US09555932B2
A plastic can liner and a drawstring for closing the can liner. First and second plastic panels joined along edges of the panels define a bag body. Opposed first and second panel edges that are not joined define a can liner opening. A first hem extends along the first panel edge and a second hem extends along the second panel edge. A drawstring extends through the first and second hems. The drawstring is a cross-laminated plastic film. In some embodiments, the drawstring includes first and second drawstring strips sealed together adjacent the opposite ends thereof. Each of the first and second drawstring strips can be made from a plastic film including a first layer and a second layer bonded to the first layer. Each of the first and second layers have a machine direction oriented transverse to the length of the drawstring and the machine direction of the other layer.
US09555929B2
A hanging condiment container holder is provided including a clip portion for removably attaching the holder to an upper portion of a food package, a loop portion for receiving a condiment container, and an extension wall extending between the clip portion and the loop portion. The clip portion may be contoured to the shape of the upper edge or lip of a food package such as a cup. Various clip portions may be employed for removably attaching the hanging condiment container holder to a food package such as a cup.
US09555925B2
A stacking apparatus including a stacking sleeve comprising walls and a top side, and a sleeve-pallet comprising a platform configured to support goods. The stacking sleeve being configured to surround goods on a first sleeve-pallet and support a second sleeve-pallet on the top side. The stacking sleeve may further comprise braces and access holes. The stacking sleeve may be configured to enable nesting of a second sleeve-pallet supported by the stacking sleeve. The platform of the sleeve-pallet may be further configured to support a stacking sleeve. The sleeve-pallet may further comprise a securing structure to secure a stacking sleeve supported by the platform. The platform of the sleeve-pallet may be further configured to nest in a stacking sleeve.
US09555924B2
A corrugated paperboard pallet is produced from two flat blanks which comprise a pallet top and a pallet bottom. The two blanks are each folded to produce only two parallel vertically extending double thickness ribs, three horizontal panels, two vertical side walls and two horizontal flaps. The ribs of the pallet top and pallet bottom lock each other from opening in the center of the pallet by intersecting perpendicularly with notches in the ribs. The horizontal flaps lock the ribs from opening at the edges of the pallet by intersecting perpendicularly with notches, and the vertical sidewalls include vertical flaps that open inward defining fork passages whereby the vertical flaps lock said horizontal flaps from opening.
US09555923B2
An assembly of stacked mattresses and a method for preparing such an assembly are provided. The assembly of stacked mattresses comprises a first pallet, a second pallet, a plurality of mattresses positioned between the first pallet and the second pallet and straps coupling the first pallet to the second pallet, the plurality of mattresses being in a compressed state between the first pallet and the second pallet and the straps restraining expansion of the plurality of mattresses. The second pallet is comprised of a supporting member and a plurality of elongated reinforcing members extending across the supporting member, at least some of the reinforcing members including respective strap guiding members extending longitudinally along the elongated reinforcing member. At least some of the straps engage respective ones of the strap guiding members of the plurality of elongated reinforcing member of the second pallet so that displacement of the straps is constrained by the strap guiding members. In accordance with another aspect, a pallet for using in shipping bedding products is provided.
US09555920B2
A container is disclosed. The container includes a fillable bladder in an interior of an enclosure of the container. The container has a sump region which assists in the removal of a pumpable product from the fillable bladder.
US09555908B2
A self-propelled wrapping machine is movable around a product for wrapping the product with a film of synthetic plastic material and includes a self-propalled carriage provided with directional wheels and with a steering assembly for maneuvering the directional wheels. The wrapping machine further includes a spring acting on the steering assembly to exert a first torque and induce the steering assembly (11) to orient the directional wheels according to a prescribed work direction. The wrapping machine also includes a device that is drivable by the steering assembly to exert a further torque, opposite the first torque, on the steering assembly to lighten the assembly and thus facilitate an orienting maneuver of the directional wheels according to a further direction.
US09555904B2
Gossamer apparatus and systems for use with spacecraft may include a deployable gossamer apparatus. The deployable gossamer apparatus may include a plurality rib members and gossamer material extending therebetween and may be configured in a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The rib members of the deployable gossamer apparatus store potential energy used for deployment of the deployable gossamer apparatus.
US09555894B2
An aircraft ice protection system (10) comprises an ice protection device (21), an onboard power source (30), a supply line (31) from the power source (30) to the device (21), a controller (41) which controls the line (31), and an optimizer (50) which conveys operation-optimizing instructions (51) to the controller (41). An ice detector (60) provides an input (70) to the optimizer (50) and this ice-condition input (70) is used to generate the operation-optimizing instructions (51).
US09555886B1
A multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus for use by firefighters to control fire. The multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus generally includes multi-modular units that are held together to form an aerial firefighting system. The modular units may work together or independently. The multi-modular system comprises more than one modular unit, fluid, fluid conduit, reservoir, air flow generator, multi-modular unit support structure, aerial suspension system and aerial lift system.
US09555865B2
A watercraft with outboard stabilizing members on a hull with a bow wrap and port and starboard side sheets with one or more longitudinal channels. The port and starboard stabilizing members comprise buoyant members in a sheath having one or more longitudinal keepers that are configured to be received into the side sheet channels. Tension members extend through the keepers, and are attachable near the aft end of the watercraft, and releasably engage tensioning mechanisms in the bow wrap, for releasably attaching the stabilizing members to the side sheet. Deck access plates through the side walls provide access to the tensioning mechanisms, which may be, for example, crank or electric winch mechanism.
US09555864B2
The present invention relates to a vessel comprising:-a hull,-a support structure connected to said hull, the support structure configured for supporting the mass, the support structure being constructed to allow the mass to make a back and forth movement relative to said hull along a trajectory between opposite ends of said trajectory,-a damping device configured to dampen the movement of the mass relative to said hull. The present invention also relates to a method for damping the movements of a vessel or of a mass.
US09555834B2
A motor vehicle body includes a longitudinal beam, a bumper cross member, which is fixed to one end of the longitudinal beam, wherein an end section of the bumper cross member protrudes over the longitudinal beam in the transverse direction, and a cantilever beam, which protrudes into a space between a wheel mount and the bumper cross member. The cantilever beam and the end section of the bumper cross member are disposed so as to cooperate with each other such that, during a frontal collision, in particular during a frontal collision with small overlap, the end section of the bumper cross member deformed by the frontal collision impacts an end face of the cantilever beam and can be supported at this end face so that further deformation of the end section of the bumper cross member is prevented.
US09555832B2
A display system for a vehicle and trailer is disclosed. The system comprises an interface configured to receive a directional input and a controller in communication with the interface and a screen. The controller is operable to receive a hitch angle and determine a heading direction of the trailer. The controller is further operable to determine a predicted heading of the vehicle aligned with the trailer based on the hitch angle. The predicted heading of the trailer is then displayed by the controller on the screen.
US09555826B2
The present invention relates to a safety apparatus for a steer-by-wire. The present invention can ensure the safety of a steer-by-wire using a simple and compact structure and achieve a manufacturing-cost reduction effect.
US09555823B2
An infant seat support assembly is disclosed for supporting an infant seat relative to a structure, such as a shopping cart.
US09555819B2
A guided vehicle includes a guidance unit having first and second V-mounted guide pulleys resting on first and second running surfaces of a guide rail. The running surfaces are on sides of a median longitudinal plane of the guide rail and each pulley has a flange for freely gripping the guide rail. A device and method protecting against loss of vehicle guidance include a section with longitudinal height fixed along its length to a guide rail part, between running surfaces, the section having a cross-section guiding the unit during derailment or loss of guidance thereof with the section fixed to the guide rail part. The cross-section geometry holds the first pulley flange on the side of the median plane including the first pulley running surface and the second pulley flange on the side including the second pulley running surface. A device fixes the section to the guide rail.
US09555817B2
End members (202, 204) dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible wall (206) of a rail spring assembly (200) can include an end member body formed from a polymeric material and can have a longitudinal axis (AX). The end member body can include an end wall (232) that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis. An outer side wall (234) can extend longitudinally from along the end wall. An outer peripheral wall (264) can extend from along the outer side wall and can be dimensioned to abuttingly engage the associated flexible wall. A plurality of support walls (272) can extend between and operatively interconnect the outer side wall and the outer peripheral wall and thereby buttress at least the outer peripheral wall against loads applied by the associated flexible wall. Gas spring assemblies including one or more of such end members and suspension systems for rail vehicles including one or more of such gas spring assemblies are also included.
US09555814B2
A vehicle system may include a thermal sensor; and a vehicle connectivity module in communication with the thermal sensor and a plurality of vehicle systems configured to receive an indication, from the thermal sensor, indicative of detection of a thermal event external to the vehicle, and responsive to the detection, utilize at least one of the plurality vehicle systems to perform at least one assistance feature to provide notification of the thermal event. A computer-implemented method may include activating a vehicle connectivity module responsive to detection of a thermal event external to the vehicle by a vehicle thermal sensor, confirming, by the vehicle connectivity module, the detection of the thermal event by utilizing other thermal sensor inputs of the vehicle, and responsive to the confirmation, commanding a vehicle system to perform at least one assistance feature to provide notification of the thermal event to a user.
US09555806B2
A method for controlling rollback of a work vehicle may include receiving a signal indicating that a pedal of the work vehicle has been depressed, wherein the work vehicle is initially traveling in a first direction up an inclined surface such that at least one clutch of the transmission is engaged. In addition, the method may include reducing a pressure within the at least one clutch after receiving the signal in order to decelerate the work vehicle in the first direction and engaging a parking brake of the work vehicle as the work vehicle reverses direction and travels in a second direction down the inclined surface.
US09555799B2
In a control device for a hybrid vehicle, the charge/discharge setting unit sets a charge/discharge demand for an electricity storage device during a limp home mode, and the operation control unit controls an engine and a motor generator such that the electricity storage device receives/outputs a power in accordance with the charge/discharge demand set by the charge/discharge setting unit. In the case where a charge/discharge amount X input/output to/from the electricity storage device when the engine is operated to generate a required driving force is smaller than a charge/discharge amount Y based on the charged state of the electricity storage device, the charge/discharge setting unit sets, as the charge/discharge demand, the smaller one of the charge/discharge amount Y and a charge/discharge amount Z based on the upper-limit rotation speed of the engine set in accordance with a torque transmitted by a drive shaft.
US09555789B2
An electronic brake system may be capable of performing braking operation according to a pedal effort of a driver even when the brake system operates abnormally as well as simplifying a configuration thereof by minimizing the number of valves for controlling a flow of oil pressure and precisely controlling pressure therein.
