US09475278B2

Controlling adhesives between substrates and carriers includes forming a depression into a bonding area of a backside surface of a substrate of a print head where the bonding area being formed proximate an ink feed slot formed through the thickness of the substrate from the backside surface to a front side surface; placing an adhesive between the bonding area and a substrate carrier, and moving the substrate and the substrate carrier together such that the adhesive flows into the depression.
US09475273B2

There is described an ink wiping system (100; 100′; 100″) of an intaglio printing press comprising a wiping tank (101) and a rotatable wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) supported on and partly located in the wiping tank (101) for wiping excess ink from the surface of a rotatable intaglio printing cylinder (80) of the intaglio printing press. The ink wiping system (100; 100′; 100″) comprises a wiping roller retracting device (150) which forms an integral part of the ink wiping system (100; 100′; 100″) and is adapted to be coupled to the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) to move the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) between a working position (W) where the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) is supported on and partly located in the wiping tank (101) for cooperation with the intaglio printing cylinder (80) and a parking position (P) where the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) is retracted out of the wiping tank (101) and away from the intaglio printing cylinder (80). In the working position (W) of the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*), the wiping roller retracting device (150) is coupled to the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*). The ink wiping system (100; 100′; 100″) further includes, at the parking position (P), a storage section (110) adapted to receive the wiping roller assembly (102; 102*) which is retracted by the wiping roller retracting device (150).
US09475263B1

A protective fabric or material includes a base material and at least one inorganic filler selected from the group consisting of a chemical decontamination agent, a biological decontamination agent, an electromagnetic radiation shielding agent, an antimicrobial agent, a self-decontaminating agent, a decontamination catalyst, a carbon dioxide absorbing agent, and a combination thereof.
US09475260B2

A sound insulation device (D) includes at least three layers: a first layer (1), facing a sound source to be blocked, comprising a blackout cloth with a weight greater than 250 g/m2, a second layer (2) including a metalized cloth, a metalized face (2a) of the cloth being disposed in contact with the first layer, a third layer (3) including a brushed cotton cloth having a weight greater than 250 g/m2, disposed in contact with the second layer (2) on the side opposite the first layer (1), the metalized cloth being produced by in vacuo metallization of a woven substrate previously calendered by the application of a compression force.
US09475259B2

A composite material has a polymeric upper layer which is connected via at least one adhesive layer to a substrate. The substrate is predominantly or entirely formed by an open-cell polyurethane foam onto which the upper layer, containing between 2 and 12 wt % of polysiloxane, is bonded by an adhesive layer. An intermediate layer or a double layer, i.e. a composite of the intermediate layer with a bonding layer located between the substrate and the intermediate layer, is provided between the upper layer and the substrate as the adhesive layer for joining the upper layer and the substrate. The regions of the substrate into which the polyurethane dispersion of the adhesive layer has penetrated in a controlled manner during application have a density which is between 12% and 48%, above the density of the regions of the substrate without the adhesive layer.
US09475256B2

A method and apparatus is presented. The composite filler comprises a number of layers of composite material and a core comprising a material which is non-bondable with the composite material.
US09475252B2

A method and system for forming a honeycomb panel structure. The method includes the steps of compressing the honeycomb panel structure in a first panel region and reinforcing the first panel region. Reinforcing the first panel region may include the steps of drilling a plurality of holes in the first panel region; inserting pins into the first panel region; and welding pins into a face sheet of the honeycomb panel structure. Alternatively, the step of reinforcing the first panel region may include the step of adding an additional face sheet to the honeycomb panel structure.
US09475250B2

A method including folding incontinence pads which have a substantially rectangular shape, elongate according to a longitudinal axis, and including a central absorbent pad and a perimetric edge. The method includes folding parts of the edge onto a central portion of the absorbent pad, folding a first end portion of the incontinence pad about a first fold line onto the central portion and a subsequent step of folding, about a second fold line a second end portion onto the first portion. The fold lines which are transversal to the longitudinal axis and define the central portion are spaced by a stretch which is greater than or equal to the longitudinal dimension of the first end portion. The folding step is preceded by a step of folding down inwards onto the central portion segments of the edge which lie between the first and second fold lines, and a step of retaining said segments of the edge on the central portion.
US09475247B1

A machine for transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed box configuration includes a first drive wheel configured to drive a box cutout towards a plunging area; a plunger configured to apply force to a central portion of a bottom panel of the box cutout so as to fold the box about a lateral bisecting axis and propel at least a portion of the box cutout downward; and opposed second and third drive wheels configured to grab a box cutout propelled downward by the plunger and further draw the box cutout downward into a collapsed box configuration within a collection area. A box cutout transitioned to a collapsed box configuration in this manner may include a bottom panel having plurality of unbroken minor score lines and broken major score lines.
US09475245B2

A honeycomb extrusion apparatus includes a die body and a mask defining a peripheral gap. The peripheral gap includes a first extrusion cross section at a first radial location relative to the extrusion axis and a second extrusion cross section at a second radial location relative to the extrusion axis. An overall flow area of the first extrusion cross section is less than an overall flow area of the second extrusion cross section. In further examples, methods include co-extruding a honeycomb body with an integral skin with the overall flow area of the first extrusion cross section being less than the overall flow area of the second extrusion cross section. In further examples, methods include compensating for different skin flow characteristics associated with a particular honeycomb network configuration of discharge slots in a die body.
US09475243B2

An embodiment of a method of molding a large returnable container includes a heat treatment step for subjecting a thick preform formed of a polyester resin or a primary blow-molded article to intermediate blow molding with heating to obtain an intermediate molded article, and a final blow molding step that includes subjecting the intermediate molded article that has shrunk to final blow molding with heating to obtain a large returnable container. The heat treatment step includes disposing the preform or the primary blow-molded article in a heat treatment mold, and pressurizing the preform or the primary blow-molded article so that a shoulder and a body obtained by blow molding close contact to a cavity surface of the heat treatment mold, and are subjected to a heat treatment, the shoulder being heated at a low temperature as compared with the body.
US09475241B2

An inflatable membrane apparatus (10) comprising (a) a fluid accumulator (11) having an upper and a lower face and a fluid entrance (12), said lower face being partly formed by an inflatable membrane (14), and (b) a trunconical part (15) projecting outwardly from the lower face of the accumulator whose greater base is closed by at least part of the inflatable membrane (14) and smaller base forms a circular opening, whereby, when pressurized fluid is introduced into the accumulator (11), deformation of the inflatable membrane (14) is guided by the trunconical part.
US09475226B2

A method and a machine that account for changes in material properties of molten plastic material during an injection run. If viscosity of the molten plastic material changes during an injection run, a controller alters a step time of the injection cycle to ensure that molten plastic material completely fills and packs a mold cavity to prevent part flaws such as short shots or flashing.
US09475223B2

An airway device for human or animal use comprising an airway tube having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of which is surrounded by a laryngeal cuff, adapted to fit anatomically over the laryngeal structure of a patient, wherein the device optionally further comprises a buccal cavity stabilizer located on or around the airway tube between the laryngeal cuff and the proximal and of the tube, said buccal cavity stabilizer being adapted to nest with the anterior aspect of the patient's tongue, the size, shape and configuration of the buccal stabilizer being adapted to prevent rotational or side-to-side movement of the airway device in use.
US09475222B2

A method of forming a part includes uni-directionally injecting a mold with material to form a molded part, removing the molded part from the mold, and forming at least one cavity in the molded part, the at least one cavity being defined by a machining process separate from a molding process.
US09475214B2

A method of preparing an aluminum mold for injection molding is provided, the method comprises the steps of providing an aluminum mold having a least one surface, subjecting the at least one surface to a gas or liquid phase silane to thereby form an anti-stiction coating, the anti-stiction coating comprising a chemically bonded monolayer of silane compounds on the at least one surface wherein the silane is a halogenated silane. The at least one surface coated with the anti-stiction coating may be configured to withstand an injection molding process at a pressure above 100 MPa. Furthermore, a mold having at least one closed cavity is provided, at least one surface of the at least one cavity being an aluminium surface coated with a silane based coating layer. The resistance of the coated aluminium mold is significantly improved by applying a silane-based coating layer.
US09475210B2

A wet saw system and related methods of use for supplying a cooling water stream in construction locations. The wet saw system includes a water supply system for supplying the cooling water stream when ambient temperatures are at, below or approaching freezing conditions. The water supply system includes a unitary housing defining storage and electrical compartments. The storage compartment defines a water storage tank that includes a storage inlet, a storage outlet and a heater assembly. The electrical compartment encloses a control assembly, a pumping assembly and a power supply. The pumping assembly is fluidly connected to the at least one storage outlet and supplies a pressurized water stream to a system outlet that is externally accessible on the unitary housing. In the absence of available power sources, the power supply can power the heater assembly so as to be off-line with respect to external utilities.
US09475209B2

Provided is a wire saw where a wire (47) extends and is wound around a plurality of machining rollers (45), the wire (47) is moved in a circulating manner around the machining rollers (45) due to rotation of the machining rollers (45), and a workpiece (49) is cut by the wire (47) at a workpiece cutting position. The wire saw includes a supply pallet (67) which guides the workpiece (49) to move toward the wire (47) at the workpiece cutting position in an upright state. The wire saw also includes a receiving pallet (100) which is arranged at a workpiece receiving position located downstream of the workpiece cutting position in the workpiece conveying direction, and receives the cut workpiece (49) with the workpiece (49) being kept in an upright state.
US09475208B2

An atmospheric storage mechanical weigh batch blend plant is shown with atmospheric storage for providing a dry, pre-blend, oilfield cement ready for mixing at the wellhead for slurry injection into a well head upon adding the proper amount of water and other fluids. The batch blend plant has three separate weighing mechanisms for (a) larger or bulk quantity materials, (b) intermediate quantities of materials, and (c) small amounts of additives to be included to the mixture. The entire weigh batch blend plant can be disassembled and moved. A special pressurized air bearing is used in the blender.
US09475207B2

A wood working tool for cutting flutes on a curved profile, used with a wood lathe. The wood working tool includes a vertical mast secured to a base. A cutting tool holder is attached to the mast and can be connected at different positions to adjust the usable height to accommodate different size lathes. The tool holder supports a cutting tool such as router. The tool holder also supports a depth control bar with a roller at a working end of the control bar. The control bar is positioned such that the roller is near a cutter of the cutting tool. The depth control bar can be adjusted to allow for the cutting tool to cut a surface at a variety of depths. Moving the wood working tool along the length of the turning with the depth control bar engaged allows for cutting of the flute.
US09475205B2

A method of making a mechanical fastener. The method includes providing a slit web having mechanical fastening elements and spreading the slit web in the cross-machine direction by directing the slit web over at least a first roller having first multiple protrusions around its peripheral surface. The slit web includes a plurality of interrupted slits that are interrupted by intact bridging regions of the web that divide the interrupted slits into a series of spaced slit portions aligned in the machine direction. The first multiple protrusions are positioned such that adjacent protrusions push through consecutive slit portions of a first of the interrupted slits to form a spread mechanical fastening web. An apparatus including the first roller and at least a subsequent roller is also disclosed.
US09475194B2

An autonomous mobile device, an autonomous movement system, and an autonomous movement method, each having an obstacle avoidance capability, are provided. The autonomous mobile device includes an avoidance pattern determination unit for determining the travel pattern of the local device according to the state of motion, relative to the autonomous movement device, of a mobile obstacle other than the autonomous movement device; and a travel controller for causing the autonomous movement device to travel according to the travel pattern determined by the avoidance pattern determination unit. One of avoidance patterns is selected in accordance with a relative velocity to a mobile obstacle.
US09475191B1

Disclosed are robotic systems, methods, bipedal robot devices, and computer-readable mediums. For example, a robotic system may include a robotic body, a robotic hip connected to the robotic body, and a ball screw connected to the robotic hip. Further, the robotic system may include a robotic leg connected to the robotic hip parallel to the ball screw. Yet further, the robotic hip includes a motor that is linearly movable to one or more positions along the ball screw between one end of the robotic leg and an opposite end of the robotic leg.
US09475181B2

The present disclosure relates to multipurpose pliers including a pivot section (20), a handle section (30) connected to the pivot section (20) on one direction, and a pair of lever sections (10A, 10B) connected to the pivot section (20) on an opposite direction to the one direction, wherein the lever sections (10A, 10B) include a split ring insertion part (11), the split ring insertion part (11) includes a bottom support portion (11B) protruding in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (L-axis) of the multipurpose pliers at an end of a direction facing away from the pivot section on one (10A) of the pair of lever sections, a tapered portion (11A) extending in the perpendicular direction from top of the bottom support portion (11B) and gradually narrowing to a tip, a convex forming portion (11C) formed on a side surface toward the pivot section of the tapered portion (11A) and the bottom support portion (11B), a concave forming portion (11 D) formed at an end of the other (10B) of the pair of lever sections to guide the convex forming portion (11C) on the side surface of the bottom support portion (11B) and the tapered portion (11A), and a split ring retaining portion (11E) formed in a concave shape on both side directions from the concave forming portion (11D), a size of an upper surface of the bottom support portion (11B) is larger than or equal to a size of a bottom surface of the tapered portion (11A), and a gap (210) between rings of a split ring (200) are opened using the tapered portion (11A).
US09475169B2

Methods and systems for evaluating and/or increasing CMP pad dresser performance are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of identifying overly-aggressive superabrasive particles in a CMP pad dresser can include positioning a CMP pad dresser having a plurality of superabrasive particles on an indicator substrate such that at least a portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles of the CMP pad dresser contact the indicator substrate, and moving the CMP pad dresser across the indicator substrate in a first direction such that the portion of the plurality of superabrasive particles create a first marking pattern on the substrate, wherein the first marking pattern identifies a plurality of working superabrasive particles from among the plurality of superabrasive particles.
US09475157B2

A take-off needle comprises a hollow lance having a distal end adapted to perform a insertion operation, said hollow lance being connected to at least one pipe provided with a spigot for it to be connected to a tube, and comprising a body for holding the hollow lance and pipe relative to each other such that the spigot projects from the holding body, said needle timber comprising two flanges held on respective sides of and spaced from the holding body by virtue of a spacer disposed between each flange and the holding body, said flanges extending in a longitudinal direction from the spigot to the vicinity of the proximal end of the hollow lance, the width of each flange being greater than the width of the portion of the holding body facing the flanges.
US09475155B2

A method of welding a pipe section in a ring-based welding system, wherein the welding system comprises: (i) an adjustable ring gear mount; (ii) a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly having an inner diameter and a center point; and (iii) at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly. The method includes steps of: (a) positioning the pipe section within the ring gear assembly, the pipe section having an object attached the pipe section which enlarges a cross-sectional profile of the pipe section; (b) moving the pipe section through the ring gear assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis; (c) operating the adjustable ring gear mount to move the center point of the ring gear assembly relative to the pipe center point in a plane substantially orthogonal to the pipe section's longitudinal axis; and (d) moving the attached object through the ring gear assembly while the ring gear assembly remains an enclosed circular structure.
US09475151B1

A method and apparatus attach a laser diode on a submount to a slider. The submount and laser diode form a submount assembly. The slider includes an air-bearing surface (ABS) and a transducer. The apparatus includes an optical fiber and a holder. The optical fiber is configured to carry a laser pulse. The holder includes a vacuum channel and an optical fiber aperture therein. A portion of the optical fiber is held in the optical fiber aperture. The vacuum channel is configured to hold the submount assembly by a pressure differential between a pressure developed in the vacuum channel and an external pressure at a remaining portion of the submount assembly. The pressure in the vacuum channel is less than the external pressure. The method holds the submount assembly in the apparatus, aligns the submount assembly to the slider and provides a laser pulse through the fiber.
US09475148B2

A friction stir processing tool having a shoulder, which is implemented on a body, and which has a friction surface for pressing against at least one workpiece at least partially provided with a surface coating, and a friction reducing unit for reducing the friction resistance between the surface coating and the friction surface.
US09475147B2

Provided is a method of resistance spot welding of welding a sheet set including a high strength steel sheet with which a high joint strength can be achieved even for a high Ceq material. A method of resistance spot welding a sheet set of two or more lapped steel sheets by weld the sheet set while clamping and pressing the sheet set between a pair of welding electrodes includes a first welding step of applying an weld current Im (kA) and forming a nugget having a nugget diameter d (mm) that satisfies the following inequality (1); a cooling step, subsequent to the foregoing first welding, of cooling the sheet set while continuing to press the sheet set; and a second welding step of performing two-step welding, 3×√tm≦d≦6×√tm  (1), where tm is the thickness (mm) of the thinnest one of the foregoing two or more steel sheets.
US09475142B2

The invention a fixed abrasive sawing wire comprising diamond particles held in a metallic retention layer on a steel wire. The steel wire has a diameter less than 300 μιη. More than half of the diamond particles (102, 102′, 104, 104′, 104″, 104′″) have a cubo-octahedral morphology as obtained in the diamond synthesis by high pressure at high temperature. 95% of the diamond particles have a size of 80 pm or less. The diamond particles predominantly show low elongation below or equal to 0.2 and are not obtained by crushing larger diamonds.
US09475140B2

A wind shielding portion is provided in a front side of an exhaust port for cooling air from a motor such that it crosses over a lateral width with respect to a cutting direction. The cooling air which is blown to the wind shielding portion is effectively blown through a ventilation portion having a small ventilating resistance force and towards a marking line guide. Even when the cutting device main body is set at an incline, the cooling air is blown to the wind shielding portion, and is effectively blown through the ventilation portion to the marking line guide.
US09475128B2

A drill capable of performing high-quality drilling machining on a material which is hard to be cut such as CFRP is provided. The drill includes a drill body 4 having a shank portion 2 at a rear side of the drill main body and a cutting portion 3 at a front side of the drill main body, a first land A to a fourth land D at the cutting portion 3, a first cutting portion groove 5a to a fourth cutting portion groove 5d provided between the lands of the first land A to the fourth land D, a pilot blade 6 formed at the tip of the cutting portion 3, a diameter-enlarging spiral thread portion 9 continuously following the pilot blade 6, a finished spiral thread portion 12 continuously following the diameter-enlarging spiral thread portion 9, a diameter-enlarging spiral blade portion 18, and a finishing spiral blade portion 19.
US09475119B2

A method comprising introducing a first casting material into a casting mold; applying directional solidification to the first casting material in the casting mold; introducing a second casting material into the casting mold, the second casting material having a different chemical composition than the first casting material; applying directional solidification to the second casting material in the casting mold; and forming a molded article, wherein the molded article comprises a first region.
US09475115B2

A centrifugal casting method for producing a casting of a metallic material comprises positioning a rotatable assembly comprising a plurality of gates and a plurality of cavities positioned about a sprue chamber. The plurality of gates and the plurality of cavities are positioned to receive molten metallic material from the sprue chamber in a general direction of centrifugal force. Each of the plurality of gates is coupled to one of the plurality of cavities, and at least two of the plurality of cavities are stacked. The method further comprises rotating the rotatable assembly. The method further comprises delivering a supply of molten metallic material to the sprue chamber.
US09475110B2

The present disclosure provides a single piece sheet metal design incorporating two individual hem bend configurations forming the door/drawer front, a functional door/drawer handle, and a gasket protecting barrier.
US09475095B2

A method of controlling the vibration of a vibratory separator, the method including providing a vibratory separator having a frame and a plurality of force generators coupled to the frame and a control unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of force generators, and independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators. Independently controlling each of the plurality of force generators controls a motion profile of the vibratory separator.
US09475094B2

There is provided a vibration generating apparatus including a vibration transferring member transferring vibrations to outside the vibration generating apparatus, an elastic member having one or more end portions fixed to the vibration transferring member, a mass body vibrating in response to vibrations of the elastic member, and a piezoelectric element installed on one surface of the elastic member so as to be disposed to face the mass body. A lower surface of the mass body has step parts in order to prevent contact between the mass body and the piezoelectric element. The lower surface of the mass body in which the step parts are formed and the piezoelectric element are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.
US09475093B2

Switchable micromachined transducer arrays are described where one or more switches, or relays, are monolithically integrated with transducer elements in a piezoelectric micromachined transducer array (pMUT). In embodiments, a MEMS switch is implemented on the same substrate as the transducer array for switching operational modes of the transducer array. In embodiments, a plurality of transducers are interconnected in parallel through MEMS switch(es) in a first operational mode (e.g., a drive mode) during a first time period, and are then interconnected through the MEMS switch(es) with at least some of the transducers in series in a second operational mode (e.g., a sense mode) during a second time period.
US09475092B2

An electro-acoustic transducer includes: a conductive substrate in which a first trench is formed, and which includes an electrode connection unit surrounded by the first trench; a membrane provided on the conductive substrate; an upper electrode provided on the membrane to contact an upper surface of the electrode connection unit; a first electrode provided on a lower surface of the conductive substrate to contact a lower surface of the electrode connection unit; and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and provided to contact the lower surface of the conductive substrate.
US09475089B2

A new method for durably bonding layers of a functional material to surfaces physically and chemically bonds solid layer lubricants and other functional coatings to a substrate surface by first applying a bond layer of a selected substantially binder-free soft material onto the substrate surface by, for example, burnishing, and then applying the functional layer onto the bond layer. Example soft materials for the bond layer include soft oxides such as antimony trioxide and example solid layer lubricants include graphite, molybdenum disulfide and mixtures of such lubricants. The new method is a major improvement over conventional bonding or coating methods. The process is non-vacuum at ambient temperatures and requires no binders, adhesives, curing or baking. Lubricant performance is enhanced by orders of magnitude compared to conventional approaches. The method is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, applicable to almost any substrate material and scalable.
US09475088B2

A method of producing a structure containing a phase-separated structure, including applying a neutralization film to a substrate to form a layer of a neutralization film; applying a block copolymer having a plurality of polymers bonded thereto, and a weight average molecular weight of 150,000 or more to the layer of the neutralization film, so as to form a layer containing the block copolymer and having a coating film thickness of 23 nm or less; and phase-separating the layer containing the block copolymer.
US09475084B2

The subject matter discloses a painting apparatus comprising a paint bag containing paint; a paint port through which paint flows from the paint bag; an air bag to receive gas configured to apply pressure to the paint bag as it receives air; an air port through which the gas enters the air bag; wherein the air bag and the paint bag are located within the painting apparatus, such that expansion of the air bag by pumping of the gas into the air bag forces the paint from the paint bag via the paint port.
US09475082B2

A dispensing module and method of dispensing an adhesive includes a dispenser body having a valve element and a nozzle. The nozzle includes a nozzle member, a sealing zone, and a valve seat. The nozzle member includes a liquid passageway having a bore, a cylindrical surface, a second converging surface, and a shoulder. The sealing zone is defined by the cylindrical surface and extends from the bore toward the shoulder and engages the valve element to close a first volume of the liquid passageway from the inlet. The valve seat is defined by the shoulder and the second converging surface and has a circular line of contact that engages the valve element to close a second volume of the liquid passageway from the inlet. The first volume reduces to the second volume as the valve element moves distally along the sealing zone for discharging the adhesive.
US09475070B2

The present invention aims to provide a water faucet which allows a large space to be secured above the washing area and yet can deliver a high washing performance by landing streams or waterdrops having a large cross-sectional area evenly on a piece to wash. This water faucet includes a flow velocity changing part which changes the flow velocity of the stream discharged from each of multiple water spray holes such that the cross-sectional area of the stream changes with time. The multiple water spray holes are disposed at intervals such that, when the cross-sectional area of one stream discharged from one water spray hole exceeds a predetermined size, the one stream is merged with one of the other streams discharged from the multiple other water spray holes adjacent to the one water spray hole, and such that the one of the other streams with which the one stream merges changes with time.
US09475065B2

A device for purifying air from non-desired gases and particles, in the case of nuclear power plants from radiating particles and gaseous iodine, and for extermination of microorganisms and removal from the air. The device includes a purifying chamber through which the air to be purified is arranged to flow. In the structurally grounded purifying chamber ionized air (1) is led to a water dust or vapor which can be oxidized with hydrogen peroxide (6) and by increasing the voltage level of the ionization to produce ozone and to be led further to high voltage operated ion blast tips (8) producing a continuous ion jet, which is directed onto collecting surfaces (9) and taking with it droplets, particulate materials and gaseous components connected to them. The volume of the air to be purified determines the shape and volume of the purifying device.
US09475060B2

A method and apparatus for disintegrating an elastomer is provided. The elastomer is moved across a base relative to a cutting tool and toward the cutting tool. The cutting tool has a cutting wedge, which has a cutting edge and a rake face adjacent to the cutting edge. After the cutting wedge comes into contact with the elastomer, the elastomer is first at least partially compressed only by the rake face between the rake face and the base before the cutting edge cuts through the elastomer. An elastic evasive movement of the elastomer is avoided because of the initial planar compression of the elastomer by the rake face. Thus, it is possible to cut off significantly thinner pieces from the elastomer.
US09475052B2

The present invention provides a miniaturized microfluidic device with a heater that has a simple structure without needing adhesion means for improving the heat transfer between the heater block and the device, and which can form the uniform temperature regions. Disclosed is a microfluidic device, including: a substrate; a reaction flow path formed on the substrate; and a temperature adjustment heater for heating the reaction flow path, in which a reaction flow path formation region including the reaction flow path formed therein and a temperature adjustment heater formation region including the temperature adjustment heater formed therein are alternately arranged on the substrate, the reaction flow path is formed to be bent at least one time in the reaction flow path formation region, and the temperature adjustment heater is formed to be bent at least one time in the temperature adjustment heater formation region.
US09475051B2

A nucleic acid amplifier for carrying out a nucleic acid amplification reaction is disclosed. The amplifier includes a plurality of wells configured to carry out the nucleic acid amplification reaction. The amplifier also include a heating unit provided for every well. The amplifier further includes a light source for irradiating excitation light of a specified wavelength to all of the wells. A fluorescence detection unit is provided for every well.
US09475042B2

A specimen delivery apparatus includes a housing having a backplane. The backplane includes at least one fluid communication port. The housing has an open state and a closed state. A midplane has a cavity for holding a sample. The midplane is sealed within the housing when the housing is in the closed state. A first actuator is disposed to move fluid within the housing when the housing is in a closed state and the first bulb is actuated. Various embodiments provide for caching of the fluid as well as staging to permit further preparation of the specimen prior to delivery. Various features roil the fluid to assist in extraction, mixing, and transport of the sample with the fluid. A destructible seal prevents fluid communication through the fluid communication port while the seal is intact. Communication of fluid through the fluid communication port is enabled only when the destructible seal is not intact.
US09475039B2

A catalyst composition includes a heterobimetallic zeolite characterized by a chabazite structure loaded with copper ions and at least one trivalent metal ion other than Al3+. The catalyst composition decreases NOx emissions in diesel exhaust and is suitable for operation in a catalytic converter.
US09475027B1

A method for processing liquids and suspensions using shockwaves that includes providing an apparatus including a shockwaves generation section and a shockwaves processing section; placing media to be processed into the shockwaves processing section through continuous or intermittent injection; introducing a pressurizing gas into the shockwaves generation section; introducing a detonable mixture into the shockwaves generation section; causing formation of at least one of a shockwave within the shockwaves generation section by igniting the detonable mixture so that at least one of a shockwave propagates from detonation section into shockwaves processing section; utilizing physical, chemical, biological or mechanical effects of the shockwaves in the shockwaves processing section; venting detonation products from the shockwaves generation section via a pressure relief valve; and repeating to achieving a pre-determined degree of processing liquids, liquid suspension, colloids, gels, pastes located in the shockwaves processing section.
US09475026B2

Novel manifolds and methods of flow through manifolds are described. Apparatus and techniques are described in which flow from a relatively large volume header is equally distributed to process channels. Methods of making laminated, microchannel devices are also described.
US09475021B2

The present invention provides a method and system for providing on-site electrical power to a fracturing operation, and an electrically powered fracturing system. Natural gas can be used to drive a turbine generator in the production of electrical power. A scalable, electrically powered fracturing fleet is provided to pump fluids for the fracturing operation, obviating the need for a constant supply of diesel fuel to the site and reducing the site footprint and infrastructure required for the fracturing operation, when compared with conventional systems. The treatment fluid can comprise a water-based fracturing fluid or a waterless liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fracturing fluid.
US09475020B2

The present invention provides a method and system for providing on-site electrical power to a fracturing operation, and an electrically powered fracturing system. Natural gas can be used to drive a turbine generator in the production of electrical power. A scalable, electrically powered fracturing fleet is provided to pump fluids for the fracturing operation, obviating the need for a constant supply of diesel fuel to the site and reducing the site footprint and infrastructure required for the fracturing operation, when compared with conventional systems. The treatment fluid can comprise a water-based fracturing fluid or a waterless liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fracturing fluid.
US09475017B2

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for dispensing an off-gassing liquid product mixed with a diluting product are provided. A liquid product or product solution is moved through an unprimed product line and towards a dispenser. The liquid product is combined with the diluting product to create a solution. The solution is dispensed. The product line is cleared of unused liquid product to unprime the product line after the dispensement of the solution. The unused product may be directed back into a product container from which it was held.
US09475014B2

Systems for preparing emulsions can include a first fluid tank, a second fluid tank, and a circulation loop comprising a buffer tank and a pump, in some arrangements. The first fluid tank and the second fluid tank can be in fluid communication with the circulation loop via a first fluid inlet pipe and a second fluid inlet pipe, respectively. An outlet pipe can be in fluid communication with the circulation loop.
US09475007B2

Methods for manufacturing an isotopic filtration module and methods for filtering water according to its isotopic forms. In some implementations, graphene oxide flakes may be dispersed in an aqueous medium to form a graphene oxide solution. The graphene oxide solution may be applied to a substrate to form a laminated graphene oxide membrane comprising a plurality of graphene oxide sheets coupled together in a layered, interlocking structure. The laminated graphene oxide membrane may be positioned in a filtration housing configured to be coupled with a wastewater stream of a nuclear power plant in order to filter the wastewater stream according to its isotopic forms.
US09474997B1

This invention is directed to a porous sorbent comprising a modified metal-organic framework (MOF) having a hierarchical pore structure. The MOF is modified by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with air, fluorocarbons, or other sources of fluorine. In preferred embodiments the MOFs are zirconium based. The modified MOF, while surprisingly retaining its crystal structure, comprises a mixture of micropores and mesopores and embedded fluorine atoms.
US09474994B2

