the transmission device in the area of the drive engine. During overdrive operation, the transmission capacity of one of the transmission shifting elements, which to obtain the current operating condition of the transmission device is essentially at least approximately zero, is set to a value at which at least part of the torque present at the drive output can be supported in the area of the transmission device, and the rotational speed of the drive engine has a value below a predefined limit value.
US09470305B2
Variable speed control systems and methods for walk-behind working machines, such as lawnmowers and similar powered machines, can include a control lever with a lever arm that is selectively pivotable with respect to a machine handle between a first angular position at which a grip portion of the control lever is spaced apart from the handle by a first angle and a second angular position at which the control lever is proximate to the handle to control the working machine to be in one of a range of operating states corresponding to the angular position of the control lever. A control lever adjustment system is configured to selectively adjust the first angle to adjust a total possible angular travel of the control lever between the first angular position and the second angular position. In this way, an operator can set a range of operating states of the working machine.
US09470296B1
A vehicle power steering assembly comprises a steering member having a screw portion. The screw portion has an external screw thread convolution with a first lead spacing. A ball nut is operatively connected to the screw portion. A bushing is operatively connected to the screw portion. The bushing has a bushing screw thread convolution with a second lead spacing. The second lead spacing is different than the first lead spacing. The bushing biases the ball nut against the screw portion.
US09470295B2
In a hydraulic tensioner device in which a high hydraulic pressure chamber is configured between a plunger accommodation hole of a tensioner body accommodating a plunger and the plunger to attenuate reactive force acting on the plunger, the tensioner body includes, in a discharge oil passage for discharging oil leaked from the high hydraulic pressure chamber, a pressure maintenance valve for opening and closing the discharge oil passage, air release passages are formed inside the pressure maintenance valve, and an air release valve for releasing air and preventing air from back flowing is provided in the air release passages.
US09470292B2
A dual clutch type transmission has first and second sections which respectively include first and second clutches. The clutches may be operated to allow torque transfer from an input to an output by way of the first section or the second section. One or more additional gear ratios is provided by a torque transfer pathway connecting the first and second sections such that torque is delivered from the input to the output by way of one or more stages of the first section and one or more stages of the second section. The additional gear ratios may comprise extra low gear ratios. Some embodiments provide transmissions suitable for driving pumps for use in hydraulic fracturing of geological formations.
US09470281B2
An assembly device for a parking cable may include: a driving cable part having one end connected to a driving unit; a braking cable part having one end connected to a braking unit; a first coupling part coupled to the other end of the driving cable part; and a second coupling part coupled to the other end of the braking cable part and screw-coupled to the first coupling part. A distance between the other end of the driving cable part and the other end of the braking cable part may be adjusted according to the extent to which the first and second coupling parts are screwed coupled to each other.
US09470276B2
A bi-directional actuator for a motor vehicle drive train is provided. The actuator includes a first axially stationary part; a second axially stationary part; an activation part between the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part, the activation part being axially movable to alternately contact the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part; and an actuation part engaging the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part, contact between the activation part and the first axially stationary part causing the first axially stationary part to force the actuation part in a first axial direction, contact between the activation part and the second axially stationary part causing the second axially stationary part to force the actuation part in a second axial direction.
US09470272B2
A torque limiter limits transmission of torque between an input shaft an output shaft. The torque limiter may be incorporated in a geared rotary actuator for actuating an aircraft control surface. The torque limiter is responsive to output torque associated with the output shaft instead of input torque associated with the input shaft. The torque limiter includes a structural ground and a gear assembly for transmitting rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft. The gear assembly includes a reference gear coupled to the structural ground such that movement of the reference gear relative to the structural ground is dependent upon an output torque at the output shaft. The reference gear is stationary relative to the structural ground when the output torque is below an output torque limit, and the reference gear moves relative the structural ground when the output torque exceeds the output torque limit.
US09470271B2
A sealing boot assembly comprises a flexible boot having a first end in sealing engagement with an outer surface of a shaft to define an inner chamber therein. A venting orifice extends from the inner chamber through the flexible boot to ambient and a moisture-blocking, vapor-breathable membrane is disposed across the venting orifice between the inner chamber and ambient to vent gas from the inner chamber during high temperature operation of the shaft and to allow air to returns to the inner chamber upon cooling thereof.
US09470269B2
A hydraulic power unit comprising a rear face and a front face spaced from one another includes an air inlet configured to receive air into the unit, and an air outlet configured to expel the air received into the unit. The hydraulic power unit further includes controls configured to provide a user interface. The controls and the air inlet are located on the front face, and the air outlet is located on the rear face. A coupler for a hydraulic power unit, configured to couple a drive shaft of the unit to a pump shaft of a hydraulic pump, includes a first aperture configured to receive the drive shaft, a second aperture configured to receive the pump shaft, and a hub configured to be received in a fan. The hub is configured to fixedly couple to the fan so that the fan is driven by the drive shaft.
US09470265B2
A slide bearing device, includes an inner ring-shaped internal element, an intermediate element that encloses the internal element in the radial direction of the slide bearing device and is at least approximately ring-shaped, and a ring-shaped external element that encloses the intermediate element in the radial direction. The internal element is rotatable relative to the external element, and the intermediate element is rotatable relative to the internal element and relative to the external element. In a default state of the slide bearing device, the internal element is arranged at a distance to the intermediate element in the radial direction of the slide bearing device, and the intermediate element is arranged at a distance to the external element. The internal element and the external element are made of a metallic material and the intermediate element with a non-metallic material.
US09470255B2
A fastening element for interconnecting first and second components produced from different materials includes a metal strip and at least two fastening clips or lugs located in a common plane. An elastic bend compensating for longitudinal changes between the two fastening clips or lugs and a fastening point for the second component are disposed between the fastening clips or lugs.
US09470250B2
The invention relates to a triggered-stroke actuator (10) comprising a body (12) housing a piston (14) and a rod (16), and a gas generator (18) mounted in said body (12) opposite said piston (14) and capable of pressurising a first chamber (20) defined between said gas generator and said piston, in which the piston (14) comprises, on its external face, a groove (30) in which is housed a sealing joint (40) with the body (12) of the actuator (10). A calibrated passage (50), adapted to evacuate gas from the first chamber (20), is formed between the sealing joint (40) and the wall of the groove (30).