US09555783B2
A controller. The controller includes a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium. The processor is configured to receive the speed of a first driven wheel from a wheel speed sensor and the speed of a drive shaft from a drive shaft sensor. The non-transistory computer readable medium includes program instructions executed by the processor for determining a speed of a second driven wheel based on a plurality of detected speeds of the first driven wheel and detected speeds of the drive shaft over time.
US09555782B2
An electrically actuated braking system for an aircraft. The system includes: an electro-mechanical brake actuator (EMAbrake) proximate a wheel of the aircraft, the EMAbrake including a motor; an electro-mechanical actuator controller (EMAC) including a motor controller for generating a drive signal for the EMAbrake; a braking control unit (BCU) for generating a braking force command signal for the EMAC during a normal mode of operation; and an emergency braking control unit (eBCU) for generating a braking force command signal for the EMAC during an emergency operating mode. The eBCU is disposed together with the EMAC in a common line replaceable unit (LRU).
US09555776B2
A portable undercarriage washer for vehicles includes a spray manifold having a feed line with a proximal end and a distal end, a spray tube coupled with the distal end of the feed lines, and a plurality of spaced spray nozzles connected with spaced openings on the spray tube. A protective cover overlies the spray manifold and the spaced spray nozzles. The protective cover has a top surface, a bottom surface, a plurality of spaced openings extending between the top and bottom surfaces, and a recess formed in the bottom surface. The spacing between the spaced openings matches the spacing between the spaced spray nozzles. The protective cover has a height that is greater than or equal to the height of the spaced spray nozzles, and the protective cover has side walls that slope downwardly and outwardly between the top and bottom surfaces of the protective cover.
US09555775B2
A kit for connecting a wiper blade and multiple types of wiper arms, the kit including a container and a set of connectors located within an interior of the container. The set of connectors includes a first connector having a structure to receive and be connected to at least two different wiper arms that are part of a first class of wiper arms. The set of connectors includes a second connector having a structure to receive and be connected to at least two different wiper arms that are part of a second class of wiper arms. The set of connectors includes a third connector having a structure to receive and be connected to at least two different wiper arms that are part of a third class of wiper arms, wherein the first class, the second class and the third class are different from one another.
US09555773B2
Electromotive auxiliary drive, particularly a wiper drive, with an electric motor and a downstream gear forming an output shaft of the auxiliary drive, presenting at least two gear stages arranged in series in a drive train between the electric motor and the output shaft, of which one first gear stage is designed in the manner of a worm gear consisting of a worm and of a gearwheel or worm wheel interacting with this worm.
US09555771B2
This onboard device measures the received power of radio waves transmitted from a base station while the engine is running and sets a near-out-of-range flag when the level of the received power has become equal to or lower than a near-out-of-range level, which indicates the possibility of going out of range. The onboard device permits a portable terminal device to obtain a new effective period for a key ID when the radio wave environment of a vehicle when the engine is stopped indicates that the vehicle is out of range, and the effective period of the key ID has expired and needs to be renewed, provided that the near-out-of-range flag has been set. Consequently, security can be enhanced during acquisition of update information for the key information with the portable terminal device.
US09555770B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a steering lock device that can prevent improper access to a cylinder lock due to the deformation of a mounting hole formed in a cut-out shape. The steering lock device comprises: a frame (4) that is provided with a cylindrical section (1) open at one end, and that houses a lock body (3) which moves in and out of a steering column as a result of the manipulation of a cylinder lock (2) secured in the cylindrical section (1); and a mounted member (6) that is mounted in a mounting hole (5), one end of which opens to the open end of the cylindrical section (1) and is formed in a cut-out shape. At both side ends of the mounting hole (5), to-be-locked sections (9) are provided that regulate the widthwise deformation of the mounting hole (5) by locking circumferentially with locking sections (8) of an inserted member (7) which is inserted into the cylindrical section (1) within the frame (4).
US09555768B2
A pretensioner assembly for motor vehicle belt restraint systems is provided. The pretensioner assembly includes a tube in fluid communication with a gas generator and a driving element disposed therein that travels in a first direction in response to actuation of the gas generator. The tube includes a constriction disposed adjacent an exit of the tube. The constriction allows the driving element to pass but prevents a seal member disposed between the generator and the driving element from passing. The constriction provides backpressure on the seal member causing the seal member to expand radially outward. The system can also include a slug member disposed between the seal member and the driving element.
US09555743B2
A driver lift device lifts a driver to enter an elevated cab on farm equipment or the like. The device includes an elongated post vertically mounted to a vehicle proximate an entry into a cab of the vehicle. Each of a top end and a bottom end of an elongated pole is coupled to the post such that the pole is positioned in parallel spaced relationship to the post. The pole extends through the tube wherein the tube is slidable along the pole. A foot support coupled to the tube. A winch is coupled to the top end of the pole and a cable is coupled to and extends between the winch and the tube such that operation of the winch elevates and lowers the foot support on the pole.
US09555741B2
A pivot mechanism for a vehicle external rear view mirror assembly is disclosed. The mechanism includes: a base frame portion and a case frame portion mounted to the base frame portion for rotation about a pivot axis. A detent operable between the base frame portion and the case frame portion is provided. The detent has an engaged position and a disengaged position, the disengaged position allowing the rotation about the pivot axis. A spring mechanism clamps the case frame portion to the base frame portion and a first set of detent features to a second set of detent features. A support arm having an attachment end and a floating end is provided. An attachment end is fixed to, and is fixed against rotation with respect to the case frame portion, and the second set of detent features is fixed against rotation with respect to the base frame portion.
US09555733B2
A side puller apparatus includes a frame assembly adapted for mounting to a recovery vehicle, the frame assembly having first and second leg members inclined to approximately form an “A” shape and an upper member extending across tops of the leg members, first and second retractable arm assemblies respectively extendable from opposite ends of the upper member, first and second retractable leg assemblies respectively extendable from lower ends of the first and second leg members, and first and second winch assemblies respectively mounted on the first and second leg members, each winch assembly having a cable routed to a respective one of the arm assemblies, so as to be separately routable from the side puller apparatus during recovery operations.
US09555730B1
A self-unloading bulk material bed with a discharge opening is provided. An apparatus for discharging materials from the self-unloading bulk material bed includes a first and second tapered fin on either surface of the discharge opening. The tapered fins direct materials moving through the discharge opening down so that they do not build up around the discharge opening.
US09555724B2
A favorable appearance can be achieved using a simple configuration, even when the configuration is provided with a back shell that moves up and down relative to a back frame. In a vehicle seat 10, the back of a seated person is adapted to be supported by a movable back shell 42 that is supported so as to be capable of moving in an up-down direction relative to a back frame 30. A non-movable back shell 46 that is attached so as to be incapable of displacement relative to the back frame 30 is disposed on a back face side of the movable back shell 42, and the back frame 30 is covered by the non-movable back shell 46.
US09555709B2
An apparatus for operating an AVN (Audio, Video and Navigation) monitor for a vehicle may include a belt guider which is installed in an accommodation space of a dashboard and around which a belt, moving in a longitudinal direction of the belt guider, is wound, a guide rail fixed to the belt guider and extending in the longitudinal direction of the belt guider, a monitor hinge connected to the belt and engaged to the guide rail and an end of a connection bracket so as to move along the guide rail, wherein the connection bracket is connected to the AVN monitor, and a driving force transmission gear engaged with the belt to move the belt in the longitudinal direction.
US09555696B2
A tarp distributing apparatus includes a tarp guide device held in an immobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above a rear location on a truck load bed so as to establish the height to which a tarp can be moved to above and over the rear of a cargo on the truck load bed, a tarp draught device mounted in a mobile condition adjacent to and extending upright to above the truck load bed forwardly of the tarp guide device so as to undergo movement relative thereto and along the truck load bed for engaging and pulling the tarp relative to the tarp guide device forwardly over the cargo, and an actuation mechanism configured to manipulate and move the tarp draught device relative to the tarp guide device and the cargo so as to accomplish distributing the tarp over at least a portion of the cargo.
US09555693B2
The invention relates to an air intake device (16) of a vehicle-interior ventilation system (10), in particular of a vehicle air conditioner, having a filter chamber (18) which is arranged upstream of a fan blower (34), and a filter (32) which is arranged in the filter chamber (18), the filter chamber (18) having a fresh air inlet (22) upstream of the filter (32) and a filter maintenance opening (40) which makes it possible to install and dismantle the filter (32). Furthermore, the air intake device (16) comprises an air-guiding component (24) which can be dismantled and has a fresh air intake opening (28), which air-guiding component (24) forms a fresh air duct (26) which extends from the fresh air intake opening (28) to the fresh air inlet (22) of the filter chamber (18), and which air-guiding component (24) closes the filter maintenance opening (40) by way of a cover section (42).
US09555678B2
The present invention provides, with reference to FIG. 1, an amphibian for use in land and marine modes comprising: a planing hull; three wheel stations, two of the three wheel stations being front wheel stations provided one on each side of and in the front half of the amphibian, and the third wheel station being a rear wheel station provided in a central region in the rear half of the amphibian; at least one wheel provided at each wheel station, each wheel being movable between a protracted land mode position and a retracted marine mode position; land propulsion means to propel the amphibian on land in the land mode, the land propulsion means comprising at least one of the wheels; and marine propulsion means to propel the amphibian on water in the marine mode, the marine propulsion means comprising at least two impellers or propellers provided one on each side of the rear wheel station.
US09555662B2
Systems and methods for mass producing customized engraved articles of manufacture based on orders from multiple different customers.
US09555654B2
A tape cartridge includes a tape roll around which a printing medium is wound, a platen roller that has a first fitting portion to be fitted to a drive shaft when the tape cartridge is mounted on a mounting section of a tape printer, and a second fitting portion that is disposed at a center of a tape roll in an axial direction of the tape roll and is fitted to an identification portion when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section of the tape printer. In the tape cartridge, when the tape cartridge is mounted on the mounting section of the tape printer, the second fitting portion is disposed in a depressed portion facing the mounting section.
US09555653B2
An apparatus for inspecting a liquid discharge head including an energy generation element provided on an element substrate and configured to make energy act on a liquid to discharge the liquid from an orifice, a lower protection film having an electrical insulating property and provided on the element substrate while covering the energy generation element, a wiring layer provided between the element substrate and the lower protection film and configured to supply electrical signal for driving to the energy generation element, and a conductive upper protection film provided on the lower protection film is provided. The apparatus comprises a detection circuit configured to detect a potential of the upper protection film when the energy generation element is driven; and a determination circuit configured to determine a driving state of the energy generation element from information about the potential detected by the detection circuit.