Fibrous filter medium that includes a melt-blown filter layer comprising melt-blown fibers and a high-efficiency glass-containing filter layer comprising glass fibers.
US09474989B2

An immiscible lipophilic or hydrophilic liquid phase separated respectively from a continuous hydrophilic phase or a lipophilic phase liquid. Fibers having hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties are formed into a filter. The separation mechanism involves capture of small droplets of the immiscible phase, coalescence of the small droplets into larger droplets as the immiscible liquid flows through the fiber filter, and release of the large immiscible droplets from the filter. Regarding separation of a hydrophilic immiscible fluid such as water in a lipophilic continuous fluid such as oil, the hydrophobic fibers cause small water droplets to migrate towards the hydrophilic fibers whereby large droplets form on hydrophilic surface. The large droplets stay on hydrophilic fiber surface for extended periods of time and continue to coalescence until they are so large that they can no longer be maintained by the hydrophilic fibers and are released and drained off of the filter.
US09474987B1

The subject application is directed to various sonic motion devices including a number of play sets in which a number of components located on a vibrating surface are moved in multiple directions as determined by the orientation of vibration fibers secured thereto and responsive to the vibrating surface. Also included an action figure having various features moved by sonic motion which may be correlated with sound such a movable jaw and a synchronized sound.
US09474980B2

A controller cover includes a main body portion attached to an outer surface of a controller, and the main body portion includes a contacted portion where a contacted inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the controller and a non-contacted portion where a non-contacted inner surface is not in contact with the outer surface of the controller. Elastic deforming protrusions are formed on the non-contacted inner surface. When the controller attached with the cover interferes with other thing, and the non-contacted portion of the cover is subjected to shock, the elastic deforming protrusion of the non-contacted portion is deformed to ease the shock, so that the controller and the interfering other thing are protected.
US09474977B2

The subject disclosure includes a method for detecting a transferee gaming accessory, presenting a user interface providing a plurality of selectable gaming configurations, detecting a selection of a gaming configuration from the plurality of selectable gaming configurations, accessing the gaming configuration, facilitating a peer-to-peer communication session with the transferee gaming accessory, and transmitting the gaming configuration to the transferee gaming accessory to configure the transferee gaming accessory. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09474963B2

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.
US09474951B2

Golf is waning in popularity partly because of the difficulty of becoming a good player. A key aspect of this difficulty is in using a golf club to drive a ball in a desired direction. To make this easier, the present inventor devised, among other things, a directional golf tee structure that enables players to select a drive direction by orienting the golf tee in the desired direction and then using a golf club to strike a portion of the golf tee instead of the ball. The struck portion of the golf tee filters out or reduces the effect of golf club swing errors, thereby promoting greater accuracy. In some embodiments, the tees are configured for specific loft angles, fade, and/or draw attributes, not only providing a variety of play and training options, but ultimately making golf easier and more enjoyable for players of all skill levels.
US09474941B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball with improved durability and/or resilience by improving the adhesion between a constituent member comprising an ionomer resin and a constituent member comprising a polyurethane. The present invention provides a golf ball material composed of a multi-block copolymer having a block A that has an acid functional group neutralized with a metal ion and a block B that has lower polarity than the block A.
US09474935B2

An all-in-one smart console, which is a self-contained unit, includes a control module for controlling an operation of the exercise machine, a command system operatively linked to the control module for receiving exercise related information from the exercise machine and data from the portable wireless communication device, and a fitness analysis module operatively linked to the control module for collecting exercise related information of the exercise machine and generating an exercise result based on the exercise related information.
US09474934B1

In some embodiments, an automated system comprises one or more biometric sensors, an interactive screen, and an exercise routine generation application communicable with a mobile application. In some embodiments, the mobile application receives data from an automated station and displays exercise routines, other exercise information, or both. In some embodiments, the mobile application includes a scanner to scan labels, other indicia, or physical or other features of an exercise machine or other exercise apparatus to identify the machine or apparatus. In some embodiments, the mobile application communicates with one or more local or remote databases identifying differing exercise facility locations within a geographic area and identifying exercise apparatus available in each of the differing facilities.
US09474927B2

A Pilates machine tension device support system for efficiently providing a tension force to a movable platform of an exercise machine. The Pilates machine tension device support system generally includes a frame, a platform movably positioned upon the frame and a tension assembly connected between the frame and the platform to provide selective tension upon the platform in a first direction. The tension assembly is comprised of a plurality of pulleys and a plurality of tension devices positioned upon the pulleys, wherein the tension devices are attached between a frame and the platform. The tension members are selectively engaged to the platform to increase or decrease the tension applied to the platform for varying levels of workouts.
US09474925B1

A single exercise bicycle which combines a standard upright bicycle with an elliptical trainer combined with a recumbent bicycle. The three-in-one bicycle includes added pedals which allow full support of a user's feet when the rider's body is in a reclining position. The exercise bicycle enables a rider to stand while performing an elliptical training exercise.
US09474916B2

Alkyl and/or alkenyl glycerol carbamate prepared by reacting a carbonate selected from the group consisting of glycerol carbonate, diglycerol carbonate, polyglycerol carbonate and mixtures thereof, with an amine of the general formula (I): HNR1R2  (I) wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and alkenyl groups having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms and R2 represents a hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and alkenyl groups having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms, and cyclic alkyl groups having 5 or 6 carbon atoms, are described along with methods for their use as pearlizing agents in surface-active preparations.
US09474912B2

Red light implants for delivering red light to spinal implants to enhance osteointegration.
US09474908B2

A dual function bone implant provides both stabilization and stimulation for bone healing. The implant includes a fixation or stabilization hardware body, with an electromagnetic field generator mounted in or on the body. The hardware body stabilizes the bone, while the electromagnetic field generator stimulates bone growth and fusion by producing an electromagnetic field at the bone site.
US09474902B2

Apparatus is provided including an extraocular device, which includes an eyeglasses frame, which is placed in front of an eye of a subject, and a power source coupled to the eyeglasses frame and configured to emit a beam of light that is outside of 380-750 nm. A light-guiding element is coupled to the eyeglasses frame and at least one optical coupling-in element and at least one optical coupling-out element are optically coupled to the light-guiding element. The coupling-in element is positioned such that the beam of light is directed into the light-guiding element via the coupling-in element, and the coupling-in and coupling-out elements are positioned such that the beam diverges from a focal point located within 3 mm of the coupling-out element. Other applications are also described.
US09474901B2

An auditory prosthesis device for neural stimulation of a patient's hearing having an audio signal input device; a sound processor for generating a neural stimulation signal; and an implantable stimulation assembly having plural stimulation channels for stimulation of the patient's hearing, the sound processor having a filter bank for dividing the input audio signal into plural analysis channels, each containing a frequency domain signal representative of a portion of the audio signal, a signal level determiner for each analysis channel for analyzing the respective frequency domain signal, a neural stimulation signal generator for each analysis channel, a mapping unit for allocating the analysis channels to the stimulation channels according to an adjustable mapping scheme, and a control unit for controlling the mapping unit such that a standard mapping scheme is used in a standard operation mode and a low bandwidth mapping scheme is used in a low bandwidth operation mode.
US09474899B2

A portable device for treating the bites or stings of insects and harmful creatures, comprising a monolithic containing body made in a single piece and defining an internal housing space, a piezoelectric element configured for producing a predetermined difference in electrical potential, and an actuating element operable by a user and associated with said piezoelectric element to impart to the piezoelectric element a predetermined state of stress/deformation; the actuating element, the piezoelectric element and the discharge area are aligned along the operating axis. The monolithic containing body presenting a bottom part developing along the operating axis below a guide and housing portion, the bottom part defining part of the internal housing space with an overall span orthogonal to the operating axis which is constantly smaller than an overall span of the internal housing space defined by the guide and housing portion.
US09474893B2

Disclosed therein is a tip structure for a skin care apparatus. The tip structure includes a first electrode formed on a substrate mounted on the front end part of a tip case and a second electrode formed on the periphery of the front end part of the tip case so as to provide a wide electrode area. The tip structure for the skin care apparatus, which supplies high frequency energy to the skin through electrodes formed at the front end portion of the tip case, includes: a first electrode formed on the substrate mounted on the front end part of the tip case; and a second electrode formed on a peripheral portion of the front end part of the tip case.
US09474892B2

A method and system for improving the effectiveness of cardioversion and defibrillation through the ability to reduce transthoracic impedance. A method and system of decreasing transthoracic impedance that allows standardized pressure to be applied directly over desired defibrillator patches. This system reduces transthoracic impedance by increasing effective pressure on desired patches through use of a manual depressor device which incorporates a deformable patient body interface and mechanical and or electronic mechanisms to provide qualitative and or quantitative feedback on the force being applied to said patches. By depressing the device over desired external adhesive electrode patches until an audio and or visual signal indicates sufficient applied pressure, increased patch to skin contact is achieved to decrease the effective transthoracic impedance of a patient upon delivery of a defibrillation shock.
US09474886B2

An apparatus for treating skin has a console with a user input device and a handpiece assembly. The handpiece assembly is configured to treat skin. A fluid line provides fluid communication between the console and the handpiece assembly. A manifold system is coupled to the console and controlled by the user input device. The manifold system is configured to hold releasably a plurality of fluid sources and deliver fluid from at least one of the plurality of fluid sources to the handpiece assembly.
US09474883B2

Provided are drainage systems that may include a drainage manifold and may be suitable for draining fluid from a tissue site. The drainage manifold may include a plurality of elongate members having a moveable end that may be adapted to configure the drainage manifold to treat a uniquely shaped tissue site. The drainage manifold may be coupled to a drainage tube with a transitional connector to provide a drainage system capable of distributing reduced pressure to the tissue site to enhance the drainage of fluids.
US09474879B2

The present invention provides a bi-directional catheter with nearly double the throw in its catheter tip deflection. In particular, the travel path of each the puller wire includes a U-turn or doubling-back around a pulley which minimizes the offset angle between the puller wire and the longitudinal axis of the control handle while maximizing the travel distance of that puller wire for any given distance traveled by the pulley drawing the puller wire. In one embodiment, the catheter has an elongated catheter body, a catheter tip section with first and second diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens, and a control handle which includes a steering assembly having a lever structure carrying a pair of pulleys for simultaneously drawing and releasing corresponding puller wires to deflect the tip section of the catheter.
US09474875B2

A bypass device for an absorption tank comprises a two-position three-way valve, a micro switch, a control circuit board, and a micro switch actuation mechanism. When an absorption tank needs to be replaced, in the process of rotating a handle, a contact wheel of the micro switch is pressed to send an electrical signal to the control circuit board, and the control circuit board controls a solenoid valve, thereby controlling a gas path of the two-position three-way valve, and bypassing the absorption tank effectively and timely. After the absorption tank is replaced, it is only required to rotate the handle to the original position, so that the entire replacement process involves simple operations and is effective, and the sealing effect of the gas path is desirable.
US09474859B2

The invention refers to a shuttering mechanism for controlling translation of a longitudinally moveable component within an elongate housing, the shuttering mechanism comprising at least one set of castellations on the housing and at least one resilient arm associated with the longitudinally moveable component, the resilient arm having a dog resiliently biased towards the castellations so as to engage between or behind the castellations and block the translation, wherein a respective shutter arm is arranged alongside the set of castellations, the shutter arm having a number of consecutive ramped protrusions spaced from each other, wherein the castellations and the ramped protrusions have the same pitch, wherein a profiled surface is formed by the castellations and the ramped protrusions, wherein the shutter arm is moveable in longitudinal direction with respect to the set of castellations, wherein the shutter arm has at least one locking position with its ramped protrusions essentially in phase with the castellations thus allowing the dog of the resilient arm to catch between or behind the castellations and wherein the shutter arm has at least one unlocking position with its ramped protrusions out of phase with the castellations in such a manner that the ramped protrusions prevent the dog from engaging with the castellations or disengage them thus allowing translation of the longitudinally moveable component.
US09474849B2

A device and method for treating a tick bite or other skin wound that may have been exposed to pathogens employs a syringe filled with antipathogen solution whereby the solution is applied under mild pressure directly to the wound site. The device employs spreader/retractor arms to open the wound for better access of the solution into the wound. The method of using the device to cleanse and disinfect a wound is described.
US09474848B2

Fluid management system and method of operating a fluid management system which may provide one or more functions associated with suction, irrigation, distention, deficit monitoring, infusion, fluid warming, and the like. The fluid management system may be selectable between pressure control and flow control modes.
US09474841B2

A combination of a single-station reverse-osmosis (RO) device comprising a hemodialysis device (HD device) is characterized in that a connection line is provided with a buffer chamber for permeate which serves on the one hand a faster permeate supply into the HD device and on the other hand a generation of a negative transmembrane pressure, and that upon request by the HD device the permeate flows either via the water inlet valve into the HD device or via a flushing valve of the HD device to an outlet.
US09474838B2

An apparatus and method for managing reduced pressure at a tissue site are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a pump for supplying reduced pressure to the tissue site, a motor coupled to the pump to propel the pump, and a drive system electrically coupled to the motor that includes a power source that provides a source of direct current power to the motor during an operational period at a substantially constant current and of sufficient magnitude to supply a targeted reduced pressure during the operational period. The drive system also includes a controller that monitors the pump's loading on the motor by measuring the voltage across the motor to determine whether the motor voltage remains within a predetermined operational range of voltages necessary for maintaining the reduced pressure supplied by the pump proximate to the targeted reduced pressure without directly measuring the reduced pressure using a pressure sensor.
US09474836B2

Reduced-pressure canisters and methods for recycling are disclosed. In one instance, a method for performing multiple reduced pressure treatments on one or more patients includes providing a reduced-pressure treatment system that includes a first canister body, a fluid reservoir, and one or more modules, such as a pump control module. The method involves using the reduced-pressure system and then removing one or more modules and placing the one or more modules in fitted shipping receptacle that disallows shipping of the fluid reservoir. The one or more modules may be reconditioned and coupled to a second canister body. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
US09474834B2

Coatings for medical devices, the coatings including albumin, the methods of forming the coatings, and the coated medical devices are disclosed. In preferred embodiments the medical device is a bioabsorbable stent. The albumin coating layer improves the thromboresistance of the device.
US09474830B2

The present invention relates to biodegradable scaffolds composed of a naturally-occurring protein backbone cross-linked by a synthetic polymer. Specifically, the present invention provides PEGylated-fibrinogen scaffold and methods of generating and using same for treating disorders requiring tissue regeneration.
US09474827B2

The invention relates to a wound dressing which is particularly suitable for therapeutically dressing wounds. Said wound dressing comprises at least one wound covering layer and at least one sorbent based on an activated carbon which has a biocidal and/or biostatic, in particular antimicrobial effect and/or finish.
US09474823B2

A low dispersion scent sampler for point of sale display has a housing with a front panel to which a label advertising products sold at the point of sale may be affixed. Inside of the housing is a blower connected to a timer control circuit and battery through a pushbutton actuated switch. A scented material is provided in the air flow path from the blower to one or more exhaust ports. When the pushbutton is pressed by a consumer, the blower turns on for a brief period of time to force air over the scented material and then through the exhaust ports for sampling of the scent emitted by the scented material. The on time for the blower is brief to limit exposure to the scent to the space occupied by the consumer.
US09474821B2

An air freshener removably engages with a structure, such as the supporting post of a rear view mirror of a motor vehicle. The air freshener has a rigidifying core defining a central axis, and an outer portion or sleeve contacting the core that is formed from one or more fragrance loaded polymers. Together, the core and outer portion are shaped to surround a first axis perpendicular to the central axis. The ends of the air freshener are juxtaposed generally opposite one another in closed configuration, and the arm portions of the air freshener flex in directions substantially parallel to the first axis to separate the ends to open the air freshener. A breakable strap and/or connectors may be provided to join the ends together. Alternatively, one end of the air freshener may be inserted within a cavity formed in the opposite end of the air freshener.
US09474818B1

An air freshener that includes a base and a reservoir is disclosed. The base includes a fan housed therein and one or more base openings extending through a sidewall of the base. The one or more base openings comprise an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The base also includes a coupling receiver positioned on an upper surface of the base. The reservoir includes a reservoir chamber configured to hold a scented liquid therein and an outlet. A coupling is typically coupled to the reservoir adjacent to the outlet and configured to removably couple to the coupling receiver. A filter is coupled to the coupling and in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber. The filter is positioned above the fan when the coupling is removably coupled to the coupling and allows the scented liquid to evaporate therefrom for dispersal through the base openings when the fan is activated.
US09474815B2

Disclosed is a method of sterilizing an article by sequentially exposing the article under vacuum first to a gaseous conditioning agent for forming radicals and then to a sterilant. The preferred conditioning agent is hydrogen peroxide and the preferred sterilant is ozone. The chamber is initially evacuated to a first vacuum pressure and then sealed for the remainder of the sterilization process and during all sterilant injection cycles, without removal of any component of the sterilization atmosphere, which means without any measures to reduce the water vapor content. Keeping the chamber sealed and maintaining the conditioning agent and the radicals generated thereby in the chamber for the sterilization with sterilant results in a synergistic increase in the sterilization efficiency and allows for the use of much lower sterilant amounts and sterilization cycle times than would be expected from using the conditioning agent and the sterilant in combination.
US09474812B2

An instrument sterilization container may include a base, a lid, a retention mechanism extending out from a base floor of the base, a first support mechanism extending out from a lid top of the lid, and a second support mechanism extending out from the base floor. A reusable instrument handle may be disposed between the first support mechanism, the second support mechanism, the retention mechanism, and a portion of the base. The portion of the base and the retention mechanism may be configured to prevent an actuation structure of the reusable instrument handle from extending during a sterilization of the reusable instrument handle in a medical autoclave. The first support mechanism and the second support mechanism may be configured to prevent the actuation structure from expanding during a sterilization of the reusable instrument handle in a medical autoclave.
US09474809B2

An activatable nanoprobe is provided having a core component and an active agent associated with the core component via a bond configured to be cleaved upon exposure to an endogenous compound.
US09474796B2

The genetically modified hemorrhagic fever virus of this invention possesses a viral ovarian tumor protease with decreased ability to remove ubiquitin (Ub) and ISG15 tags that the human organism uses to label proteins for removal. Unlike complete knockout strains, the modified virus retains enough activity for replication in a human cell line. This creates an immunogenic and non-pathogenic virus that can be used as an effective live vaccine agent.
US09474791B2

The subject of the invention is a sterile, dehydrated acellular implant, which during its rehydration by water or bodily fluids displays anisotropic expansion and can act as a substrate for adhesion, migration and growth of live cells. Collagen structures of the transplant are at least partially denatured through the action of heat or organic solvents, such as lower aliphatic alcohols and ketones, which simultaneously act as preservative and sterilization agents, especially for certain types of viruses. The implant is sterilized by radiation while in an substantially dehydrated state, preferably by accelerated electrons. The transplant can be derived from various animal tissues, especially mammalian tissues, such as human or porcine tissues. The tissues suitable for the invention can be, for example, skin, placenta, pericardium, peritoneum, intestinal wall, tendon, blood vessel, etc. The implant is suitable for use in human and veterinary medicine, for instance as a temporary wound and burn cover, for the repair, substitution and regeneration of tissues, and also as a substrate for laboratory cell cultivation.
US09474789B2

Methods and compositions are provided for promoting organ development in warm blooded animals, and in particular in certain aspects a premature infant or foetus. Compositions and methods are also provided for the administration of at least one colony stimulating factor-1 protein (CSF-1), precursor, variant, analogue, derivative thereof, or combinations thereof, or otherwise, at least one nucleic acid molecule encoding colony stimulating factor-1 protein (CSF-1), precursor, variant, analogue, derivative thereof, or combinations thereof.
US09474786B2

The present invention relates to use of Cometin in a method of treatment of allodynia, hyperalgesia, spontaneous pain and/or phantom pain. In a preferred embodiment the disorder to be treated is thermal allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. The Cometin polypeptide may be delivered as a polypeptide or by administration of an expression vector for expression of Cometin, a cell line transformed or transduced with said vector and a capsule comprising said cells.
US09474777B2

An extract of Graptopetalum paraguayense prepared by a method that includes: extracting a Graptopetalum paraguayense (GP) starting material with an alcoholic solvent to produce an alcoholic extract and a residue; separating the residue from the alcoholic extract; extracting the residue with an aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent to produce a DMSO extract; subjecting the DMSO extract to ultrafiltration using a filter having a selected molecular weight cutoff; drying a fraction retained by the filter to obtain the extract of Graptopetalum paraguayense. Uses of an extract of Graptopetalum paraguayense for the treatment or prevention of liver fibrosis, hepatic cirrhosis, liver cancer, recurrence of liver fibrosis after surgery, or recurrence of liver cancer after surgery.
US09474776B2

The present invention is based on a plurality of benefits from the extracts of mycelia of individual fungal species, and mixtures of species, to provide an armamentarium of defenses from multiple stressors in order to help bees survive a complex of symptoms collectively called colony collapse disorder (CCD). More particularly, the present invention utilizes specific concentrations of extracts from pure cultured mycelium from mushroom forming fungi to reduce harmful viruses in bees and to increase the longevity of bees.
US09474774B2

The present invention relates to novel pyridine alkaloid compounds of formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof as described in the specification, the process for the preparation of the same, and the composition comprising the same. The uses of a pyridine compound for increasing the activity of PPARγ, for the prevention and/or treatment of a disease or disorder related to insulin resistance, and for the prevention and/or treatment of metabolic syndrome or its complication are also provided. The invention also provides extracts of red yeast-fermented products and their uses for prevention and/or treatment of a disease or disorder related to insulin resistance, such as metabolic syndrome.
US09474771B2

The invention relates to methods and compositions for causing the selective targeting and killing of tumor cells. Through ex vivo gene therapy protocols tumor cells are engineered to express an α(1,3)galactosyl epitope. The cells are then irradiated or otherwise killed and administered to a patient. The α-galactosyl epitope causes opsonization of the tumor cell enhancing uptake of the opsonized tumor cell by antigen presenting cells which results in enhanced tumor specific antigen presentation. The animal's immune system thus is stimulated to produce tumor specific cytotoxic cells and antibodies which will attack and kill tumor cells present in the animal.
US09474767B2

Compositions and methods are provided for a matrix that inhibits bone growth in a patient in need thereof. In one embodiment, a method of inhibiting bone growth is provided, the method comprising: implanting a matrix at a target tissue site, the matrix comprising a biodegradable polymer and dextran loaded in the matrix in an amount of from about 5% to about 95% by weight based on a total weight of the matrix.
US09474758B2

The present invention is related to novel thienopyrimidinedione derivatives as TRPA (Transient Receptor Potential subfamily A) modulators. In particular, compounds described herein are useful for treating or preventing diseases, conditions and/or disorders modulated by TRPA1 (Transient Receptor Potential subfamily A, member 1). Also provided herein are processes for preparing compounds described herein, intermediates used in their synthesis, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for treating or preventing diseases, conditions and/or disorders modulated by TRPA1.
US09474757B2

Provided herein are methods for treating or preventing a cancer, comprising administering an effective amount of a TOR kinase inhibitor and an effective amount of a 5-Substituted Quinazolinone Compound to a patient having a cancer.
US09474754B2

A pharmaceutical combination comprising (a) a B-Raf inhibitor, (b) a EGFR inhibitor and, optionally, (c) a PI3K inhibitor; the uses of such combination in the treatment of proliferative diseases; and methods of treating a subject suffering from a proliferative disease comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of such combination.
US09474750B2

The invention is directed in part to oral dosage forms comprising a combination of an opioid agonist, acetaminophen and an orally active opioid antagonist, the opioid antagonist being included in a ratio to the opioid agonist to provide a combination product which is analgesically effective when the combination is administered orally, but which is aversive in a physically dependent subject. Preferably, the amount of opioid antagonist included in the combination product provides at least a mildly negative, “aversive” experience in physically dependent addicts (e.g., precipitated abstinence syndrome).
US09474745B2

A method of reducing pulmonary arterial hypertension in a mammal that employs FK506 is provided. In certain embodiments, the method comprises administering FK506 to a mammal having pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with defective MBPR2 signaling at a dosage sufficient to reduce blood pressure in the pulmonary artery of the mammal.
US09474736B2

The present invention provides for compositions, medicaments, and methods for treating or alleviating the symptoms of dry eye syndrome or chronic dry eye. More specifically, the present embodiments provide for medicaments consisting of tocopherol or tocotrienol eyedrops. A single topical administration of tocopherol or tocotrienol eyedrops in the eyes of a subject suffering from dry eye alleviates symptoms for at least one day. In particular, the eyedrop medicament consists of α-tocopheryl acetate; α-tocopheryl acetate and about 0.5% aqueous component; or α-tocopheryl acetate, about 2.5% tocopherol emulsifier, and about 20% to about 30% aqueous excipient.
US09474731B1

This disclosure relates to methods administering various compounds in conjunction with dextromethorphan to a human being. Dosage forms, drug delivery systems, and methods related to dextromethorphan or dextrorphan and bupropion, hydroxybupropion, erythrohydroxybupropion, threohydroxybupropion, or a metabolite or prodrug of any of these compounds are also disclosed.
US09474730B2

Methods and compositions that can be used to identify and characterize inhibitors of K-ras localization to the plasma membrane and in doing so inhibit the signal transduction of K-ras. Such compositions can be used to treat K-ras mediated disorders, such as cancer.
US09474727B2

The present invention relates to stable liquid pharmaceutical compositions of curcumin or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts or its derivatives with higher curcumin concentration and improved bioavailability without the use of buffer and/or molecular aggregation inhibitor(s). In accordance with present invention the curcumin is in the solubilized form to make a stable liquid pharmaceutical composition.
US09474714B2

The present invention relates to a solid pharmaceutical cation-exchange resin composition allowing the preparation of a stable resin suspension in an aqueous vehicle and the resin being easily resuspended in the case of sediment formation. Said composition comprises hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and pregelatinized starch as functional excipients. The invention also relates to a solid form for oral administration comprising the composition, to the use thereof for the preparation of oral solid forms, and to said composition for use in the treatment of hyperkalaemia.
US09474712B2

Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled reaction device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to various embodiments, a reaction device is placed in an environment in order to perform a chemical reaction in an environment. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
US09474674B2

A topical leg gear for enhancing performance and reducing the risk of injury. The topical leg gear and kits preferably comprise a flexible sleeve and a lateral foot-ankle buttress, malleolus bone buttresses, and a peroneal longus buttress. The topical leg gear is designed to be worn during periods of physical activity to reduce injury and to train and strengthen the athletes' muscles against injury, advantageously increasing proprioception, neuromuscular communication or both by stimulating critical sensory and tactile receptors in the leg, foot, and ankle. Performance can be enhanced and risk of injury reduced by use of the topical leg gear through isolating, activating, and training muscles to stimulate a stretch reflex, reduce latency in muscle spindles, and speed up a reaction time of muscles by reducing delay in muscle reaction times.
US09474673B2

Portable devices and methods for preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) by assuring that the ankle is flexed and extended sufficiently to promote blood flow in the lower leg are disclosed. The device includes an actuator with a free movement mode that allows a patient to move freely between activations or to initiate movement to delay a next automatic activation.
US09474671B2

Surgical table and system for positioning, or lifting, a patient for purposes of generally performing a medical procedure on a posterior-portion of the patent (such as spinal surgery). The surgical table and system comprise a patient support system, a patient-positioning system and a base. In one embodiment, the patient-positioning system is configured to lift the head or foot end of the patient independently from each other, such as in Trendelenburg or reverse-Trendelenburg positions, and is also configured to angle the patient laterally. In another embodiment, the patient support is configured with an electrically-powered track and/or rail system that extends the patient support assembly away from the base, whereby the extension of the patient support forms a cantilevered support.
US09474668B1

The invention relates to an adjustable table for use while laying in a prone position. A bench frame is pivotally attached to a support frame. A post is pivotally connected to the bench frame provides means to adjust the angle between the bench frame and the support frame. A headrest is provided for securing the head while laying face down. A detachable foot platform is also provided.
US09474665B1

A wheelchair has a chair, an electrical power device, a foot stand, and a control device. The chair has two arm rest frames, and each arm rest frame has a connection board. The electrical power device is detachably connected with the connection boards and has a holding frame, a driving device, and two rear wheels. The holding frame has two holding boards respectively connected with the connection boards by multiple securing assemblies. Each securing assembly has a holding sleeve, a connecting rod, a knob, and a spring. The holding sleeve has multiple abutting ribs. The connecting rod is mounted through the holding sleeve and has a first end and a second end selectively extending into one of the connecting holes defined in a corresponding connection board. The knob is mounted securely around the second end of the connecting rod and has multiple engaging grooves.
US09474658B2

A method of manufacturing disposable absorbent garments and a garment made thereby. In particular embodiments, the method comprises removing notches or holes of a garment web or webs adjacent to front and back waist edges to define a series of spaced apart front and back waist edge openings. The method includes providing front and back elastic waistband webs, and positioning the respective waistband webs to overlay at least a portion of each opening, and bonding the waistband webs to each other. The garment includes first and second waist edge cutouts, wherein two side seams extend from the waist edge cutouts to respective leg openings. The garment further includes front and back elastic waistbands attached to each other at first and second waistband side seams.
US09474653B2

A system that may be adapted to distribute reduced pressure to a tissue site may include a dressing and a sealing member. The dressing may include a manifold layer, a storage layer, and a plurality of retainers. The manifold layer may be adapted to be positioned proximate the tissue site, and the storage layer may be positioned proximate the manifold layer. The plurality of retainers may be disposed in the storage layer. Each of the retainers may define a fluid communication channel through the storage layer. The retainers may be adapted to substantially preclude deformation of the storage layer into the fluid communication channels. The sealing member may be adapted to cover the dressing and to provide a fluid seal between the sealing member and the tissue site.
US09474636B2

A valve for use with a prosthetic socket includes a body defining an upper opening, a lower opening adapted to be in fluid communication with the socket cavity, and a passageway formed between the openings. A membrane is flexibly seated on the body over the upper opening. The membrane is moveable between a closed position in which the upper opening is sealed such that fluid communication between the upper opening and the lower opening is inhibited, and an open position in which the upper opening is unsealed such that fluid can flow through the passageway. The membrane includes a first part connected to a release element that is operable to move the membrane between the open and closed positions, and a free part operable independent of the first part to move the membrane between the open and closed positions.
US09474635B2