US09470248B2
A flexible response secured mechanical balancing device (D) for multiple hydraulic control actuators (1-2) with a common output member (5a-b). The balancing device (D) provides flexible/continuous fluid-pressure force fight compensation. Balance valves (17-20) are commanded to balance fluid-pressure from a first fluid-pressure network (52a) of a second actuator (2). Each fluid-pressure commanded balance valve (17-20) is arranged to allow relief of differential pressure, directly into a dedicated first (52a) or second fluid-pressure network (52b). A fluid-pressure controlled locking device (21-22) is allowing inhibiting the corresponding pairs of balance valves (17-20) e.g. in case of loss of fluid-pressure. The invention typically applies to vehicles (A) including: aircrafts, rotorcrafts, drones.
US09470244B2
The inner wall surfaces on the discharge sides of a cooling area have arc-like curved surfaces. The curvature of upper-side inner wall surfaces above a boundary part and the curvature of lower-side inner wall surfaces below the boundary part are set to be different from one another, the boundary part being located above the center line of cooling devices.
US09470240B2
A thrust bearing structure is equipped with a thrust collar having a collar pad, and a thrust bearing having a bearing pad at a position corresponding to the collar pad on a surface facing the thrust collar. The bearing pad has a tapered section, and a land section continuously formed on the outer edge of the tapered section. Assuming that oil droplets are supplied between the bearing pad and the collar pad, and assuming that the rotation speed of a rotor shaft is constant, the tapered section would have a sloping surface formed in such a manner that a wall thickness gradually becomes thicker toward the downstream side along the trajectory of given oil droplets based on the centrifugal forces acting on the droplets due to the rotation of the rotor shaft.
US09470239B2
A system for applying tension to a component for use in molten metal processing. Preferably, the component includes an outer core and at least one tension rod positioned partially within the outer core. The component is preferably elongated, such as a support post or an impeller shaft. The tension rod applies compression to the outer cover, which makes the outer cover more resistant to breakage if it strikes, or is stricken by, an object.
US09470232B2
A rotational speed governor for an air motor comprises a housing, a valve, a shaft, a cross-bar, a plate and a pair of weights. The housing has an air inlet and an air outlet. The valve is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet. The shaft extends along an axis within the housing. The cross-bar is connected to the shaft. The plate intersects the shaft between the valve and the crossbar. The weights are rotatably connected to the crossbar at pivot points. Each weight comprises an arcuately profiled edge extending beyond the crossbar to engage the plate. The arcuately profiled edges are shaped to increase a moment arm on the plate as the weights pivot away from the shaft.
US09470227B2
An internal gear pump for a slip-controlled hydraulic vehicle braking system has a pinion, an internal gear and a separating piece which is arranged between the pinion and the internal gear. The internal gear pump also has an inner part and an outer part, and separates a suction chamber from a pressure chamber. The separating piece is configured to protrude counter to a rotational direction of the internal gear pump beyond a sealing point of the inner part on the outer part such that the inner part and the outer part bear in front of the sealing point against at least one tooth tip of a tooth of the pinion and of the internal gear of the internal gear pump. As a result, tilting of the inner part and of the outer part away from the pinion and from the internal gear about the sealing point is avoided.
US09470221B2
A method for generating a flow by a peristaltic hose pump, a generated fluid pressure being limited to 500 mbar and being achieved and maintained without a pressure measurement during operation of the pump. A length of a flexible and elastic pump segment of a hose is adjusted such that, while a roller wheel is stationary, and while the segment is guided under tension around the roller wheel, and when applying a fluid pressure in the range from 10 to 400 mbar to one end of the pump segment, a backflow leakage in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the roller wheel is created, and a flow of the fluid of at least 0.01 l/min through the pump segment is obtained, taking into account the backflow leakage. The distance of fixing points of each end of the pump segment to the roller wheel rotation axis is fixed.
US09470217B2
The embodiments herein disclose a method and system for measuring and controlling an amount of flow and volume of liquid/fluid and/or electrical energy. The method and system obtains a plurality of values for the electrical parameters of an electro-pump, including voltage value, current value and active/reactive energy value; calculates the plurality values; and determines and controls the amount of instant flow and volume of the liquid/fluid based on the calculated values. The system/method gathers these two measuring and controlling features such as measuring and controlling the volume of liquid and amount of energy in one casing, thereby providing a secure reference for both the parameters at the same time for underground water resources.
US09470216B2
A method for applying a metalized polymer film to a seal bag for use in a downhole submersible pumping system includes the steps of applying a metal layer to a polymer layer, applying an adhesive layer to the polymer layer, and rolling the adhesive layer onto a substrate of the seal bag. The method may also include the steps of rotating a first roller, which is located above the polymer layer of the metalized polymer film, and rotating a second roller, which is located on an interior surface of the substrate of the seal bag, in the opposite direction of the first roller. Also disclosed is a downhole pumping system that incorporates a seal bag manufactured from these techniques.
US09470215B2
Provided is a liquid handling device for use in a liquid handling system including a plurality of the liquid handling devices assembled in side-by-side relationship at a center-to-center spacing of X. The device includes a barrel, plunger, motive device and electronics assembled together in an envelope having a front portion including at least the barrel and plunger, and a rear portion including at least a portion of the electronics. The rear portion has a thickness greater than X but no greater than 2X, and the front portion has a thickness no greater than X and is laterally offset relative to a center plane of the envelope, whereby the liquid handling device can be assembled with another reversely oriented liquid handling device at a center-to-center spacing of X and a total combined width no greater than 2X.
US09470209B2
An aerodynamic brake assembly for use with an airfoil such as the blade of a wind turbine rotor comprises deployable upper and/or lower spoiler plates incorporated in or attached to the airfoil. The spoiler plates can deploy under the influence of centrifugal forces when the rotating airfoil or rotor blade reaches a pre-determined rotational speed. The aerodynamic brake assembly may be integrated within the airfoil or attached to the tip of the airfoil such that, when not deployed, the upper and lower spoiler plates have a profile that approximately conforms to the profile of the part of the airfoil to which it the brake assembly is attached. Failsafe deployment of the spoiler plates can occur either upon loss of power to the mechanism, or when the centrifugal force associated with an overspeed condition of the rotor overcomes the holding force of an electromagnet or solenoid.