US09555651B2
A method of controlling discharge of printed sheets, which makes it possible to acquire a desired number of printed sheets as a sheet bundle. A controller determines whether or not printed sheets are stored in the stacker. The controller detects the number of printed sheets stored in the stacker. A controller causes the stored printed sheets to be discharged from the stacker as a sheet bundle when the number of printed sheets stored in the stacker is equal to a desired sheet count set by a user. In a case where the set desired sheet count has been changed, if it is determined that the printed sheets are stored in the stacker, the controller causes the printed sheets stored in the sheet discharge unit to be discharged from the stacker.
US09555639B2
A liquid supplying apparatus configured to supply a liquid to a liquid ejecting section that is configured to eject the liquid, the liquid supplying apparatus comprising a liquid containing portion configured to contain the liquid, and a fluid communication member in fluid communication with the liquid containing portion and having one end that is exposed to air, the fluid communication member further having a liquid visual recognition portion through which the liquid inside the fluid communication member is visually recognizable.
US09555638B2
A recording apparatus comprises a printer body having a case. An ink nozzle is in the interior of the printer body. An opening and closing member is movably affixed to an upper side of the printer body and is configured to open and close. An external tank is located exterior to the printer body. A tube, a portion of which is exterior to the printer body, provides a liquid from the external tank to the ink nozzle. One or both of the printer body and the opening and closing member are configured to define a tube insertion part, which has a cutout portion or a finger engage portion. The tube extends into the printer body through the cutout portion or the finger engage portion.
US09555637B2
A cartridge 1 is provided with an ink pack 9, an air bag 10 capable of abutting the ink pack 9, and a pressurizing chamber 11 that stores the ink pack 9 and the air bag 10. In the case where the amount of ink in the ink pack 9 decreases, pressurized air is introduced into the air bag 10, the ink pack 9 is pressed against the air bag 10, and thereby the internal pressure of the ink pack 9 is increased. After that, pressurized air is introduced into the pressurizing chamber 11 so as to increase the internal pressure of the pressurizing chamber 11 and pressurize the ink pack 9 from outside. Accordingly, the ink in the ink pack 9 is supplied from an ink supply port 12 to the inkjet printer 2.
US09555635B2
A liquid supply system adapted to be mounted in a carriage unit having a first liquid introduction portion and a second liquid introduction portion is proposed. The liquid supply system comprises two liquid supply units each having liquid supply portion adapted to liquid to the first and second liquid introduction portions, respectively. The two liquid supply units are adapted to be attached to and detached from the carriage unit. The liquid supply system further comprises a holder unit adapted to be attached to and detached from the carriage unit and adapted to fix the two liquid supply units to the carriage unit. The two liquid supply units are located between the holder unit and the carriage unit.
US09555630B2
A printhead assembly for an inkjet-printing device includes a printhead die and a flexible circuit connected to the printhead die. The printhead die includes a substrate, a first ground network electrically connected to the substrate, a device layer, and a second ground network electrically connected to the device layer. The first ground network and the second ground network are electrically isolated from one another within the printhead die. The first ground network and the second ground network are electrically connected to one another at the flexible circuit.
US09555623B1
Methods of manufacturing a volumetric continuous gradient complex dielectric element with drop-on-demand techniques, such as inkjet printing, by calculating spatial placement of nanocomposite-ink droplets are disclosed. The methods comprise determining or having a multi-dimensional gradient profile representing a volumetric gradient complex dielectric element. Providing or having a plurality of nanocomposite-inks, at least one of the nanocomposite-inks having a curable organic-matrix and a concentration of nanoparticles dispersed within to print the volumetric continuous gradient complex dielectric device. A print mask is determined in one-, two-, or three-dimensions that reconstructs the multi-dimensional gradient profile as a discretized pattern based on the material properties of the plurality of nanocomposite-inks and properties of a printing apparatus. A spatial or spatio-temporal print schedule is determined that results in an at least approximate reproduction of the gradient profile when printed with the printing apparatus.
US09555620B2
An adjustment value obtaining unit obtains an adjustment value for a first scanning speed before a pattern forming unit forms adjustment patterns for a second scanning speed, the pattern forming unit forms adjustment patterns by scanning with a print head at the second scanning speed with a shift amount based on an adjustment value obtained for the first scanning speed, and the adjustment value obtaining unit obtains an adjustment value for the second scanning speed based on the adjustment patterns formed by scanning with the print head at the second scanning speed.
US09555595B2
A free-standing multi-laminate hermetic sheet includes a first carrier film, a hermetic inorganic thin film formed over the first carrier film, and a second carrier film formed over the hermetic inorganic thin film. A workpiece can be hermetically sealed using the multi-laminate sheet, which can be applied to the workpiece in a step separate from a formation step of either the multi-laminate sheet or the workpiece.
US09555594B2
A paperboard plate such as a paper plate includes a generally planar bottom portion, an upwardly and outwardly extending fluted sidewall, wherein the sidewall comprises a plurality of sidewall flutes substantially around the outer perimeter of the plate to define a fluted perimeter. The flutes are suitably present at fewer than 3.5 flutes per inch; the plate has a radial profile with a single transition; and the diameter/flute length ratio is greater than 6. The plates are formed in a punch-through die cutting and forming tool from a plurality of paperboard web layers at increased productivities as compared with conventional heated press-forming.
US09555593B2
An apparatus for compacting stalk material, having a feeding device for feeding material to be pressed, having at least one pair of press drums which can be driven in opposite directions and which each have circumferential receiving grooves and compression rings in an alternate manner alongside one another in the axial direction, wherein the compression rings of one press drum engage in the receiving grooves of the other press drum, wherein at least one press drum is provided with a cavity and wherein this at least one press drum has a multiplicity of radially extending press channels in a manner distributed over the circumference, said press channels in each case connecting the groove bottom of the receiving grooves to the cavity, provision is made for the compression rings to have a circumferential profile having protrusions formed for example by radially external teeth having tooth tips.
US09555592B2
A method of fabricating a turbine engine blade root out of composite material including fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix, the method including making a central fiber strip and two outer fiber strips from three sets of yarn layers interlinked by three-dimensional weaving, passing the two outer strips through the central strip with the two outer strips crossing each other inside the central strip, eliminating the portions of the two outer strips lying outside the central strip by cutting them off, shaping the fiber blank in order to obtain a preform having a main portion forming a blade-root preform integral with two secondary portions forming bearing-plate preforms, and densifying the preform densified by the matrix.
US09555587B2
Composite layup tools for aircraft fuselage barrels, methods of assembling the layup tools, and aircraft fuselage barrels formed utilizing the layup tools are disclosed herein. A method of assembling the layup tools includes aligning an adaptor mating surface of a splice adaptor with a mandrel mating surface of a layup mandrel and initially attaching the splice adaptor to the layup mandrel at an initial attachment point. The methods further include attaching a lower lobe of the splice adaptor to a lower lobe of the layup mandrel. A method of forming a fuselage barrel assembly includes providing two fuselage barrel sections and a splice ring, aligning the two fuselage barrel sections, locating the splice ring within the two fuselage barrel sections, and attaching both fuselage barrel sections to the splice ring. The systems include a layup tool that is formed using the methods.
US09555586B2
A method of fabricating a connecting rod (6) out of composite material using three-dimensional fabric of woven reinforcing fibers, the connecting rod (6) extending in a main direction. The method comprises the steps of: cutting out one or more base pieces (7, 8) from a three-dimensional fabric; cutting out one or more reinforcing pieces (9, 10) from a three-dimensional fabric; installing the various pieces (7, 8, 9, 10) on a support in order to shape them; securing the various pieces (7, 8, 9, 10) to one another by stitching (12, 13, 14, 15) using reinforcing fibers in order to constitute a reinforcing fiber preform; installing the preform on a mandrel; and injecting resin into the preform and polymerizing the resin.
US09555582B2
An additive manufacturing method (1600) may involve additive manufacturing (1602) a walled structure (e.g., a shell or an enclosure) onto a print bed, positioning (1604) a support piece having a non-stick surface (e.g., a Teflon®) near or inside the structure, additive manufacturing (1606) a layer of material onto one or more walls and onto the support piece to create an overhang, and removing (1616) the support piece after the material making up the overhang has returned to a solid state or hardened.
US09555574B2
To effectively prevent a mouth portion of a preform from being deformed and enlarged in diameter during blow molding, provided is a blow molding device that includes: a blow mold inside which a cavity is provided for accommodating therein a preform, except for a mouth portion which is an orifice end of the preform, the preform being preformed in a bottomed tubular shape; a blow nozzle provided to supply a pressurized fluid into the preform through the mouth portion of the preform; a partition wall member that tightly surrounds an outer wall surface of the mouth portion of the preform; with space being formed between the partition wall member and the outer wall surface; and a pressurized fluid supply unit that supplies a pressurized fluid into the space during blow molding.
US09555560B2
A molding device (1) includes a temperature control section (4) and a temperature control sequence determining section (3) that corrects a temperature control sequence for instructing the temperature control section (4) to operate, the temperature control sequence determining section (3) including predicting means (31) for predicting a temporal shift of a thermosetting material (H) and correcting means (32) for correcting a temperature control sequence on the basis of the temporal shift. This arrangement prevents thermal runaway during a process of molding a thermosetting material.
US09555556B2
Polymer pellets are formed using air to influence the separation of polymer from a polymer melt. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a polymer material is extruded through a nozzle to form a polymer melt extending from the nozzle. A non-uniform thickness is generated in the polymer melt using a gas or gasses to apply a drag force to the polymer melt. This drag force reduces a thickness of a portion of the polymer melt adjacent the nozzle, and the polymer melt is fractured into discrete droplets at the reduced thickness. The discrete droplets are then solidified to form pellets.
US09555554B2
A power tool having a housing, a motor, a tool holder driven about an output axis by the motor, and an output element for performing an operation on a workpiece. The tool holder has a locating feature including a tapered portion becoming narrower in a direction away from the surface of the tool holder. The output element has an aperture for receiving the locating feature and a face facing the surface of the tool holder when the locating feature is received. The power tool also includes a flange for transferring a clamping force for urging the output element towards the tool holder and a tab projecting from the flange for finger tightening the flange. A biasing member provides the clamping force toollessly. A gap is defined between the surface of the tool holder and the face when the tapered portion of the locating feature is fully received in the aperture.