A brim attachment for a prosthetic socket includes a cuff section defining an upper portion of the brim attachment and is arranged to extend about and upwardly from a socket opening. The cuff section is configured to move between tensioned and relaxed positions, wherein the tensioned position the cuff section is arranged to fold away from the socket opening, wherein the relaxed position the cuff section is arranged to extend above the socket opening and generally concentric with an outer surface of the socket. An interface section defines a lower portion of the brim attachment and is arranged to extend along a surface of the socket. The brim attachment may include a seal element protruding toward a central axis of the socket.
US09474627B2

A system and method for spinal fusion comprising a spinal fusion implant of non-bone construction releasably coupled to an insertion instrument dimensioned to introduce the spinal fusion implant into any of a variety of spinal target sites.
US09474625B2

The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space to maintain normal disc spacing and restore spinal stability, thereby facilitating an intervertebral fusion. In one embodiment, the fusion device includes a central ramp, a first endplate, and a second endplate, the central ramp capable of being moved in a first direction to move the first and second endplates outwardly and into an expanded configuration. The fusion device is capable of being deployed down an endoscopic tube.
US09474618B2

A joint prosthesis for mounting in a first bone and presenting a prosthetic joint surface for engaging an opposing joint surface of a second bone, the joint prosthesis comprising a sleeve which is adapted for partial disposition in an opening formed in the first bone; a center adapter which is adapted for disposition within the sleeve and a prosthetic joint surface mounted to the center′ adapter; wherein the disposition of the center adapter is adjustable, both longitudinally and rotationally, relative to the sleeve, so that the disposition of the 15 prosthetic joint surface is adjustable, both longitudinally and rotationally, relative to the opposing joint surface of the second bone.
US09474616B2

An elbow prosthesis can include a humeral component having a yoke, an ulnar component having a head, a humeral bearing positionable in a base of the humeral component, an ulnar bearing assembly configured to engage with the head, and a pin extendable through the bearing assembly and the head. The pin can be extendable into first and second ears of the yoke to enable pivotable movement of the ulnar component relative to the humeral component. The elbow prosthesis can include a first fastener insertable through the first ear of the yoke and configured to engage with the pin, and a second fastener insertable through the second ear of the yoke and configured to engage with the pin.
US09474601B2

A heart valve assembly includes a base including a multi-lobular annular shape within a plane, a valve member or other annular body including a multi-lobular shape complementary to the shape of the base, and cooperating connectors on the base and the annular body for connecting the annular body to the base. The base includes an anchoring ring, and a flexible cuff for attaching the base to a biological annulus. The base and the annular body include guides for aligning their multi-lobular shapes, e.g., visual, tactile, or other markers, or tethers that extend from the base that are slidable through the annular body. During use, the base is attached to a biological annulus, the annular body is directed adjacent the annulus, oriented such that the multi-lobular shape of the annular body valve member is aligned with the base, and the annular body is attached to the base.
US09474598B2

The disclosure pertains to profile reduction seals associated with heart valve replacements which may reduce or eliminate paravalvular regurgitation and methods of fabricating such seals. The generally cylindrical multilayer seals of the disclosure include a crown-like end and reinforcing elements which facilitate compression of the seal and associated device by minimizing bunching of the seal as it enters a delivery system.
US09474593B2

An apparatus and method for inserting prosthesis implants into a patient pocket. The apparatus has three openings including a prosthesis opening, a larger proximal opening, and a small distal opening. The apparatus prevents infection; eases insertion and placement; and reduces complications. In use, the inverse bellow is placed through the patient incision while allowing the bellow to be manipulated to force the prosthesis into a surgical pocket of a patient.
US09474591B2

A first amount of sperm of a first animal and a second amount of sperm of a second animal of the same species, the first amount of sperm and the second amount of sperm sex-selected sperm of the same sex, useful in the in-vivo or in-vitro fertilization of an egg of a female animal of the same species of animal for the production of sex-selected embryos and sex-selected offspring.
US09474590B2

A brush section for use with an electric toothbrush includes a relatively large brush head portion having a generally rectangular shape, although oblong, elliptical and other such shapes having a length to width aspect ration greater than 1 may be employed. The brush head portion is secured to a shaft portion of the brush section that may be configured to couple to a handle section. The handle section may include an electric drive including drive shaft, and the drive shaft may couple to the brush head via a coupling member positioned within the shaft portion. The electric drive may impart a rotary, oscillating rotary-oscillating or other suitable drive motion to the drive shaft that is, in turn, imparted upon the brush head by virtue of the coupling member.
US09474574B2

Surgical systems and methods for administering an ablation treatment and other therapeutic or diagnostic protocols to a patient tissue involve a flexible stabilizer mechanism having an inner recess and an ablation mechanism coupled with the stabilizer mechanism.
US09474565B2

A system for controlling operation of a radiofrequency treatment device to apply radiofrequency energy to tissue to heat tissue to create lesions without ablating the tissue. The system includes a first treatment device having at least one electrode for applying radiofrequency energy to tissue, a controller including a connector to which a first treatment device is coupled for use, and a generator for applying radiofrequency energy to the electrodes. The controller controls application of energy so that the tissue is thermally treated to create lesions but preventing thermal treatment beyond a threshold which would ablate the tissue.
US09474556B2

An intramedullary bone fixation device is disclosed herein. The device includes a first longitudinally extending member, a second longitudinally extending member, and a coupling member. The first longitudinally extending member includes a connector end and a bone engagement end opposite the connector end. The second longitudinally extending member includes a connector end and a bone engagement end opposite the connector end. The coupling member is configured to engage the connector ends of the respective longitudinally extending members, thereby coupling the first longitudinally extending member to the second longitudinally extending member. The device may be provided in an kit form at least partially unassembled. The device may be delivered into a fracture and fully assembled within the fracture or adjacent bone via percutaneous or minimally invasive surgical procedures. The device, on account of its configuration and assembly, may be considered modular in some cases.
US09474547B2

A tunneling tool for implanting a medical device into body tissue is described. The tunneling tool comprises a first leg and a second leg. An intermediate portion of the second leg is shaped to nest a medical device therein. A hub connects the first and second distal leg ends together. A sheath providing a lumen extends from the hub to an open end distal of the first and second legs. The first and second legs are manipulatable to separate the hub and the sheath into two portions, a first split portion connected to the first leg and a second split portion connected to the second leg. When a medical device is nested in the tunneling tool, breaking the tunneling tool apart enables the first and second split portions to be removed from body tissue, leaving the implanted medical device behind.
US09474543B2

A rotatable thrombectomy wire for breaking up thrombus or other obstructive material comprising an inner core composed of a flexible material and an outer wire surrounding at least a portion of the inner core. The outer wire has a sinuous shaped portion at a distal region. The inner core limits the compressibility of the outer wire. The outer wire is operatively connectable at a proximal end to a motor for rotating the wire to macerate thrombus.
US09474542B2

A transducer stack (10) includes rings (16) of piezo-electric ceramic alternating with metal electrodes (18) along a threaded central shaft (32) extending from a titanium back plate (20). A spacer or threaded element (14) threaded on to the shaft (32) holds the ceramic rings (16) and electrodes (18) in compression against the back plate (20). The transducer stack (10) is mountable eccentrically to a horn (12) of an ultrasonically-vibratable tool, away from an axis of an elongate waveguide (56) extending from the horn (12). The transducer stack (10) may vibrate in a flexural mode perpendicular to the waveguide (56), generating torsional mode ultrasonic vibrations in the horn (12) and waveguide (56), or in a flexural mode parallel to the waveguide (56), generating longitudinal mode ultrasonic vibrations in the horn (12) and waveguide (56). The transducer stack (10) may be tuned by adjusting the length, mass and/or position along the shaft (32) of the threaded element (14), the back plate (20) and/or a second threaded element (410) mounted to the back plate (20). Motion sensors (22, 24) may be mounted to the horn (12). Torsional vibrational modes of the horn (12) and waveguide (56) may be identified by motion amplitude of a peripheral sensor (24) exceeding that of a near-axial sensor (22). The operation of the transducer stack (10) may be controlled in response thereto.
US09474538B2

Apparatus and methods for spinal surgery include a retractor with an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis between a distal end and an opposite proximal end. The retractor defines a passage between the distal and proximal ends and a window opening into the passage adjacent to the distal end. The apparatus also includes a guide member extending laterally from the proximal end of the retractor and the guide member includes a body extending along an arc. The body defines a number of trajectories each intersecting the window of the retractor. The apparatus further includes an instrument removably mounted to the guide member and the instrument is movable along the guide member and securable to the guide member in any one of the number of trajectories so that the instrument can be moved along the selected trajectory through the window.
US09474535B2

A cutting implement includes a V-shaped blade portion that defines an aperture through which a quadriceps tendon may pass as a doctor harvests the tendon through a minimally invasive procedure.
US09474533B2

Elongate implant structures can be introduced into an airway system to a target airway axial region, often to apply lateral bending and/or compression forces against the lung tissue from within the airways for an extended period of time. Structures or features of the implants may inhibit tissue reactions that might otherwise allow portions of the device to eventually traverse through the wall of the airway. The devices may enhance the area bearing laterally on the tissue of a surrounding airway lumen wall. Embodiments may have features which increase the device friction with the airway to allow the device to grip the surrounding airway as the device is deployed. An appropriate adhesive may be introduced around the device in the lung. Hydrophilic material may inhibit biofilm formation, or features which induce some tissue ingrowth (stimulation of tissue growth) may enhance implanted device supported.
US09474528B2

A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument is disclosed. The tool assembly includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for clamping tissue therebetween. The medical instrument also includes a housing having a fixed handle and a movable handle mounted to the housing and selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle to actuate the clamping of tissue. The instrument further includes a selectively activatable drive assembly including a power source and a motor which is operatively coupled to the movable handle, wherein upon actuation the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces. The drive assembly also includes a controller configured to variably control the rate at which the motor actuates the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces in response to the force exerted on the movable handle.
US09474525B2

A method for applying and maintaining compression with a staple includes piercing a material with deformable ends of staple legs. The legs enter the material until the material applies a pre-set compressive force within a pre-defined compression range to a compression device disposed at least partly between the legs. The compression device has a compression resistor connected to a compression surface. The compression surface is movably disposed with respect to the bridge. Movement of the compression surface towards the bridge is resisted with a force imparted by the compression resistor. The legs are deformed to maintain at least some of the compressive force between the material and the compression device. Forces greater than the pre-set force are absorbed with the compression resistor. The pre-set compressive force to the material is maintained within the pre-defined compression range throughout a state change of the material.
US09474521B2

Systems, devices, and methods for cutting a filament or suture having an extrudable inner core member are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a device includes a compression element to compress an inner core away from a knot disposed at a distal end of the suture, and a cutting element disposed within a portion of the compression element to cut the inner core after it has been compressed. As a result, an amount of extrudable inner core that extends distally beyond the knot is minimized without negatively impacting the integrity of the knot. In other embodiments, the compression and cutting elements are separately provided as two different devices. The actions of compressing and cutting can be performed using a variety of techniques, including those known to those skilled in the art. Methods for clamping the inner core and then cutting a portion of the inner core are also provided.
US09474518B2

The present disclosure relates to a surgical anchoring apparatus for use during a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The surgical anchoring apparatus includes a body member and a dilator element at least partially positionable therein. The body member includes a grip segment adapted for manual engagement by a user and an expandable section having a plurality of expandable segments and a plurality of cam surfaces. The grip segment resiliently transitions between a first or normal state and a second state in which the grip segment is at least partially inverted. The expandable section's cam surfaces are configured to engage a distal end of the dilator element upon its insertion such that the expandable section may transition from an initial condition to an expanded condition in which the body member is secured or anchored within an incision in tissue.
US09474517B2

This disclosure is directed to an aperture occlusion device and a method for occluding an aperture, including a perimembranous ventricular septal defect. The aperture occlusion device includes a wire frame element. The wire frame forms geometric shapes that include an occluder region and a securing region. The occluder region and the securing region are separated by an attachment region including a waist. The occluder region and securing region can include membranous coverings. The device can be attached to a delivery hub. The wires forming the occluder region and securing region can have a shape-memory capability such that they can be collapsed and distorted in a sheath during delivery, but resume and maintain their intended shape after delivery.
US09474516B2

The disclosure pertains to a handle assembly for a left atrial appendage occlusion device delivery system and methods of use therefor. The handle assembly includes a leadscrew mechanism for smooth, low backlash control of a delivery catheter for the left atrial appendage occlusion device and manipulation segments which allow one hand operation of the handle assembly.
US09474510B2

An ultrasound system and a method of forming an ultrasound image by selectively extracting ultrasound data necessary for forming the ultrasound image from stored ultrasound data are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system includes a storage unit configured to store ultrasound data acquired from an object; and a processor configured to selectively extract ultrasound data necessary for forming a target ultrasound image from the ultrasound data stored in the storage unit, and to form the target ultrasound image by using the extracted ultrasound data.
US09474505B2

The embodiments of the tracking device for the ultrasound imaging diagnostic apparatus include a predetermined combination of an ultrasound probe, an operator and a patient to be tracked, a space measuring device for measuring at least distance and angle of the probe based upon emitted electromagnetic radiation that is emitted towards the probe and reflected electromagnetic radiation that is reflected from the probe; and a processing device connected to the space measuring device for determining a change in distance and angle of the probe in space based upon on the emitted electromagnetic radiation and the reflected electromagnetic radiation. The space measuring device is used to track movement in a combination of a probe, a patient and an operator.
US09474488B2

A neural sensor includes a substrate defining an array of vias passing therethrough, a plurality of conductive surfaces, a light source, a plurality of groups of quantum dot-based luminescence units and a charge-coupled device (CCD) array. Each via allows a neurite to grow therethrough. Each conductive surface is adjacent to a different via and is electrically coupled thereto. The light source directs light toward the substrate. Each group of quantum dot-based luminescence units extends upwardly from a different one of the conductive surfaces generates light at a different predetermined wavelength when excited with light from the light source. Each luminescence unit changes its luminescence when electrically stimulated by a neural potential generated by a neurite. The CCD detects luminescence from each of the plurality of groups of quantum dot-based luminescence units and generates a signal representative of intensity of each wavelength of light detected.
US09474484B2

A physiological monitor device includes a central processing unit (CPU) that is configured to control operation of the device, a display screen, and one or more computer readable data storage media storing software instructions that, when executed by the CPU, cause the device to: create or modify a patient profile, select a patient test, store one or more test parameters selected or entered for the patient test, store one or more thresholds selected or entered for at least one of the test parameters, store one or more instructions for the patient, start the test, display test results while the test is in progress, determine whether any of the test parameters exceed limits set by the one or more thresholds, take one or more actions when it is determined that one or more of the test parameters exceed the limits set by the one or more thresholds, provide a summary and analysis of the test results, and send the test results to a computing device.
US09474480B2

A device for invasive parenteral administration of pharmaceutical preparations and sampling of blood consists of: a cuff, a mounting frame for accommodating a sliding disc that consists of a movable front disc half and a movable rear disc half, said rear disc half being provided with a channel for accommodating a cassette cartridge for a cassette with needles; a vial of anaesthetic; and a scanning device. Upon compression of the disc halves, the scanning device locates a vein, a signal is given off, and the disc halves lock in the appropriate position. The needle is introduced into the blood stream by pressing on the lid of the cassette. The lid slides back and the tip of a syringe or of the cannula of a blood transfusion system or of the cannula of an evacuated blood sample container is introduced via a hermetic aperture situated beneath the lid.
US09474478B2

Systems and methods for processing sensor data and end of life detection are provided. In some embodiments, a method for determining the end of life of a continuous analyte sensor includes evaluating a plurality of risk factors using an end of life function to determine an end of life status of the sensor and providing an output related to the end of life status of the sensor. The plurality of risk factors may be selected from the list including the number of days the sensor has been in use, whether there has been a decrease in signal sensitivity, whether there is a predetermined noise pattern, whether there is a predetermined oxygen concentration pattern, and error between reference BG values and EGV sensor values.
US09474469B2

A method of monitoring tracheal pressure of a subject is disclosed. The subject is ventilated with breathing gas flowing via an endotracheal tube having an inflatable cuff. The method comprises monitoring sealing of the trachea by the cuff using a close loop control, varying a ventilation pressure thereby varying flow level of the breathing gas, monitoring a response pressure within the cuff in response to the variation, and calculating the tracheal pressure using the ventilation pressure variations, the cuff response pressure and the flow level. In some embodiments, an under-pressure is applied for suctioning fluid carrying secretions, synchronously with variations in the tracheal pressure.
US09474467B2

In general, in one aspect, a method is disclosed for determining information about a position of an object. The method includes: (i) causing current to flow between each of three or more sets of current-injecting electrodes on a first catheter inserted into an organ in a patient's body, the organ having a periphery (ii) in response to current flow caused by each set of current injecting electrodes, measuring an electrical signal at each of one or more measuring electrodes located on one or more additional catheters inserted into the organ in the patient's body and (iii) determining the position of each of one or more of the measuring electrodes on the additional catheters relative to the first catheter based on the measured signals from the one or more measuring electrodes.
US09474466B2

A location pad includes a housing having a flat surface and multiple field generators. The multiple field generators are fixed to the housing and are configured to generate respective magnetic fields having respective axes that are perpendicular to the flat surface.
US09474463B2

Methods to obtain three-dimensional models and images for diagnosis of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome are described.
US09474460B2

A method for predicting risk of sudden cardiac death through analysis of surface electrocardiographic data includes processing a continuous EKG signal received for a subject over a predetermined time period to identify and extract a plurality of cardiac repolarization phase curves from the EKG signal, assigning each of the cardiac repolarization phase curves into one of a plurality of groups based on a length of the cardiac repolarization phase curve, generating a respective graphical representation for each of the groups in which the cardiac repolarization phase curves assigned to the group are superimposed with one another in the respective graphical representation for the group, and evaluating the graphical representations to assess a risk of sudden cardiac death for the subject based on a classification of cardiac repolarization instability indicated by the graphical representations.
US09474456B2

An active implantable medical device (e.g., implantable pacemaker or defibrillator), for detection of QRS complexes in noisy signals. Functional units (12-16) collect, amplify, prefilter and convert from analog-to-digital an endocardial signal, and digital functional units (18) provide signal processing and analysis of the digitized signal, for delivery of an indicator corresponding to a signal peak detection representative of the presence of a QRS complex in the endocardial signal. A double threshold comparator (30) is employed, receiving as input (28) the digitized signal and outputting (40) the indicator of peak detection when, cumulatively: the amplitude (A) of the input signal exceeds a peak amplitude threshold (SA), and the peak amplitude threshold is exceeded for a period (W) greater than a peak width threshold (SW). The peak amplitude threshold (SA) is a variable adaptive threshold, according to a noise level calculated from the energy (RMS) of the input signal.
US09474449B2

A method includes receiving a signal indicative of a single user selected imaging protocol for scanning a patient. The imaging protocol includes parameters for two or more of a bone mineral density, a fat composition, or an aortic calcium imaging procedures. The method further includes performing a single scan of the patient using the single user selected protocol. The method further includes generating a single set of image data for the two or more of a bone mineral density, a fat composition, or an aortic calcium imaging procedures.
US09474441B2

An otoscope includes an instrument head, a tip element and an optical system. The instrument head has a distal insertion portion for insertion into an ear of a human or veterinary subject. The distal insertion portion has a distal opening. The tip element is releasably attached to the distal insertion portion. The tip element has a distal opening. The optical system is contained within the instrument head. The optical system includes a plurality of optical components. The optical system further comprises a viewing component for viewing of an image of a target of interest aligned along an optical axis disposed within said distal opening. The optical system is configured to provide a field of having a diameter equaling at least 7 mm at a distance of at least 15 mm from a distal opening of said attached tip element. The optical system is further configured to simultaneously provide a distance range of optimal focus having a range of at least 8 mm. The distance range of optimal focus includes a location at a working distance equal to about 30 mm.
US09474439B2

An instrument includes a hollow body with an internal diameter and an optoelectronic image recording system, which is arranged in an end region of the body and has a lens system on an image entrance side. The lens system has a cylindrical section and an image sensor. An external diameter of the cylindrical section is less than the internal diameter of the body, such that an interspace remains between an inner side of the body and an outer side of the lens system, providing access in the body for components. With a viewing direction of 0° to 90° from the optical axis of the lens system, a deflection prism is arranged on the image entrance side at the lens system, and has a section extending laterally beyond the external diameter of the cylindrical section. An image entrance plane of the image sensor runs approximately parallel to the optical axis.
US09474433B2

The present invention relates to a dishwasher (1) wherein the door (3) is opened automatically by means of the door opening mechanism (13) at the end of the washing and drying processes and a fast drying is performed by discharging the vapor accumulated in the body (2) at the end of the washing and drying processes to the outside and wherein by means of the adjustment means (8), the door opening mechanism (13) applies pressure on the door (3) after being actuated and the opening/closing force of the bolt (5) of the locking mechanism (4) is decreased at the same time.
US09474431B2

A dishwashing appliance is provided having one or more sound abatement features for blocking sound transmission emanating from the appliance during operation. Spaces or gaps present between the dishwashing appliance and the cabinetry in which it is installed can be blocked by features having one or more chambers that attenuate the transmission of sound therefrom. Such sound abatement features can be readily incorporated into the design of a dishwashing appliance and provide a relatively inexpensive alternative to conventional designs.
US09474428B2

An Upright Sweep Set is disclosed where an upright dustpan with a handle and retention claw arrangement serves to retain a broom or another cleaning device. The upright dustpan can be used without bending over, and folds up for storage or to retain debris that have been collected. The broom has a retention collar to allow the retention claw of the upright dustpan to grip the broom with the dustpan in either the open or the closed position. Both the upright dustpan and the broom have removable handles that are retained with a live hinge tab and receiver to allow the broom to also be used as a whisk broom and to allow the upright dustpan to be used either with or without a handle.
US09474409B2

The present invention relates to a beverage machine, more particularly for preparing hot drinks, with a liquid cleaner replaceable container formed as a replaceable container, characterized in that parts of a liquid cleaner dosing device are formed interchangeable with the liquid cleaner replaceable container.
US09474406B2

A method and apparatus for controlling operation of a beverage forming machine arranged for use with cartridges of different types, or receiving an upwardly flowing beverage from a cartridge. A beverage outlet may be movable to receive beverage from a cartridge of a first type, and to not receive beverage from a cartridge of a second type. Different cartridge characteristics may be detected by multiple detectors, e.g., for detecting a presence/absence of a cartridge, a cartridge type and/or an authorization feature.
US09474397B2

A package includes a container and a closure for an opening into an interior region formed in the container. The closure is configured to mount on a brim of the container. The closure includes a sheet-support ring that surrounds the brim of the closure and a membrane sheet bonded permanently to the sheet-support ring to form an endless hermetic seal therebetween.
US09474395B2

Percale weave sheeting having warp yarn and weft yarn, the warp yarn and the weft yarn being a cross weave of cotton and polyester.
US09474388B2

This showcase for preserving and displaying objects in a protected environment comprises a base, a box made up of fixed side panels and an upper panel connected to each other in a sealing fashion and defining an abutment framework. At least the upper panel is made of glass, same case applying to an openable panel, which can be closed in a sealing fashion on the abutment framework. A lower opening support is fixed between the base and the openable panel, an upper opening support is fixed between the upper panel and the openable panel. The showcase comprises a seat formed in the upper panel, in proximity of the abutment framework and closed towards the outside of the box; in the seat the upper opening support is at least partially encased, in the direction of the thickness of the upper panel, thus being substantially invisible.
US09474381B2

An assembly system permitting separate construction and transport of subcomponents for seating furniture items. The disassembled subcomponents allow for more efficient transportation by eliminating the dead space created by transporting irregularly shaped assembled furniture items. The assembly system includes a seat box having a rectangular frame defining an accessible internal cavity covered by an upper support surface. The assembly system also comprises a back rest having a seat box interface surface and at least arm rest interface surface. The back rest also defines an internal cavity accessible through closable opening for internal access to the arm rest interface surfaces. The assembly system also includes mounting an interface surface to the arm rest for securing the arm rest to the arm rest interface surface of the back rest and the rectangular frame of the seat box.
US09474372B2

An apparatus for controlling the movement of a furniture part received movably on a furniture body, including a guide mechanism which acts between the body and the part and with which the part is brought out of a closing state relative to the body, wherein the part is in a position as close as possible to a front side of the body, into an opening state of the part relative to the body, and is moved back into the closing state. In an opening process, the guide mechanism moves the part out of the closing state such that, in a first motion phase, a horizontal distance between the part and the front side of the body increases and, in a subsequent motion phase following the first motion phase, the furniture part is moved linearly onward.
US09474367B2

A pull-out tray assembly includes a pull-out tray moveable between a closed position and an open position. A front of the tray moves downwardly and a rear of the tray moves upwardly as the tray is moved from the closed to the open position. Likewise, a front cavity is opened and a rear cavity is closed as the pull-out tray is moved from the closed position to the open position. In one embodiment, the pull-out tray assembly includes a slide mechanism pivotally supporting the pull-out tray at a first location on the tray and a track guiding the tray at a second location on the tray. In various embodiments, at least one of a power outlet and communication port is coupled to the pull-out tray. A worksurface assembly incorporating the pull-out tray is also provided, together with a method of using the pull-out tray.
US09474363B1

A portable standing desk device has a top board, four block assemblies each having a groove, a first base panel, and a second base panel. The first base panel has an open ended slot extending upwardly from a bottom surface of the base panel. The second base panel has an open ended slot extending downwardly from a top surface of the base panel. The open ended slots may be strengthened by U-shaped reinforcing elements. In an assembled condition, the first base panel and the second base panel form a base having a letter X shape. The first base panel and the second base panel may be coupled with angle adjusters to be assembled with different top boards having different sets of block assemblies. In a storage condition, the portable standing desk device is compactly packed.
US09474354B2

The beach/pool bag with hidden compartment has a hidden compartment positioned at the bottom of the bag that is equipped with a zipper-closable access. A flap is provided to cover and conceal the zipper, thereby presenting a false bottom and disguising the existence of the compartment underneath. The backpack with hidden compartment is similar to the beach/pool bag, but has shoulder straps instead of handles. A cable and lock are provided to secure the backpack to a stationary object if the backpack is to be laid aside.
US09474349B2

A cosmetic dispenser with an inner body rotatably engaged with a spiral member. An elevator cup retains a cosmetic pomade, and the spiral member has spiral formations along an inner surface thereof for engaging lugs of the elevator cup that pass through longitudinal tracks in the inner body. The inner body can have lateral and longitudinal bearing surfaces with the lateral bearing surface aligned longitudinally with a longitudinal axis of relative rotation of the spiral member and the inner body and the longitudinal bearing surface orthogonal thereto. Fingers can project inwardly from the inner body to be in slidable, frictional contact with both the longitudinal and lateral bearing surfaces so that the fingers are restrained laterally and longitudinally. The fingers can be inwardly angled establish an effective circumference with the fingers tangent thereto smaller than the circumference of the lateral bearing surface.
US09474338B2

A fastening element is provided having a gripping portion, a plurality of gripping elements extending from the gripping portion, a supporting portion being defined by at least one supporting-portion wall extending from the gripping portion in a direction opposite that of the gripping elements, the supporting portion having a supporting-portion width smaller than a gripping-portion width of the gripping portion, such that a top flange is formed by the gripping portion relative to the supporting portion on at least one side of the fastening element, and an anchoring portion extending from a distal end of at least one supporting-portion wall and parallel to the gripping portion so as to form a bottom flange relative to the supporting portion on the at least one side corresponding to the top flange.
US09474335B2

A key ring including a continuous loop of material including a first section extending for the majority of the circumference of the continuous loop of material having a thickness of D1, and a indented second section extending for the remainder of the circumference of the continuous loop having a thickness D2 less than D1. The key ring also includes a securing device slidable about the continuous loop to cover and uncover the indented second section. One or more spring clips including a moveable arm having a tip end and a fixed member to which the movable arm is attached, the moveable arm moving between an opened position and a closed position, wherein a distance D3 is provided between the tip end of the moveable arm and a hook end of the fixed member when the moveable arm is in the opened position abutting the fixed member. The distance D3 is greater than D2, and less than D1 thus only allowing the spring clip to be attached and removed from the key ring at the indented second section of the continuous loop of material. The spring clip includes a split key ring.
US09474326B2

An article of footwear includes a sole incorporating an auxetic structure. The article of footwear further includes a strobel that may be placed along the auxetic structure of the sole. The strobel may restrict the motion of the auxetic structure in particular locations. The strobel may be used to provide rigidity and support in the area of the strobel.
US09474323B2

An article of footwear including a sole and an upper with an exterior and interior surface, and one or more bladders which comprises at least one of the exterior or interior surfaces of the upper. The bladder comprising sheets of polyurethane or polyester film attached together to form an airtight seal. The article of footwear also includes a inflation mechanism for selectively introducing air in the one or more bladders. The inflation mechanism is located under the foot of the wearer to be activated by the normal action of the wearer to inflate the one or more bladders. The article of footwear may also include an assembly for connecting several tubes to one under foot inflation mechanism. The article of footwear may also include inflatable laces that are inflated by an underfoot inflation mechanism.
US09474320B2

Articles of footwear may have an upper that includes a knit element and a tongue. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and extends through a throat area of the upper. Methods of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear may include knitting a tongue. The tongue is held on needles of a knitting machine. A first portion of a knit element is formed with the knitting machine while the tongue is held on the needles. The tongue is then joined to the first portion of the knit element. Additionally, a second portion of the knit element is formed with the knitting machine.
US09474309B2

The invention relates to a bra part which includes a first garment portion having a female fastening member, and a second garment portion having a male fastening member. The female fastening member and the male fastening member are releasably engageable with each other to connect the first garment portion and the second garment portion, so that when the female fastening member and the male fastening member are engaged with each other, the female fastening member and the male fastening member are substantially fully encased within the part.
US09474306B2

An electronic smoking article includes a liquid supply including liquid material, a heater operable to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol, a wick in communication with the liquid material and in communication with the heater such that the wick delivers the liquid material to the heater, at least one air inlet operable to deliver air to a central air passage upstream of the heater, and a mouth end insert having at least two diverging outlets.
US09474303B2

A smokeless tobacco product is provided that includes a tobacco material in the form of a tobacco extract, a particulate tobacco material, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the smokeless tobacco product is substantially translucent. Methods for making and using the smokeless tobacco product are also provided. The smokeless tobacco product can include isomalt, maltitol syrup, particulate tobacco, and a translucent tobacco extract prepared by ultrafiltration.
US09474300B2