US09470200B2
An electromagnetic solenoid of a starter includes: a main solenoid forming an electromagnet to pull a plunger when being energized, a contact unit that controls the motor current ON and OFF.The contact unit includes a motor power switch including fixed contacts and a movable contact driven by the main solenoid; a regulation member disposed to be movable between a regulated position and a released position and a sub solenoid that drives the regulation member to the regulated position and releases the regulation member to the released position.The sub solenoid drives the regulation member to the regulated position before the motor power switch is closed to regulate movement of the movable contact and releases the regulation member to the released position when a predetermined time elapses after the plunger is pulled by the electromagnet to release the movable contact.
US09470198B2
A valve for metering fluid having a valve assembly which meters the fluid, and a hydraulic coupler assigned to the valve assembly. The coupler has a housing cup having a cup bottom, cup wall and cup opening; a piston is guided inside the housing cup in axially displaceable manner and delimits a fluid-filled coupler gap in the direction of the cup bottom and delimits an annular gap in the direction of the cup wall; and a cap-shaped diaphragm having a cap bottom and cap shell, which covers the annular gap at the cup opening by the cap bottom and overlaps the cup wall of the housing cup by the cap shell, and is fixed in place at the piston and cup wall in fluid-tight manner.
US09470195B2
A fuel supply system with an accumulator that allows for the accumulation of fuel at a pressure greater than the nominal operating pressure of the fuel supply system. The accumulation of fuel allows for less frequent fuel pump operation and therefore a reduction in overall fuel consumption of an engine.
US09470184B2
An exhaust gas recirculation control device of an engine includes an exhaust turbocharger having a turbine disposed in an exhaust passage and a compressor disposed in an intake passage, low-pressure and high-pressure EGR passages connecting the exhaust passage downstream of the turbine to the intake passage upstream of the compressor and connecting the exhaust passage upstream of the turbine with the intake passage downstream of the compressor, respectively, low-pressure and high-pressure EGR valves disposed in the low-pressure and high-pressure EGR passages and for changing cross-sectional areas thereof, respectively, a valve control device for controlling openings of the low-pressure and high-pressure EGR valves, a total intake gas amount detector for detecting a total intake gas amount, a fresh air amount detector for detecting a fresh air amount, and a pressure difference detector for detecting a pressure difference between the exhaust and intake passage sides of the high-pressure EGR valve.
US09470179B2
A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a piston with a top-most groove extending circumferentially about the piston. The top-most groove includes one or more channels spaced apart circumferentially about the top-most groove and extending inward from an outer perimeter of the piston assembly. The system also includes a ring positioned in the top-most groove, the ring including a top face, a bottom face, an inner circumferential face, and an outer circumferential face that tapers between the top face and the bottom face. A space is defined between a portion of the top-most groove and the inner circumferential face of the ring, and the space is in fluid communication with the one or more radial channels.
US09470173B2
Methods and systems are provided for modeling an oil dilution qualitative indicator based on an integrated difference between a commanded air-to-fuel ratio and an engine air-to-fuel ratio as determined via an oxygen sensor, cumulative cold engine temperature operating duration, and fuel injection characteristics (timing, duration, number of injections) allowing fuel injection timing modifications that minimize oil dilution when the oil dilution qualitative indicator is greater than a threshold level.
US09470168B2
A method of diagnosing deterioration of an oxygen sensor of a vehicle may include detecting a first exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) amount by a mass air flow (MAF) sensor, detecting a second EGR amount by the oxygen sensor, comparing a first difference between the first EGR amount and the second EGR amount with a first predetermined value in a first predetermined operating region, and determining that the oxygen sensor may be in danger of the deterioration when the first difference between the first EGR amount and the second EGR amount may be greater than or equal to the first predetermined value in the first predetermined operating region.
US09470161B2
A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister loaded with an adsorbent capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a closing valve provided a vapor path connecting the canister and the fuel tank and having a valve seat and a valve movable portion such that a distance between the valve seat and the valve movable portion is stroke amount, a pressure sensor configured to detect inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit. The electric control unit is configured to perform abnormal state depressurization control of the fuel tank, in a state that the pressure sensor cannot detect the inner pressure of the fuel tank, by setting the stroke amount of the closing valve at a fail-safe value in which the closing valve is closed, and then changing the stroke amount in a valve opening direction of the closing valve from the fail-safe value.
US09470158B2
An vehicle with defined power on demand including a control system configured to provide to an operator a plurality of selectable features each have selectable options. The defined power on demand utilizes unrealized engine power which is limited by an engine control system for reasons of fuel savings and cost effectiveness. The selectable features include power take off (PTO), mechanical front wheel drive (MFD), front hitch, and rear hitch. Selectable options include a plurality of defined amounts of power delivered by a vehicle engine over a period of time with respect to a selected feature. The defined amount of power is greater than the power at which the engine typically operates as limited by the engine control system. The greater power is provided over a period of time to complete each of the selectable features.
US09470154B2
A method of controlling an engine includes initiating a transition from homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) to spark ignited (SI) combustion mode of the engine under low load. The method includes commanding an exhaust valve actuator to increase lift of the exhaust valve to maximize expulsion of combustion chamber contents. The method also includes injecting into the combustion chamber sufficient amount of fuel after the lift of the exhaust valve was increased to generate substantially stoichiometric air-fuel ratio of the gas mixture contained in the chamber. The method also includes igniting the gas mixture after the fuel was injected into the combustion chamber to maximize combustion of the gas mixture. The method additionally includes commanding an intake camshaft phaser to change the position of the intake camshaft to a position configured for predetermined throttled SI combustion mode after the gas mixture was ignited to maximize operating efficiency of the engine.
US09470153B2
A compression pump for an engine is provided. The pump may include a first pump impeller operatively coupled to a main shaft of the engine, a first inlet configured to at least partially receive bypass airflow, and a first outlet configured to direct compressed air to a thermal management system. The first pump impeller may be rotatably fixed about a common axis of the compression pump. Additionally the compression pump may extend radially to one exterior side of the engine. Furthermore the compression pump can be coupled to the main shaft of the engine by an engine towershaft. A first intake manifold may be coupled to a first inlet of the compression pump and a first discharge manifold may be couple to a first outlet of the compression pump which may have one or more heat exchangers.