US09555551B2
A shaving unit includes a cap having an annular shaving track defining an axis. The shaving track is provided with hair entry apertures which have a V-shaped forward edge with a point directed in a cutting direction. Further, a rotary cutter has a plurality of cutter blades, where the rotary cutter is configured to rotate about the axis such that the cutter blades follow the shaving track in the cutting direction to cut hairs protruding through the hair entry apertures. The cutter blades have a V-shaped cutting edge, where a point of the V-shaped cutting edge is directed opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotary cutter.
US09555545B2
Example systems and methods may allow for parallel operation of robotic devices within a workcell, such as industrial robots controlled to manufacture an output product. One example method includes receiving ordered sequences of operations for a plurality of corresponding robotic devices, determining time-based sequences of operations for each of the robotic devices, where a time-based sequence of operations indicates positions within the workcell at corresponding timesteps of a global timeline, determining one or more potential collisions involving the robotic devices that would result from parallel execution of the time-based sequences of operations within the workcell, modifying the time-based sequences of operations in order to prevent the one or more potential collisions, and providing instructions for parallel execution of the modified time-based sequences of operations at timesteps of the global timeline by the robotic devices within the workcell.
US09555542B2
A robotic building system includes a first through third sets of extruded elements integrally joined at lengthwise edges and corners to rails. The second set of extruded elements has at least three adjoining sides surrounding a hollow opening, where each side is integrally joined to a rail. A third set of extruded elements has an asymmetrical inside angle shaped element formed by a first web and a second web oriented generally perpendicular to the first web, where each web is integrally affixed between a pair of opposing rails and each web shares a common rail. The rails may be tapped or drilled to accept a fastener, and each extruded element of the first set, second set and third set of extruded elements are adapted to be flush mounted to any of the other extruded elements or to the same shape extruded elements.
US09555539B2
A tool box contains: a holder, a cover, a first peripheral fence, and a second peripheral fence. The holder includes a first abutting rib extending upwardly from a top end of a peripheral wall thereof. The cover is used for covering the holder, and between the holder and the cover is defined an accommodating space to accommodate tools. The first peripheral fence is arranged around the peripheral wall of the holder. The second peripheral fence is arranged around an outer wall of the cover and includes a contacting face extending inwardly from a bottom end of the second peripheral fence to contact with the first abutting rib of the holder.
US09555532B2
In at least one illustrative embodiment, a rotary impact tool may include an anvil and at least one hammer configured to impact the anvil to cause the anvil to rotate. The anvil may include an output shaft, a first lug extending outward in a radial direction from the output shaft and extending a first distance around the output shaft in a circumferential direction, and a second lug extending outward in the radial direction from the output shaft and extending a second distance, different from the first distance, around the output shaft in the circumferential direction.
US09555522B2
A welding fixture including an electromagnet, a non-magnetic support configured to receive at least two sheets of material to be welded, and one or more clamping shoes configured to cooperate with the electromagnet to apply a clamping pressure to the at least two sheets of material and the non-magnetic support as a result of a magnetic force produced by the electromagnet is provided. A first of the at least two sheets of material is in contact with at least one of the one or more clamping shoes, and a second of the at least two sheets of material is in contact with at least the non-magnetic support. The one or more clamping shoes being shaped such that a perimeter defined by the one or more clamping shoes is located in the vicinity of a defined weld line to be welded on the at least two sheets of material, the weld line remaining substantially free from optical obstruction during production of the magnetic force.
US09555520B2
A method for producing a coated abrasive includes producing or providing an intermediate abrasive product that comprises a substrate, a plurality of abrasive grains that are bonded to the substrate, and at least one layer of an uncured size coat that at least partially covers the abrasive grains with the uppermost size coat being uncured. The method further includes applying at least one grinding additive to the uppermost, uncured size coat with the grinding additive applied to the size coat in dry form. The method also includes curing the uppermost size coat. A coated abrasive is produced by the method and the coated abrasive is used to process a surface.
US09555519B2
A cutting element include a substrate and a diamond compact including at least two polycrystalline diamond portions separated by at least one metal carbide foil portion. The cutting element is made by placing diamond powder in a reaction container, placing a thin metal layer in the reaction container above or around the diamond powder and binder, placing additional diamond powder in the reaction container above or around the thin metal layer, and placing a pre-sintered substrate containing binder into the reaction container above all diamond powder and thin metal layer components. The assembled reaction container is put into a reactor and is subjected to a high-temperature high-pressure sintering process. The binder in the pre-sintered substrate sweeps through to sinter the first diamond portion, and then reacts with the thin metal layer to form a metal carbide, and then the binder continues to sweep through to sinter the second diamond portion.
US09555505B2
The present invention is directed to a forging method for forming a heat sink 9 including a base board 91 and a plurality of pin fins 92 integrally formed on an upper surface of the base board 91. A back pressure applying pin 75 of a forging die for forming pin fins 92 are slidably arranged in a fin-forming hole 52. At the time of plastically deforming a forging blank W, a back pressure is applied by the back pressure applying pin to a metal material of the forging blank W flowed into the fin-forming hole 52. A concave portion 76 is formed on the restraining tip end face of the back pressure applying pin 75 for restraining the metal material, and a joining convex portion 93 is integrally formed on a tip end of the pin fin 92 by the metal material filled in the concave portion 76.
US09555504B2
A welded assembly of aluminum alloy part, in which (i) at least a first aluminum alloy part is procured in a solution heat treated, quenched, optionally cold worked, and naturally aged at ambient temperature or pre-aged temper, and at least a second aluminum alloy part, (ii) said parts are welded to obtain a welded assembly having a welded zone, (iii) cold working the entire welded zone between 0.3% and 5% is performed, (iv) the welded assembly thus cold worked undergoes post-weld aging to obtain a final metallurgical temper.
US09555500B2
A method to join a first material and a second material by diffusion welding, wherein a third material is put in between the first material and the second material during the joining process.
US09555494B2
The invention described herein generally pertains to a system and method for a welder system that includes a weld power generator and an auxiliary power generator in which the auxiliary power generator is adjustable between a first frequency and a second frequency for a power output to at least one outlet. The first frequency can correspond with a first national standard for a first country and the second frequency can correspond with a second national standard for a second country.
US09555493B2
A system and method of welding is provided where a first welding power supply provides a first welding waveform to a strip electrode for welding a work piece and a second welding power supply provides a second welding waveform to at least one curtain electrode for welding the work piece. The at least one curtain electrode is positioned adjacent to a side of said strip electrode during welding.
US09555468B2
A plant and a process are disclosed for producing components made of an aluminum alloy for vehicles and white goods, through the steps of: providing thixotropic billets made of an aluminum alloy; sizing the billets depending on a ratio between weight and size of the component to be produced, thereby obtaining crop ends of material; heating the crop ends in a range of temperatures during which both a solid phase and a liquid phase coexist with a prevalence in the solid phase (more than 50%) in heating means (5); loading, through loading means (9), the crop ends in an injecting vessel made of non-magnetic steel for further workings; removing, through scalping devices, an external part of the crop ends that has become cooled when passing from the heating means (5) to the loading means (9); firstly injecting the crop ends through a press; secondly injecting the crop ends through the press in 18 milliseconds by using a closed-loop control system and increasing the injection unit power with respect to a closing unit of the press; thirdly injecting the crop ends by coining the finished part in order to remove all porosities; extracting the molding through extracting means (13); depositing the molding onto a conveyor belt (15); and controlling a quality of the obtained molding, the molding being then sent to downstream mechanical workings and/or an heat treatment.
US09555464B2
An apparatus for expanding and belling a tube is provided including a receiver for supporting a first end of the tube. A stripper block assembly orients a second end of the tube along an axis. The stripper block assembly includes a first grip and a second grip movable in and out of engagement with a surface of the tube. The apparatus also includes a movable belling tool axially aligned with the tube. The belling tool bells a desired length of the tube and supports the second end of the tube. An expander tool is arranged to pass through the axially aligned tube to expand the tube. The expander tool includes an expander rod and an expander bullet. A portion of the expander bullet has a diameter larger than the diameter of the tube.
US09555459B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed which are suitable for use in the manufacture of two-piece metal containers. In particular, a way of making cups from metal sheet is disclosed using a combination of stretching and drawing operations. The resulting cups have the advantage of having a base thickness that is thinner relative to the ingoing gauge of the metal sheet.
US09555458B2
An ironing ring for use in a press for ironing pressing or drawing of a workpiece. The ironing ring has a work surface which, upon deforming the workpiece, contacts the workpiece, and causes flowing of the workpiece material. In order to prevent friction deposits in the region of the work surface of the ironing ring, a microstructure, differing from the roughness of the work surface, is introduced into the work surface, which forms elevations and/or recesses in the work surface. Material particles remaining on the work surface after the deforming of a workpiece thus adhere less strongly to the work surface and can be stripped off during the next deforming process.
US09555456B2
A tool holder for locating and seating varieties of differing tools. The tool holder is usable with press brake tools as well as tools for other industrial machines and equipment. The tool holder includes a clamp and a supporting body. The clamp is an assembly and, via collective operation of its components, functions with the supporting body to locate and seat tools of a variety of differing styles, sizes, and geometries.
US09555455B2
A guide is adapted to be positioned for encirclement by a helical formation of rod rings free falling from the delivery end of a conveyor. The guide comprises a vertically projecting mandrel terminating at its upper end in a nose cone. The nose cone has a horizontal profile defined in part by at least one element having an outer edge separated by a variable radial distance from a central axis of the mandrel.
US09555452B2
A substrate treatment method is provided, which includes a liquid film retaining step of retaining a liquid film of a treatment liquid on a major surface of a substrate, and a heater heating step of locating a heater in opposed relation to the major surface of the substrate to heat the treatment liquid film by the heater in the liquid film retaining step, wherein an output of the heater is changed from a previous output level in the heater heating step.
US09555451B2
A method of treating a sensor array including a plurality of sensors and an isolation structure, where a sensor of the plurality of sensors has a sensor pad exposed at a surface of the sensor array and the isolation structure is disposed between the sensor pad and sensor pads of other sensors of the plurality of sensors, comprises exposing the sensor pad and the isolation structure to a non-aqueous organo-silicon solution including an organo-silicon compound and a first non-aqueous carrier; applying an acid solution including an organic acid and a second non-aqueous carrier to the sensor pad; and rinsing the acid solution from the sensor pad and the isolation structure.