The use of at least one sulphur-containing amino acid, at a total concentration of about 5 to 75 mg/ml, in particular of about 5 to about 50 mg/l, in particular of about 5 to about 30 mg/l, in particular of about 5 to about 20 mg/l, in free form, for implementing a method for preparing a fermented food product fermented by ferments containing bifidobacteria, the food product has acceptable sensory properties, contains more than about 5×107, in particular more than about 108 bifidobacteria per gram of food product fermented for a shelf lifetime of at least 30 days, in particular a shelf lifetime of at least 35 days, and containing no more than 0.5% of yeast extract or of yeast autolysate.
US09474288B2

A method and apparatus for loading live poultry onto an overhead shackle conveyor system is used in poultry processing plants. The birds (25) are placed on a horizontal moving conveyor (22) that includes dividers (34) that form a series of spaces on the surface conveyor for receiving birds. The shackles are tilted upwardly from the surface conveyor and tend to engage the legs of the bird and lift the birds out of the conveyor system and along the processing path of the poultry plant.
US09474285B2

A system and method for extrusion of dough is disclosed. The system includes an auger for moving the dough; a metering pump comprising an input; a first motor for actuating the auger to transfer dough to the input of the metering pump; a first encoder for reading a position or speed of the first motor and for transmitting a signal associated with the position or speed of the first motor; and a controller configured to receive the signal from the first encoder to control operation of the first motor. The controller operates the first motor to at least partially counteract a variance in a pressure of dough at the metering pump based signals from the encoder and/or the pressure sensor.
US09474283B2

Provided is a formulation including various natural extracts for a variety of human applications.
US09474280B2

Antimicrobial compositions based on the synergistic combination of 2-methyl-3-isothiazolone and selected commercial microbicides where the compositions are substantially free of halogenated 3-isothiazolone, are disclosed. Particularly preferred are combinations of 2-methyl-3-isothiazolone together with benzoic acid, citric acid, sorbic acid, 1,2-dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane, 1,3-dimethylol-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, zinc pyrithione or climbazole, that provide enhanced microbicidal efficacy at a combined active ingredient level lower than that of the combined individual 3-isothiazolone and commercial microbicide effective use levels.
US09474275B2

The present invention relates to cyanoenamine derivatives, their process of preparation, intermediate compounds, their use as fungicide active agents, particularly in the form of fungicide compositions, and methods for the control of phytopathogenic fungi, notably of plants and in material protection, using these compounds or compositions.
US09474270B2

The present invention is directed to pest-controlling compositions comprising as active ingredients one or more β-diones, particularly β-diketones and β-triketones, and to the use of these compositions inter alia for preventing, eradicating, destroying, repelling or mitigating harmful, annoying or undesired pests including insects, arachnids, helminths, molluscs, protozoa and viruses. The present invention is further directed to processes of preparing β-diones by de novo synthesis or from natural sources such as volatile oil-bearing plants from families including Alliaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cannabinaceae, Lamiaceae, Pteridaceae, Myrtaceae, Myoporaceae, Proteaceae, Rutaceae and Zingiberaceae.
US09474269B2

The present invention relates to aqueous compositions of associative polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs), optionally containing surfactants, biocidal agents and/or oxidants, which can provide a cleaning benefit and surface protection to treated articles including reduced soiling tendency, reduced cleaning effort and improved soil repellancy, as well as providing bacteriostatic properties to treated surfaces that thereby gain resistance to water, environmental exposure and microbial challenge. Treatment means and compositions are provided that employ associative polyelectrolyte complexes formed by combining a water soluble cationic first polyelectrolyte with a water soluble second polyelectrolyte bearing groups of opposite charge to the first polyelectrolyte under suitable mixing conditions and at least one oxidant selected from the group: alkaline metal salts and/or alkaline earth metal salts of hypochlorous acid, hypochlorous acid, solubilized chlorine, any source of free chlorine, acidic sodium chlorite, active chlorine generating compound and any combinations or mixtures thereof. Also provided are means to form stable associative polyelectrolyte complexes with at least one oxidant in aqueous solutions having R values from about 0.10 to 20.
US09474268B2

The present invention relates to compositions consisting of: (a) at least one ethylene-releasing compound, and (b) at least one fatty acid ester, alone or in combination with one or more excipients, vehicles or additives, and/or (c) one or more noxious agents. The invention also relates to the use of said composition and to methods for controlling parasitic plants and/or hemiparasitic plants that cause infestations in certain trees. The composition of the invention is characterized in that it exhibits a high degree of adhesion to the parasitic and/or hemiparasitic plant is selective and acropetal, and hast excellent stability and water-impermeability, allowing the prolonged and constant release of ethylene.
US09474263B2

An implement holder that removably attaches to a container, comprises a frame and a support. The frame contains a pair of open slots. The slots define an engagement tab therebetween. The tab flexes in response to a force. The support projects from one side of the frame and is configured to support an implement. The holder is attached to the container by (i) positioning the frame relative to the container such that the support is outside the container, (ii) aligning the slots of the frame on a rim of the container such that the tab is inside the rim, and (iii) pushing the frame onto the rim to cause the tab to flex and allow the frame to slidably engage a wall of the container along the slots, such that the tab is biased against the wall and securely holds the frame to the container.
US09474260B2

A release weight includes a weighted element having a flat bottom portion and a top portion having a connection element; an attachment hook having a first portion connected to the weighted element and a second portion connected to the first portion; and an extension element connected to the connection element. The attachment hook is passed through the jaw of the fish and the fish is placed in the body of water. The weighted element and the fish sink to the floor of a body of water, the flat bottom portion is flatly positioned on the floor, and the attachment hook is disengaged from the fish.
US09474254B2

A spermatogonial stem cell line that is derived from testes of rats characterized by a desirable genetic background can serve as a source for cells to transplant into male-sterile recipient animals that are immuno-compatible with the spermatogonial line. Rat cells thus transplanted readily develop into fertilization-competent, haploid male gametes, with little or no endogenous sperm competition generated by the testes of the male-sterile recipient. This approach, constituting the first vector system for the use of rat spermatogonial lines from in vitro culture in generating mutant rats on a desired genetic background, effects maximal germline transmission of donor haplotypes from the transplanted spermatogonial cells.
US09474253B2

A hummingbird feeder that includes a flower petal shaped attractive structure attached to the hollow body of the feeder around a feeding hole and a removable, replaceable, and non-bulky feeding tube designed to be removably placed within the feeding hole.
US09474251B2

A garment to reduce an animal's anxiety, fearfulness, overexcitement, or a combination thereof. The garment may include a central portion and first, second, and third flaps. The first and second flaps extend from opposite sides of the central portion and the third flap extends from a central, inner surface area of the central portion. The inner surface is configured to be proximate to the animal's body. The flaps are configured to extend around the animal's mid-body such that the central portion and flaps form a shape conforming to the outside of the animal's mid-body. The third flap may be between the central portion, the second flap, or a combination thereof and the animal's body. The garment may apply pressure to the animal adequate to reduce anxiety, fearfulness, overexcitement, or a combination thereof in the animal.
US09474244B1

A wheat variety designated A040064G1, the plants and seeds of wheat variety A040064G1, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety A040064G1 with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety A040064G1 with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of variety A040064G1. This invention also relates to methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety A040064G1 and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods.
US09474234B2

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety SJ1213512 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety SJ1213512 and its progeny, and methods of making SJ1213512.
US09474232B2

The present invention is in the field of soybean variety BK1211980 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety BK1211980 and its progeny, and methods of making BK1211980.
US09474230B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XB24AM14 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB24AM14, cells from soybean variety XB24AM14, plants of soybean XB24AM14, and plant parts of soybean variety XB24AM14. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB24AM14 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB24AM14, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB24AM14, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB24AM14. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB24AM14 are further provided.
US09474223B2

In an embodiment, the invention relates to the seeds, plants, and plant parts of canola variety SCV356872 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing canola variety SCV356872 with itself or with another canola variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a canola plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic canola plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to canola varieties or breeding lines and plant parts derived from canola variety SCV356872, to methods for producing other canola varieties, lines or plant parts derived from canola variety SCV356872 and to the canola plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid canola seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the variety SCV356872 with another canola variety.
US09474222B2

The present invention relates to Solanum lycopersicum plants carrying one or more of the pat-6, pat-7, pat-8 and pat-9 parthenocarpy genes. Preferred plants comprise a pair of pat-6 and pat-7 genes or a pair of pat-8 and pat-9 genes, whereby preferably the plant is homozygous for at least one of the two genes in the pair, more preferably the plant is homozygous for both genes in the pair. Such plants are capable of producing seedless tomatoes. The invention further relates to methods for producing plants carrying one or more of the pat-6, pat-7, pat-8 and pat-9 parthenocarpy genes using marker-assisted breeding.
US09474219B2

The invention provides seed and plants of squash hybrid SV0201YL and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of squash hybrid SV0201YL and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a squash plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another squash plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09474206B2

A chassis augmentation assembly for, and an agricultural vehicle with, a chassis having a main frame supporting front and rear axles has longitudinally spaced chassis mounts attached to the vehicle and a beam assembly having at least one structural beam segment vertically spaced from the main frame. The beam assembly has longitudinally spaced ends coupled to the vehicle chassis via the chassis mounts. The beam assembly is configured to transfer longitudinal forces between the chassis mounts through the one or more structural beam segments.
US09474202B2

A device for feeding granular material, such as seed, fertilizer or pesticide is described herein. The device includes at least two metering devices (109), a first drive device (101) for generating a pressurizing airflow (FT) for pressurization of the metering devices (109), and a central container (102), which is arranged to, via respective feed ducts (103), with the aid of a respective feed airflow (FI), feed the material to the respective metering device (109). The device also includes a second drive device (201, 201a, 201b) for generating the feed airflow (FI) and a merging connection (118, 118′) for merging at least a part (FL) of the feed airflow (FI) with the pressurizing airflow (FT).
US09474199B2

A lift support system for a wheel assembly that provides variable support for the wing frame section of a tillage implement above the soil. The lift support system includes a vertically oriented tube slidably connected to the wing frame section for movement along a vertical axis. A wheel axle assembly is pivotally connected to the lower end of the tube and provides a support for the axle assembly. Wheels are journaled on the axle assemblies. A locking assembly selectively locks the wheel assembly in place when the tube is in a position for field transport and field operation with the locking mechanism being disengageable when the wing section is in a transport position to permit castoring of the wheel assemblies.
US09480191B2

An electronic apparatus includes: a casing; a conductive film disposed on an inner surface of the casing, the conductive film having a recess in a surface thereof; a circuit board accommodated in the casing; a semiconductor device disposed on the circuit board; and a conductive frame fixed around the semiconductor device on the circuit board, the conductive frame being fitted in the recess.
US09480190B2

A flat panel display (FPD) including a display panel for displaying an image; a film substrate electrically connected to the display panel, the film substrate including driving circuits; a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the film substrate, the printed circuit board providing a signal for displaying the image; and a heat radiating unit attached to one surface of the film substrate, the heat radiating unit contacting at least one of the display panel and the PCB.
US09480188B2

In one aspect, a computing device-implemented method includes receiving at least one triggering event signal from one or more components of a heat recovery system. The method also includes determining, based in part on the at least one triggering event signal, a computation workload assignment to be executed on one or more computation devices. The method further includes sending one or more command signals to the one or more computation devices. The one or more command signals include a portion of the computation workload assignment for execution by the one or more computation devices. The method also includes initiating capture of heat energy to be stored in one or more heat reservoirs, the heat energy being generated by the one or more computation device based upon the computation workload assignment.
US09480179B2

A display device includes a display panel, an actuator unit including a plurality of actuator members generating vibrations and disposed to face one side of the display panel, and a support unit contacting the actuator unit to receive a vibration generating from the actuator unit and including a plurality of support members disposed to respectively correspond to the plurality of actuator members and spaced apart from each other.
US09480164B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide, without using a halogenated compound or a phosphorus compound, a resin composition for printed wiring boards, a prepreg, a laminate, and a metal foil-clad laminate, each of which has high-degree flame retardance, has a low water absorption ratio and a high glass transition temperature, and has a high elastic modulus at high temperature.A resin composition according to the present invention includes a specific maleimide compound (A); a cyanate ester compound (B); a non-halogen epoxy resin (C); and an inorganic filler (D).
US09480157B2

A wiring board includes a first interlayer insulation layer, a second interlayer insulation layer formed on the first interlayer insulation layer and having an opening portion, first conductive pads formed on the second interlayer insulation layer, a conductive plane layer formed on the first interlayer insulation layer such that the conductive plane layer is exposed by the opening portion of the second interlayer insulation layer, a wiring structure positioned directly on the conductive plane layer such that the wiring structure is accommodated in the opening portion of the second interlayer insulation layer, and second conductive pads formed on the wiring structure such that the first conductive pads and the second conductive pads are set to be positioned on a same plane.
US09480153B2

A housing for an electronic circuit unit has a housing body and a bus bar. The housing body is made from a resin material and includes a bottom wall part and a side wall part for defining an inner space where electronic components are located. The bus bar includes a base portion buried in the bottom wall part and a folded portion buried in the side wall part. The folded portion includes two ends each connected to the base portion.
US09480151B2

An assembly of a plurality of tiles (1) with a carrier (40), wherein the tiles (1) comprise a foil (20) with an electro-physical transducer (10) and electrical connectors (24, 28) to said transducer. The tiles are mechanically and electrically coupled to the carrier, and the tiles overlay according to a fish scale pattern.
US09480150B2

A security assembly for protecting a device including first and second security wraps fitted to the device. The first security wrap covers a first area of the device. The second security wrap partially overlaps the first security wrap and covers a second area of the device. Each of the first and second security wraps has a security screen having a pair of screen terminals and a conductive track extending between the screen terminals A conductive structure is disposed in an overlapping area between the first and second security Wraps and coupled to the first screen terminals of the first security screen and to the second screen terminals of the second security screen.
US09480138B2

In some aspects, a plasma processing torch can include an end portion that receives at least one gas and at least one power input; a first joint coupled to the end portion, the first joint conveying the gas and power through the first joint; a middle portion coupled to the first joint, the middle portion conveying the gas and power through the middle portion; a second joint coupled to the middle portion at an end opposite the first joint, the pivot joint conveying the gas and power through the pivot joint; and a head portion coupled to the second joint, the head portion conveying the gas and power to a torch tip to generate a plasma arc.
US09480123B2

The present invention relates to an LED retrofit lamp adapted for operation with an alternating current. The LED lamp comprises an LED unit, first and second switching devices (e.g., first and second relays), a startup voltage supply unit (1010) coupled in parallel to the first switching device, an ignition detection unit (1020) coupled in parallel to the second switching device, and a switch drive unit (1030) for setting the first and second switching devices to a conducting state. If one of the first and second switching devices is shorted either no startup supply voltage or no detection signal is provided, such that the failure is indicated externally to a user.
US09480121B2

The present invention generally relates to the field of large area lighting, such as lighting for sport venues. More specifically, some embodiments of the present invention relate to controlling solid state illumination for various applications including sports lighting, architectural lighting, security lighting, parking, general area, interior, larger area and others. Embodiments according to aspects of the current invention monitor lighting circuits with regard to voltage and current, compare readings with stored models, characterize lighting circuits with regard to stored models for voltage and current, and control lighting circuits in accordance with desirable outcomes.
US09480119B2

Various methods and apparatus disclosed herein relate to selectively illuminating an illuminated textile (100) based on a physical context of the illuminated textile. For example, in some embodiments, data from one or more sensors (104) embedded in or otherwise associated with an illuminated textile may be utilized by a controller (108) to implement lighting property adjustments for one or more selected light sources (106) embedded in or associated with the textile, based on the data. The data may be indicative of a physical context of the illuminated textile.
US09480113B2

A control circuit of an LED lighting apparatus divided into a plurality of LED channels may include: a current control circuit configured to provide a current path corresponding to sequential light emissions of the LED channels in response to a rectified voltage; and a residual voltage buffer circuit configured to correspond to an LED channel which finally emits light, and buffer a residual voltage when the rectified voltage rises to a preset value such that the residual voltage occurs.
US09480112B2

Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit that includes a detector and a controller. The detector is configured to detect a firing start by a triode for alternating current (TRIAC) in a power supply. The controller is configured to control a switch in connection with a magnetic component in response to the firing start to shape a profile of a current pulled from the power supply to satisfy a latch current requirement and a hold current requirement of the TRIAC.
US09480106B2

A relay device configured to facilitate a wireless communication over a logical interface between a first base station and a second base station is described herein. The logical interface may be an X2 interface for a Long Term Evolution network. The relay device receives the wireless communication from the first base station using one or more wireless transceivers of the relay device. The relay device may identify the second base station based at least in part on information associated with the wireless communication. Then, the relay device may transmit the wireless communication to the second base station through the one or more wireless transceivers.
US09480098B2

A method of handling RRC connection reconfiguration for a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The mobile device has a RRC connection. The method comprises receiving a first configuration in an RRC message from a network, wherein the first configuration is used for a first secondary cell; ignoring the first configuration when the mobile device is unable to comply with all of the first configuration; and maintaining the RRC connection.
US09480095B2

A vehicle communication system and a method of using the system that includes coupling a second device in a vehicle using short range wireless communication (SRWC) based on a pairing of a first device in the vehicle. The method includes the steps of: pairing at the vehicle the first device with a SRWC module, by performing a pairing procedure; after the pairing step, determining an identifying association of the first and second devices; and partially performing the pairing procedure between the SRWC module and the second device based on the pairing of the first device and the identified association.
US09480094B2

A method for improving the HF band link establishment in a communication system including one or more transmit terminals and one or more receive terminals, at least one of the terminals having a broadband capability, comprises the following steps: creating call bands and listening bands according to the broadband transmit and/or receive capabilities, the minimum number of bands being suitable for covering the entire frequency plan; minimizing the number of bands and then maximizing the number of frequencies in each of these bands of size B; distributing the bands Bi in time by arranging the bands in descending cardinal-value order, and allocating a frequency fj to each band Bi; transmitting/receiving in broadband mode, by checking that the selected transmit frequencies are not already in use.
US09480092B2

Providing for establishment of local Internet Protocol access (LIPA) for cellular communication is provided herein. According to particular aspects of the subject disclosure, provided are mechanisms to identify a request to establish a packet network connection as a request for a LIPA context. Once identified, a local gateway associated with the UE or with a subscriber-deployed base station is identified, and a packet context is established to support LIPA traffic for the UE. Additional mechanisms support UE mobility from one base station to another, including identifying and terminating inactive LIPA contexts. Further, a UE is described that can recognize and facilitate the establishment of a LIPA context for applications executing at the UE.
US09480091B2

The embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, network element and terminal of achieving identity and location separation and interface identifier allocation. The method of achieving an identity and location separation network includes: an EPS network side network element acquiring an Access Identifier (AID) of a User Equipment (UE), and transmitting the acquired AID to the UE; a Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) to which the UE is attached allocating a subnet prefix for the UE, and transmitting the subnet prefix to the UE; and the UE combining into an IPv6 address using the AID as an interface identifier part of the IPv6 address and the subnet prefix as a subnet prefix part of the IPv6 address, and using the IPv6 address to configure the IPv6 address of the UE itself.
US09480077B2

Generic devices, systems and methods for multiple radio access technologies (RATs) are described. Arrangements can include, for example, a processor configured to execute procedures associated with different radio access technologies (RATs), a radio planner function configured to receive requests for radio resources from the procedures and further configured to selectively grant or deny radio access by the procedures in response to the requests, and a memory device configured to operate as a distributed data base to store data produced by at least one of the procedures and to provide the data to at least one other of the procedures.
US09480076B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) network sharing data of a Wi-Fi Peer-to-Peer (P2P) group are provided. The method includes forming the Wi-Fi P2P group, establishing, at a mobile station that is a Wi-Fi P2P group owner, a connection to a WLAN access point, determining whether data, to be communicated with a mobile station that is a Wi-Fi P2P client, is WLAN network sharing data, assigning, when the data is the WLAN network sharing data, a high priority to the WLAN network sharing data, preoccupying a radio channel for data transmission through channel access contention with the high priority, and transmitting the WLAN network sharing data through the preoccupied radio channel.
US09480074B2

Methods and apparatus for transmitting modulation parameters are disclosed. The apparatus and methods provide determination of when a particular modulation scheme is used by an access point. One or more modulation parameters associated with the particular modulation scheme and one or more timing values associated with the particular modulation scheme are then determined and transmitted using a portion of a broadcast channel transmitted by the access point.
US09480073B2

A wireless communication device comprises a transceiver to communicate directly with one or more separate wireless devices in accordance with a WiFi communication protocol, and a controller. The controller is configured to initiate transmission of information using the transceiver upon expiration of a first contention window (CW) count value, detect whether the transmission is successful, change the CW count value to a second CW count value when the transmission is unsuccessful, and change the CW count value from the first CW count value to a third CW count value when the transmission is successful, wherein the third CW count value is a maximum value of one of the first CW count value divided by a specified binary number or a specified minimum CW count value.
US09480063B2

Techniques for receiving reference signals from multiple nodes and determining channel state information (CSI) for the nodes are disclosed. A user equipment (UE) may determine and report CSI for the multiple nodes to support data transmission to the UE. The nodes may transmit reference signals based on different configurations. The configuration for each node may indicate when, where, and how the node transmits its reference signal. The UE may determine CSI for different nodes and/or different combinations of nodes based on the reference signals transmitted by these nodes as well as an indication of which subframes to use to determine each CSI reported by the UE. The UE may report different CSIs for different subframes and may receive data transmission sent by a single node or a combination of nodes based on the reported CSIs.
US09480061B2

The present invention relates to a method for receiving a downlink control signal in a TDD-based wireless communication system, and to an apparatus therefor. The method comprises receiving a downlink signal via a downlink interval in a specific frame including the downlink interval, a guard interval and an uplink interval. A combination of the downlink interval, the guard interval and the uplink interval is given using configuration information on the specific subframe. When the configuration information is given such that the length of the downlink interval is larger than a specific value, detecting a first type of PDCCH is performed in the specific subframe. When the configuration information is given such that the length of the downlink interval is equal to or smaller than the specific value, detecting the first type of PDCCH is skipped in the specific subframe.
US09480053B2

There is provided a communication control device including a radio communication unit which communicates with one or more terminal devices in a cell over a channel in which a link direction is allowed to be dynamically set for each sub-frame which is a unit of time in radio communication, and a control unit which controls allocation of communication resources to the terminal device based on the setting of the link direction of the channel and a location of the terminal device in the cell.
US09480050B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention related to a method for performing communication on a specific single secondary cell (SCell) in a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation and to an apparatus for same, wherein the method comprises the following steps: receiving setting information on a plurality of frequency zones comprising the specific single SCell, wherein the plurality of frequency zones include at least one available frequency zone and at least zone unavailable frequency zone; and performing the communication from the specific single SCell, wherein a signal for the communication is transmitted and received only within the at least one available frequency from the specific single SCell.
US09480046B1

Disclosed is a method and system for managing signaling in a communication network. A paging controller determines one or more target coverage areas to attempt a paging request for a wireless communication device (WCD) based on (i) a coverage area last serving the WCD (“last known coverage area”) and (ii) an amount of time passed since the WCD last transitioned from a connected state to an idle state in the last known coverage area (“the idle duration”). The paging controller can utilize a database that specifies, on a per WCD basis, one or more records of associated data items for different last known coverage areas, idle durations, and target coverage areas. With knowledge of a last known coverage area and idle duration for a WCD, database record(s) can be identified and target coverage area(s) can be determined. A paging request can then be transmitted to the determined target coverage area(s).
US09480035B2

The present invention is applicable to the field of communications technologies, and provides an in-synchronization and out-of-synchronization handling method and apparatus. The method includes: reporting, by a physical layer, an invalid frame indication to a high layer, where the invalid frame indication is used to indicate an invalid frame, and the invalid frame is a frame not used for detecting out-of-synchronization, so as to count the number of frames that are assured to be out of synchronization within timing; and when the number of frames that are assured to be out of synchronization within the timing reaches a predefined value, determining that a radio link is out of synchronization. By using the present invention, the modified timing of the timer and the number of in-synchronization indications correspond to each other.
US09480031B2

A method in a user equipment for controlling transmission from the user equipment, a method in a first radio network node for selecting one or more radio emission control parameters and a user equipment, and a first radio network node configured to perform the methods are provided. The user equipment sends, to the first radio network node, one or more parameters associated with supported duplexer arrangement characteristics of the user equipment for a first operating frequency band. The first radio network node selects the one or more radio emission control parameters based on the one or more parameters associated with the supported duplexer arrangement characteristics of the user equipment for the first operating frequency band. The user equipment receives and applies the one or more radio emission control parameters from the first radio network node such as to control transmission from the user equipment.
US09480030B2

A method and user equipment (UE) for obtaining power headroom information in a communication system are provided. The method includes acquiring information for a path loss reference, wherein the information for the path loss reference indicates whether the UE applies as the path loss reference either a downlink of a primary cell or a downlink of a secondary cell (SCell), triggering a power headroom report (PHR) if a prohibitPHR-Timer expires and a path loss is changed more than a threshold for at least one activated cell which is used as the path loss reference, and obtaining power headroom information for each activated cell, if extended PHR is used and an uplink resource is allocated for new transmission.
US09480028B1

Methods, systems, and apparatuses operate to adjust transmission power of a customer premise equipment device using a transmit channel set parameter. Power characteristics associated with a received signal from a customer premise equipment device can be identified, and a determination is made whether to adjust a transmission power associated with transmission of the signal. Based upon the determination, an adjustment can be made to the transmission power using a transmit channel set parameter, thereby adjusting the channels used by the customer premise equipment device to transmit the signal.
US09480027B2

The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software related product (e.g., a computer readable memory) for implementing power control for uplink orthogonal and non-orthogonal resources for an uplink channel, e.g. for PUCCH or PUCSH, when CoMP is utilized in a wireless network (e.g., LTE).
US09480020B2

A method for controlling a Bluetooth connection includes turning off an ignition of a vehicle. It is determined whether a terminal connected to a Bluetooth system provided in the vehicle exists or not. When it is determined that the connected terminal exists as a result of determining, a disconnection command for the Bluetooth connection is transmitted from the vehicle to the terminal. The Bluetooth system waits for a time predetermined by the Bluetooth system, after transmitting the disconnection command. After waiting for the predetermined time, it is determined whether a disconnection confirmation message responding to the disconnection command is received from the terminal or not. When it is determined that the disconnection message is received as a result of determining whether the disconnection message is received or not, the Bluetooth system is caused to enter into a sleep mode.
US09480016B2

According to an example embodiment of this application, a method may include by a processor, receiving an indication of the version of an additional maximum power reduction table supported by a user equipment (401). According to an example embodiment of this application, a method may include by a processor, allocating different resources to a user equipment, receiving power headroom reports generated by the user equipment based on the allocated resources, and determining based on the received power headroom reports whether the user equipment supports an additional maximum power reduction table.
US09480015B2

A first network device in communication with a second network device via a wireless communication link provides an indication to the second network device that the first network device will enter a power save mode. While operating in the power save mode, the first network device periodically transmits a trigger frame to the second network device to determine whether the second network device comprises buffered frames for the first network device. The first network device receives the buffered frames from the second network device responsive to transmitting the trigger frame. In another example, if both the first and the second network devices operate in the power save mode, the first network device receives a notification of available buffered frames from the second network device. The first network device transmits buffered frames destined for the second network device prior to transmitting a response to the received notification.
US09480012B2

Method and device for measurement compensation for inter-system reselection and handover in a dual-mode terminal are disclosed. The method comprises: a GSM physical layer reporting measured RSCP and Ec/No values of a 3G neighbor cell to a radio resource management layer with inter-layer primitives; the radio resource management layer receiving the inter-layer primitives carrying the RSCP and Ec/No values reported by the physical layer, and performing measurement compensation for the inter-layer primitives in the radio resource management layer. Since the measurement compensation is performed in the radio resource management layer of the terminal, the terminal preferably resides on 3G network when detecting the 3G network. It can be applied to measurement compensation for the inter-system reselection and handover when 2G and 3G mobile communication systems co-exist. The terminal is more easily retained on the network of one of the systems and allowed to make a priority selection of the networks.
US09480011B2

A method and system for routing a voice connection over a cellular network to a mobile station is disclosed. The cellular network comprises a plurality of base stations, some of which have capability to provide the voice connection to the mobile station using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). A voice connection for the mobile station is identified at an Application Server of the cellular network. A request message is sent from the Application Server to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), or Home Location Register (HLR), of the cellular network. The request message requests an indication ds to whether the mobile station is being served by a base station having capability to provide a voice connection using VoIP.
US09480002B2

Methods, a user equipment, a base station and a computer program product for managing assignments between user equipments and cooperation areas are provided. The present invention discloses receiving, at a base station belonging to a cooperation area, a connection request message from a user equipment to be connected to the cooperation area. The connection request message includes a parameter indicating preference information. It is determined, on the basis of the parameter, whether the user equipment is allowed to connect to the cooperation area. A connection acknowledgement/non-acknowledgement message is forwarded from the base station to the user equipment. The present invention discloses acquiring information about reachable cooperation areas, determining preference information with respect to the reachable cooperation areas, sending a connection request message including preference information to a reachable cooperation area, and selecting the cooperation area to which the connection request message was sent if a connection acknowledgement message is received.
US09480000B2

A method for controlling access to a wireless Access Network (AN) by a wireless communication device. The device stores a Device Access Priority (DAP) level based on characteristics of the device. When the device has data to send, the device receives an overhead message from the AN containing a Network Access Priority (NAP) parameter defining a minimum priority level for initiating network access. The device determines whether its DAP level is equal to or greater than the NAP parameter. If not, the device periodically repeats the receiving and determining steps until the stored DAP level is determined to be equal to or greater than the NAP parameter received from the AN. When the stored DAP level is equal to or greater than the NAP parameter, the device initiates network access. The device may perform and pass a Persistence Test before transmitting the data on an access channel (ACH).
US09479993B2