US09470142B2
Provided is a control apparatus for a supercharged internal combustion engine. A turbo supercharger, an exhaust bypass passage, a WGV capable of switching the opening and closing of the exhaust bypass passage, and variable valve operating mechanisms capable of changing a valve overlap period are included. The valve overlap period is shortened so that the fresh air blow-through amount Gsca becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined blow-through determination value Gjudge when the blow-through amount Gsca is larger than the blow-through determination value Gjudge. The WGV is opened when the blow-through amount Gsca is still larger than the blow-through determination value Gjudge after the valve overlap period has been shortened.
US09470141B2
In a method for regulating a boost pressure of an engine which has a compressor, an actual boost pressure and a setpoint boost pressure are used as input parameters. The setpoint boost pressure is regulated in such a way that a pressure ratio in the compressor does not exceed a limit pressure ratio. A reference boost pressure is ascertained based on a speed of the engine and a load of the engine. A flow and/or a pressure of air supplied to the engine is/are detected and an associated flow signal and/or pressure signal is generated. The smaller of the reference boost pressure and a limit boost pressure is used as a setpoint boost pressure. The limit boost pressure is ascertained based on a limit boost pressure ratio and a speed of the compressor.
US09470133B2
An internal combustion engine has a cooling jacket at least partially integrated in the cylinder head. The engine has two groups of cylinders: inside cylinders and outside cylinders. Each cylinder has at least one exhaust port, each leading to an individual duct. Individual ducts of outside cylinders converge to form an outside combined duct. In a four-cylinder engine or cylinder head, individual ducts of inside cylinders converge to form an inside combined duct with the inside combined duct remaining separated from the outside combined duct by the cooling jacket. The inside combined duct is farther away from the mounting surface of the cylinder head to the cylinder block than the outside combined duct. The cooling jacket includes upper, middle, and lower cooling jackets and connectors between the upper and lower cooling jackets.
US09470128B2
An exhaust system is disclosed for use with an engine. The exhaust system may have an exhaust duct, an aftertreatment component disposed within the exhaust duct, and a resistive grid disposed within the exhaust duct at a location upstream of the aftertreatment component. The exhaust system may further have a controller configured to determine a need to heat the aftertreatment component to a threshold temperature, determine a load increase that should be placed on the engine to raise a temperature of exhaust exiting the engine when the aftertreatment component needs to be heated, and determine an amount of electrical power that should be applied to the resistive grid to raise the temperature of the exhaust. The controller may also be configured to selectively implement a combination of engine load increase and application of electrical power to the resistive grid to raise the temperature of exhaust to the threshold temperature.
US09470126B2
A system for reducing ammonia in exhaust gas generated from a lean burn internal combustion engine includes an oxidation catalyst, a selective reduction catalyst (SCR), a cooling unit, and a three-way catalyst. Exhaust gas generated by the engine passes through the oxidation catalyst to oxidize carbon monoxide from the exhaust gas to form carbon dioxide. Nitrous oxide (NOx) compounds in the exhaust gas are reduced in the SCR to form nitrogen and water. The exhaust gas is then cooled in a cooling unit and then passed over the three-way catalyst. The three-way catalyst causes ammonia in the cooled exhaust stream to react to form less harmful compounds, such as nitrogen and water.
US09470125B2
A gas-liquid separator separates water from exhaust gas discharged from a fuel cell mounted in a vehicle after the fuel cell generates electricity. The gas-liquid separator includes a case that includes a water storage region. The water storage region is located at a lowermost part in the case. The exhaust gas is introduced into the case, where water is separated from the exhaust gas. After the separated water is stored in the water storage region, the water is drained to the outside from the case. The case has in it a barrier that is formed to protrude upward to restrict water from flowing out of the water storage region when the vehicle is inclined. The barrier restricts outflow of water to the outside of the water storage region when the vehicle is inclined.
US09470118B2
A valve timing control apparatus includes: an urging member to which a set load is provided to act, to the cam shaft, an urging force from one of the most retard angle position and the most advance angle position toward the intermediate phase position; and a controller configured to sense, as the intermediate phase position, a position at which a relative rotational speed between the driving rotational member and the cam shaft is varied by the relative rotation of the cam shaft beyond a region in which the cam shaft is controlled by the set load of the urging member, when the cam shaft is controlled to be relatively rotated from the one of the most retard angle position and the most advance angle position beyond the intermediate phase position.
US09470117B2
A camshaft phaser, including: an axis of rotation; a drive sprocket arranged to receive torque; a stator non-rotatably connected to the drive sprocket; a rotor at least partially rotatable with respect to the stator, arranged to non-rotatably connect to a camshaft and including first and second radially disposed sides facing, respectively, in first and second opposite axial directions parallel to the axis of rotation, a through-bore connecting the first and second radially disposed sides, and a support pin including a first portion disposed in the through-bore and a second portion extending past the second radially disposed side in the second axial direction; and a positioning spring engaged with the second portion and the stator to urge the rotor in a circumferential direction, wherein a line parallel to the axis of rotation passes through the first portion and material forming the rotor.
US09470114B2
One exemplary embodiment of this invention provides a single-effect absorption chiller including an absorber operatively connected to a solution heat exchanger and a generator, and a condenser in fluid communication with the absorber, wherein the absorber is sized and configured to receive a feed of water from a source of water and to transfer heat to the feed of water and then to convey the feed of water to the condenser without further heat conditioning of the feed of water prior to its entry into the condenser, and wherein the condenser is sized and configured to receive the feed of water from the absorber and to transfer heat to the feed of water, thereby cooling the condenser without resorting to an external heat exchanger such as a conventional cooling tower.
US09470113B2
A method of controlling a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) includes measuring a first regulated output of the HRSG and a second regulated output of the HRSG. The method includes comparing the first regulated output to a first setpoint defining a first target output to generate a first error signal and comparing the second regulated output to a second setpoint defining a second target output to generate a second error signal. The method also includes generating, by a controller implementing a multivariable control algorithm having as inputs the first error signal and the second error signal, control signals to control the HRSG to adjust values of the first regulated output and the second regulated output.
US09470112B2
A system includes a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) including a first pressure economizer, a first pressure evaporator that may receive a first portion of a feed water from the first pressure economizer at a first pressure, a re-heat section that may receive the first portion of the feed water from the first pressure economizer as a first steam flow, and a flash system including a first flash vessel that may receive a second portion of the feed water from the first pressure economizer and to generate a first flash steam flow. The system may combine the first flash steam flow with the first steam flow of the feed water at a second pressure less than the first pressure.