US09555449B2
A flux cleaning apparatus for cleaning an object with flux by removing impurities that include flux from the object with flux includes a body, a mount, at least one steam spraying nozzle, and a steam supplying unit. The mount is coupled with the body for mounting the object with flux. The at least one steam spraying nozzle is coupled with the body for spraying steam toward the object with flux on the mount such that the object with flux is cleaned by the steam sprayed from the steam spraying nozzle. The steam supplying unit is coupled with the body and the steam supplying unit supplies steam to the at least one steam spraying nozzle.
US09555448B2
Robotized cleaning device used on ferromagnetic structures that includes two symmetrical cleaning arms and a caterpillar type tractor device that moves using magnetic soles over the bands of the caterpillar robot; and where the arms are jointly attached to the tractor device via a structural profile and include a cleaning roller, each of them operated by a reduction motor connected to the roller and nozzles.
US09555440B2
An apparatus and a method for continuously manufacturing moisture films are revealed. At least one loading surface formed by a belt conveyor is used to support and move a lower fabric layer synchronously. During the movement, a top surface of the lower fabric layer is coated with a first fixing solution layer, a gel layer and a second fixing solution layer so as to form a film gradually. Moreover, an upper fabric layer is provided to be attached over the gel layer correspondingly. Then the second fixing solution layer is coated over the upper fabric layer. Thereby a continuous manufacturing of moisture films with or without carriers is completed.
US09555439B2
A high speed granule delivery system and method is disclosed for dispensing granules in intermittent patterns onto a moving asphalt coated strip in the manufacture of roofing shingles. The system includes a granule hopper and a rotationally indexable pocket wheel having an alternating series of pockets and lands formed into the circumference thereof, and which is positioned adjacent a nozzle in the bottom of the hopper. Upper and lower side portions of the pocket wheel define and are exposed to upper and lower extents of a store of granules. A seal on the bottom of the lower extent of the store of granules seals against the raised lands as the wheel is indexed. In use, the pockets of the pocket wheel drive through and are filled with granules in the store of granules. As each pocket is indexed beyond the seal, it is exposed to the moving asphalt coated strip below and its granules fall onto the strip to be embedded in the hot tacky asphalt.
US09555436B2
An upper treatment solution nozzle discharges a treatment solution at a treatment position above a substrate. A reference image and a test image are cut out from an image captured after the upper treatment solution nozzle receives an instruction to start discharging the treatment solution. The test image is an image including an area of a surface of a substrate, in which a liquid flow of the treatment solution from the upper treatment solution nozzle is to be formed. The reference image is an image of an area of the surface of the substrate except for the area in which the liquid flow of the treatment solution from the upper treatment solution nozzle is to be formed. Through the comparison between the reference image and the test image, a discharge of the treatment solution from the upper treatment solution nozzle is determined.
US09555433B2
A deposition mask for forming a thin film pattern having a predetermined shape on a substrate by deposition, includes a resin film that transmits visible light and has an opening pattern penetrating through the resin film and having the same shape and dimension as those of the thin film pattern so as to correspond to a preliminarily determined forming region of the thin film pattern on the substrate.
US09555425B2
During fabrication of shielded radio-frequency modules where costly metallic paint is sprayed to form a conductive layer, it is desirable to reduce the amount of paint being utilized, and to reduce the likelihood of accumulation of metal particles along various paths. A closed recirculation system can be provided to yield such desirable features, and can include a reservoir for holding a volume of metallic paint, a spray apparatus for spraying metallic paint received from the reservoir, and a recirculator for recirculating the metallic paint that is not sprayed back to the reservoir. In some embodiments, the spray apparatus can be implemented so as to have reduced dimensions, and include a mechanism for switching between a spray mode and a recirculate mode. Such a spray apparatus can reduce the amount of paint being utilized, and also reduce accumulation of metal particles in the spray apparatus.
US09555421B2
Provided is a sorting apparatus including: a flow channel device including a flow channel through which a fluid including particles flows and an operation electrode portion that causes a dielectrophoretic force to act on the particles in the flow channel; and a controller configured to detect characteristics of the particles flowing through the flow channel, generate a voltage signal by a pulse modulation using a square pulse based on the detected characteristics of the particles, and output the voltage signal to the operation electrode portion.
US09555408B2
The specification generally discloses systems and methods for mixing and delivering fluids in microfluidic systems. The fluids can contain, in some embodiments reagents that can participate in one or more chemical or biological reactions. Some embodiments relate to systems and methods employing one or more vent valves to controllably flow and/or mix portions of fluid within the microfluidic system. Advantageously, fluid control such as a sequence of fluid flow and/or a change in flow rate, can be achieved by opening and closing one or more vent valves and by applying a single source of fluid flow (e.g., a vacuum) operated at a substantially constant pressure. This can simplify the operation and use of the device by an intended user.
US09555402B2
Method for preparing zeolite beta which method comprises crystallization of zeolite beta from a solution comprising a template, a silicon source and an aluminum source in which the template is polymeric compound comprising ionizable polydiallyldimethylammonium (PDADMA) cationcrystallization. Furthermore, the present invention provides the use of thus prepared zeolite beta in catalysts for hydrocarbon conversions.
US09555401B2
A molecular sieve blend with improved performance characteristics produced by preparing or obtaining a hydrophilic zeolite, particularly a hydrophilic zeolite A with a low SiO2:Al2O3 ratio, preparing or obtaining a hydrophobic silicon based binder, particularly a hydrophobic colloidal silica or a hydrophobic siloxane based material, mixing the zeolite with the silicon based binder and, in one embodiment, a seed containing small quantities of a clay binding agent and the zeolite, to form a mixture, and forming the mixture into the molecular sieve blend.
US09555400B2
Synergized Platinum Group Metals (SPGM) catalyst system for TWC application is disclosed. Disclosed SPGM catalyst system may include a washcoat that includes stoichiometric Cu—Mn spinel structure, supported on doped ZrO2, and an overcoat that includes PGM, such as platinum (Pt) supported on carrier material oxides, such as alumina. SPGM catalyst system shows significant improvement in nitrogen oxide reduction performance under lean and also rich operating conditions. Additionally, disclosed SPGM catalyst system exhibits enhanced catalytic activity for carbon monoxide conversion. Furthermore, disclosed SPGM catalyst systems are found to have enhanced catalytic activity compared to PGM catalyst system, showing that there is a synergistic effect between PGM catalyst, such as Pt, and Cu—Mn spinel within disclosed SPGM catalyst system, which help in activity and thermal stability of disclosed SPGM catalyst.
US09555390B2
A packing element has components that form snap-lock connections with like packing elements used to form a contact assembly. The packing elements can be readily and easily assembled together using little force by connecting the packing elements with connectors in a snap-lock manner. The packing elements are retained by the snap-lock connectors in the contact assembly such that the packing elements cannot be separated without such force that the material forming at least one of components of the snap-lock connections or the packing element will fail to the extent that a contact assembly made using the packing elements would not be functional.
US09555385B2
Provided are surfactant compositions that are useful as alternatives to alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) type surfactants in emulsion polymerization. The surfactant compositions comprise: an alkyl alkoxylate sulfate of formula (I): R—O—(C3H6O)x(C2H4O)y—S03M, wherein R, x, y, and M are as defined herein.
US09555384B2
A blending appliance includes a housing with a jar receiving area defined between an upper housing and a support base. A blender jar includes a base portion and a receptacle portion, and is configured to be laterally received within the jar receiving area of the housing. A magnetic coupling system includes an upper magnetic coupler disposed in the base portion of the blender jar and a lower magnetic coupler disposed in the support base of the housing. The upper and lower magnetic couplers are magnetically coupled to one another for driving a blade assembly disposed in the receptacle portion of the blender jar. A brake mechanism is disposed on the upper magnetic coupler and is configured to stop rotation of the upper magnetic coupler when the blender jar is removed from the jar receiving area.
US09555380B2
The invention relates to an emulsification device for continuously producing emulsions, nano-emulsions, and/or dispersions having a liquid crystalline structure, comprising a) at least one mixing system, b) at least one drive for the stirring element, and c) at least one delivery unit for each component or each component mixture.
US09555370B2
An air filter cartridge arrangement, an air cleaner assembly, and components therefor, are provided. The air filter cartridge generally has perimeter shape with an arched side. The filter cartridge may include a media pack comprising strips of single facer material, each strip comprising fluted sheet secured to a facing sheet. In an example depicted, arch-shaped sections of single facer material are nested within one another, to form media pack having a perimeter D-shape. An air cleaner assembly configured for receipt of filter cartridge is described. A particular assembly, convenient for mounting on the cowl, cowling or engine cover of an over-the-highway truck, is provided.
US09555367B2
An electrocatalytic process for carbon dioxide conversion includes combining a Catalytically Active Element and Helper Catalyst in the presence of carbon dioxide, allowing a reaction to proceed to produce a reaction product, and applying electrical energy to said reaction to achieve electrochemical conversion of said reactant to said reaction product. The Catalytically Active Element can be a metal in the form of supported or unsupported particles or flakes with an average size between 0.6 nm and 100 nm. the reaction products comprise at least one of CO, HCO−, H2CO, (HCO2)−, H2CO2, CH3OH, CH4, C2H4, CH3CH2OH, CH3COO−, CH3COOH, C2H6, (COOH)2, (COO−)2, and CF3COOH.
US09555366B2
Provided herein are methods and devices to enrich trace quantities of impurities in gaseous mixtures, such as hydrogen fuel. The methods and devices rely on concentration of impurities so as to allow the detection of the impurities using commonly-available detection methods.
US09555357B2
Industrial vacuum systems are disclosed, as are filter chambers for industrial vacuum systems and other filtration applications. The filter chambers in these systems use two distinct types of filtering elements within a single chamber, arranging the filter elements such that air cannot pass through a secondary filter element until the air has first passed through and been filtered by a number of primary filter elements. The airflow within the filter chamber may be essentially vertical, and the secondary filter element may be positioned above the primary filter elements. The filter chamber may also include an agitation system for cleaning the filtering elements. The agitation system may be constructed such that it can operate while the system is in use.
US09555356B2
A bracket to mount a filter in an exhaust hood includes clip portion, a restraint portion, and a support portion. The clip portion includes a first wall and a second wall that are substantially parallel to each other with a space formed therebetween. The support portion is disposed between the clip portion and the restraint portion, and the support portion includes a hole formed therein. The filter includes an external support frame embedded with a filter pad, the external support frame being configured to provide support to the filter pad to maintain the filter pad in a generally flat configuration. The filter pad includes fibers selected from the group consisting of: wool fibers, wood-based viscose fibers, and cellulose-based synthetic fibers, the fibers configured to absorb grease particulates.