Approaches for efficient, dynamic and continuous handover processes, which encompass selection of an optimal path (consisting of a satellite, a satellite beam and carrier frequency set) over which a mobile user terminal (UT) communicates with the radio access network in a mobile satellite communications system, are provided. A set of path factors are determined regarding each of a plurality of communications paths for the UT. A path selection metric (PSM) for each communications path is determined, wherein the PSM for each communications path is determined via a weighted calculation based on the respective set of path factors for the communications path. A decision is made as to whether to perform a handover of the UT from a first of the communications paths to a second of the communications paths, wherein the determination is based on an evaluation performed based at least in part on the PSM.
US09479985B2

A system may be configured to identify that a user device is connected to a first radio access network (“RAN”), via a first technology; and to identify that the user device is capable of accessing a second RAN, via a second technology. The system may further be configured to instruct the user device to concurrently connect to the second RAN and the first RAN, send or receive a first type of traffic via the first RAN, and send or receive a second type of traffic via the second RAN.
US09479966B2

A timer for processing data blocks is proposed for a receiver of a mobile communications system. If the timer is not running, the timer is started based a data block. The data block has a sequence number higher than a sequence number of another data block that was first expected to be received. If the timer is stopped or expires, the timer is based on a highest sequence number of a data block among data blocks that cannot be delivered to a higher entity. The timer can be used to prevent a stall condition in mobile communications.
US09479964B2

Systems and methods for mitigating the effects of atmospheric conditions such as rain, fog, cloud in a broadband access system using drone/UAVs. In one embodiment, terminal and drone radio and transmission medium fixture sub-systems comprise multiple transmission media. In one embodiment, in response to changes in atmospheric conditions the drone radio sub-system switches transmission medium to reduce the effects of atmospheric conditions. In another embodiment, the terminal and drone radio sub-systems equalize the data rates among terminals in response to changes in atmospheric conditions observed by different terminals. In another embodiment, the drone radio sub-system adjusts the transmit power on the downlink to different terminal according to fading due to atmospheric conditions on each link.
US09479956B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting and processing user equipment feedback information are disclosed by the present invention, related to the field of radio communication technologies, and with the present invention, a user equipment is capable of transmitting feedback information with a maximum channel RI value of 4. The method includes: obtaining rank information (RI) of a radio channel, a corresponding channel quality indication information (CQI) value, and a precoding control information (PCI) value, where an RI value is any one of 1, 2, 3, and 4; and generating feedback information according to the CQI value and the PCI value, and sending the feedback information to a base station according to a CQI feedback pattern. Embodiments of the present invention are mainly applicable to a process of transmitting user equipment feedback information.
US09479953B2

The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for obtaining terminal minimization of drive-tests data, relates to the field of communication technologies, and solves a problem that when determining, according to minimization of drive-tests (MDT) data, that a current operating status of a network is abnormal, an operation, maintenance and administration (OAM) cannot accurately determine whether the abnormality of the network is caused by a terminal or the network itself since the MDT data received by the OAM does not include an identity of the terminal. The method includes: obtaining MDT data measured by a terminal and an identity of the terminal; and reporting the MDT data measured by the terminal and the identity of the terminal to an OAM. Embodiments of the present invention are mainly applied to a process of obtaining terminal minimization of drive-tests data.
US09479942B2

Disclosed is a method for calculating a radio coverage in a wireless device for calculating a protective distance so as not to allow a secondary user sharing a frequency with a primary user to have an effect of radio interference on the primary user, the method including: calculating a transmission power of a wireless signal transmitted through the frequency by the secondary user; determining a region affected by the wireless signal based on the transmission power of the secondary user; calculating an average ground clearance of the determined region; calculating a height of an installation place of an antenna of the secondary user from the average ground clearance; and calculating the height of the antenna from the average ground clearance by adding a length of the antenna of the secondary user to the calculated height and calculating the radio coverage based on the height from the average ground clearance.
US09479925B2

An approach is provided in which a mobile device collects serviceability data from applications executing on the mobile device based upon one or more serviceability state changes provided by a server. The mobile device filters the collected serviceability data according to one or more collection filter rules provided by the server and, in turn, sends the filtered serviceability data to the server accordingly.
US09479922B2

Example techniques and systems may transmit provisioning information to respective computing devices for self-provisioning of each of the respective computing devices. In one example, a technique may include receiving, by a first computing device, account information for a plurality of users and sensing, with the first computing device, a second computing device in wireless communication range of the first computing device. Responsive to sensing the second computing device, the method may also include transmitting, by the first computing device and via wireless device-to-device communication, provisioning information from the first computing device to the second computing device. The provisioning information may include instructions for the second computing device to self-provision with a user account associated with one or more of the plurality of users.
US09479913B2

A mobile communication device (10) that relays communication between a sensor device (50) located in a neighbor area and a server device (70) includes a biometric information receiving unit (20) that receives biometric information of a user wearing the sensor device (50) from the sensor device (50), a sensor unit (30) that detects a change of state in the mobile communication device (10), and a public network communication unit (40) that transmits the biometric information and information about the change of state to the server device (70) via a public network (60) and receives health management information generated in the server device (70) using the transmitted information. The biometric information receiving unit (20) transmits the health management information to the sensor device (50) for display on the sensor device (50).
US09479910B2

Systems and methods for reassigning active mobile telephone calls from one device to another device are provided. The systems and methods include receiving and answering a phone call, displaying a list of devices within a short range network, reassigning the telephone call to one of the devices, and disconnecting the call from the transferring device.
US09479907B2

A smart device interface for a vehicle. The smart device interface includes a transmitter/receiver and a controller. The transmitter/receiver is configured to communicate with a first smart device of a driver and a second smart device of a passenger. The controller is configured to permit the passenger to perform tasks on behalf of the driver using the second smart device. The tasks include responding to messages received by the first smart device of the driver, entertainment system operation, and navigation system operation.
US09479904B2

An apparatus for augmenting associations between places and fingerprints includes a processor and memory storing executable computer code causing the apparatus to at least perform operations including detecting fingerprint data from a beacon device(s), as the apparatus traverses one or more physical places. The fingerprint data corresponds to generated summaries of radio information corresponding to the physical places. The computer code may cause the apparatus to compare fingerprint data detected from a subset of beacon devices with canonical fingerprint data, including initial fingerprint data, corresponding to physical places to determine a closest match. The computer code may cause the apparatus to determine a location of the apparatus in the physical place based on determining fingerprint data, detected from the subset of beacon devices in the physical place, that most accurately resembles canonical fingerprint data corresponding to one of the physical places. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.
US09479901B2

A method of setting an initial location of a user terminal via an interaction with a user and a user terminal is provided. The method includes measuring a magnetic field at a current location of the user terminal, and estimating a candidate initial location of the user terminal based on the magnetic field. The method further includes displaying the candidate initial location, and selecting the candidate initial location. The method further includes setting the initial location based on the selection.
US09479885B1

Configuring an adaptive microphone array to gather signals from a main lobe of the array, and configuring the array to reduce side interference gathered from sources that are not situated within the main lobe. A memory stores test signals gathered by the array at a plurality of predetermined angular bearings with reference to the array in an anechoic chamber. Signals gathered in real time are processed to provide a preliminary output and preliminary weights. The test signals are retrieved from memory. The preliminary weights are applied to the test signals to provide null steering weights. The null steering weights and the preliminary output are processed to reduce or minimize the amplitude response of the array at the angular orientation.
US09479880B2

In a speech discrimination ability determination system, an MMN determination section acquires, with respect to each of the first and second speech sounds, difference information between the event-related potential acquired during its output with the first occurrence frequency and the event-related potential acquired during its output with the second occurrence frequency, and determines whether a negative component exists in the difference information in predetermined time ranges after the first and second speech sounds are output. When the determination result indicates that the negative component exists, a discrimination ability determination section determines that the user discriminates the first and second speech sounds.
US09479872B2

An information processing apparatus that reproduces left and right audio signals based on data acquired from a sound source; acquires left and right surrounding sounds collected by left and right microphones included in a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus; combines a sound corresponding to at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds with at least one of the left and right audio signals; and outputs the left and right audio signals combined with the sound corresponding to the at least one of the left and right surrounding sounds to left and right earphones of the headphone unit.
US09479867B2

A device is configured for identifying a direction of a sound. The device includes a controller comprising circuitry. The circuitry is configured to receive a first output from a first input device and a second output from a second input device. The circuitry is also configured to add a delay to the second output. The circuitry is also configured to compare the first output to the delayed second output in a plurality of directions to form a comparison. The circuitry is also configured to identify a number of null directions of the plurality of directions where a set of nulls exists based on the comparison.
US09479863B2

A combo-jack detecting circuit for used in an audio CODEC is provided. The combo-jack detecting circuit comprises a low pass filter, a detecting unit and a switch unit. Without coupling capacitor between an audio apparatus and audio codec, the output direct current voltage of the audio apparatus can be provided by the low pass filter. The switch unit is configured to switch selectively for outputting two voltage signals to the low pass filter sequentially. The low pass filter provides two direct current signals so that the detecting unit determines a jack type of the sounding signal apparatus accordingly. By means of proper design, input buffers in the audio codec can transform a common mode voltage of the audio apparatus into a common mode voltage of the audio codec.
US09479862B2

The present invention provides an acoustic box structure comprising a main body having a cover and a base with a cut-out slot, and formed of a hollow cavity constructed by the cover and the base with a pair of side panels; a modular supporting plate formed by side plates extended vertically from lateral sides of a substrate and comprising a top plate extended vertically therefrom, and disposed inside the hollow cavity; a circuit main board comprising a processor, sockets and terminals, and disposed on the modular supporting plate; an acoustic box connecting board comprising the terminals and the terminals electrically coupled thereto, and inserted into the cut-out slot; a speaker module comprising at least one speaker compartment on the base member and comprising terminals corresponding to the sockets of the modular supporting plate. Accordingly, the acoustic box structure of the present invention can be facilitated for assembly with increased diversity.
US09479855B2

A headphone ear cup includes a composite cushion and a cover wrapping around the composite cushion. The composite cushion has an annular body and an air-permeable portion arranged at the outer periphery of the annular body. The air-permeable portion is made of a porous material having a porosity higher than that of the annular body. Because the annular body made of the material having relatively high density can maintain the sound output performance of the earphones, and the air-permeable portion made of the porous material having relatively low density can provide better heat dissipation effect, the headphone ear cup has excellent air-permeable property and improved acoustic field effect.
US09479842B2

Methods and products to deliver at least a portion of an advertisement to a viewer at normal playback speeds after receiving a command from the viewer to fast-forward through an advertisement faster than normal playback speeds is described. In certain embodiments, the invention delivers a portion of the advertisement to be played at normal playback speeds to the viewer; and delivers the remaining portion of the advertisement to be played at a playback speed that is faster than the specified playback speed so that the combination of the portions delivered at normal and faster playback speeds is delivered to the user at the specified playback speed. In some other embodiments, the invention delivers at least a portion of the first advertisement to the viewer at normal playback speeds; and delivers one or more other advertisements to the viewer simultaneously with the first advertisement with the audio information muted based on the specified playback speed.
US09479839B2

Provided is a method and system for providing a representative phrase with respect to a real time popular keyword, which may determine programs including a popular keyword from broadcast information, and may generate a representative phrase with respect to the popular keyword using the determined programs, thereby providing the representative phrase by combining the generated representative phrase and the popular keyword.
US09479837B1

Example methods and systems are disclosed for managing television tuners. A method includes receiving a request to tune to a first channel of a plurality of television channels including one or more local channels and one or more satellite channels, and determining whether the first channel is one of the local channel(s). If it is determined that the first channel is one of the local channel(s), the method includes determining whether at least one of one or more local tuners is available for tuning. If it is determined that at least one local tuner is available, the method includes tuning to the first channel using an available local tuner. If it is determined that none of the local tuner(s) are available, the method includes tuning to the first channel using an available one of one or more satellite tuners.
US09479830B2

A method and system for delivering media content to a user at predetermined times. A processing unit of the system receives streamed media content data and causes a display device to display the media content. The method and system include receiving user instructions and streaming media content according to the user instructions.
US09479829B2

A method of modifying the output of an output device is provided. A first code, associated with a first recipient party, is received and used to generate, within the output device, a second code, the second code containing encoded data identifying the first recipient party and instructions for activating an additional functionality of the output device. The additional functionality is activated in accordance with the instructions contained in the second code. The output of the output device is modified according to data encoded in the second code, to encode a third code in the output of the output device, the third code including an ID code associated with the first recipient party.
US09479817B2

A display apparatus includes: an image processor; a display unit; a remote controller which includes a touch input unit to detect motion of a user; a remote control signal receiver which receives a remote control signal from the remote controller corresponding to the motion of a user; and a controller which displays the content information window as if the content information window enters from an outside of a display area to an inside of the display area in accordance with the motion that a user moves from an outside of an area of the touch input unit to an inside of the area, or stops displaying the content information window as if the content information window exits from the inside of the display area to the outside of the display area in accordance with the motion that a user moves from the inside of the area of the touch input unit to the outside of the touch input unit.
US09479815B2

Methods and apparatus for providing digital video recorder services with a portable wireless device (PWD). The PWD includes at least a transceiver, a processing unit and a memory unit. The transceiver receives a video content signal transmitted from a broadcaster of mobile broadcast digital TV, and an electronic program guide (EPG). The processing unit is in communication with the transceiver and the memory unit and the processing unit: stores the TV programming information on the memory unit; displays, responsive to a first user input, the TV programming information; records on the memory unit, responsive to a second user input, a selected video content signal received by the transceiver; and plays back the selected video content signal, responsive to a third user input, from the memory unit.
US09479808B2

An approach for facilitating providing personalized recommendations for streaming of broadcast content is provided. Content identifications are obtained for individual sets of broadcast content being streamed separately over the Internet simultaneously by multiple content providers. One or more recommendations of broadcast content is presented to the user based on the user's content preference profile, one or more ambient conditions associated with the user, online social interactions and/or content of the user, and/or other sets of broadcast content being streamed over the Internet.
US09479805B2

This disclosure describes system and methods related to entitlement validation and quality control of content in a cloud-enabled network-based digital video recording system. In some embodiments, whether a record event exists may be determined. The record event may indicate an entitlement check associated with a content asset needs to be completed. A determination may be made as to whether a user account is authorized to access the content asset. An asset record associated with the content asset may be modified to prevent future recording of the content asset. A record to delete the content asset may be generated in association with the user account in response to determining the user account is not authorized to access the content asset. The record event may be removed.
US09479797B2

A method to transmit images of a video sequence over a transmission channel between a transmitter and a receiver of a communication network, the image being composed of several image areas, the method for an image to be transmitted including: identifying image areas of a first type in the image; identifying image areas of a second type in the image; determining a transmission rate for transmission of the image to the receiver as a function of the number of first-type image areas compared with the number of second-type image areas; selecting a coding scheme for each image area as a function of area type; modifying the coding parameters as a function of the determined transmission rate; encoding the image areas by applying the selected coding scheme and the modified coding parameters; and transmitting the image areas at the determined transmission rate. Improved image quality is thus obtained.
US09479795B2

The invention relates to image block encoding and decoding. More precisely, the invention relates to block prediction using reference blocks of the image. It is proposed a method which comprises using processing means for using at least the block for determining one reference block in an already encoded part of the image, encoding and reconstructing a part of the image, using at least the block for determining one reference block in the reconstructed part and a vector referencing the one reference block, using the one reference block for determining at least one further reference block in the reconstructed part and encoding the determined vector and a residual of the block with respect to a combination of the one and the at least one further reference block. Using the block for determination of the one reference block allows for selecting it such that it resembles the block and correlation with the block is maintained.
US09479793B2

A video encoding apparatus using an inter-prediction includes: a video encoder to determine a current motion vector of a current block, predict the current block by using the determined current motion vector, and encode a residual block representing a difference between the predicted block and the current block; and a motion vector encoder to determine a candidate predicted motion vector set based on motion information of neighboring blocks of the current block, select a predicted motion vector of the current motion vector from among the two candidate predicted motion vectors in the candidate predicted motion vector set, and encode a differential vector representing a difference between the current motion vector and the selected predicted motion vector and a predicted motion vector index indicating the selected predicted motion vector among the two candidate predicted motion vectors.
US09479792B2

A data compression apparatus and method suitable for image data assembles pixel values into plural groups. An encoding unit sets a maximum bit plane according to a highest value in the group, and encodes the data values sequentially along the group using iteratively reduced bit plane levels until reaching a lowest bit plane or exhausting the data values in the group, to provide a compressed dataset. Examples include recording a positional index where the bit plane level is changed within each group.
US09479789B2

A signal processing apparatus includes a mapping unit configured to multiplex first to fourth pixel data with respect to areas of first to fourth signals of a data stream prescribed in a predetermined SDI (Serial Digital Interface) format, respectively. The first to fourth pixel data respectively correspond to first to fourth colors of video data in which pixels are arranged on a block basis with 2×2 pixels as the block, and the 2×2 pixels respectively correspond to the first to fourth colors.
US09479782B2

Techniques are described for signaling decoding unit identifiers for decoding units of an access unit. The video decoder determines which network abstraction layer (NAL) units are associated with which decoding units based on the decoding unit identifiers. Techniques are also described for including one or more copies of supplemental enhancement information (SEI) messages in an access unit.
US09479779B2

Techniques are described for modal sub-bitstream extraction. For example, a network entity may select a sub-bitstream extraction mode from a plurality of sub-bitstream extraction modes. Each sub-bitstream extraction mode may define a particular manner in which to extract coded pictures from views or layers to allow a video decoder to decode target output views or layers for display. In this manner, the network entity may adaptively select the appropriate sub-bitstream extraction technique, rather than a rigid, fixed sub-bitstream extraction technique.
US09479778B2

An apparatus for coding video information according to certain aspects includes a memory unit and a processor in communication with the memory unit. The memory unit stores enhancement layer and base layer video information and a completed merge candidate list. The processor is in communication with the memory and is configured to create the completed merge candidate list associated with the enhancement layer video information. The processor is further configured to add base layer motion vector information as a candidate into the completed candidate list after the completed merge candidate list has been created to create a final candidate list.
US09479769B2

A projector system includes an image generator and at least one projector for receiving an image from the image generator and projecting the image onto a screen to provide a final projected image. A computer generates correction data based on a calibration process that includes comparing an uncorrected image projected by the at least one projectors with a geometrically correct image. Wherein the at least one projector maps incoming pixel locations from the image generator to corrected pixel locations in the final projected image based on the correction data.
US09479760B2

According to one embodiment, a solid state imaging device includes a first imaging device, a second imaging device, and a calculating unit. The first imaging device includes a first optical system, a first imaging unit, and a second optical system provided between the first optical system and the first imaging unit. The second imaging device includes a third optical system, a second imaging unit, and a fourth optical system provided between the third optical system and the second imaging unit. The calculating unit is configured to perform a first calculation and a second calculation. The first calculation includes deriving a first distance from stereo disparity. The second calculation includes deriving a second distance from a parallax image. The calculating unit is configured to estimate a target distance based on at least one selected from the first distance and the second distance.
US09479758B2

A 3D camera and a mobile terminal having the same include a plurality of cameras capturing a 3D image, a camera printed circuit board (PCB) to which the plurality of cameras are coupled, and a bracket coupled to at least one of the plurality of cameras and the camera PCB, and preventing movement of the plurality of cameras. The bracket has a coupling recess provided such that at least one other PCB is coupled thereto.
US09479754B2

Depth maps are generated from two or more of images captured with a conventional digital camera from the same viewpoint using different configuration settings, which may be arbitrarily selected for each image. The configuration settings may include aperture and focus settings and/or other configuration settings capable of introducing blur into an image. The depth of a selected image patch is evaluated over a set of discrete depth hypotheses using a depth likelihood function modeled to analyze corresponding images patches convolved with blur kernels using a flat prior in the frequency domain. In this way, the depth likelihood function may be evaluated without first reconstructing an all-in-focus image. Blur kernels used in the depth likelihood function and are identified from a mapping of depths and configuration settings to the blur kernels. This mapping is determined from calibration data for the digital camera used to capture the two or more images.
US09479753B2

An image processing system according to an embodiment includes a stereoscopic display device, a receiving unit, and a display controller. The stereoscopic display device displays a stereoscopic image that is capable of being viewed stereoscopically using a parallax image group as a plurality of parallax images generated by performing rendering processing on volume data as three-dimensional medical image data. The receiving unit receives a region of interest in the stereoscopic image. The display controller causes the stereoscopic display device to display the parallax image group that has been generated by performing the rendering processing on the volume data based on a plurality of viewpoint positions of which sight line directions intersect with one another at a position of the volume data that corresponds to the region of interest received by the receiving unit.
US09479752B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided for providing contents. A plurality of contents is reproduced at the first device. The plurality of contents is transmitted from the first device to a second device to reproduce, in the second device, content in synchronization with the first device. Data is received from an external device during the reproducing of the plurality of contents at the first device. The received data is reproduced along with at least one of the plurality of contents being reproduced at the first device. The received data is transmitted from the first device to the second device. The transmitted data is used to enable the second device to reproduce the transmitted data together with the at least one of the plurality of contents.
US09479750B2

A substantially rectangular spectral representation is synthesized, which is adapted to produce image capture device sensor outputs if applied to an image capture device. The synthesized substantially rectangular spectral representation can be utilized in generating output color values of an output color space from image capture device sensor outputs, where the image capture device sensor outputs correspond to an image captured by an image capture device. The generated output color values correspond to colors perceived by the human visual system for the same image as that captured by the image capture device. Image capture device gamut is also determined.
US09479733B2

Real-time interactive broadcast sessions for client devices include: for each client device in the interactive broadcast session, configuring downstream video and audio ports for the interactive broadcast session between a central controller and the client device; receiving from each client device a selected broadcaster corresponding to a broadcaster flow control signal; in response to receiving the selected broadcaster from each client device, sending video and audio streams of the selected broadcaster to each client device over the interactive broadcast session; receiving a request from a given client device on the interactive broadcast session to interact with the selected broadcaster; configuring upstream and downstream video ports for one-to-one video chat session between the central controller and the given client device; and sending the video and audio streams of the given client device, and the video and audio streams of the selected broadcaster, to each client device over the interactive broadcast session.
US09479730B1

A method and system for optimizing conference session activities within a conference space, the system comprising at least a first sensor for sensing session characteristics and a processor receiving the sensed session characteristics and identifying a conference paradigm based on the sensed session characteristics, identifying an action sequence to perform as a function of the conference paradigm and performing the action sequence, wherein the action sequence results in automatic presentation of at least some information to at least a subset of conferees within the conference space.
US09479727B1

Methods and systems are described for recording screen data and audio data relating to a call. The screen recording session is initiated and terminated within the controller, based on correlation between audio data and screen data from the call, without requiring involvement with a controller or Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) layer.
US09479712B2

A target image is obtained from a cloud database based on reference information associated with a source image that is captured by an image capture device. The target image is blended with the source image to generate a blended image.
US09479707B2

A first line passing through a coordinate point which represents the light-source color of ambient light is drawn so as to cross a line segment connecting two coordinate points which points respectively represent colors of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources. An image of a subject is captured while light is emitted from the two light-emitting sources toward the subject in such a manner that the volumes of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources respectively correspond to those represented by a predetermined point which is, or close to, the intersection point of the first line and the line segment on the basis of the intersection point and light volume information. A White Balance adjustment correction value is obtained on the basis of light volume information with respect to the two light-emitting sources, the predetermined point, and the point representing the light-source color.
US09479704B2

A method and apparatus support a zoom microphone function in mobile terminal. The apparatus includes a plurality of microphones, a camera, and a controller. Each of the plurality of microphones has a different directional characteristic. The camera captures an image. And the controller determines a zoom level of the camera, and adjusts gains of the plurality of microphones based on a zoom range to which the zoom level belongs.
US09479700B1

A system for video stabilization is provided. The system includes a media component, a transformation component, an offset component and a zoom component. The media component receives a video sequence including at least a first video frame and a second video frame. The transformation component calculates at least a first motion parameter associated with translational motion for the first video frame and at least a second motion parameter associated with the translational motion for the second video frame. The offset component subtracts an offset value generated as a function of a maximum motion parameter and a minimum motion parameter from the first motion parameter and the second motion parameter to generate a set of modified motion parameters. The zoom component determines a zoom value for the video sequence based at least in part on the set of modified motion parameters.
US09479697B2

A method is provided for a surveillance system including a remote sensor apparatus a portable receiver. The method includes receiving, at the portable receiver, image data collected simultaneously from a plurality of image sensors installed in the remote sensor apparatus. The method also includes processing, at the portable receiver, the received image data by, for each of the first plurality of captured images, detecting image features and performing feature matches by matching control points across neighboring images based on a control-point assumption that the control points are relevant only in areas of field of view overlap. The areas of field of view are determined by positions of the plurality of image sensors and a field of view of a wide-angle lens fitted with each of the plurality of image sensors. The method further includes generating a panoramic view by blending the processed first plurality of captured images.
US09479693B2

The present disclosure provides a method and mobile terminal apparatus for displaying a specialized guide image over a preview image, which facilitates communication and capture of a desired photographic composition. A preview image is displayed on a screen. A guide request is detected and, in response, a background guide image is automatically generated from a frame of the preview image. The background guide image is displayed over the preview image.
US09479691B2

Provided are an image capture device and a focus control method capable of performing reliability determination based on a phase difference AF method at high speed. A phase difference AF processing unit 19 of a digital camera performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P1, performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P2, performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P3, and performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P4. A system control unit 11 determines reliability of a focus control based on the phase difference AF method using detection signals of respective pixels with respect to each of the pixel pairs P1 to P4 based on four correlation operation results.
US09479689B2

An imaging device comprising an image generation unit, a difference-emphasis processing unit, a display unit, a display controller that displays the first display image on the display unit and displays the second display image having been subjected to the difference-emphasis processing by the difference-emphasis processing unit in a displayed area of the first display image, and a calculation unit that calculates a parallax between the first pixel in the first image and the second pixel in the second image corresponding to the first pixel, wherein the difference-emphasis processing unit determines whether the parallax between the first image and the second image is large or small on the basis of the parallax calculated by the calculation unit, and performs the difference-emphasis processing on the basis of a result of determination whether the parallax is large or small.
US09479687B2

An image composing method searches other electronic devices nearby via a communication unit, selects a number of electronic devices from the searched other electronic devices to determine slave members of a sharing community, and selects a number of slave members from the slave members of the sharing community to be capturing devices. The method identifies an object, determines a capturing position of each capturing device according to the object, the number of the capturing devices, and a predetermined manner, and controls each capturing device to move to a corresponding capturing position. The method further instructs each capturing device to take image according to the predetermined manner and receives the image from each capturing device, and integrates the images taken by the capturing devices to generate a single composed image. A related electronic device and a related non-transitory storage medium are also provided.
US09479681B2

A computer implemented method for automatically identifying shot changes in a video sequence in real-time or near-real-time is disclosed. Optical flow energy change differences between frames, sum-of-square differences between optical-flow-compensated frames, and hue histogram changes within frames are analyzed and stored in frame buffers. A feature vector formed from a combination of these measurements is compared to a feature vector formed from thresholds based on tunable recall and precision to declare the presence or absence of a shot change.
US09479673B2

An image forming apparatus switches between a first processing and a second processing when processing document data. In the first processing, the document data is transmitted to a server without making a determination using a hash value of received document data and a hash value of data transmitted to the server. In the second processing, a determination is made using the hash value of the document data and the hash value of the transmitted data, and, based on a determination result, the document data is transmitted to the server.
US09479671B2

Disclosed is an information processing method comprising the steps of: storing measured position information in association with first time information representing times of day at which the measured position information is obtained; storing video information in association with second time information representing times of day at which the video information is obtained; and associating the measured position information with the video information in accordance with degrees of difference between the first time information and the second time information.
US09479668B2

An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit that reads an image; a housing inside which the image reading unit is provided in a reciprocally movable manner; a guide unit that guides movement of the image reading unit; a drive mechanism which is provided in the image reading unit and causes the image reading unit to move along the guide unit in a movement direction; and a stand that is switchable between a first state of being accommodated in an accommodation section provided in the housing and a second state of being pulled out from the accommodation section and of being able to hold the housing in an inclined posture. The accommodation section is disposed in a region on a side opposite to a movement region in which the drive mechanism moves in a direction intersecting the movement direction of the image reading unit.
US09479667B1

In an aligning mechanism of a 3D printer scanning device, a scan driving module includes a base and a motor, and the motor has a driving gear. The scan loading module includes a loading table, a turntable, and an engaging gear connected to the turntable, and the loading table has a notch, and the engaging gear is exposed from the notch. The driving gear of the scan driving module and the engaging gear of the scan loading module have a rounded corner or a positioning portion, so that the driving gear is engaged precisely with the engaging gear.
US09479666B2

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a plurality of colors in a document, a relative movement unit that causes the reading unit and the document to make a relative movement in a first scanning direction, and an output unit that outputs color information at an interval, the color information indicating whether the document read by the reading unit is chromatic, the interval being longer in the first scanning direction than a length in the first scanning direction of a color misregistration, the color misregistration being expected to occur in an image if a speed of the relative movement fluctuates owing to a unique performance characteristic of the relative movement unit, the image being obtained as a result of reading by the reading unit.
US09479664B2

In one example, at least a portion of a payload for web application installed on a web server is stored by a networked imaging device on a networked resource server.
US09479651B1

Systems and methods for dissemination of information from a controlled-environment facility may offer a non-resident and/or resident an option to subscribe to notifications about a particular resident of a controlled-environment facility and/or notifications about the controlled-environment facility. Identification and contact information may be accepted from the non-resident to establish the non-resident as a paid or non-paid subscriber to notifications about the resident and/or the controlled-environment facility. A determination may be made, or an indication may be received from a controlled-environment facility administration and management system, when information about the resident hosted by the controlled-environment administration and management system changes and/or when a change is made to information about the controlled-environment facility. As a result, the subscriber is contacted and notified of the change(s).
US09479646B2

A method for accessing offline voicemail messages within a mobile messaging application may be provided. First, a voice mail message may be received and the voicemail message may be transcribed to text. Next, the voicemail message and the text transcription may be stored. The recipient may then be presented with a list of voicemail messages and the voicemail message may be retrieved in response to the recipient. The recipient may read or listen to the voicemail message or both. The recipient may also annotate the voicemail message.
US09479645B2