US09470107B2
A compression rod may include a plunger and a spring. A proximal end and a distal end of the compression rod may contact engagement features in a core cowl of a gas turbine engine. The compression rod may transmit loads between halves of the core cowl. The spring may cause the plunger to extend and contract in response to vibrations or other relative movement between halves of the core cowl.
US09470105B2
The present application and the resultant patent provide a gas turbine engine system. The gas turbine engine system may include a gas turbine engine, a water wash system, and a system controller. The gas turbine engine may include a compressor, a combustor in communication with the compressor, and a turbine in communication with the combustor. The water wash system may be in communication with the gas turbine engine and configured to remove contaminants therefrom. The water wash system may include a number of valves configured to control flows through the water wash system, and a number of sensors configured to measure operating parameters of the water wash system. The system controller may be in communication with the valves and the sensors and operable to automatically control the valves upon receiving operating parameter signals from the sensors in order to perform a wash of the gas turbine engine.
US09470104B2
A seal shaft for use in an air cycle machine has two axial edges. An axial distance is measured between contact faces at the axial edges, with a tolerance to the dimension. A greatest variation between the axial distance at a plurality of spaced locations on the edge face is maintained with a ratio of the greatest variation to the tolerance being less than 0.2. A rotor assembly, an air cycle machine and a method are also disclosed.
US09470099B2
A securing device (20) for axially securing a blade root (12) of a blade in a groove (11) of a turbine engine. The outer contour (24) of the securing device (20) that faces a groove wall, in particular a groove base (33), is curved at least in some regions, the outer contour (24) having three different radii (R1, R2, R3) in some regions.
US09470092B2
A system for attaching a rotating blade in a turbine includes a bush having an axial slot and a radial slot that intersects with the axial slot. A radial retention member fits within the radial slot, and an axial retention member fits within the axial slot and engages with the radial retention member. A method for attaching a rotating blade in a turbine includes inserting a bush into an axial passage in a rotor wheel and inserting a radial retention member into a radial passage in the rotor wheel and through at least a portion of the bush. The method further includes inserting the rotating blade in a slot in the rotor wheel, inserting the radial retention member into a retention slot in the rotating blade, and inserting an axial retention member into the bush.
US09470084B2
A sensor system for sensing a process variable of fluid at a first location including a variable resonator disposed at the first location having a resonant frequency which varies in response to the process variable of the fluid and responsively provides a resonant acoustic signal at the resonant frequency indicative of the process variable. An acoustic sensor disposed at a second location which is spaced apart from the variable resonator is configured to receive the resonant acoustic signal transmitted from the variable resonator. Measurement circuitry coupled to the acoustic sensor configured to provide a process variable output related to the process variable of the fluid in response to the received resonant acoustic signal.
US09470080B2
A system and a method for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation wherein the method includes providing a reverse osmosis (RO) unit comprising at least one membrane; feeding a first feed stream having a first salinity content to a first side of the membrane; and feeding a second feed stream having a second salinity content to a second side of the membrane. The method further includes discharging a retentate stream from the first side of the membrane, and discharging a product stream having a controlled salinity content from the second side of the membrane. The method furthermore includes injecting at least a portion of the product stream into the oil-bearing formation, and recovering at least a portion of the oil from the oil-bearing formation.
US09470075B2
A direct drive pump employs an on-off tool to attach the drive rod string to a floating pump drive shaft in both torsion and tension. The downward thrust on the drive shaft, as well as the weight of the drive rod string, is born by a thrust bearing in the drivehead at the surface. A floater pump is used with this direct drive pump to permit the free vertical movement of the drive shaft. When a tandem direct drive pump is employed a housing containing a tandem pump drive shaft connector connects the shafts in an upper and lower tandem pump to permit the two to freely move in the tandem direct drive pump.
US09470070B2
A method, including: performing dual-side depressurization on a hydrate blockage in a subsea flow line, wherein dual-side depressurization includes, reducing pressure on a topside of the hydrate blockage in the subsea flow line by removing liquid from within a subsea riser with a bubble pump that has a first end in fluid communication with the liquid within the subsea riser, reducing pressure on a backside of the hydrate blockage, and concurrently controlling the reduction in pressure on the topside of the hydrate blockage and the backside of the hydrate blockage.
US09470068B2
Methods and systems for historical, geological modeling for producing an estimated distribution of hydrocarbons trapped in subsurface clathrates are disclosed. One method includes instantiating a basin model of a geological area of interest, and, for each of a plurality of predetermined geological times up to a geologic present day: determining one or more changes to the basin model, calculating, at each of a plurality of locations within the basin model, a temperature and a pressure, determining an existence and a location of a clathrate stability zone based on the calculated temperatures and pressures, and estimating one or more clathrate concentrations and hydrocarbon volumes in the clathrate stability zone. The method further includes calibrating a present day clathrate concentration and hydrocarbon volume derived from the basin model against calibration data obtained from one or more locations within the geological area of interest, thereby providing a model of the present day clathrate concentration and hydrocarbon volume at each of the plurality of locations.
US09470062B2
A downhole tool for use in a wellbore and that is attached to a perforating string that creates perforations in a portion of the wellbore. Where the downhole tool can selectively flow fluid from the perforating string to surface, or circulate flow from surface to an annular space between the tool and a wellbore wall. The tool includes pressure actuated valves that provide the flow diverting functionality. The valves are in cooperation with one another to prevent fluid from the portion of the wellbore having the perforations from flowing into the annular space. A pressure actuated selector assembly, which is made up of a piston and specially configured mandrels that are coaxially stacked, selectively moves separate mandrels in an axial direction for opening and closing the valves.
US09470060B2
A device and method for use is provided for grippingly engaging a tubular, in particular for gripping a wellbore casing. Drillable bridge plugs may use hardened buttons or other slip arrangements and materials that may be susceptible to damage when the bridge is being run into the wellbore. It may be desirable to protect the slip ring or the hardened buttons by shielding the buttons during run-in or by providing a standoff device so that the buttons may be prevented from contacting the casing until desired.