US09555355B2
Provided is a technique to manufacture a honeycomb structure reducing a width of dimensional difference generated during firing between an end part and a central part and having excellent thermal shock resistance, and the method includes: a honeycomb formed body preparing step of extruding a kneaded material including a cordierite forming raw material A, to prepare a formed body; a plugged honeycomb formed body preparing step of filling cell openings thereof with a plugging material which includes a forming raw material containing a cordierite forming raw material B and resin balloon of 1.0 to 15 mass % and has a difference in firing shrinkage rate of −1.0 to +2.0% from the formed body, to prepare a plugged formed body; and a honeycomb structure preparing step of firing the prepared plugged formed body, to prepare a honeycomb structure provided with porous plugged portions.
US09555350B2
A bypass valve having an adjustable flow resistance for a device through which a fluid medium flows. The valve includes a seat and a body which is biased closed, and which is movable in the opening direction by a fluid medium pressure difference between the inflow and the outflow side of the valve when the pressure difference exceeds a threshold. A bypass flow path connects the inflow side to the outflow side through the seat. The bypass valve includes a screen disposed in the bypass flow path. The valve body has two different open positions that depend on the fluid medium pressure difference. The entire cross-section of the bypass flow path is covered by the screen in a first valve body open position with a lower pressure difference, and a screen-free bypass flow path cross-section is exposed in a second valve body open position with a greater pressure difference.
US09555344B2
A process is provided for the preparation of a highly pure albumin solution the process comprising subjecting albumin (preferably expressed and secreted by transformed yeast) to a series of chromatographic steps. Preferably, the process comprises the steps of positive mode cation exchange chromatography, positive mode anion exchange chromatography, positive mode affinity chromatography, negative mode affinity chromatography (preferably using immobilized aminophenylboronic acid), negative mode cation exchange chromatography, and negative or positive mode anion exchange chromatography. A process for reducing the level of nickel in an albumin solution is also disclosed, as is a recombinant albumin coding sequence comprising two or more in-frame translation stop codons. Also disclosed is a process for producing recombinant albumin, the process comprising culturing a fungal cell expressing a recombinant albumin coding sequence, wherein the cell has a reduced capacity of mannosylation of the recombinantly-expressed albumin.
US09555332B2
It is an object of the present invention to enable predictions helpful to viewers to be preferentially presented. An information processing apparatus accepts dopester's purchase of a voting ticket for voting a race target participating in a race. The information processing apparatus accepts a prediction of the dopester for a race for which purchase of a voting ticket is accepted, the prediction including a race target predicted by the dopester. The information processing apparatus determines a coincidence between a promising bet of a race target of a voting ticket whose purchase is accepted and a prediction accepted by the prediction acceptance means per dopester. The information processing apparatus determines a prediction of which of a first dopester and a second dopester is preferentially presented to viewers based on coincidences determined for the first dopester and the second dopester, respectively.
US09555331B2
An obtaining unit of a moving control device obtains a first contact position and a second contact position on a touch panel. A determination unit determines information about a trajectory of a moving object in a virtual space based on the first contact position and second contact position. A moving control unit moves the moving object in the virtual space based on the information.
US09555325B2
One or more techniques and/or systems for managing a fantasy league are disclosed to incorporate one or more reality factors, equity lines, luxury tax, and/or revenue sharing policies into administration of the fantasy league. A reality factor may influence real life scenarios between at least one of a real player, a real team, and/or a real league, for example. Accordingly, the reality factor may be applied to at least one of a corresponding fantasy player, fantasy team, and/or fantasy league to create a fantasy rule configured to enable a fantasy environment (e.g., the fantasy player, fantasy team, fantasy league, and/or relationships thereof) to more closely emulate the real player, real team, real league, and/or corresponding relationships.
US09555321B2
A method of gaming comprising conducting one or more paid game rounds initiated in response to the payment of a wager by a player and a series of one or more free game rounds initiated in response to a free game series trigger event, the method comprising: in each paid game round, selecting a set of paid game round symbols for display to the player, determining a paid game round outcome based on the selected symbols, and incrementing a jackpot by a paid game jackpot increment; in each free game round, selecting a set of free game round symbols for display to the player, determining a free game round outcome based on the selected symbols, and incrementing the jackpot by a free game jackpot increment; and awarding the jackpot on the occurrence of a jackpot award event.
US09555315B2
An apparatus comprising a platform and a plurality of trucks coupled to the platform. The trucks are longitudinally opposing each other. The apparatus further comprising a plurality of roller assemblies coupled to the platform. The assemblies are longitudinally opposing each other between the trucks. The assemblies are configured for omnidirectional rotation. The assemblies are elastically biased for longitudinal alignment. At least one of the assemblies comprises a motor.
US09555300B2
A face insert comprising a planar member composed of a rigid material such as plastic or metal and a polymeric backing is disclosed herein. The planar member, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of geometrically-shaped holes, each of which comprises a perimeter edge that has a variable radius to further optimize performance of the face insert. In some embodiments, one or more of the holes extends completely through the planar member, i.e. is a through-hole, and the polymeric backing includes at least one protrusion with an angled upper surface that is sized to extend into a through-hole and further improve performance of the face insert. The face insert described herein can be used with any type of golf club head, including putters, woods, irons, and hybrids, and the holes may take any shape, including oval, hexagonal, and chevron.
US09555298B2
A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.
US09555294B2
A golf club head includes a crown surface having an apex at a highest point and extending between the face, the rear, the heel and the toe of the golf club head. The golf club head also includes a plurality of crown turbulators projecting from the surface of the crown and located between the face and the apex, wherein each adjacent pair of crown turbulators is separate and spaced apart to define a space between the adjacent pair of crown turbulators.
US09555293B2
A method for manufacturing a golf club having a hollow golf club head which is filled with a gas under pressure. The interior surface of the golf club head is coated with a solidified layer of a sealant material. The pressurized gas permits the use of thinner face plates by compensating for forces generated when the face plate strikes a golf ball. The sealant is preferably applied by rotating the golf club head to coat the interior surface of the golf club head.
US09555288B1
A water-resistant cap by which, in use, can be secured in a stretched manner tightly around a user's head with maximal comfort during swimming and bathing, including (1) a dome-shaped main body enclosure with a crown providing ample housing to fit hair of any size, (2) the crown projecting downward to a perimeter edge extending about an aperture—with a front-edge section, right-edge section, left-edge section, and a rear-edge section—forming a comfortable, water-tight seal during swimming or bathing; and (3) an element projecting from an outer-surface of the dome-shaped main body enclosure in a seamless fashion; and a method of economically manufacturing such cap with a seamless element.
US09555286B2
An arrangement, a communication module, a sensor unit and a method for monitoring physical performance includes at least one communication module having means for providing an output DC power by wire, and means for receiving at least one sensor signal representative of measured physiologic activity from at least one sensor unit. Said at least one sensor unit adapted to measure physiologic activity and to generate analog measurement signals in response thereof and is connected to said DC power wire and having means for processing and sending a sensor signal representative of measured physiologic activity by a wire to said communication module. A processing unit is adapted to form from said analog measurement signals data messages in predetermined transmission time slots. A wireless communication unit is used for transmitting the data messages at successive time slots using a wireless communication protocol to a wireless receiver device.
US09555280B2
An attachment assembly for an exercise device and a method of using the same. The device includes a first end and a second end; a first J-hook defining a portion of the second end; and a second J-hook defining a portion of the second end; wherein the first and second J-hooks are releasably attach the device to a separate exercise structure. The method includes providing a ring on the exercise structure, wherein the ring defines an aperture; affecting relative movement of the ring relative to an exercise assembly, defining a gap between two inverted J-hooks; positioning the ring in the gap beneath two ends of the J-hooks; affecting a relative rotation of the ring relative to the two J-hooks such that the ring is beneath a J-hook passageway defined by a downwardly facing concave surface on each J-hook; and engaging the ring with the concave surface on each J-hook.
US09555275B1
A hand pad for stabilizing and supporting on a floor or other surface the hand of a user during stationary and dynamic exercises includes a body having a top surface defining a debossed profile of a human hand for receiving therein the hand of a user, and a bottom surface having a slip-resistant texture.
US09555274B1
An exercise apparatus has a frame, a seat that is supported by the frame and a body support member that is supported by the frame. The seat extends at a seat angle relative to the frame. A seat adjustment device facilitates adjustment of the height of the seat with respect to the frame and causes adjustment of the seat angle when the height of the seat is adjusted.
US09555269B2
The present invention is directed to a carrageenan product comprising a semi-refined, alkali treated iota carrageenan wherein the semi-refined, alkali treated iota carrageenan has: (i) a viscosity of 18 cP to 83 cP, (ii) a particle size of at least 90% passing through a #100 US sieve mesh and at least 20% passing through a #230 US sieve mesh, and (iii) a fraction of sodium cations of at least 35%, wherein the fraction of sodium cations is determined by the weight of sodium cations divided by the sum of the weight of sodium cations and potassium cations. This invention is also directed to toothpaste compositions comprising the carrageenan product of the invention.
US09555261B2
A phototherapeutic device includes a sheet member that is attachable to a skin; a skin-condition sensor that is disposed in the sheet member and that detects information related to a condition of the skin; and a light-emitting device unit that is disposed in the sheet member, the light-emitting device unit operating on the basis of the information detected by the skin-condition sensor. The light-emitting device unit includes a plurality of light-emitting devices that emit light having different wavelengths.
US09555257B2
A device for powering an implant within a body of a subject from a location external to the subject, wherein the implant requires a threshold rate of power increase in order to operate in at least one mode, may include an antenna configured to wirelessly transmit energy to the implant. The device may also include a power storage unit configured to store energy from a power source incapable of delivering the threshold rate of power increase to enable the implant unit to operate in the at least one mode and a power release unit configured to release a pulse of energy from the power storage unit to the antenna after the power storage unit collects an amount of energy sufficient to enable the implant unit to operate in the at least one mode.
US09555255B2
A portable electronic programmer has a display screen, one or more sensors, a non-transitory memory storing instructions, and one or more electronic processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations that include: detecting, via the one or more sensors, that the display screen of the portable electronic programmer has been engaged by an object; determining a location of the display screen of the portable electronic programmer that has been engaged; and causing an external monitor to display a visual indicator that corresponds to the location of the display screen of the portable electronic programmer, the external monitor being communicatively coupled to the portable electronic programmer.