A method and system are provided for forwarding telephone calls, facsimile transmissions and electronic messages to a single forwarding telephone number. The telephone calls, fax transmissions and electronic messages are first forwarded to a central forwarding repository by the forwarding party where the fax transmissions, and messages are converted to audio formats. Forwarded telephone calls and audio formatted versions of the fax transmissions and electronic messages are then forwarded directly to a designated forwarding number. If the forwarding party answers at the forwarding number, she will receive forwarded calls, and the audio formatted versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages will be played to her over her telephone. If the forwarding party does not answer the forwarded call, she subsequently may retrieve saved telephone calls, saved telephone messages and saved audio versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages from the central forwarding repository.
US09479642B2

A system for enhanced quality monitoring, comprising a call record server operating on a network-connected computing device, a quality monitoring analysis server operating on a network-connected computing device that receives and analyzes call records from the call record server, a quality monitoring database that stores analysis results, and a monitoring station operating on a network-connected computing device that allows a human user to monitor call records, and a method for enhancing quality monitoring.
US09479634B2

A mobile terminal apparatus includes a detection unit that detects a temperature of the mobile terminal apparatus, a determination unit that determines whether or not the detected temperature is a predetermined value or more, an analysis unit that collects and analyzes usage histories of a function of the mobile terminal apparatus, and a setting unit that, when the detected temperature is the predetermined value or more, refers to an analysis result of the usage histories, and when the function tends to be used for a predetermined usage time period or more, sets an operation mode of the function to a first mode in which an action performed by the function is restricted, and when the function tends to be used for less than the predetermined usage time period, sets the operation mode to a second mode in which the action performed by the function is not restricted.
US09479629B2

A radio wave receiver that receives two different sets of radio waves and displays intensity of the received radio waves. First and second radio wave processing portions receive respective radio waves and output various kinds of information, such as video information and audio information. A switching portion receives output signals from the first and second radio wave processing portions, and switches the output signals according to a switching instruction of a controller to supply the output signals to a display portion and a speaker. The controller causes the intensities of the received radio waves in respective tuners of the first and second radio wave processing portions to be displayed simultaneously or in a switching manner based on a user's operation irrespective of which tuner's received radio waves are being processed.
US09479611B2

The present disclosure provides a method, a device, and a system for implementing communication after virtual machine migration. The method includes: constructing, after migration of a virtual machine, a dynamic host configuration protocol request message carrying address information of the virtual machine after the migration; and sending the dynamic host configuration protocol request message to a switch, so that the switch establishes a binding relationship between the address information of the virtual machine after the migration and a port accessed by the virtual machine.
US09479603B2

A system, method, and apparatus for integrating active interest information with an address book are provided. Active interest information is indicative of a current or ongoing interest of a first user and may be generated based on use of an application client by the first user. The active interest information is used to update an active interest field in a contact record describing the first user in an address book associated with a second user. The contact record may be updated by an address book client or a converged address book server. Provided is a converged address book server that manages the sharing and updating of active interest information and address books. The active interest information may also be updated using a personal contact card associated with the first user. Also provided is a method and apparatus for prompting communication between contacts based on active interest information.
US09479600B2

A method of initiating the provisioning of subscriber data in at least a Home Subscriber Server of an IP Multimedia Subsystem network. The method comprises receiving an authentication request or Session Initiation Protocol message in respect of a given subscriber who is making use of a user terminal to access the IP Multimedia Subsystem network. If it is determined that subscriber data is not currently provisioned for the subscriber in a Home Subscriber Server function or receiving such a determination, the following steps are performed: 1) causing a first notification to be sent to the user terminal indicating that the registration attempt is rejected, and 2) sending a second notification to a subscriber provisioning system informing the provisioning system of the registration attempt.
US09479598B2

Managing access restriction to a device is provided. The operations may include determining that a device stack corresponds to a device that is remote to the server and is connected locally to a client that is remote to the server; attaching a device access restriction object on top of the device stack; receiving, at the device access restriction object, an access request to the device; and determining, at the device access restriction object, whether the access request is allowed access to the device.
US09479595B2

Embodiments of system and method configurations for providing provisioning information to a mobile device via a wireless network access point are generally described herein. In some examples, a communication session is established between a mobile device and a service provider to obtain provisioning information for wireless network connectivity via a designated access point (e.g., a “hotspot”). A HTTP session is established within the communication session to exchange registration information via a browser of the mobile device. Provisioning information is returned within the communication session in a Subscription Management Object (MO) in response to successful completion of the HTTP session. The subscription MO is provided outside of the browser and the HTTP session (but within the communication session) using mechanisms such as OMA-DM or SOAP-XML communications. The mobile device can then utilize the provisioning information from the subscription MO to associate with an appropriate hotspot.
US09479592B2

Examples are disclosed for remote management of a computing device. In some examples, a secure communication link may be established between a network input/output device for a computing device and a remote management application. Commands may be received from the remote management application and management functions may be implemented at the network input/output device. Implementation of the management functions may enable the remote management application to manage or control at least some operating parameters of the computing device. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09479587B2

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a scalable multicast transport. The multicast transport protocol provides effectively reliable multicast delivery while avoiding the overhead associated with point-to-point protocols. Additional embodiments disclosed herein relate to a scalable object storage system that uses a multicast transport. The object storage system assigns responsibility for providing storage services for a chunk to a negotiating group of storage servers in the cluster using a shared and distributed hash allocation table. The object storage system dynamically determines a rendezvous group of storage servers in the cluster to store the chunk using the multicast transport. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US09479584B2

Some media applications use media containers, media files or media streams that contain multiple media components in it and require that each component of media be sent to different destinations tailored for rendering a particular type of media component. Furthermore there may be multiple destinations for a particular media component type. For example an application might use a media file with one video and one stereo audio stream and want to send this to two video rendering devices and four stereo audio devices. This invention describes a system for rendering these media components synchronously on multiple devices by demultiplexing the media into media sub components at one destination, sending the components to all destinations and synchronizing the rendering at each device.
US09479582B2

The present technology provides a method, system and computer program product for managing the synchronization of a mobile electronic device, wherein management and adjustment of the synchronization process can be provided at least in part on a session by session basis. The synchronization process may be configurable via a user interface. Aspects of the user interface, such as prompts or degree of user configurability, may be adjusted depending on one or more factors, such as link effective speed or expected synchronization time.
US09479577B2

In an online fashion community system (100) users provide personal image content, such as digital user fashion images (104, 700) that include users themselves modeling multiple fashion items as an ensemble, as the basis of community interaction. Users also provide information about the multiple fashion items, including information linking (108) to a provider of each fashion item and fashion data (106) such as brand, color, style, etc. User interface system (116) allows users to search among, access, and interact about the user fashion ensembles.
US09479576B2

Image session ranking techniques are described. In one or more implementations, indications are received that a plurality of image sharing sessions are available for joining by one or more potential members. The plurality of image sharing sessions are prioritized based on one or more ranking criteria that are usable to determine a relative likelihood that a user wishes to join respective image sharing sessions. A list is formed of suggested image sharing sessions that are arranged, one or another, based on the priority.
US09479572B1

A device may receive a control packet associated with a connection. The control packet may include a network address. The device may identify an application layer identifier that is associated with the network address. The device may identify a service rule associated with the application layer identifier. The service rule may identify a service to be applied to a data packet associated with the connection. The device may provide the control packet based on identifying the service rule. The control packet may be provided to permit the service to be applied to the data packet in accordance with the service rule.
US09479570B2

A method for processing load balancing of graphic streams is provided. The method is used in a system, wherein the system includes a server device and a client device, and the method includes the steps of: receiving, by a virtual machine, a graphic with a plurality of objects and graphic capability information; dispatching, by a dispatcher, the plurality of objects according to the graphic capability information; receiving, by a server GPU, a first group of objects dispatched by the dispatcher, and transforming the first group of objects into a first video stream; receiving, by a virtual desktop viewer, a second group of objects dispatched by the dispatcher; transforming, by a client GPU, the second group of objects into a second video stream; and rendering, by a virtual desktop viewer, the first video stream and the second video stream.
US09479566B2

A method and apparatus for downloading web page content. The method comprises obtaining a downloading list containing the following content according to target downloading content that a user needs to download: web page link addresses corresponding to the target downloading content and sub-level web page link addresses of the web page link addresses; and when a condition of a downloading mode corresponding to the target downloading content is met, downloading the web page content according to the web page link addresses in the downloading list.
US09479559B2

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting/receiving contents through a network such as the Internet, and to a transmitter/receiver using same, the transmission method comprising: converting content stored in a file format into a delivery format; and including the content converted into the delivery format in a payload of an IP packet and transmitting same, wherein the delivery format includes composition information on at least one program that configures the content, wherein the program composition information further includes version information for expressing the version of the program composition information that is delivered through the IP packet.
US09479555B2

A method of controlling adaptive HTTP streaming of media content between a HTTP server and a HTTP client in a communication system, in which system media content is arranged as a plurality of periods, and each such period comprises a plurality of representations of media segments, which method includes the steps of providing temporal alignment information for the media segments of the plurality of representations, which temporal alignment information provides indications about a temporal relation between the segments of the plurality of representations of the media content. Further, the method includes providing key frame location information for the media segments, which key frame location information provides indications about locations of key frames in the media segments of the plurality of representations. Finally, controlling adaptation of the HTTP streaming of the media content based on at least one of the provided temporal alignment information and the provided key frame location information.
US09479549B2

A system for whiteboard collaboration utilizes an array of displays for a whiteboard canvas. The displays in the array being coupled with a computer system having a communication module and memory storing collaboration data for at least one collaboration having a collaboration space. The array has a display area mapped to corresponding area in the collaboration space. The collaboration data includes data structures identifying displayable objects and associating a location in the collaboration space with the objects identified by the data structures. The computer system includes a display client for each display in the array. Each display client is configured to manage display of a predetermined portion of the display area, and for receiving and transmitting messages related to global collaboration events and for receiving and transmitting messages related to local array events.
US09479548B2

A computer system has access to a database storing collaboration data for at least one collaboration having a collaboration space. The collaboration data includes data structures identifying objects displayable by a display client on a display wall and associating locations in the collaboration space with the objects. The system includes logic configured to identify available display walls, each available wall having an identification code; logic to detect user input identifying a collaboration and an identification code for one of the free display walls; and logic to enable delivery of collaboration data for the identified collaboration to a display client for the identified display wall.
US09479539B2

A distributed network instrumentation system (100) includes a security management station (110) including a global network policy decomposer (112) configured to decompose global network security policies to local security policies for distributed policy enforcement, and a network interface (220) communicatively coupled to a compute platform (200). The network interface (220) is configured to off-load processing of the local security policies and end-to-end encryption from an operating system (210) of the compute platform (200) for facilitating network instrumentation.
US09479532B1

Several methods are disclosed for detecting and mitigating Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks that are intended to exhaust network resources. The methods use DDoS mitigation devices to detect DDoS attacks using operationally based thresholds. The methods also keep track of ongoing attacks, have an understanding of “protected IP space,” and activate appropriate mitigation tactics based on the severity of the attack and the capabilities of the DDoS mitigation devices.
US09479528B2

A signature rule processing method, a server, and an intrusion prevention system is provided. The method includes: performing, by a cloud server, correlation analysis on signature rule usage status information of each security device connected to the cloud server and a latest signature rule set published by the cloud server, to obtain a most active threat signature rule identification list, and sending, by the cloud server, update information to each security device to update a signature rule after generating the update information according to the most active threat signature rule identification list. The present invention is applicable to the field of network security systems.
US09479527B2

Systems and methods for managing jobs to be scanned based on existence of processing nodes are described. One of the methods includes obtaining identification information regarding operation of a first set of the processing nodes from an inventory and creating a job for scanning the processing nodes of the first set for security vulnerability. The job includes the identification information. The method further includes verifying the inventory to determine the first identifying information of the first set of processing nodes for removal from the job and loading the job having second identifying information for a second set of processing nodes that remain after the verifying operation.
US09479519B1

Techniques and solutions are described for detecting potential problems with web pages. For example, a web page can be analyzed (e.g., during loading of the web page) to determine statistics, such as size and structure statistics. The web page can be compared, using the statistics, to a statistical model representing the web page to determine if the web page is consistent with the statistical model. The statistical model can be created from previous page loads of the web page. Problems such as web page spoofing can be detected if the same web page content (e.g., content with a high degree of statistical similarity) is obtained from two different web sites. For example, a web page that is retrieved from one web site that matches a statistical model representing the same web page from another web site can indicate a spoofed web page.
US09479511B2

Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable storage media for using a single application on a mobile device to access a plurality of client domain sites are provided. The single application on the mobile device receives from a user of the mobile device a set of authorization credentials. Based on the set of authorization credentials, the single application receives a first client domain uniform resource locator from a third-party directory service. The first client domain uniform resource locator is used to access a client gateway service; the client gateway service provides a secure access point to a number of different service solutions hosted by a client. Upon the user inputting a set of authentication credentials, the user is able to access information from one or more of the different service solutions.
US09479509B2

A request is received at an authorization framework via an authorization application programming interface (API) from a trusted application for authorizing a client application, where the client application requests a service provided by the trusted application. In response to the request, the client application is authorized in view of one or more authorization policies associated with the client application to determine whether the client application is authorized to access the requested service. A user associated with the client application is authenticated to determine whether the user is allowed to access the requested service. Thereafter, a value is returned from the authorization framework via the authorization API to the trusted application indicating whether the client application can access the requested service provided by the trusted application, based on results of the authorization and authentication.
US09479508B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for storing a plurality of documents in computer-readable memory, each document of the plurality of documents having a corresponding access control list (ACL), each ACL defining a plurality of users that are authorized to access a respective document, generating an index based on the plurality of users, the index comprising a plurality of partitions, each partition corresponding to a user of the plurality of users, and, for each document of the plurality of documents: ranking the users of the plurality of users, selecting a user as an indexing user based on the ranking, and storing the document in a partition of the index, the partition corresponding to the indexing user.
US09479505B2

Methods and apparatus for website access control. The methods and apparatus include, at a user terminal: accessing a plurality of training websites over a network; training the user terminal by classifying the training websites in a content category based on a user input, extracting one or more features indicative of the content category from the training websites and determining a classifier based on the extracted features; classifying further requested websites using the determined classifier; and controlling access to the further requested websites based on the classification of the websites.
US09479503B2

Authenticating cloud computing enabling secure services (ACCESS) offloads “client authentication” activity onto a third-party authenticating cloud computing enabling secure services (ACCESS) node. Instead of having a client device authenticate itself directly to a network server, the client device instead authenticates itself to a third-party authenticating cloud computing enabling secure services (ACCESS) node. The authenticating cloud computing enabling secure services (ACCESS) node then provides credentials that are used by the client device to communicate directly with the server (and utilize the service) without any further authentication being necessary.
US09479498B2

Systems and methods may provide for brokering limited access to a service device via an intermediary. In one example, the method may include receiving a request communication at a control device including a request for limited access to a service device, wherein the request is received from an intermediary device on behalf of a request device, and transmitting an access communication to the intermediary device, wherein the access communication includes an access ticket to be used by the request device to gain the limited access of the service device.
US09479490B2

A method of enabling applications to reference user information is provided, including receiving a request for a user identifier that references a user of the application and sending a second request for the user identifier to a server. The second request may include a second user identifier that references the user and a second authentication token for the second user identifier. Furthermore, the second user identifier and the second authentication token are not accessible by the user. The method includes receiving the user identifier and an authentication token for the first user identifier. The user identifier corresponds to the second identifier; and providing the user identifier and authentication token to the application. A method of enabling an application to identify users associated with a user of the application is provided; the method may include receiving, from the server, user identifiers that reference one or more users scoped to the application.
US09479488B2

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request at a wireless access point from a client system to access a network through the wireless access point. The wireless access point sends an identifier associated with the client system to a social-networking system, the social-networking system including user profiles arranged in one or more social graphs. The social graphs store relationships between the user profiles. The method further includes receiving at the wireless access point from the social-networking system an authorization determination. The authorization determination is based upon a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles. The first user profile includes the identifier associated with the client system. The method further includes providing the client system with access to the network through the wireless access point in accordance with the authorization determination.
US09479482B2

A system is provided to deliver an application, hosted by a private application provider, over a network to a user device comprising: an application delivery system that includes a first network interface, a network security interface, and a second network interface; an application agent is disposed within the private application provider system. wherein the first network interface receives an encrypted user or device request for access to the hosted application sent over the network and to send the user or device request to the network security interface; wherein the network security interface is configured to decrypt the request, to validate request, to re-encrypt the request and to send the encrypted request to the second network interface; wherein the second network interface is configured to send the encrypted request over the network to the agent; and wherein the agent is configured to send the request to the hosted application.
US09479481B2

A system is provided comprising: an application delivery system that includes, a first network interface, a network security interface, and a second network interface; an agent is disposed within one or more private application provider systems; a security network interface instance determines whether a received request is valid, and in response to determining that the received user or device request is valid, to send the received request to a respective second network interface instance for delivery to the agent.
US09479476B2

A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing. A client request processing a resource identifier for requested content transmits a first DNS query to a content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat with the content delivery network service provider's network until a DNS server resolves a DNS query from the client computing device.
US09479475B1

Disclosed is a system and method to provide a seamless transition to IPv6 from IPv4 rather than the outage that occurs presently. This system and method for transition to IPv6 also takes into consideration the application, which must also be migrated to IPv6. There are two types of applications available to the customer, those that he has source code for, and those that he doesn't. The disclosed system and method differentiates between the two automatically.
US09479473B2

A social network system that tracks unread messages across a social network for a social network user receives a request from the user to display unread messages across the social network and generates and displays a list of one or more conversations, where the user is a member of the displayed conversations. The system then, for each conversation, determines and displays the number of unread messages.
US09479472B2

Technologies are provided for locally processing queue requests from co-located workers. In some examples, information about the usage of remote datacenter queues by co-located workers may be used to determine one or more matched queues. Messages from local workers to a remote datacenter queue classified as a matched queue may be stored locally. Subsequently, local workers that request messages from matched queues may be provided with the locally-stored messages.
US09479467B2

A computer receives a first information related to a communication sent to a user device of a second person. The computer determines a user device of a first person using the first information. The computer sends a context information request to the user device of the first person. The computer receives a context information reply responsive to the context information request. The computer sends context information of the context information reply to the user device of the second person. The computer releases the communication to the user device of the second person.
US09479459B2

In one embodiment, a method includes splitting a plurality of physical ports distributed across multiple distributed line cards (DLCs) into a plurality of virtual switches, wherein each virtual switch comprises ports of one or more DLC, creating a virtual control domain (VCD) associated with each virtual switch, and autonomously controlling the virtual switches, wherein each DLC is in electrical communication with at least one switch fabric coupler (SFC), and wherein the plurality of physical ports appear to external devices as being part of a single cell switched domain. Other systems and methods are described according to more embodiments.
US09479455B2

A method for scheduling a crossbar using distributed request-grant-accept arbitration between input group arbiters and output group arbiters in a switch unit is provided. The switch unit may be a hierarchical high radix switch with a timesliced crossbar that is configured to transfer packets between a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, organized into groups, using wide words. The timesliced crossbar transfers data for a given packet once per supercycle, in a designated timeslice of that supercycle. Multiple buffered packets from one input port to multiple output ports are transferred by utilizing different timeslices of the supercycle.
US09479448B2

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and information technology (IT) resource optimization apparatus that improves the provisioning of IT resources includes obtaining for each of a plurality of users of IT resources, demographic attributes and an entitlement record comprising an indication of an assigned one or more of the IT resources. For each of the demographic attributes, which of one or more of the IT resources assigned to a threshold number of the plurality of users sharing the demographic attribute are identified. For each of the plurality of users, a recommended provisioning profile is generated based on the identified IT resources. For one or more of the plurality of users, provisioning recommendation(s) are determined based on a comparison of the recommended provisioning profile for the one or more users to the entitlement record for the one or more users. The determined provisioning recommendation(s) are output.
US09479447B2

The present solution is directed towards systems and methods to more efficiently control a flow of a data stream traversing at least one intermediary on a network between a client and a server. A sender transmits a first message, comprising a first value of a bandwidth between the first intermediary and a second intermediary determined by the sender, to a first intermediary. The first intermediary establishes a next value of the bandwidth between the first intermediary and the second intermediary. The sender receives from the first intermediary responsive to the first message a second message comprising the established next value of the bandwidth between the first intermediary and the second intermediary. A data transfer manager of the sender, responsive to the second message determines a size of a portion of data queued for transmission to transmit to the first intermediary and a time for transmitting the portion of data queued.
US09479446B2

Methods and systems for variable rate control include determining a new communications rate in response to measured data traffic patterns. A receive change message is transmitted to a receiver that triggers the receiver to wait for an end of transmission (EoT) message and to set a new communications rate. A transmit change message is transmitted to a transmitter that triggers the transmitter to send the EoT message to the receiver, to set the new communications rate, and to send a start of transmission (SoT) message to the receiver before resuming data communications.
US09479437B1

Exemplary embodiments provide changes to routing schemes, i.e. WCMP groups or WCMP sets, installed in a network traffic distribution table, e.g. multipath table. WCMP groups of a multipath table are updated to accommodate a new WCMP group. This can be achieved by reducing the size of the existing WCMP groups on the multipath table. The goal is to reduce the existing WCMP groups just enough to make room for the new WCMP group. An objective is to minimize the number of existing WCMP groups to be reduced before a new WCMP group can be installed in the multipath table.
US09479436B2

A method and apparatus for in-line processing a data packet while routing the packet through a router in a system transmitting data packets between a source and a destination over a network including the router. The method includes receiving the data packet and pre-processing layer header data for the data packet as the data packet is received and prior to transferring any portion of the data packet to packet memory. The data packet is thereafter stored in the packet memory. A routing through the router is determined including a next hop index describing the next connection in the network. The data packet is retrieved from the packet memory and a new layer header for the data packet is constructed from the next hop index while the data packet is being retrieved from memory. The new layer header is coupled to the data packet prior to transfer from the router.
US09479435B2

A method for supporting transport of data packets in a network, wherein the data packets are transmitted from a source node to a destination node by employing a tunnel from a first tunnel endpoint to a second tunnel endpoint, wherein a tunnel header is added to the data packets at the first tunnel endpoint, wherein the data packets are transmitted between the tunnel endpoints via a network domain that includes one or more intermediate nodes functioning as transport network, and wherein the intermediate nodes forward the data packets, is characterized in that the tunnel is provided in the form of a virtual tunnel by removing the tunnel header from the data packets where the data packets enter the network domain and adding back the tunnel header to the data packets where the data packets exit the network domain. A corresponding system for supporting transport of data packets is disclosed.
US09479434B2

A method of dynamically redirecting traffic in a RapidIO network, which includes a host processor, a plurality of endpoints, and a plurality of switches. The method comprises assigning a “virtual” destination ID (VDID) to each endpoint, after each endpoint has already been provided with an original Destination ID and an original path has been mapped for each pair of endpoints in accordance with the RapidIO protocol, i.e. the routing tables in appropriate switches have been populated with output instructions for packets with specific Destination IDs. Accordingly, one or more redundant routing paths can be programmed into the routing tables of appropriate switches between each pair of endpoints, different than the original path therebetween. The switches can therefore steer the packets with VDIDs along redundant routing paths, to avoid damaged links, access isolated switches and/or perform loopback transmissions without having the switches routing tables reprogrammed.
US09479418B2

A packet routing apparatus and method are provided. The packet routing apparatus may participate in a sensor network. In certain aspects the packet routing apparatus may snatch a request to send (RTS) signal that is transmitted from a first node to a second node in the sensor network and may intervene on the relay path of the snatched data packet. In certain aspects, the packet routing apparatus may sniff a data packet that is transmitted from a first node to a second node and may intervene on the relay path of the sniffed data packet.
US09479412B2

Systems and methods for improving quality of a call over network (CON) are provided. Call quality may be improved via pathway testing to determine data path quality. This may be utilized to inform buffering lengths, and also may be utilized to choose the data pathway utilized for transmitting the data. Pathway testing may employ collecting microphone data on one device, transmitting it across the various pathways, and then comparing the quality at the endpoint compared to the initial data.
US09479411B2

Methods and systems for monitoring a service provided over a packet-switched network, such as an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service, an Internet access service, or a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) telephony service. Various parameters related to the service (e.g., parameters indicative of packet loss, packet corruption or other packet error) are determined and used to assess various aspects of the service and/or network over which the service is delivered, including a quality of experience (QoE) of subscribers.
US09479405B1

A method for profiling network traffic of a network. The method includes extracting cells from bi-directional payloads generated by a network application, wherein each cell comprises at least one direction reversal in a corresponding bi-directional flow, generating a cell group comprising a portion of the cells that are similar, analyzing the cell group to generate a signature of the network application, and classifying, based on the signature of the network application, a new bi-directional flow as being generated by the network application.
US09479404B2

Methods and apparatus for control of a client device (e.g., consumer premises equipment in a cable network) using applications. In one aspect, an improved hardware registry is provided within the device with which the application(s) can interface to both identify and control available hardware resources. In one exemplary embodiment, the client device comprises a digital set-top box having digital video recording (DVR) capability. An application downloaded to the device discovers the registry and software interfaces associated therewith, and then utilizes the interfaces to automatically control the requisite hardware capability. Improved client device, network and head end configurations, as well as methods of operating these systems, are also disclosed.
US09479401B2

Systems and methods for configuring network devices are provided. Aspects of the disclosure relate to configuration parameters and methods for using configuration parameters to provide enhanced services to users in a network. A first computing device may receive a request for temporary alteration of a communication parameter associated with a communication protocol of a network device. The first computing device may communicate with a second computing device to request and retrieve the updated communication parameter. The first computing device may provide the updated communication parameter to the network device. The updated communication parameter may cause alteration of a communication parameter associated with the communication protocol while leaving unchanged a second communication protocol of the network device.
US09479390B2

A method includes processing an event data associated with an item in transit between a source location and a destination location based on a scan data of a logistical node between the source location and the destination location. The server determines if the event data associated with the item in transit between the source location and the destination location based on the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location is associated with a response action defined in a matching table by the multimodal communication server using a processor and a memory. The server automatically initiates the response action when the event data associated with the item in transit between the source location and the destination location based on the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location is defined in the matching table on the multimodal communication server.
US09479389B2

Included are method, article of manufacture, and device that serve to identify the status of a network resource along with whether the network resource is a self-managing resource. When autonomic management capabilities are identified, an autonomic management rule for management of the network resource may be generated and sent, over a network, for receipt and use by the identified self-managing resource.
US09479376B2

A modulator generates a modulation signal from an input signal by, and a serial-parallel converter generates a subcarrier modulation signal from the modulation signal. A shifter shifts a predetermined data series to generate a shift sequence. Two IFFT units perform an IFFT on data sent thereto to generate first data and second data. An operator generates baseband signals from at least one of the sum of the first data and the second data and the difference therebetween. The foregoing processing is repeated with a predetermined number of times to shift the predetermined data series being changed. A PAPR determiner sends the baseband signal matching with a predetermined reference for determining a transmission signal to a transmitter. The transmitter generates a transmission signal from the baseband signal, and transmits the transmission signal to another communication apparatus via an antenna.
US09479371B2

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a wireless communications device and related method and machine-readable storage medium including: at least one antenna; a transmission circuit to transmit data via the at least one antenna and a wireless communications medium according to any of a plurality of modulation schemes; a reception circuit to receive data via the at least one antenna; an application controller to generate a series of messages having a message type and associated with an application; and a message scheduler to provide modulation settings to the transmission circuit for respective messages of the series to be transmitted according to different modulation schemes of the plurality of modulation schemes, wherein modulation schemes are chosen for transmission based on a modulation scheme pattern, whereby a first message is transmitted according to a first modulation scheme and a second message is transmitted according to a second modulation scheme.
US09479364B2

A serial input/output method and receiver include an receiver portion to receive an analog differential serial input and sample the input to provide data and error signals, an equalization feedback loop responsive to the data and error signals to adjust the receiver portion, a phase feedback mechanism separate from the equalization feedback loop to provide a phase error, and a clock data recovery block coupled to receive the phase error to perform timing recovery for the receiver portion independent of the equalization feedback to adjust the sampling.
US09479363B2

A multi-phase partial response equalizer circuit includes sampler circuits that sample an input signal to generate sampled signals in response to sampling clock signals having different phases. A first multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a first sampled bit to represent the input signal. A first storage circuit coupled to an output of the first multiplexer circuit stores the first sampled bit in response to a first clock signal. A second multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a second sampled bit to represent the input signal based on the first sampled bit. A second storage circuit stores a sampled bit selected from the sampled signals in response to a second clock signal. A time period between the second storage circuit storing a sampled bit and the first storage circuit storing the first sampled bit is substantially greater than a unit interval in the input signal.
US09479361B2

A system and method to operate an electronic device, such as a memory chip, with an output driver circuit that is configured to include an ODT (On-Die Termination) mode detector detects whether there is sufficient internal clocking available to operate the ODT portion in the output driver in the synchronous mode of operation or to switch the operation to the asynchronous mode. The clock-sufficiency based determination of internal ODT mode of operation (synchronous vs. asynchronous) avoids utilization of complex and inflexible clock processing logic in an ODT control unit in the output driver. This enables the actual clocking to the ODT circuitry to be changed during various device operational modes (e.g., active, power down, etc.) without re-designing the ODT control logic for each of those modes. The simplicity and flexibility of the ODT mode detector design allows for efficient use of chip real estate without affecting the signal transfer speed of the output driver in the electronic device. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.
US09479347B2

A social networking system aggregates two or more stories having at least one common characteristic to create an aggregated story unit. Each story describes an action performed on an object over the social networking system or external to the social networking system. The aggregated story unit includes one or more input elements allowing a viewing user to interact with the aggregate story unit as a whole or with individual stories in the aggregated story unit. The input elements included in the aggregated story unit may be based on the types of the actions or of the objects described by stories in the aggregated story unit and on one or more input policies.
US09479345B2

Method to transfer a communication session to a mobile device, including: receiving by use of a first communication channel an information message comprising an identification of the communication session and an identification of a communication client hosting the communication session; sending by use of a second communication channel a join request; joining the communication session; and sending by use of the second communication channel a confirmation message confirming the transfer of the communication session. Furthermore, a method to transfer a communication session from a mobile device to a nonparticipating computer, including: receiving by use of a first communication channel an information message comprising an identification of the nonparticipating conference-enabled computer; sending by use of a second communication channel a request to push the communication session to the nonparticipating computer; receiving a confirmation; and optionally closing the communication session on the mobile device.
US09479338B2