US09470058B2
A high temperature downhole packer including a tubular member, an annular and longitudinally movable ring, and a packer. The tubular member has a stop located on an outer diameter thereof. The annular and longitudinally movable ring is disposed around the outer diameter of the tubular member. The packer element is disposed between the stop and the ring. The packer element includes a high temperature elastomeric polymer having a first storage modulus from about 1,000 MPa to about 10,000 MPa at a first temperature between about −100° C. and about 175° C., and a second storage modulus from about 1 MPa to about 1000 MPa at a second temperature ranging from about 175° C. to about 475° C.
US09470056B2
A fibre composite rod fishing tool includes a ring base with an axis and provided with peripherally arranged, axially extending radially resilient arms with slips with a common axial bore being tapered-off towards a rod receiving aperture opposite of said ring base, said common axial bore provided with teeth of common radial cutting depth, said teeth's engaging edge having the tapering off of the common axial bore, so as for the outer set of teeth's engaging edge to be most blunt, and each consecutive set of teeth's engaging edge extending higher and being sharper inwards toward the common axis, as counted in the direction away from said rod receiving aperture.
US09470055B2
A technique employs the use of oscillations downhole to facilitate a desired functionality of a downhole tool. According to this technique, a tool is initially conveyed downhole and operated to perform a function that relates to a downhole application. The operational efficiency of the tool is improved by creating oscillating forces which vibrate the tool to achieve a desired result, e.g. freeing the tool from a stuck position.
US09470039B2
A framed architectural mesh panel system including a mesh panel; a frame assembly; and a tensioning system; wherein the tensioning system is integrated within the frame assembly.
US09470032B2
A door stop device is described, having a first magnet connected to a door and a second magnet connected to a floor. The first magnet can be mounted on a movable arm so as to allow the first magnet to move upwards and downwards. The arm can be bias in an upward position via a spring or a third magnet so as to be maintained in an upward position when the first and second magnets are not aligned, but moves downward when the first and second magnets are aligned.
US09470031B2
An opening/closing body control device for a vehicle includes: a drive section for driving an opening/closing body; a controller for controlling the drive section; a handle unit that is operable by an manipulation input in an opening direction and is operable by an manipulation input in a closing direction; a manipulation input detector for detecting the manipulation input for the handle unit and the direction of the manipulation input; and an operation position detector for detecting the operation position of the opening/closing body. When the opening/closing body is in a fully open position, the controller executes closing operation control in order to bring the opening/closing body into closing operation in both a case where the manipulation input in the closing direction is detected and a case where the manipulation input in the opening direction is detected.
US09470028B2
A sliding door assembly for incorporation within a wall, the assembly comprising a sliding door panel, a top rail guide and a bottom rail guide operatively associated with respective top and bottom ends of the sliding door panel to guide the same within a pair of cooperating guide tracks provided within each of the top rail guides and bottom rail guides, the top and bottom rails guides are not vertically interconnected whereby the pairs of cooperating guide tracks extend in a separate plane from that of the wall so that when the sliding door panel is fully opened it is disposed behind the wall. The invention includes a guide track that is bifurcated to provide multiple sliding door panels.
US09470024B2
Closure assemblies for movable partitions may include a leading end assembly having a first side and a second side and a latching assembly coupled thereto. The latching assembly may include a first latching member having a portion thereof positioned proximate to the first side and a second latching member having a portion thereof positioned proximate to the second side. Movable partition systems may include a plurality of hingedly coupled panels movably coupled to a track, and a leading end assembly coupled to at least one panel of the plurality of hingedly coupled panels. The leading end assembly may include at least two latching features positioned on the leading end assembly. Methods of securing a movable partition may include retaining a first latching member and a second latching member in a retracted position and extending the first latching member and the second latching member to an extended position.
US09470017B1
An intelligent door lock system has a position sensing device configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of a lock device. The position sensing device senses position of the drive shaft to assist in locking and unlocking a lock of a lock device. An engine with a memory is coupled to the positioning sensing device and to a circuit. A faceplate and a ring, in at least a partial surrounding relationship to the faceplate, are provided. The faceplate and the ring define a cavity where at least a portion of a lock of the lock device resides. At least one of the ring and the faceplate is electrically isolated from the circuit. An energy source is coupled to the circuit. A device converts energy into mechanical energy is coupled to the circuit, positioning sensing device and the drive shaft. The device that converts energy is coupled to the energy source to receive energy from the energy source.
US09470015B2
A grasping attachments for utility tractors is provided and, particularly, a hydraulically-operated front end loader attachments for skid loaders is provided. The multi-purpose attachment allows an operator to remain in the tractor cab while grasping, pulling, and/or lifting bulky objects that would normally require the operator to step away from the cab or request the assistance of one or more persons. Such objects may include planted trees, bushes, or posts that require removal from the soil and transportation for disposal. The attachment includes a fixed jaw and a pivoting jaw, where the fixed jaw is positioned relative to the frame of the attachment such that there is a larger area between the jaws to surround and grasp an object.
US09470014B2
A plasticized fence clipping system comprises fence posts, fence rails, wire panels, having top wires, plasticized rail clips having wire recesses for locking the top wires therein, and plasticized double-locking-head arms. The plasticized rail clips and plasticized double-locking-head arms are for quickly and easily locking and releasing the top wires to and from the inside of the fence rails, respectively, such that the plasticized fence clipping system absorbs vibrations exerted on the fence and prevents the metal components of the fence from contacting and grinding against one another, to keep the fence quiet and to prevent the metal components from rusting. The plasticized fence clipping system is affordable and reliable, is quick and easy to install, requires no tools, saves materials, eliminates personal injuries, can be operated by hand, and requires only one person to install the fence.
US09470008B2
The present application relates to an innovative and optimized method and system for maintaining water quality in water bodies such as excavated inland structures and floating structures with bottoms comprising flexible membranes, using a simplified economic filtration system and degreasing system that requires much smaller filtration equipment than conventional centralized filtration systems and provides for consumption of significantly lower amounts of energy. The method of the invention allows activating a chemical application system, mobile suctioning device, and/or degreasing system based on information regarding turbidity, the color of the bottom of the water body, and amount of greases on the surface water layer of the water body, to adjust the water quality parameters within their limits.