US09555254B2
System, implantable medical device and method for communicating between an implantable medical device and an external communication device. The implantable medical device has a physical connector, a medical module and a communication module. The medical module is configured to at least one of deliver a therapeutic output by way of the physical connector and/or sense data indicative of a physiologic condition of a patient by way of the physical connector. The external communication device is configured to communicate with the communication module by way of the physical connector. In an embodiment, electronic communication may be by way of a differential pair of connectors.
US09555250B2
A medical device system and method for determining pacing threshold data that includes a cardiac capture sensor, a phrenic nerve stimulation sensor, a pulse generator selectively coupled to a plurality of electrode vectors to deliver a phrenic nerve stimulation pulse, and a processor coupled to the cardiac capture sensor, the phrenic nerve stimulation sensor and the pulse generator and configured to deliver the phrenic nerve stimulation pulse along the plurality of electrode vectors, determine, for each vector of the plurality of vectors, whether phrenic nerve stimulation is detected in response to the delivered phrenic nerve stimulation, deliver a pacing pulse along only the vectors of the plurality of vectors that phrenic nerve stimulation is determined not to be detected, and determine pacing capture thresholds in response to the delivered pacing pulse.
US09555248B2
A method is provided to deliver C tactile fiber stimulation to nervous tissue of a patient. The method comprises delivering a first tactile stimulation waveform to a first electrode combination within an array of electrodes located proximate to nervous tissue of interest. The method further provides sequentially delivering successive tactile stimulation waveforms to successive electrode combinations within the array of electrodes. The first and successive tactile stimulation waveforms include at least one series of pulses having a pulse amplitude and pulse frequency. Delaying delivery of the successive tactile stimulation waveforms by a firing delay, the pulse amplitude, pulse frequency and firing delay represent therapy parameters. The method manages at least one of the therapy parameters of the first and successive tactile stimulation waveforms to excite C tactile fibers of the nervous tissue of interest.
US09555246B2
The present invention provides improved methods for positioning of an implantable lead in a patient with an integrated EMG and stimulation clinician programmer. The integrated clinician programmer is coupled to the implantable lead, wherein the implantable lead comprises at least four electrodes, and to at least one EMG sensing electrode minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface or within the patient. The method comprises delivering a test stimulation at a stimulation amplitude level from the integrated clinician programmer to a nerve tissue of the patient with a principal electrode of the implantable lead. Test stimulations are delivered at a same stimulation amplitude level for a same period of time sequentially to each of the four electrodes of the implantable lead. A stimulation-induced EMG motor response is recorded with the integrated clinician programmer for each test stimulation on each electrode of the implantable lead via the at least one pair of EMG sensing electrodes so as to facilitate initial positioning of the implantable lead at a target stimulation region.
US09555238B2
Provided is a device for iontophoretic delivery of a drug to or into a tissue, including an arrangement that prevents operation of the device at a current density that is higher than a predetermined value, the arrangement including first means responsive to a first data item, indicative of the surface area through which the current is to pass, as to set the maximal current allowed at the surface area indicated by the data item. Also provided is a method for iontophorectivally administering drug to or into a tissue, including determining a maximal allowed level of current density and preventing application of current density above the maximal allowed level.
US09555237B2
Overvoltage protection circuitry configured to protect internal integrated circuits within an implantable device in the presence of a high voltage event such as defibrillation or electrocautery. The circuitry allows for an internal node to rise above the voltage level of the high voltage event to insure that an overvoltage protection element is triggered, even if the voltage level of the high voltage event is below the voltage trigger level of the overvoltage protection element.
US09555236B2
The invention relates to an implantable capsule, particularly an autonomous capsule of cardiac stimulation, including a tubular body provided at the distal end of an anchoring element with a helical screw adapted to penetrate tissue a wall of an organ of a patient, the body housing a set of functional elements of the capsule. It includes, in an annular area surrounding the base of the screw recessed arrangements defining a set of flush tips oriented in a circumferential direction opposite to that of the screwing, to avoid the unscrewing of the capsule.
US09555233B2
An electrode configured for use in a direct current electrical stimulation system, which includes a control circuit configured to provide a stimulating current, includes a main body and a plurality of pin members. The main body is electrically coupled to the control circuit to receive the stimulating current therefrom and includes a base wall and a surrounding wall cooperating with the base wall to define a receiving space for receiving an electrically conductive liquid. The pin members extend from the main body, are in fluid communication with the receiving space, and permit delivery of the electrically conductive liquid to a subject when the pin members are placed in direct contact with the subject.
US09555224B2
Method for fabricating a catheter including providing an inner tubular member formed from a first polymeric material, the inner tubular member having a distal section, a distal end, and a lumen defined therein by a first inner diameter; necking down at least a portion of the distal section of the inner tubular member to form a necked tip having a second inner diameter; and removing a portion of polymeric material from an inner surface along the necked tip to define a third inner diameter for the necked tip. The method can include positioning the distal section of the inner tubular member in a balloon having a working length, a distal neck, and a distal leg, with the distal end of the inner tubular member extending distally beyond a distal end of the distal leg, and coupling the distal leg of the balloon to at least a portion of the distal section of the inner tubular member.
US09555213B2
A catheter tip coating assembly includes a housing defining a fluid reservoir and having a fluid outlet configured to dispense fluid to an end of a piece of tubing. The catheter tip coating assembly includes a valve assembly carried by the housing and at least partly disposed in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. The valve assembly is configured to receive the piece of tubing and configured to move between a first position to limit fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet and a second position to provide fluid communication between the fluid reservoir and the fluid outlet to dispense fluid to the end of the piece of tubing. The assembly provides for careful control over the amount of liquid that is applied and the depth of the wetting.
US09555203B2
A personal vapor inhaling unit is disclosed. An electronic flameless vapor inhaler unit that may simulate a cigarette has a cavity that receives a cartridge in the distal end of the inhaler unit. The cartridge brings a substance to be vaporized in contact with a wick. When the unit is activated, and the user provides suction, the substance to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through the wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing a heating element. The heating element vaporizes the atomized substance. The vapors then continue to be pulled by the user through a mouthpiece and mouthpiece cover where they may be inhaled.
US09555201B2
A hand-held, portable inhalator device is disclosed. The device has a mouthpiece with a chamber operatively coupled to a medication inlet and a fluid outlet. A valve is disposed about the fluid outlet and is configured to open when subjected to a first threshold level of positive pressure permitting egress of fluid from the chamber. A trigger is configured to dispense medication from a medication source through the medication inlet and into the chamber after a second threshold level of positive pressure is achieved within the chamber of the mouthpiece and maintained for a threshold period of time.
US09555199B2
The disclosure relates to a laminar evaporator, comprising a laminar electrical resistance heating element for pulse heating and evaporation of an inhalationally receivable material distributed or distributable on the heating element surface by means of an electric heating current flowing or flowable in a laminar manner with at least two electrical contacts and/or poles (2, 3) for introducing the filament current into the resistance heating element, where the resistance heating element has at least one slot-shaped recess (5) constricting the lines of flux (4) of the original electric field forming or formable between the poles (2, 3) and is superficially bonded with an open-celled porous structure holding or capable of holding the material.
US09555191B2
A medicament delivery device includes a housing, a medicament container disposed within the housing, an activation mechanism, a cover and an electronic circuit system. The activation mechanism includes an energy storage member configured to produce a force to deliver the dose of a medicament and/or vaccine. The cover is configured to receive at least a portion of the housing. The electronic circuit system is coupled to the housing such that a protrusion of the cover electrically isolates a battery from a portion of the electronic circuit system when the portion of the housing is received by the cover. The electronic circuit system is configured to be electrically coupled to the battery and to produce a recorded speech output when the portion of the housing is at least partially removed from the cover. The electronic circuit system configured to produce a signal when the activation mechanism is actuated.
US09555188B2
An implantable infusion device includes a pump, a charge storage unit, and a charging circuit configured to supply current to the charge storage unit from a battery in preparation for actuating the pump. The implantable infusion device also includes a pump actuator circuit configured to actuate the pump using energy from the charge storage unit, and a voltage boost circuit configured to provide a boosted battery voltage generated from the battery. The charging circuit is configured to supply current to the charge storage unit from the voltage boost circuit instead of directly from the battery in response to (i) a comparison of a voltage of the battery with a predetermined threshold and (ii) a comparison of a voltage of the charge storage unit with the voltage of the battery.
US09555185B2
A biomedical haemostatic powder dispenser (1) by which individual doses of powdered medication that are stored in respective chambers of a rotatable carousel (22) are fluidized for delivery to a targeted treatment site (e.g., a wound in order to stop bleeding). In particular, a squeeze handle (7) is activated (i.e., depressed) so as to cause a blast of gas under pressure to be applied from a gas reservoir (30) to a particular one of the powder-filled chambers of the medication carousel so that a single measured dose of medication is entrained and delivered to the patient. At the same time that the squeeze handle is activated, the medication carousel is rotated so that a different powder-filled chamber is moved within a fluid path between the gas reservoir and an outlet nozzle tube (10) of the dispenser and a kit for dispensing a powder.
US09555184B2
According to some embodiments, a system may treat blood outside the body of a patient. The system may include one or more pumps configured to draw blood from a patient into a fluid flow path at a rate, for example, of 5-7 liters per minute. The system may include one or more heat exchangers coupled to the fluid flow path and configured to heat the blood, for example, to a temperature above 42 degrees Celsius and below 43.2 degrees Celsius.
US09555181B2
A medical device having a heater with at least one heating element which has mains voltage applied to it by a heating control unit. The heating control unit includes a monitoring arrangement and a switching arrangement. The monitoring arrangement can recognize the zero crossings of the mains voltage, and the switching arrangement can switch the at least one heating element on or off in the zero crossing. The heating control unit controls the power of the heating by switching on and off of one or more half cycles of the mains AC voltage.
US09555179B2
Disclosed are hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems including fluid flow circuits. Hemodialysis systems may include a blood flow path, and a dialysate flow path including balancing, mixing, and/or a directing circuits. Preparation of dialysate may be decoupled from patient dialysis. Circuits may be defined within one or more cassettes. The fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be isolated from electrical components. A gas supply may be provided that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate through the dialyzer and blood back to the patient. Such a system may be useful during a power failure. The hemodialysis system may also include fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, etc., actuated using a control fluid. The control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using a detachable external pump. The fluid handling devices may have a spheroid shape with a diaphragm dividing it into two compartments.
US09555176B2
The present invention relates to deforming a patient's artery. In a preferred embodiment, the deformation pressure is applied to the outer wall of the artery.