Certificate detectors scan a network for certificate resource information and send the information to a certificate database. A correlation engine extracts and correlates this information. A ranker uses the information about the certificates and certificate authorities to generate and provide a security score and/or ranking. A requester may view the certificate ranking and/or and certificate authority ranking after passing a domain validation authorization. An Internet browser may obtain a security score and/or ranking for a certificate authority and, based on this information, may determine to trust or not trust some or all certificates issued by that certificate authority, or to require corroborating evidence before trusting a certificate.
US09479337B2

In a method, a secured link is established between a primary device and a secondary device, both of which are assigned to a user. The secondary device receives, on the secured link, a request for a derived certificate for the primary device and a public key generated by the primary device. The secondary device generates the derived certificate for the primary device based on an original certificate issued to the secondary device and transmits, on the secured link, the derived certificate to the primary device.
US09479331B2

An SOC includes a secure processor and an always-on component. The always-on component may remain powered even during times that other parts of the SOC are powered off. Particularly, the secure processor and related circuitry may be powered off, while various state for the secure processor may be stored in memory in an encrypted form. Certain state may be stored in the always-on component. When the secure processor is powered on again, the secure processor may check for the state in the always-on component. If the state is found, the secure processor may retrieve the state and use the state to access the encrypted memory state.
US09479328B1

Some examples include provisioning secret material onto an electronic device. For instance, an electronic device may be provided with a provisioning key that can be used for provisioning other secret material on the electronic device. The provisioning key may be encrypted at a secure location using an on-chip key that is also sent to a processor manufacturer. The encrypted provisioning key may subsequently be decrypted by an electronic device having a processor installed that includes the on-chip key. The provisioning key is saved to the device and may then be used for securely provisioning other secret material onto the electronic device, such as one or more keys, one or more digital certificates, or other digital rights management information. Accordingly, the provisioning key provides the device manufacture with the ability to securely install secret material to the electronic device using a key that is never shared outside of a secure environment.
US09479325B1

A system includes a divider on a first side of electrically isolated circuitry for receiving a clock signal having a characteristic frequency and dividing the clock signal by a characteristic value. The system also includes an optical link coupled with the divider for receiving the divided clock signal and transmitting the divided clock signal from the first side of the electrically isolated circuitry to a second side of the electrically isolated circuitry. The system further includes a phase-locked loop on the second side of the electrically isolated circuitry. The phase-locked loop is coupled with the optical link and configured to receive the divided clock signal from the optical link and generate a second signal at a multiple of a characteristic frequency of the divided clock signal so that the second signal comprises the characteristic frequency of the clock signal received by the divider circuitry.
US09479321B2

Systems and methods for flexible spectrum, or bandwidth, support in a cellular communications network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a base station for a cellular communications network is configured to transmit a non-standardized bandwidth carrier and information that identifies a standardized bandwidth and additional information that, together with the information that identifies the standardized bandwidth, defines a non-standardized bandwidth of the non-standardized bandwidth carrier. In one embodiment, the additional information defines a bandwidth adjustment for the standardized bandwidth that defines the non-standardized bandwidth. In one embodiment, the bandwidth adjustment is a symmetric bandwidth restriction. In another embodiment, the bandwidth adjustment is an asymmetric bandwidth restriction. In yet another embodiment, the bandwidth adjustment is a symmetric bandwidth expansion. In yet another embodiment, the bandwidth adjustment is an asymmetric bandwidth expansion.
US09479319B2

A radio communication device capable of randomizing both inter-cell interference and intra-cell interference. In this device, a spreading section primarily spreads a response signal in a ZAC sequence set by a control unit. A spreading section secondarily spreads the primarily spread response signal in a block-wise spreading code sequence set by the control unit. The control unit controls the cyclic shift amount of the ZAC sequence used for the primary spreading in the spreading section and the block-wise spreading code sequence used for the secondary spreading in the spreading section according to a set hopping pattern. The hopping pattern set by the control unit is made up of two hierarchies. An LB-based hopping pattern different for each cell is defined in the first hierarchy in order to randomize the inter-cell interference. A hopping pattern different for each mobile station is defined in the second hierarchy to randomize the intra-cell interference.
US09479318B2

A channel determination method is disclosed that can avoid performance deterioration caused by interference even in a situation in which radio waves from other communication apparatuses including a microwave oven using the same frequency band are mixed. This method detects a predetermined preamble in a received signal when performing carrier sensing while switching between reception frequencies of a receiving section. The method examines, using a counter, how often electric field strength exceeds a predetermined threshold for each channel during the carrier sensing, disables, upon detecting a signal from another 802.11 apparatus, a channel from which the signal is detected and also disables a channel for which the counter shows a count value exceeding the threshold.
US09479316B2

The unicast communication method includes: grouping, by a base station, terminals based on channel condition levels according to measurement information of an uplink channel, so as to obtain at least two channel condition level groups; selecting a modulation-coding mode suitable for each channel condition level group, and decoding a packet to be sent to a terminal by using fountain codes, so as to obtain a fountain code block; sending the fountain code block to the terminal; receiving, by the terminal, the fountain code block of the packet sent by the base station; determining a channel condition level group to which the terminal belongs, decoding the fountain code block by using the modulation-coding mode corresponding to the channel condition level group; and sending or not sending acknowledgment feedback to the base station.
US09479312B2

Methods and apparatuses for interference control have been disclosed. A method for a base station in a wireless communication system, comprising: obtaining a system setting of the wireless communication system; selecting a transmission mode based at least in part on the system setting, wherein the transmission mode is one of an Interference Cancellation IC transmission mode and a Beamforming BF transmission mode; and configuring the selected transmission mode. The total system throughput may be maximized by dynamically switching the transmission mode between IC and BF at the base station. Further, the proposed switching mechanism may be applied to various communication networks where downlink interference may occur.
US09479300B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically to a method and an apparatus for feeding back the muting point information in a coordinated multi-point communication system. A method for enabling a terminal to transmit feedback information for the coordinated transmission in the wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps: receiving reference signals for the feedback of the channel state information from a plurality of base stations capable of participating in the coordinated transmission; measuring each channel state value for the plurality of base stations based on the reference signals; and transmitting the muting point information to indicate the preferring base station participating in the coordinated transmission among the plurality of base stations.
US09479298B2

Embodiments for providing demodulation reference signals to provide side information for interference cancellation are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a sub-frame is prepared comprising two slots and configuring a physical resource block (PRB) for each slot, wherein each PRB comprises twelve Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) subcarriers transmitting for a duration of 7 OFDM symbols per slot. In resource elements on each of three of twelve OFDM subcarriers, two pairs of demodulation reference signals (DMRS) are allocated to form three DMRS sets. Symbols are mapped with a first modulation for the two pairs of demodulation reference signals to three of the twelve OFDM subcarriers for transmission. A second modulation is added to a first of the three DMRS sets and a third modulation is added to a second of the three DMRS sets to indicate side information regarding an interfering signal for use in mitigating the interfering signal.
US09479293B2

A method of transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedbacks for a communication device comprises transmitting at least one first HARQ feedback to a first base station according to first downlink (DL) control information (DCI) indicating at least one first DL packet, if the at least one first HARQ feedback is at least triggered by the at least one first DL packet, wherein the at least one first DL packet is transmitted by the first base station to the communication device; and transmitting at least one second HARQ feedback to the first base station, if the at least one second HARQ feedback is only triggered by at least one second DL packet, wherein the at least one second DL packet is transmitted by a second base station to the communication device.
US09479289B2

A low density parity check (LDPC) encoder, an LDPC decoder, and an LDPC encoding method are disclosed. The LDPC encoder includes first memory, second memory, and a processor. The first memory stores an LDPC codeword having a length of 16200 and a code rate of 5/15. The second memory is initialized to 0. The processor generates the LDPC codeword corresponding to information bits by performing accumulation with respect to the second memory using a sequence corresponding to a parity check matrix (PCM).
US09479270B2

Apparatus and methods for loss of signal detection are provided. In one embodiment, a detection circuit for monitoring an input includes a small signal boost circuit, a rectifier circuit, a low-pass filter, and one or more comparators. The small signal boost circuit can generate an amplified signal by providing a first amount of gain to an input signal when the input signal is relatively small, but can saturate and provide reduced gain without external gain control adjustment when the input signal does not have a relatively small magnitude. The rectifier circuit can rectify the boosted signal to generate a rectified signal, and the low-pass filter can filter the rectified signal to generate a filtered signal. The one or more comparators can compare the filtered signal to one or more decision threshold voltages to determine the presence or absence of the input signal on the input.
US09479269B2

Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a system, and corresponding method, for interference suppression of wireless communication signals. The method may comprise embedding a differential phase tracking signal (e.g., a zero amplitude differential phase tracking signal) in a transmitted wireless communication signal. Thereafter, a differential phase may be measured between the embedded transmitted wireless communication signal and a wireless reference signal. This differential phase measurement may be utilized in the suppression of interference in the wireless communication signal.
US09479264B2

An apparatus comprising a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) configured to receive an optical signal, wherein the ROSA comprises an optical-electrical (O/E) converter configured to convert the optical signal into an electrical signal, and a processor coupled to the ROSA and configured to calibrate an O/E converter bias, wherein calibrating the O/E converter bias comprises reading an initial O/E converter dark current measurement, adjusting the O/E converter bias with a voltage step, reading an adjusted O/E converter dark current measurement after the voltage step adjustment, and monitoring an O/E converter dark current change rate by subtracting the initial O/E converter dark current measurement from the adjusted O/E converter dark current measurement.
US09479262B2

A method of operating a BPSK modulator includes receiving an RF signal at the BPSK modulator and splitting the RF signal into a first portion and a second portion that is inverted with respect to the first portion. The method also includes receiving the first portion at a first arm of the BPSK modulator, receiving the second portion at a second arm of the BPSK modulator, applying a first tone to the first arm of the BPSK modulator, and applying a second tone to the second arm of the BPSK modulator. The method further includes measuring a power associated with an output of the BPSK modulator and adjusting a phase applied to at least one of the first arm of the BPSK modulator or the second arm of the BPSK modulator in response to the measured power.
US09479259B2

A multi-channel optical transceiver includes a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) with a thermal arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) for multiplexing optical signals and a receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) with an athermal AWG for demultiplexing optical signals. The TOSA may also include a laser array optically coupled to the thermal AWG and a temperature control system thermally coupled to the laser array and the thermal AWG to control temperature for wavelength tuning. The temperature control system in the TOSA may include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) that cools both the laser array and the thermal AWG. Because the athermal AWG in the ROSA is temperature independent, the ROSA does not include a TEC, thereby reducing power consumption and conserving space. The optical transceiver may be used in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical system, for example, in an optical line terminal (OLT) in a WDM passive optical network (PON).
US09479257B2

A method includes: selecting an optical pump signal power of a Raman amplifier such that a saturated gain of the Raman amplifier is at a maximum operating level without exceeding a gain threshold above which an optical signal to noise ratio penalty is no longer negligible in the Raman amplifier; selecting an optical signal power for at least one optical communication signal to be transmitted across the optical link to maximise a Q-factor of the optical signal when the Raman amplifier is configured for said maximum operating level of the saturated gain; generating a pump signal power control signal to cause an optical pump signal source of the Raman amplifier to generate an optical pump signal having the selected optical pump signal power; and generating a signal power control signal configured to cause the optical communication signal to be delivered into the optical link at the selected optical signal power.
US09479255B2

An optical network terminal is provided for use in a passive optical network (PON). The optical network terminal includes a data port for receiving data packets from an external device and a processor for converting the data packets to data link frames. In addition, the optical network terminal includes a memory configured to store a time division multiplexing scheme identifying a time slot assigned to each of a plurality of network nodes in the PON for transmission of upstream optical signals. An optical transceiver is provided for converting the data link frames to upstream optical signals and transmitting the optical signals on an upstream TDMA (time division, multiple access) channel to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The optical transceiver includes a burst mode laser diode for generating the optical signals and a burst mode laser driver for biasing the laser diode with a bias signal and a modulation bias signal. The laser driver includes a dual closed loop feedback control circuit. The dual closed loop feedback control circuit is configured to measure and adjust a logic zero output power level from the laser diode during a time slot identified from the time division multiplexing scheme stored in the memory.
US09479253B2

An optical communication device and an optical communication method are provided. The optical communication device includes a laser source, an optical amplifier, and an optical signal generating chip. The laser source generates a laser beam. The optical amplifier is coupled to the laser source and amplifies light intensity of the laser beam in a specific wavelength band. The optical signal generating chip includes a micro-resonator and a modulation module. The micro-resonator is coupled to the optical amplifier and generates a multi-wavelength frequency comb according to the amplified laser beam. The modulation module is coupled to the micro-resonator and modulates a communication signal set to generate a plurality of optical modulated signals according to the multi-wavelength frequency comb.
US09479248B2

An Optical Transport Network (OTN) fault localization method, an iterative OTN fault localization method, and an OTN network use OTN tandem connection monitors operating in a “Monitor” mode to provide fault localization. The methods and network use TCMs for fault localization that can be performed manually or automatically to isolate a fault in a multi-domain OTN network to a particular link, switching fabric, or transport function. Additionally, a roles-based assignment scheme is presented for automatically assigning TCM levels between domains and links in multi-domain OTN networks. The fault localization methods enable fault localization in an automated and non-intrusive manner.
US09479238B2

Disclosed herein are a method of beamforming and a 3D antenna array. The method includes: transmitting a first control channel; receiving first feedback information on a first antenna set and a first precoding scheme of a plurality of antenna sets included in the 3D antenna array, which are determined based on the first control channel, from a first communication node different from the communication node; and beamforming a traffic channel to be transmitted to the first communication node using the first antenna set and the first precoding scheme.
US09479228B2

In a unit device, a setup unit sets arrangement information, which indicates the position of each unit device in a state where a plurality of unit devices configure a unit device group, according to a sequence that conforms to the arrangement information of adjacent devices after the aforementioned group is configured. A storage unit stores the arrangement information configured by the setup unit. A provision control unit specifies the content of the information providing command, and by collating the content of the specified information providing command with the arrangement information stored in the storage unit, provides either of at least two or more states by means of a provision unit.
US09479220B2

Methods and systems are provided for detection and analysis of abnormalities in a power line communication network of a vehicle. The vehicle includes various vehicle modules. The power line communication network includes power lines designed to carry electric power to the vehicle modules. Each vehicle module includes a power line communication module that is communicatively coupled to at least one of the power lines. The power line communication modules enable the power lines to communicate communication information to and from the vehicle modules. The power line communication modules can communicate pilot signals over the power line communication network. One or more of the power line communication modules includes a reflectometer module configured to perform reflectometry processing on the pilot signals to determine properties of the power line communication network.
US09479211B2

A housing includes a main body, the main body includes a plurality of metal sheets and a plurality of resin layers, each metal sheet alternates with one resin layer, each two adjacent metal sheets are fixed together by one resin layer located between the two metal sheets. An electronic device using the housing is also provided.
US09479187B2

Predictive time-to-digital converters (TDCs) and methods for providing a digital representation of a time interval are disclosed herein. In an example, a TDC can include a delay line, a selection circuit, and a latch circuit. The delay line can include a plurality of delay elements configured to propagate a first edge of a first signal sequentially through the plurality of delay elements. The selection circuit can be configured to receive the first signal, to receive prediction information, and to route the first signal to an input of one of the plurality of delay elements based on the prediction information. The latch circuit can receive a second signal and can latch a plurality of outputs of the delay line upon reception of a second edge of the second signal. An output of the latch circuit can provide an indication of a delay between the first edge and the second edge.
US09479184B2

A frequency calibration apparatus, applied to a phase locked loop (PLL), includes a frequency detecting module and a search module. The frequency detecting module includes a first counter, a second counter and a comparing unit. During a monitoring period, the first counter and the second counter respectively generates a first count and a second count. The comparing unit compares the first count with the second count to generate a comparison result indicating at least three situations. The search module selects a frequency curve in response to the comparison result, and calibrates configuration of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) according to the frequency curve.
US09479183B1

A memory storage device having a clock and data recovery circuit module are provided. The module includes sampling circuits, a first logic circuit module, a delay circuit module, a second logic circuit module, a frequency adjustment circuit and a clock control circuit. The sampling circuits sample a data signal according to reference clocks. The first logic circuit module performs a first logic operation according to a sampling result. The delay circuit module delays a result of the first logic operation. The second logic circuit module performs a second logic operation according to said result and the delayed first logic result. The frequency adjustment circuit outputs a frequency adjustment signal according to a result of the second logic operation, and the clock control circuit performs a phase locking accordingly. Therefore, a circuit complexity of the clock and data recovery circuit module may be reduced.
US09479164B2

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus to perform a low power activation of a system by measuring the slope of a digital signal corresponding to a motion sensor measurement value. In one embodiment, a low power activation circuit is coupled to magnetic motion sensor configured to output a magnetic signal proportional to a measured magnetic field. The low power activation circuit may comprise a digital tracking circuit configured to provide a digital signal that tracks the magnetic field and a difference detector configured to detect a difference between a current digital signal and a prior digital signal stored in a digital storage means. If the detected difference is larger than a digital reference level, an activation signal is output to awaken a system from a sleep mode.
US09479163B2

A circuit includes an electronic switch with an isolated gate, a measuring device for determining a charge at the isolated gate, and an energy supply for providing charge to the isolated gate based on the charge determined by the measuring device.
US09479158B2

A series-parallel switch circuit is constituted by connecting, in parallel, multiple series switch circuits in which a first switch receiving electric current and a second switch outputting the electric current are connected in series. Middle points of the multiple series switch circuits are joined. When the series-parallel switch circuit is turned on, the second switches constituting the series-parallel switch circuit are turned on, and thereafter, the first switches constituting the series-parallel switch circuit are turned on.
US09479155B2

The invention relates to a buffer circuit for a receiver device including a transconductance stage and an output stage coupled in parallel to output stages of other channels of the device. The output of the transconductance stage is connected to a base of a bipolar transistor in the output stage. A switch is connected between the base of the bipolar transistor and the emitter of the bipolar transistor. A controller is arranged to switch the buffer circuit from a switch-off mode to a switch-on mode and back. In switch-off mode the switch is switched on, so as to connect the base and the emitter of the bipolar transistor.
US09479154B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a power supply switch circuit which uses a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor to select a first power supply voltage applied to a first power supply input terminal or a second power supply voltage applied to a second power supply input terminal, and output the selected voltage as a power supply voltage to a third power supply output terminal, a first switch control circuit connected to the gate of the PMOS transistor, and a second switch control circuit connected to the gate of the NMOS transistor.
US09479152B2

A semiconductor device capable of simply performing power gating and a driving method thereof are provided. Power gating is started passively (automatically in the case of satisfying predetermined conditions). Specifically, the semiconductor device includes a transistor for selecting whether a power source voltage is supplied or not to a functional circuit. The power gating is started by turning off the transistor in the case where a voltage between a source and a drain is less than or equal to a predetermined voltage. Therefore, complicated operation is not needed at the time of starting power gating. Specifically, it is possible to start power gating without a process for predicting the timing at which an arithmetic operation performed in the functional circuit is terminated. As a result, it is possible to start power gating easily.
US09479148B2

A clamping circuit clamps a serial data signal between a first high voltage level and a first low voltage level to yield a clamped serial data signal. A first comparator circuit compares the clamped serial data signal to a second high voltage level less than the first high voltage level to yield a high output equal to one just when a voltage of the clamped serial data signal is greater than the second high voltage level. A second comparator circuit compares the clamped serial data signal to second low voltage level greater than the first low voltage level to yield a low output equal to one just when the voltage of the clamped serial data signal is greater than the second low voltage level. An edge circuit detects an edge of the serial data signal from the high output and the low output.
US09479145B2

A novel PLL is provided. An oscillator circuit includes first to n-th inverters, and first and second circuits. A first terminal of each of the first and second circuits is electrically connected to an output terminal of the i-th inverter. A second terminal of each of the first and second circuits is electrically connected to an input terminal of the (i+1)-th inverter. The first circuit has functions of storing first data, switching between electrically disconnecting the first terminal and the second terminal from each other and setting a resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal to a value based on the first data. The second circuit has functions of storing second data, switching between electrically disconnecting the first terminal and the second terminal from each other and setting a resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal to a value based on the second data.
US09479143B2

Provided is a semiconductor device including a sequential circuit including a first transistor and a capacitor. The first transistor includes a semiconductor layer including indium, zinc, and oxygen to form a channel formation region. A node electrically connected to a source or a drain of the first transistor and a capacitor becomes a floating state when the first transistor turns off, so that a potential of the node can be maintained for a long period. A power-gating control circuit may be provided to control supply of power supply potential to the sequential circuit. The potential of the node still can be maintained while supply of the power supply potential is stopped.
US09479126B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes a first signal path coupled between an input port and an output port, and a second coupled between the input port and the output port in parallel with the first signal path. The first signal path includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) having an input node coupled to the input port, and the second signal path includes a switch coupled between the input port and the output port.
US09479114B1

A quadrature voltage controlled oscillator includes a first voltage controlled oscillator having a first current source, a first oscillator circuit, a first tuning circuit, and a first resonator tank; a second voltage controlled oscillator having a second current source, a second oscillator circuit, a second tuning circuit, and a second resonator tank. A first biasing circuit is connected between first and second transistors of the first oscillator circuit to bias them in Class-C mode; and a second biasing circuit is connected between third and fourth transistors of the second oscillator circuit to bias them in Class-C mode. The first and second voltage controlled oscillators are electrically coupled by bulk terminals of the first and second transistors coupled with drain terminals of the third and fourth transistors respectively, and bulk terminals of the third and fourth transistors coupled with drain terminals of the first and second transistors respectively.
US09479110B2

A solar power system is mounted to a solar power componentry support structure suspended above a pre-existing surface by a collective of solar collector suspension base supports. Suspended solar power system row support structure members and suspended solar power system column support structure members may for a solar component position lattice to which a matrix of individual solar power components such as solar panels can be attached. Solar module quick-fasten assemblages may serve also as solar componentry emergency releases and may include loose axis retainers and firm axis fasteners such as dual component, single point operative emergency releases and fasteners. Slide-in retainers and corner slot tabs can be included as well as frame alignment notches. Fulcrum pivot fasteners and slide wedge releases can aid in installation and release. Pre-sealed roof base supports such as semidome base supports can include a sandwiched membrane.
US09479104B1

A power circuit is configured with mostly passive electrical components to connect a phase shift capacitor to a phase shift winding of a PSC motor selectively. The power circuit includes a timing circuit, a switching circuit, and a triac having a first anode connected to the second capacitor and a second anode connected to electrical ground. The timing circuit has a plurality of passive electrical components and a single active comparator configured to generate a signal indicative of an expiration of a predetermined time period after application of a line voltage to the motor. The switching circuit has a plurality of passive electrical components and a single active switch, which generates a signal to operate the triac to electrically connect the second capacitor to the second winding during the predetermined time period and to disconnect electrically the second capacitor from the second winding in response to a signal generated by the timing circuit indicating the predetermined time period has expired.
US09479100B2

An electric motor controller includes a first coordinate conversion unit that converts a three-phase current into a current in a δc-γc rotating coordinate system, a first calculation unit that obtains a first term, a second calculation unit that obtains a voltage command value in the δc-γc rotating coordinate system as a sum of the first term and a second term, a second coordinate conversion unit that coordinate-converts the voltage command value into a voltage command value of a voltage to be applied to a rotary electric motor in another coordinate system.
US09479099B2

The present disclosure relates to a motor control circuit and related method that includes a transform component configured to receive current values associated with a motor being driven by the motor control circuit, and output polar coordinate values representing a magnitude component and a direction component of a current space vector. The motor control circuit further includes a control component configured to receive the magnitude component and the direction component of the current space vector, and generate motor control signals for driving the motor.
US09479092B2

A motor drive device includes a constant voltage power supply and a motor drive control unit. The constant voltage power supply includes an AC/DC converter, a zero-cross detector, a switching control unit and a switching regulator. The AC/DC converter converts an AC voltage supplied from an AC voltage source into a DC voltage. The zero-cross detector detects a zero-cross point of the AC voltage, and outputs a zero-cross detection signal. The switching control unit outputs a switching control signal based on the zero-cross detection signal. The switching regulator has a switching element. The motor drive control unit outputs a motor drive signal for driving a motor to the inverter. The AC/DC converter has a rectifier circuit and a smoothing capacitor. The switching regulator performs switching on a first DC voltage in accordance with the switching control signal at a timing corresponding to the zero-cross point.
US09479091B2

A circuit for thermal protection and power regulation as a function of the current winding temperature of phase windings of an electric motor. The circuit including at least one temperature monitor switch (TW1, TW2) that measures the winding temperature of the phase windings, and that upon attainment of a specific winding temperature shuts off the winding current flowing through the windings, the circuit further including a PTC thermistor that is associated with the phase windings and that, upon attainment of a specific winding temperature, reduces power by means of a resistance increase, or shuts the motor off. One of the phase windings has the PTC thermistor. The other phase windings or winding has a temperature monitor switch. The PTC thermistor and the temperature monitor switch or switches (TW1, TW2) are connected in series to a voltage source.
US09479090B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a drive circuit is provided for driving for a motor wherein the drive circuit includes a rotational state generation circuit connected to a state controller. The state controller is connected to a pulse width modulation detection circuit, a timer, and a duty control controller. In accordance with another embodiment, a method for driving the motor includes coupling a single Hall sensor to the motor and using the single Hall sensor to determine a position of a rotor of the motor. The drive circuit pulls the rotor so that one of its north pole or south pole is adjacent to the single Hall sensor. After the pole of the rotor is adjacent to the rotor, the motor starts.
US09479089B2

The present invention relates to an energy harvester device comprising an elongate resonator beam comprising a piezoelectric material, the resonator beam extending between first and second ends; a base connected to the resonator beam at the first end with the second end being freely extending from the base as a cantilever; a mass attached to the second end of the resonator beam; a package surrounding at least a portion of the second end of the resonator beam; and a stopper connected to the mass and/or the second end of the resonator beam, where the stopper is configured to prevent contact between the second end of the resonator beam and the package. Also disclosed is a system, a method of powering an electrically powered apparatus, and methods of producing an anergy harvester device.
US09479076B2

It is presented a converter cell (10a; 10b) arranged to be used in a high voltage multilevel converter. The converter cell comprises: an energy storage element (16a; 16b) and a plurality of switching elements (S1, . . . , S8). The plurality of switching elements comprises at least one thyristor (S3; S8) and a plurality of transistors (S1, S2, S4; S5, S6, S7). Each one of the at least one thyristor (S3; S8) is provided in a position for a switching element in the converter cell where, during normal operation of the converter cell, the at least one thyristor is in a continuous conducting state. This reduces the power losses of the converter cell. A corresponding multilevel converter and a method are also presented.
US09479075B2

A power converter is provided. The power converter includes at least one leg. The at least one leg of the power converter includes a plurality of switching units. The switching units are coupled with each other in a serial fashion. Further, in the power converter, the switching units are selected such that at least two switching units in the power converter have different operating voltages.
US09479069B2

A power conversion apparatus including a flyback power conversion circuit, a control chip and a detection auxiliary circuit is provided. The flyback power conversion circuit receives and converts an AC input voltage into a DC output voltage. The control chip generates a PWM signal in response to a power supply requirement to control operations of the flyback power conversion circuit, and the control chip has a multi-function detection pin. The detection auxiliary circuit assists the control chip to obtain an auxiliary voltage related to the DC output voltage via the multi-function detection pin, and thereby determines a transition time of the PWM signal according to the auxiliary voltage. Besides, the detection auxiliary circuit assists the control chip to execute detections of an over temperature protection (OTP) and an over voltage protection (OVP) via the multi-function detection pin respectively within first and second detection phases.
US09479066B2

Power converters, such as switched-mode power converters comprise a reduced number of sensing pins. A power converter is configured to convert electrical energy at an input voltage into electrical energy at an output voltage. The power converter comprises a power switch configured to be switched between on- and off-states; and a controller configured to generate a control signal for putting the power switch into the on-state and off-state, respectively; wherein the control signal is generated based on a first and second measurement signal from the power converter external to the controller. The controller comprises a sensing pin configured to sense the first measurement signal, when the power switch is in on-state, and configured to sense the second measurement signal, when the power switch is in off-state.
US09479062B2

A galvanically isolated DC/DC converter includes at least one first side converter circuit coupled between a pair of first side DC terminals, and at least one second side converter circuit coupled between a pair of second side DC terminals. The second side converter circuit has at least a first and a second switching element, each including a switch and a diode connected in parallel. When the DC/DC converter is in power transfer operation from the pair of first side DC terminals to the pair of second side DC terminals, the diodes of the first and second switching elements are alternately in a conductive state, with each of the first and second switching elements being controlled such that a closed state of the respective switch extends beyond a transitioning of the diode of the same switching element from the conductive state to a blocking state.
US09479061B2

A DC-to-DC converter assembly includes an inverter having first and second terminals connectable to a power transmission network. The inverter has a modular multilevel converter including a first inverter limb extending between the first and second terminals with first and second inverter limb portions separated by a third terminal. Each inverter limb portion includes at least one rationalized module having first and second sets of series-connected current flow control elements connected in parallel with an energy storage device. The current flow control elements include an active switching element directing current through the energy storage device and a passive current check element limiting current flow to one direction. The current flow control elements and energy storage device provide a voltage source to synthesize an AC voltage at the third terminal. A rectifier is electrically connected to the third terminal and connectable to a second power transmission network.
US09479058B2

A power supply that includes positive and negative floating power supply rails. Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductors (LDMOS) regulate the output voltage of the positive and negative floating power supply rails. In particular, an LDMOS can be configured as a common gate amplifier at the output of the power supply to sense the output of the positive and negative floating power supply rails.
US09479057B2

A circuit arrangement for supplying an output current to a load which is useable in power supplies and is connectable in parallel to other circuit arrangements, wherein effects of component tolerances on a uniform working load are avoided.
US09479050B1