US09470006B2
An equipment (1) for demolishing a building (2), wherein said building (2) comprises a building base (3) placed in proximity of a ground (4), or placed on the ground (4), and an opposite building top (5) or temporary building top (5) arranged away from said building base (3), as well as building floors (6), comprises: —a platform (7) adapted to be positioned against the top of the building (5) avoiding ground support devices which from the platform (7) reach the base of the building (3) or the ground (4) surrounding the building; said platform (7) comprising at least one working scaffold (8) adapted to be arranged along the periphery (9) of said building (2) and to face at least one floor (6) of said building (2); —said at least one working scaffold (8) being supported, hanged, on said platform (7) so that it descends along the side wall (10) of the building (2) to border the works for demolishing the building (2).
US09470002B2
A tile leveller and spacer system that allows rapid and reliable spacing and levelling of tools is described. The tile spacer comprises a base for locating the spacer under the tiles, and a stem that includes an alignment cross which is used to correctly space the tiles. The stem tile spacer is placed over the stem and engages with teeth on the stem. The tile leveller is pushed down over the stem to level the tiles between the base and the bottom of the tile leveller. The stem further comprises a frangible portion located between the base and the tile alignment portion, and when the stem is pulled with sufficient force, the frangible portion breaks to allow removal of the stem. A hand tool may be used to assist in this process. The hand tool can have an adjustable stop which can be set to a first setting to level the tiles, and a second setting to cause the frangible portion to break, allowing removal of the stem and leveller.
US09469994B2
A dowel supporting device that includes a substantially hollow tube having a top end and a bottom end. An opening may be formed at the top end and a base may be formed at the bottom end. The base of the dowel supporting device may be fastened to a concrete deck. Concrete may be poured into the concrete deck. When dowels are ready to be used, the dowels may be inserted and secured to the dowel supporting device.
US09469990B2
A restructured, recycled or repurposed slab such as stone, wood or the like which includes a primary component and a secondary component which fills a fissure, crack or break in the slab. The secondary component being configured to restore the structural integrity and/or providing a continuous surface. The secondary component configured to provide a noticeable contrast in appearance to the primary component.
US09469988B2
A grid framework including a conductive support grid member having uncontrolled conductivity and including an I-shaped bulb having a top portion, a bottom portion, and a central portion which is narrower than the top portion and the bottom portion; a first conductor disposed on a first side of the I-shaped bulb, the conductivity of the first conductor being controllable; a second conductor disposed on a second side of the I-shaped bulb opposite the first side, the conductivity of the second conductor being controllable, and a non-conductive insulative layer applied to the I-shaped bulb of the conductive support grid member which fully covers the top portion of the I-shaped bulb, the non-conductive insulative layer interposing the I-shaped bulb of the conductive grid support member and the first conductor and interposing the I-shaped bulb of the conductive grid support member and the second conductor.
US09469983B2
A system for attachment to beams in which at least two U-shaped cleats are secured over a beam. A cap is attached to the cleats, the cap enclosing the U-shaped cleats, and preventing rain from entering the beam through fasteners used to secure the cleats. On the underside of the cap, stop tabs space the top of the cap from the beam. On the upperside of the cap, T-slots form channels with a gap opening. These channels may be used to attach equipment to the beam.
US09469981B2
The invention provides structures, methods, and assemblies for incorporating fixtures and appliances, such as a tree, street lamp, or light pole, into a bioretention system. The invention also provides methods, filtration modules, and additional structures that are useful for managing storm water flow and inhibiting the flow of pollutants, debris, and other contaminants into drainage systems.
US09469977B2
A water storage system is provided that stores a quantity of fresh, potable water for residential or commercial use when municipal water or ground water is not available. The system comprises several embodiments, including a pressurized system and a non-pressurized system that stores water from a main water line in one or more storage tanks for subsequent use. A solar-powered pump is utilized to pump water from the storage tank or tanks when no electrical power is available, allowing water to be distributed into a dwelling or building to run facilities and to allow for undisturbed operation in the event of a catastrophe or emergency event. Water is continually or operably circulated through the tanks in order to maintain a fresh supply under normal conditions, while the tanks can be isolated from the main water supply in an emergency event.
US09469967B2
A system for automated control of a machine includes a position sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a position of a work surface along a first slot and along a second slot. The work surface along the first slot and the second slot define at least a portion of a berm. The controller is further configured to determine a physical characteristic of the first slot and the second slot and generate a berm reduction command if the physical characteristic of the first slot and the second slot is less than the characteristic threshold of the first slot and the second slot.
US09469966B2
Provided is a guard-equipped cab for a work vehicle in which contact between a work implement and a member for coupling an operator protective guard to a cab can be avoided. A front guard is coupled by hinges to be openable/closable with respect to a cab for a work vehicle. A hinge has a shaft portion, a first plate member, and a second plate member. The first plate member is fixed with respect to a right front pillar. The second plate member is fixed with respect to the front guard. The first plate member has a support portion supporting the shaft portion, and extends from the support portion toward a left surface of the cab for the work vehicle.
US09469965B2
A coupler for coupling an attachment to an excavator having a latching member for retaining a rear pin of the attachment and a blocking member for retaining the front pin of the attachment. A hydraulic actuator and spring are provided for holding the latching and blocking members in their closed states. In the event of a failure of the actuator, the spring, the latching member and the blocking member together hold the front and rear pins in their respective recesses to allow continued operation of the coupler, while allowing the pins to move with respect to the coupler to create a rattling movement that can indicate to the operator that a failure has occurred.
US09469961B2
An apparatus for pile-driving or drilling, particularly a foundation machine, including at least one hydraulic drilling or vibration drive, which is connected with a control block in an open hydraulic circuit, by way of which drive at least one further consumer can be operated. The drive is connected with a pump by way of a first feed line and with a tank by way of a first return line. The hydraulic drive is additionally connected directly with the pump by way of a second feed line, and directly with the tank by way of a second return line.
US09469960B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for deploying one or more plate anchors on the seafloor prior to later installation (embedment) of the plate anchors using an installation tool such as a suction follower. The methods and apparatus may be used for batch-setting multiple plate anchors on the seafloor for a drilling vessel mooring in which the plate anchors and an installation tool are subsequently engaged for subsequent suction embedment of the plate anchors to design penetration depth.
US09469956B2
Systems and methods for drainage management, including a pipe that is cut along a longitudinal section thereof; and a pipe block having a curved section corresponding to a diameter of the cut pipe and including supporting legs. The curved section of the pipe block is configured to support the cut pipe.