Methods and systems for generating voltages greater than a supply voltage are described. In some embodiments, a charge pump system may generate a boosted output voltage greater than the supply voltage using one or more charge pump stages that are arranged in series between the supply voltage and the boosted output voltage. A charge pump stage of the one or more charge pump stages may include a plurality of boosting capacitors that are arranged in series and charged to a charging voltage during a charging phase. During the charging phase, each boosting capacitor of the plurality of boosting capacitors may be charged to a fraction of the charging voltage applied across all of the plurality of boosting capacitors. After the charging phase, the plurality of boosting capacitors may be arranged in parallel and each boosting capacitor of the plurality of boosting capacitors may be boosted during a boosting phase.
US09479046B2

A PFC circuit includes: a switching circuit having a power switch; an on time control circuit for controlling an on time period of the power switch; a first off time control circuit; a second off time control circuit; and a logic circuit selectively controls the power switch working under CCM or DCM; when working under CCM, the first off time control circuit controls an off time period of the power switch and when working under DCM, the second off time control circuit controls the off time period of the power switch.
US09479044B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for structured content ranking. In an aspect, a method includes, receiving, at a controller, an alternating current signal; determining harmonic values that describe a fundamental frequency component of the alternating current signal and harmonic components of the alternating current signal; accessing, by the controller, control data that defines a relation of harmonic values to operational instructions, wherein each operational instruction, when supplied to an inverter, causes the inverter to perform an operation defined by the operational instruction; selecting, by the controller, an operational instruction from the operational instructions, the selected operational instruction based on the harmonic values and the control data; and providing, by the controller, the selected operational instruction to the inverter to cause the inverter to perform the operation defined by the selected operational instruction.
US09479043B2

A control circuit for a switching converter having a comparison circuit, a synchronization unit, an ON-time control circuit and a logic unit, the comparison circuit provides a comparison signal based on a reference signal and an output signal of the switching converter, the synchronization unit provides a first synchronization signal and a second synchronization signal based on a first clock signal, a second clock signal and the comparison signal, the first synchronizing signal is generated by synchronizing the comparison signal with the first clock signal, the second synchronizing signal is generated by synchronizing the comparison signal with the second clock signal, the ON-time control circuit provides an ON-time control signal, the logic unit provides a switching control signal to control the switching converter based on the first synchronization signal, the second synchronization signal and the ON-time control signal.
US09479039B2

An electric damper for a vehicle for damping a relative motion between two components includes an electrical generator, which can be driven by the relative motion, for generating an induced voltage. Said electrical generator has a stator, a rotor, and associated induction windings and field magnets. According to the invention, the rotor is designed as a two-part rotor, comprising an inner, stationary iron core and a radially outer hollow wheel, which carries the induction windings or the field magnets.
US09479032B2

The rotary electric machine main body includes: a stator; a rotor that includes a rotating shaft and that is rotatable relative to the stator; and a supporting body that supports the stator and the rotor. The controlling apparatus includes a power circuit portion that is disposed around the rotating shaft, and that converts electric power that is received from the rotary electric machine main body or electric power that is supplied to the rotary electric machine main body between alternating current and direct current. The power circuit portion includes: a power module; and an electric power interconnecting part that includes a conductor that is connected to a terminal of the power module. The electric power interconnecting part is disposed so as to avoid overlapping with a region of the power module when the power circuit portion is viewed in an axial direction of the rotating shaft.
US09479022B2

An overmolded stator for use in an electric motor is disclosed. The stator core includes a yoke and a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth extending at least substantially radially from the yoke. Each of the teeth presents opposite axially spaced apart endmost surfaces, a leg extending generally radially from the yoke, and a head extending generally arcuately relative to the leg to present opposite head ends spaced from the leg. A pair of wire retention wings extend at least substantially circumferentially outwardly relative to each of the teeth.
US09479016B2

An electric machine includes a primary section, a secondary section interacting with the primary section via an air gap during operation of the electric machine, and a first base element fastened to the secondary section. The base element includes a first pole shoe having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the first pole shoe facing the air gap, a second pole shoe having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the second pole shoe facing the air gap, and a permanent magnet disposed between the first pole shoe and the second pole shoe. The permanent magnet has a magnetization from the first pole shoe to the second pole shoe, and is formed by a matrix with a magnetically active material embedded therein.
US09479010B2

A power control device is provided which can execute self-sustaining operation only when conditions for allowing the self-sustaining operation are satisfied reliably, so as to supply AC power to a power load connected with a power system before the self-sustaining operation.In a case where an instruction to change the power control device into the self-sustaining operation state is accepted, the inverter is connected with the loads by the disconnection relay and the self-sustaining operation is started when voltage to be applied to a wiring portion between the disconnection relay and the earth leakage breaker is not detected, when current flowing between the main breaker and the power system is not detected and when a contact signal indicative of the open/close state of the main breaker indicates an open state. Moreover, the inverter is disconnected from the power system by the disconnection relay and the self-sustaining operation is stopped when the power control device is in the self-sustaining operation state in addition to that current flowing to or from the power system is detected or to that a contact signal indicative of the open/close state of the main breaker indicates a close state.
US09479009B2

A power system for actively maintaining operation includes a power supply unit electrically connected to a commercial power source, a back panel electrically connected to the power supply unit and an ON/OFF control unit. The power supply unit has an OFF state and an operating state to convert the power provided by the commercial power source for outputting. The back panel converges the output of the power supply unit and provides a driving power. The ON/OFF control unit has an input detection terminal electrically connected to the commercial power source to detect whether the commercial power source supplies power and at least one operation signal terminal to output an operation signal upon judging that the commercial power source supplies power to drive the power supply unit to enter the operating state.
US09479006B2

A wireless charging method in a wireless charging system is provided. In the method, wireless charging is performed by providing wireless charging power to a charging circuit. When both a first communication signal and a second communication signal are detected while the wireless charging is performed, the wireless charging power is isolated from the charging circuit. The wireless charging power is isolated so that noise included in the wireless charging power is not provided to the charging circuit.
US09479004B2

A power bank device has a single circuit topology involving a DC-to-DC converter and four transistors so that this single topology can be used both to charge battery cells with a regulated current in a charging step-up boost mode and to drive a regulated voltage onto a power bank voltage output node in a discharging step-down buck mode. In one example, the circuit includes a first transistor coupled to conduct current between a battery voltage node and a switch node SW, a second transistor coupled to conduct current between the SW node and a ground node, and third and fourth transistors coupled in series to conduct current between a voltage input node and the voltage output node. The inductor of the converter is coupled between the SW node and the voltage output node, and the output capacitor of the converter is coupled between the voltage output node and the ground node.
US09478996B2

A battery cell unit includes a battery cell and a monitoring and actuation unit for monitoring the function state of the battery cell. A coupling unit is provided in the battery cell unit, in which coupling unit two half-bridges forming a full-bridge are arranged, which half-bridges each comprise a first power semiconductor coupled to a positive pole of the battery cell, a second power semiconductor coupled to a negative pole of the battery cell and a central connection and are connected to a respective other output terminal of the battery cell unit via the respective central connection. The battery cell is configured to operate, in the normal operating mode, the power semiconductors of the half-bridges in such a way that a battery cell voltage of the battery cell is present at the output terminals of the battery cell unit optionally with a positive or negative orientation.
US09478995B2

An ECU outputs, when it determines that there is a battery cell which needs charging, address information to a battery monitor AFE 6. The battery monitor AFE 6 turns ON a transistor specified by the address information and outputs an active ON/OFF signal to a balancing circuit 4. To the balancing circuit 4, a DC converter 30 to which each of battery cells 2a are connected is provided, and selectively charges the battery cells by operating the DC converter 30. When the ON/OFF signal is active, the DC converter 30 is formed of a magnetic-amplifier type forward converter and selectively charges the battery cells having a low cell voltage when the voltage of the battery cells is about lower than 4.2 V, and eventually maintains the cell voltage at about 4.2 V to prevent overcharging to the battery cells 2a.
US09478992B2

A power transmitting unit-side resonance circuit including a resonance capacitor connected in series to a power transmitting coil and a power receiving unit-side resonance circuit including a resonance capacitor connected in series to a power receiving coil are caused to resonate with each other so that each resonance circuit resonates. With this, power is transmitted between the power transmitting coil and the power receiving unit making use of magnetic field resonance coupling and electric field resonance coupling. By making use of resonance, only effective power is transmitted from the power transmitting unit side to the power receiving unit side, while reactive power that is reflected is reserved as resonance energy in each resonance circuit.
US09478991B2

An inductive power transfer system operable in a plurality of modes comprising an inductive power transmitter capable of providing power to the inductive power receiver over an extended region. The system may be switchable between the various modes by means of a mode selector operable to activate various features as required, such as: an alignment mechanism a resonance tuner, an auxiliary coil arrangement or a resonance seeking arrangement. Associated methods are taught.
US09478989B2

A power converter circuit includes output terminals configured to receive an external voltage. A series circuit includes a number of converter units, each including input terminals configured to be coupled to a DC power source and output terminals configured to provide an output current. The series circuit is connected between the output terminals of the power converter circuit. A synchronization circuit is configured to generate a synchronization signal. The power converter circuit can be operated in a normal operation mode. In the normal operation mode, the synchronization circuit is configured to generate the synchronization signal dependent on the external voltage. In the normal operation mode, at least one converter unit of the plurality of converter units is configured to receive the synchronization signal and to regulate a generation of the output current such that a frequency and/or a phase of the output current is dependent on the synchronization signal.
US09478984B2

An electrically programmable load having an impedance value dependent on a received control word. The electrically programmable load has several parallel load units. Each load unit has one or more load unit element who receive a control word component of the control word and have a load unit element impedance value which depends on a control word component value of the control word component, where the control word component value is one of three or more different biasing values.
US09478980B2

System for balancing an association in series of elements for generating and/or storing electrical energy has full bridge inverters (OPC1, OPC2, OPCN), with two inverter arms connected in parallel between two end ports and with two switches (Th1, Tb1; Th2, Tb2) connected in series by a median point (P11, P12) of the arm; a plurality of connectors for connecting the two end ports of each full bridge inverter to a respective element (CA1, CA2, CAN, PV1, PV2, PVN) of said association in series; and a magnetic coupler (NM) formed by a magnetic core on which a plurality of windings (W1, W2, WN) is formed, each winding connected to the median points of the arms of one of said inverters. A series of elements (CA1, CA2, CAN) for electrochemical storage of electrical energy and a series of photovoltaic cells (PV1, PV2, PVN) provided with such a balancing system are also disclosed.
US09478967B2

A method and apparatus for managing DC arc faults. At least a portion of the method is performed by a controller comprising at least one processor. In one embodiment, the method comprises identifying, based on a first signature of a power converter, an arc fault; determining, based on the first signature, a type of the arc fault; and performing an action on the power converter based on the type of the arc fault.
US09478961B2

The present invention related to an iron bus bar coated with copper and a method of manufacturing the same. The present invention provides an iron bus bar including an iron core and a copper layer applied on the iron core, and a method of manufacturing the same. According to the present invention, an iron bus bar having high strength and durability as well as excellent electrical conductivity can be manufactured at low cost.
US09478958B2

A mounting tray for a supporting and electrical component relative to an opening in a wall can include a rear wall that defines an opening. A sidewall can extend outwardly from the rear wall and collectively define a pocket with the rear wall. The sidewall can have an outer lip. An outer flange can extend around the sidewall at a position intermediate to the outer lip and the rear wall from a first location at the sidewall to a second location at an outer perimeter. The outer perimeter of the outer flange is offset inboard of the opening in the wall in an installed position.
US09478952B2

An electrical isolator includes a flexible non-electrically conductive membrane and an inelastic flexible dielectric member journalled in the membrane and extending from the first end of the membrane to the second end of the membrane. First and second coupling members are anchored to the ends of the dielectric member. The ends of the membrane are mated in sealed engagement with the coupling members so that the coupling members fluidically seal the ends of the membrane and fluidically seal the dielectric member within the membrane. The membrane is filled with a dielectric fluid so as to displace any air in the membrane and the dielectric member. The coupling members are adapted to couple to objects at opposite ends of the electrical isolator.
US09478948B2

The present invention provides methods and systems for an ion generator mounting device for application of bipolar ionization to airflow within a conduit, the device includes a housing for mounting to the conduit having an internal panel within the enclosure, and an arm extending from the housing for extension into the conduit and containing at least one opening. At least one coupling for mounting an ion generator to the arm oriented with an axis extending between a pair of electrodes of the ion generator being generally perpendicular to a flow direction of the airflow within the conduit.
US09478945B2

An optoelectronic semiconductor body has a substrate that includes a strained layer that is applied to the substrate in a first epitaxy step. The strained layer includes at least one recess formed vertically in the strained layer. In a second epitaxy step, a further layer applied to the strained layer. The further layer fills the at least one recess and covers the strained layer at least in some areas.
US09478942B2

A ring cavity light-emitting transistor device, including: a planar semiconductor structure of a semiconductor base layer of a first conductivity type between semiconductor collector and emitter layers of a second conductivity type; base, collector, and emitter metalizations respectively coupled with the base layer, said collector layer, and said emitter layer, the base metalization including at least one annular ring coupled with a surface of the base layer; and an annular ring-shaped optical resonator in a region of the semiconductor structure generally including the interface of the base and emitter regions; whereby application of electrical signals with respect to the base, collector, and emitter metalizations causes light emission in the base layer that propagates in the ring-shaped optical resonator cavity.
US09478939B2

An embodiment is a semiconductor device comprising an optical device over a first substrate, a vertical waveguide on a top surface of the optical device, the vertical waveguide having a first refractive index, and a capping layer over the vertical waveguide, the capping layer configured to be a lens for the vertical waveguide and the capping layer having a second refractive index.
US09478937B1

The present disclosure describes semiconductor external cavity laser with wide bandwidth frequency modulation capabilities. The laser is preferably packaged in a standard form-factor package, such as a 14-pin butterfly package. The front end of the cavity comprises an integrated planar circuit (e.g., silica-on-silicon planar lightwave circuit with Bragg gratings), and the “back facet” of the laser is implemented as a high-reflection (HR) coated LiNbO3 phase tuning section in the double pass configuration. AC-voltage signal applied to the electrodes of phase tuning section modulates a refractive index of the propagating TE-polarization mode of external cavity and produces frequency modulation. Such frequency modulation is not associated with any thermal behavior of the gain element included in the external cavity laser, and has a negligible phase delay over a wide bandwidth.
US09478936B2

A method for preparing a surface of a YAG crystal for thermal bonding includes performing an ion implantation process to introduce nitrogen into a surface layer of the YAG crystal to replace depleted oxygen therein, to change surface energy of the surface layer of the YAG crystal and to provide desired bonding characteristics for the surface layer; and joining the ion implanted surface layer with a thermal management device configured to dissipate heat from the YAG crystal. Also, a micro-chip device having a YAG crystal whose surface is prepared with the above disclosed method is provided and a device for forming a metallization pattern on a surface of the YAG crystal is provided.
US09478934B1

The disclosure relates to the removal of hydrogen fluoride (HF) from an excimer laser either in operation or in standby using a metal halide salt reactor. Removal of HF is desirable because the contaminant not only absorbs laser emission, thus reducing laser power, but it is also chemically reactive, and degrades the lifetime of internal laser components. The metal halide salt reactor may be provided either in the laser vessel or in an external conduit loop.
US09478932B2

A tunable reference cavity (3) with two independently controllable mirrors (15, 16) is disclosed. The mirrors are mounted on respective piezoelectric crystals (18, 19) so that thermal expansion of the piezoelectric crystals moves the cavity mirrors in the same direction along a longitudinal axis of the reference cavity thereby reducing a change of the cavity length. Also disclosed is a system for locking and scanning the output of a laser cavity (2). An error signal is generated between an output of the laser cavity (28) and the transmission (28) of the laser through the external reference cavity (3). A dual piezo-actuated mirror (6b) permits processing of the error signal (26) with separate signal processing circuits (29a, 29b) used to provide an electrical feedback signal to the dual piezoelectric crystal (22, 23b).
US09478929B2

Light bulb receptacles and light bulb sockets are described. According to one aspect, a light bulb receptacle includes a housing which defines a housing chamber, a light bulb socket within the housing chamber and which comprises a first end and a second end about a light bulb chamber which is configured to receive a base of a light bulb, wherein the light bulb socket further comprises a plurality of fingers which extend outwardly from the first end toward the second end and define an opening to the light bulb chamber at the second end, wherein the fingers are individually configured to move outwardly from the light bulb chamber during insertion and removal of the light bulb via the opening to the light bulb chamber, and wherein the fingers individually comprise an engagement member configured to engage a base of the light bulb received within the light bulb chamber and to retain the light bulb received within the light bulb chamber.
US09478922B2

A connector comprises an inner conductor (1) and an outer conductor (2); an insulating medium (3) is provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, the insulating medium forming an unclosed cavity, and an opening of the unclosed cavity being a port for termination. The inner conductor comprises a first inner conductor (40) and an elastic inner conductor (60), the first inner conductor and the elastic inner conductor being disposed in the unclosed cavity; the elastic inner conductor (60) comprises an elastic member (61) having an inclinedly oriented free end portion (611) and a protrusion (612) projecting towards the first inner conductor (40); in the case where the connector is unterminated, the protrusion of the elastic inner conductor contacts the first inner conductor, and in the case where the connector is terminated, the inclinedly oriented free end portion (611) is moved substantially laterally by a terminating conductor (50) vertically inserted through the port for termination, such that the protrusion (612) is separated from the first inner conductor (40) and the terminating conductor (50) is in contact with the elastic inner conductor (60). The connector solves the problem of a complex connector structure caused by separation of a performance transmission device and an elastic device of a connector in the prior art.
US09478915B2

An electrical connector includes a terminal module and a plurality of terminals retained in the terminal module. The plurality of terminals are divided into an upper row and a lower row. Each of the terminals has a contacting portion contacting with a complementary connector. Each row of the terminals has a power terminal and a differential pair. The contacting portion of the power terminal in the upper row and the corresponding contacting portion of the power terminal in the lower row mechanically contact with each other to form parallel electrical paths.
US09478910B2

A connector includes a connector housing, a sliding member supported on the connector housing, and a pull member coupled to the sliding member. A protrusion is formed on the pull member so as to protrude in a thickness direction thereof and extend in a lateral direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction along the direction of removal. The sliding member includes a pair of arm portions guided by the connector housing and a coupling portion coupling the pair of arm portions and facing a side surface of the protrusion that is a surface on the operating portion side. The side surface of the protrusion butts against the coupling portion when the operating portion of the pull member is pulled in the direction of removal such that a moving force in the direction of removal is applied to the coupling portion from the protrusion so as to move the sliding member.
US09478907B2

A plug-type connector arrangement comprising a plug-type connector and an opposing plug-type connector, which each have an insulating housing and plug-type contact elements in the insulating housing and are designed for plugging together and for making electrical contact with assigned plug-type contact elements in the plugged-together state, is described. The opposing plug-type connector has at least one latching lug. The plug-type connector has at least one latching element, which is designed so as to interact with the latching lug in the plugged-together state so as to fasten the plug-type connector on the opposing plug-type connector. At least one detachment element provided for unlocking the latching lug is arranged displaceably on the plug-type connector. The detachment element has an actuating member, which has a first actuating section, which is connected to the detachment element, and a second actuating section, which is mounted movably relative to the first actuating section and interacts with the plug-type connector. The first actuating section and the second actuating section form a toggle-lever mechanism for displacing the detachment element in the event of the action of force on the actuating member.
US09478904B2

A locking connector is provided that comprises first and second connector parts configured to releasably engage with one another along a longitudinal axis of the connector. The first connector part comprises a plurality of circumferentially disposed resiliently bendable latching fingers each finger attached at one end to the first connector and having an ear at an opposite end. The second connector part comprises one or more recesses to receive the ears of the fingers. The connector comprises a locking ring, moveable along the axis such that in a first position the ears engage in the recesses to lock the connector parts together, and in a second position the ears are free to move radially outwards to enable the connector parts to be separated.
US09478892B2

A tamper-resistant assembly for an electrical device, such as an electrical receptacle, includes a housing enclosing movable shutter members, each having a ramped surface protected by an overlying winged cover member engageable by an object, such as a plug blade, inserted in an opening in the electrical device. Each shutter member has a pair of pockets on opposite sides of the ramped surface that anchor the wings of the cover member. The pockets extend laterally outward from the sides of the ramped surface, and the wings of the cover member are configured such that they flex inward during assembly and then snap into the pockets. Other mating features of the cover member and the shutter member help ensure secure anchoring of the cover member.
US09478879B2

A socket (female connector) used for a connector assembly includes a film substrate constituted by a flexible thin board made of insulation material. The film substrate is provided with connection through holes adapted to be inserted therein connection posts of a header (male connector). Connection pads are formed on a first surface of the film substrate around respective connection through holes. The connection pads include a first pad and a second pad. The film substrate is provided on the first surface with a first patterned conductor connected to the first pad and a third patterned conductor connected to the second pad. The third patterned conductor is connected to a second patterned conductor formed on a second surface of the film substrate by means of a blind via that is formed by boring the film substrate from the second surface so as to reach the third patterned conductor.
US09478878B2

A cable connector assembly for mating with a mating connector in two directions includes a PCB, a cable, and a housing. The PCB includes a front end portion, a rear end portion, and a middle portion. The front end portion includes some front conductive pads, while the rear end portion includes some rear conductive pads. The PCB includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The cable includes some coaxial wires and single wires. All the coaxial wires are soldered on one surface, and all the single wires are soldered on another surface of the PCB. Part of the rear conductive pads soldered with the coaxial wires are electrically connected to the front conductive pads on the upper surface through a layer of conductive path, while the other rear conductive pads are electrically connected to the front conductive pads on the lower surface through another layer of conductive path.
US09478877B2

A mountable electrical socket apparatus comprises a socket assembly mounted in a base housing. The socket assembly, defined as a rectangular body having an electrical socket on a first side, an input wiring insert on second side, and an output wiring insert on a third side, is mounted in the base housing with a pair of mounting brackets. The base housing is circular basin which is configured to receive up to two discrete sets of electrical wires to be connected to the socket assembly. An input wire, from the electrical system of the building in which the mountable electrical socket apparatus is disposed or from another mountable electrical socket apparatus provides electrical power to the socket assembly generally and to the electrical socket. An output wire may be utilized to transmit electrical power which has been provided to one mountable electrical socket apparatus to another.
US09478876B1

A conductive clamp fixing structure of a socket includes a seat and at least a conductive clamp. The seat is provided with a clamp fixing slot along an orthogonal direction, the clamp fixing slot is disposed at a position corresponding to a receptacle and a periphery of the clamp fixing slot is provided with a first fixing member. The conductive clamp is disposed in the clamp fixing slot and is provided with a second fixing member corresponding to the first fixing member. By assembling the second fixing member with the first fixing member, when a pin of a plug is pulled up, the conductive clamp can be fixed along the orthogonal direction, a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, so that the conductive clamp will not displace relatively and cause pool contact by being subjected to the components of force resulted from inserting or pulling the plug.
US09478873B2

A portable unit with an endfire antenna and operating at 60 GHz makes an optimum communication channel with an endfire antenna in an array of antennas distributed over the area of a ceiling. The portable unit is pointed towards the ceiling and the system controlling the ceiling units selects and adjusts the positioning of an endfire antenna mounted on a 3-D adjustable rotatable unit. Several transceivers can be mounted together, offset from one another, to provide a wide coverage in both azimuth direction and elevation direction. These units can be rigidly mounted as an array in a ceiling, apparatus. The system controlling the ceiling array selects one of the transceivers in one of the units to make the optimum communication channel to the portable unit. The system includes the integration of power management features by switching between Wi-Fi in favor of the 60 GHz channel.
US09478869B1

This disclosure relates to an antenna system. The antenna system includes a first radiating element configured to emit electromagnetic radiation based on a first input signal. The antenna system also includes a reflecting element configured to reflect at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first radiating element. The antenna system further includes a ground plane located between the first radiating element and the reflecting elements. Additionally, the antenna system has a feed configured to provide the input signal to the first radiating element. Furthermore, the antenna system includes at least one metallic support structure. The metallic support structure is configured to both (i) provide a separation between the first radiating element and the reflecting element and (ii) radiate electromagnetic energy based on a coupling of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first radiating element.
US09478867B2

A radiator element for RF communications formed of a planar conductive material positioned upon a planar dielectric substrate surface. Two lobes formed of the conductive material have side edges abutting a cavity decreasing in cross section between the lobes. The cavity has a widest point configured to receive RF frequencies at the lowest frequency and a narrowest point configured to receive a highest frequency of the element. Opposing pairs of notches in the side edges of the lobes along the decreasing edges of the cavity enhance the frequency of operation for frequencies paired to the distance between the pairs of notches.
US09478861B2

A broadband satellite antenna for producing a dual-band multiple beam coverage in transmission and reception based on an offset dual-optics configuration that includes a single main parabolic reflector, a hyperbolic sub-reflector, a first transmitting Multiple-Feed-per-Beam feed system, and a second receiving Multiple-Feed-per-Beam feed system. The sub-reflector surface is a Frequency Selective Surface configured to transmit any electromagnetic signals in the higher frequency band and to reflect any electromagnetic signals in the lower frequency band. The Multiple-Feed-per-Beam feed systems are located at the main focal point FMO and at the first sub-reflector real focal point FSreal. The eccentricity e of the hyperbolic sub-reflector depends on a ratio between a preset lower frequency fL in the lower frequency band BL and a preset higher frequency fH in the higher frequency band BH. The first transmitting Multiple-Feed-per-Beam feed system and the second receiving Multiple-Feed-per-Beam feed system are geometrical scaled versions of each other.
US09478856B2

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a circuit for receiving bandwidth utilization information associated with each of a plurality of communication nodes, and initiating communications with a communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to a comparison of the bandwidth utilization information and a measure of quality of a communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09478851B2

An antenna structure comprising a substrate and an antenna is provided. The substrate comprises an upper surface and an under surface. The antenna comprises a first metal pattern and a second metal pattern. The first metal pattern is disposed on the upper surface. The first metal pattern comprises a feeding portion and a transmission line connected to the feeding portion. The second metal pattern is disposed on the under surface, and comprises a first parasitic grounding arm, a second parasitic grounding arm, a connecting arm, a grounding plane and a grounding strip. The connecting arm has a parasitic slot, and connects the first parasitic grounding arm and the second parasitic grounding arm. The grounding strip connects the connecting arm and the grounding plane.
US09478845B2

An arrangement for mounting a directional antenna (10) in an adjustable inclined position to an approximately vertical supporting member (11) comprises a separate upper antenna bracket (12) and a separate lower antenna bracket (12). The two antenna brackets (12) are formed equal to each other and each comprises a first mounting member (13), intended to be mounted to the antenna (10), and a second mounting member (14), intended to be mounted to the supporting member (11). The two mounting members (13, 14) are connected to each other by an intermediate connection (15, 16) which is arranged to permit the two mounting members (13, 14) to be moved a limited distance in an approximately horizontal direction towards or away from each other and to become fixed in adjusted positions relatively to each other.
US09478844B2

A tunable chirped delay line arrangement (0) configured to operatively propagate a signal and includes a at least one chirped delay line (1) arranged along a reference direction (z) on a dielectric layer (2) arranged on a ground plane (3). The chirped delay line (1) is configured with a smoothly varying width along the reference direction (z), and the arrangement (0) further comprising at least one electronically tunable impedance (5) interconnecting the at least one delay line (1) and the ground plane (3) at at least one location along the reference direction (z) such that the at least one delay line (1) is loaded by the tunable impedance (5).
US09478836B2

A metal/air battery in one embodiment includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a separator positioned between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, wherein the pressure within the positive electrode is maintained at or above 10 bar with compression energy provided by electrons driving electrochemical reaction in the battery during charging of the metal/air battery.
US09478830B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material layer, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein at least one of the positive electrode and the separator contains a phosphoric acid ester compound containing at least one metal element and represented by a general formula (1) (where X and Y each represent a metal element, a hydrogen atom, or an organic group; at least one of X and Y represents a metal element; when the metal element is divalent, X and Y together represent a single metal element; and n represents an integer of 2 or more and 10 or less).
US09478823B2

A secondary battery includes: a case; and an electrode assembly accommodated in the case and including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator between the positive and negative electrode plates. At least one of the positive and negative electrode plates includes: a first sub-electrode plate including a first coating surface coated with an active material and a first non-coating surface facing oppositely away from the first coating surface and not coated with the active material; and a second sub-electrode plate including a second coating surface coated with an active material and a second non-coating surface facing oppositely away from the second coating surface and not coated with the active material. The first non-coating surface of the first sub-electrode plate faces the second non-coating surface of the second sub-electrode plate to allow the first and the second sub-electrode plates to slip relative to each other.
US09478817B2

A fuel cell system includes: a reformer operative to generate a reformed gas by using a raw material gas; a fuel cell operative to generate electric power by using the reformed gas from the reformer and air; a desulfurizer operative to perform hydrodesulfurization of the raw material gas; a recycled gas passage through which a part of the reformed gas is supplied as a recycled gas to a raw material gas passage provided upstream of the desulfurizer; and a heat exchanger operative to cause the recycled gas flowing through the recycled gas passage to perform heat exchange with one of the raw material gas and the air.
US09478807B2

To provide a method for forming a storage battery electrode including an active material layer with high density in which the proportion of conductive additive is low and the proportion of the active material is high. To provide a storage battery having a higher capacity per unit volume of an electrode with the use of a storage battery electrode formed by the formation method. A method for forming a storage battery electrode includes the steps of forming a mixture including an active material, graphene oxide, and a binder; providing a mixture over a current collector; and immersing the mixture provided over the current collector in a polar solvent containing a reducer, so that the graphene oxide is reduced.
US09478804B2

A cathode active material including a composite transition metal oxide including: sodium; a first transition metal; and a second transition metal, wherein the composite transition metal oxide has a first diffraction peak corresponding to a Miller index of (003) and derived from a layered rock salt structure, and a second diffraction peak corresponding to a Miller index of (104) and derived from a cubic rock salt structure in an X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern, wherein an intensity ratio (I1/I2) of the first diffraction peak to the second diffraction peak is about 7 or greater.
US09478802B2

The present invention aims to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent charge discharge cycle characteristics in a high-temperature environment. The present invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which includes a positive electrode in which a positive electrode active material mixture layer is formed, a negative electrode in which a negative electrode active material mixture layer is formed, a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a separator, and in the above nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, on at least one surface of the positive electrode active material mixture layer and the negative electrode active material mixture layer, an inorganic particle layer containing a rare earth element compound is formed.
Patent Agency Ranking