US09469952B2
A snow flipper for clearing snow. The snow flipper includes a blade. The snow flipper also includes a handle attached the blade. The handle includes a first portion, a second portion attached to the second portion and a bend creating a vertical portion of the handle. The snow flipper further includes a handgrip. The handgrip is movably secured to the handle, telescopes relative to the handle and provides a gripping surface for the user. The snow flipper additionally includes a flat spring attached to the vertical portion of the handle. The flat spring includes a curved piece of rigid material configured to deform under a force, return to its initial shape upon removal of the force and cause downward motion of the handgrip to result in motion that is upward and away from the user. The snow flipper moreover includes a wheel attached near one end of the flat spring.
US09469948B2
A hollow marker post and a resilient member located therein wherein the resilient member is statically dependent of the hollow marker post with the marker post and the resilient member dynamically dependent of each other to facilitate the return of the marker post to an upright condition when the marker post is impacted by an external force.
US09469936B2
The present invention provides a polymer composition capable of providing fibers with an enough penetration speed and enough water retention, while maintaining a favorable hue of the fibers, when used as a fiber crosslinking agent. The present invention also provides a fiber crosslinking agent and crosslinked fibers using the polymer composition. The present invention further provides a polymer composition that enhances the absorption properties of fibers and is especially useful for applications which strongly require the absorption properties, and a fiber crosslinking agent and crosslinked fibers using the polymer composition. The present invention is a polymer composition containing a poly(meth)acrylic acid polymer; and a bisulfite (salt)-added (meth)acrylic acid (salt) or a hypophosphorous acid (salt).
US09469929B2
A double damper of a washing machine, which is a double damper, comprising: a rod 2 which is extensively connected between upper and lower support ends 1a and 1b; and a suspension cap 3 which is provided in the middle of the rod 2, is supported by a spring 4 disposed between the lower support end 1b and a holder of the suspension cap 3, and decreases vibration by moving vertically along the rod 2, wherein the suspension cap 3 has a first damper 5 fixed to the suspension cap 3 and a second damper 6 reciprocating along the rod 2, and a cap 7 in which the first and second dampers 5 and 6 are provided is integrally formed with the suspension cap 3 and is vertically divided by a partition bar 8.
US09469928B2
Provided is a washing method of a washing machine including an outer tub for receiving washing water, an inner tub rotatably provided in the outer tub to receive laundry, a pulsator rotatably provided in the inner tub, and a motor providing driving force to rotate at least one of the inner tub and the pulsator. In the washing method, a first centrifugal circulation water stream is formed by rotating the inner tub such that the washing water rises along a space between the outer and inner tubs and falls into the inner tub. An agitating water stream is formed by rotating the pulsator rotating the washing water. Here, the forming of the agitating water stream includes forming a first agitating water stream by controlling the motor with a first net acting ratio, and forming a second agitating water stream by controlling the motor with a second net acting ratio lower than the first net acting ratio.
US09469922B2
The present invention concerns methods for removing sulfur from a fiber comprising the steps of: a) contacting never-dried sulfur-containing fiber in a yarn with an aqueous base having a pKa less than or equal to 11 to release at least a portion of said sulfur, said sulfur comprising, at least in part, sulfate anions and said yarn comprising fiber derived from polymer comprising imidazole groups; and b) rinsing said yarn to remove at least a portion of released sulfur.
US09469919B2
A method of attaching a cell or a membrane-coated particle-of-interest to a microtube is provided. The method comprising: co-electrospinning two polymeric solutions through co-axial capillaries, wherein a first polymeric solution of the two polymeric solutions is for forming a shell of the microtube and a second polymeric solution of the two polymeric solutions is for forming a coat over an internal surface of the shell, the first polymeric solution is selected solidifying faster than the second polymeric solution and a solvent of the second polymeric solution is selected incapable of dissolving the first polymeric solution and wherein the second polymeric solution comprises the cell or the membrane-coated particle-of-interest, thereby attaching the cell or the membrane-coated panicle-of-interest to the microtube. Also provided are microtubes with attached, entrapped or encapsulated cells or membrane-coated particles and methods of using same.
US09469899B2
Processes are provided for selectively depositing thin films comprising one or more noble metals on a substrate by vapor deposition processes. In some embodiments, atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes are used to deposit a noble metal containing thin film on a high-k material, metal, metal nitride or other conductive metal compound while avoiding deposition on a lower k insulator such as silicon oxide. The ability to deposit on a first surface, such as a high-k material, while avoiding deposition on a second surface, such as a silicon oxide or silicon nitride surface, may be utilized, for example, in the formation of a gate electrode.
US09469892B2
The invention includes the hot thermo-mechanical processing of heat-treatable aluminum alloys comprising preparation of the billet material, heating the billet to obtain the temperature for solution treatment, holding the billet at this temperature a sufficient amount of time required for the dissolution of soluble elements, cooling the billet to the temperature necessary for plastic deformation with essential preservation of the solid solution, plastic deformation, immediate quenching of the billet after plastic deformation, and then billet aging at the corresponding temperature and time. Additional plastic deformation may be used between stages of quenching and aging. An embodiment specifies cooling rate, forging temperature and strain rate.
US09469890B2
A water atomized prealloyed chromium-free, iron-based steel powder is provided which comprises by weight-%: 0.05-0.4 V, 0.09-0.3 Mn, less than 0.1 Cr, less than 0.1 Mo, less than 0.1 Ni, less than 0.2 Cu, less than 0.1 C, less than 0.25 O, and less than 0.5 of unavoidable impurities, with the balance being iron.
US09469884B2
A system and method for the calcination of minerals. The system comprises a vertically disposed reactor segment configured to impart horizontal forces on particles passing through the reactor segment in a vertical direction; an injector unit for receiving granular feedstock, the injector unit being disposed at a top portion of the reactor segment, whereby granules of the feedstock move through the reactor segment in a granular flow under at least one of a group consisting of a force of steam, gravitational force and a centrifugal force; a reactor heat exchange unit thermally coupled to a wall of the reactor segment for providing heat to the flowing granules inside the reactor segment through heat transfer through the wall of the reactor segment; one or more inlets formed in the reactor segment for introducing a superheated gas into the reactor segment to create conditions of a gas-solid multiphase system; and one or more exhaust openings formed in the retort segment such that gas products are at least partially flushed from the reactor segment under the flow of the superheated gas from the inlets to the exhaust openings.