US09555168B2
A system for delivery of medication in treatment of disorders of the pelvis is disclosed. The system includes a medicament applied to an implantable device and an insertion tool. The implantable device has a first end opposite from a second end, with the first end of the implantable device insertable into tissue within the pelvis. A retrieval string is coupled to the second end of the implantable device. The insertion tool includes a shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end, with a handle coupled to the proximal end of the insertion tool and the distal end of the insertion tool is adapted to couple with the implantable device. The handle includes a notch adapted to releasably secure the retrieval string.
US09555167B2
Antimicrobial compositions comprising aliphatic polyester, and an antimicrobial component effective for antimicrobial activity, and, in some embodiments, an enhancer. Example: blend of poly(lactic acid) polymer (55g) with propyleneglycol monolaurate antimicrobial component (9g), and benzoic acid enhancer (1g). Inventive resin compositions are effective against gram negative and gram positive bacteria, mold and mildew. Preferred compositions comprise materials that are GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe).
US09555166B2
The invention relates to a method for healing blood vessels by stimulating the formation of a confluent endothelial autologous cell layer in vivo on an implantable metallic stent having a lumen and a luminal surface, and an exterior surface. More specifically, the method includes implanting the stent with a coating in a patient in need of thereof; wherein the coating includes one or more layers of a matrix covalently adherent on said luminal and exterior surface of said stent containing one or more pharmaceutical substances on said exterior surface and a therapeutically effective amount of a single type of antibody, antibody fragments or combinations thereof being compatible to binding selectively to a specific cell surface antigen of circulating autologous endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood. In addition, genetically engineered endothelial progenitor cells can be captured on said luminal surface of stent in vivo, to proliferate to form rapidly a confluent endothelium in situ.
US09555163B2
The present invention relates to hydrogels comprising a plurality of amphiphilic peptides and/or peptoids capable of self-assembling into three-dimensional macromolecular nanofibrous networks, which entrap water and form said hydrogels, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of amphiphilic peptides and/or peptoids is chemically cross-linked. The present invention further relates to methods for preparing such hydrogels and to various uses of such hydrogels, e.g. as cell culture substrates, for drug and gene delivery, as wound dressing, as an implant, as an injectable agent that gels in situ, in pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions, in regenerative medicine, in tissue engineering and tissue regeneration, or in electronic devices. It also relates to a method of tissue regeneration or tissue replacement using a hydrogel in accordance with the present invention.
US09555152B2
Disposable absorbent articles assembled from a collection of components using an adhesive comprising an amorphous polyolefin composition and a heterophase polyolefin composition comprising amorphous character and crystalline blocks.
US09555134B2
Nanoparticles for use as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents are described. The nanoparticles are made up of a polymeric support and a manganese-oxo or manganses-iron-oxo cluster having magnetic properties suitable of a contrast agent. The manganese-oxo clusters may be Mn-12 clusters, which have known characteristics of a single molecule magnet. The polymer support may form a core particle which is coated by the clusters, or the clusters may be dispersed within the polymeric agent.
US09555129B2
A stable composition useful for myocardial perfusion imaging contains one or more 2-alkynyladenosine derivatives; and a solvent which is made up of water and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin.
US09555127B2
The invention relates to a biological system for diminishing cell growth or inducing selective killing of target cells, in particular pathogenic bacterial or fungal cells, or cancer cells. The biological system is based on toxin-antitoxin systems, as found in prokaryotic plasmids and their host chromosomes. The biological system comprises a vehicle with a first nucleic acid sequence or amino acid sequence encoding for a prokaryotic toxin of a prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin pair, and a second nucleic acid sequence or amino acid sequence encoding for the corresponding prokaryotic antitoxin of the prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin pair. The system is characterized in that the toxin and/or the antitoxin is operably linked to a protein output modifier (POM) that comprises a nucleic acid sequence or amino acid sequence that modifies the relative rate of transcription, mRNA stability, mRNA translatability or protein stability of the toxin and/or antitoxin.
US09555122B2
Described is a conjugate of agent complex and at least one target-finding ligand, where the agent complex comprises an agent encapsulated by an encapsulation material and where the target-finding ligand is a prostacyclin analog, and the use of the conjugate.
US09555121B2
Provide are a composition for forming a composite, the composition including a cellulose-based compound, a polyphenol-based compound, and a solvent, wherein an amount of the polyphenol-based compound is 1 to 40 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the cellulose-based compound, a composite formed from the composition, and an orally ingestible composition including the composite. The composite has characteristics of being dissolved in a solvent in a various pH ranges depending on a mixing ratio of the cellulose-based compound and the polyphenol-based compound. Therefore, when the composite is used, a composite film may be easily prepared, and the composite film may be useful in medical or foods fields where film characteristics dependent on pH is required.
US09555118B2
The present invention relates to compositions forming a low viscosity mixture of: a. 25-55 wt. % of at least one diacyl glycerol and/or at least one tocopherol; b. 25-55 wt. % of at least one phospholipid component comprising phospholipids having i. polar head groups comprising more than 50% phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and ii. two acyl chains each independently having 16 to 20 carbons wherein at least one acyl chain has at least one unsaturation in the carbon chain, and there are no more than four unsaturations over two carbon chains; c. 5-25 wt. % of at least one biocompatible, oxygen containing, low viscosity organic solvent; wherein 0.1-10 wt. % of at least one peptide active agent comprising at least one somatostatin receptor agonist is dissolved or dispersed in the low viscosity mixture; and wherein the pre-formulation forms, or is capable of forming, at least one non-lamellar liquid crystalline phase structure upon contact with an aqueous fluid. The invention further relates to methods of treatment comprising administration of such compositions, and to pre-filled administration devices and kits containing the formulations.
US09555115B2
This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for oral administration comprising 4-((1-methylpyrrol-2-yl)-carbonyl)-N-(4-(4-morpholin-1-yl-carbonylpiperidin-1-yl)-phenyl)-1-piperazinecarboxamide, a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, as an active pharmaceutical ingredient; and at least one acid additive selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, L-aspartic acid, and L-glutamic acid.
US09555105B2
The invention relates to novel artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs). The aAPC comprises at least one stimulatory ligand and at least one co-stimulatory ligand where the ligands each specifically bind with a cognate molecule on a T cell of interest, thereby mediating expansion of the T cell. The aAPC of the invention can further comprise additional molecules useful for expanding a T cell of interest. The aAPC of the invention can be used as an “off the shelf” APC that can be readily designed to expand a T cell of interest. Also, the aAPC of the invention can be used identify the stimulatory, co-stimulatory, and any other factors that mediate growth and expansion of a T cell of interest. Thus, the present invention provides powerful tools for development of novel therapeutics where activation and expansion of a T cell can provide a benefit.
US09555093B2
The present invention relates to a universal H5N1 vaccine. More specifically, the present invention relates to the identification of three H5N1 strains which cover the entire variants in the neutralizing epitopes of hemagglutinin among most H5N1 lineages. The present invention further relates a universal H5N1 vaccine that comprises the three H5N1 strains or that comprises hemagglutinin peptides of each of these three strains.
US09555091B2
The present invention relates to a recombinant baculovirus comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a foreign virus envelope protein; (b) a first promoter operatively linked to the envelope-encoding nucleotide sequence; (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding an antigen protein; and (d) a second promoter operatively linked to the antigen-encoding nucleotide sequence; and a vaccine composition using the same. The recombinant baculovirus of the present invention has an excellent efficacy on both humoral and cellular immune responses against a specific antigen (e.g., HPV L1), enabling to function as a more efficient DNA vaccine.
US09555070B2
A method of inhibiting protein kinases by administering polypeptides derived from alpha-neurotoxin, and inhibiting protein kinases. Diseases treated thereby include cancer, influenza, Tourette's syndrome, pain, and neurological deficits.
US09555069B2
The present disclosure describes pharmaceutical compositions and methods for reducing duration, intensity, and/or bothersomeness of common colds in humans and for reducing severity or duration of common cold symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, dry/scratchy throat and sneezing in humans exhibiting such symptoms. The compositions herein comprise extracts of at least one of Luffa Operculata (L. operculata), S. officinale (V. sabadilla), and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and in various embodiments, comprise a mixture of all three Luffa Operculata (L. operculata) 10% extract MT, S. officinale (V. sabadilla) 3× extract, and Galphimia Glauca (G. glauca) 10% extract MT in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US09555052B2
Intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR) is an affliction of a disparaging spectrum, placental insufficiency being the major inciting pathology. The resultant fetal hypoglycemia is alleviated by intravenous hypertonic D-glucose 25-50% maternal supplements, by improving the Vmax of placental substrate transfer, as per Michaelis-Menten model. Fetal normoglycemia so restored in turn surprisingly improves fetal hypoxia, hypercapnia if any, lactic acidemia, acidosis, oliguria with/without oligohydromnios, hypertriglyceridemia, and the fetal nutrient, mineral and vitamin acquisition. The list being phenomenal can only convince an inquiring reader by a biochemical sojourn into the aquatic world of the fetus, herein described. Maternal carbohydrate predominant, essential amino acids/fatty acids rich IUGR-diet incorporating maximal amounts of vitamin and minerals are highly beneficial for attainable placental Vmax. Transamniotic isotonic D-glucose supplement via minimally invasive ‘Suprapubic extraperitonial pelvic approach’ for amniotomy (Sumathi Paturu's technique) with a Subcutaneously Implanted Pregnancy Port (SIPP) catheter is the additional therapy advocated.
US09555040B2
Provided herein are methods of administering N-(5-tert-butyl-isoxazol-3-yl)-N′-{4-[7-(2-morpholin-4-yl-ethoxy)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]benzothiazol-2-yl]phenyl}urea, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, to human patients, including a specific patient population. Specifically, dosing, dosing schedules or dosing regimens are provided herein. Methods of treating proliferative diseases or FLT-3 mediated diseases in humans are also provided.
US09555036B2
Compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof: wherein R1 is n-C1-6alkyl or C1-2alkoxyC1-2alkyl-, R2 is halo, OH or C1-3alkyl, m is an integer having a value of 4, 5, 6 or 7, n is an integer having a value of 0, 1, 2 or 3, and p is an integer having a value of 0, 1 or 2, are inducers of human interferon. Compounds which induce human interferon may be useful in the treatment of various disorders, for example the treatment of allergic diseases and other inflammatory conditions, for example allergic rhinitis and asthma, infectious diseases and cancer, and may also be useful as vaccine adjuvants.
US09555031B2
Uses of pyrrolopyrimidines with anti-Mer tyrosine kinase activity as anti-infective agents, immunostimulatory and immunomodulatory agents, anti-cancer agents (including against MerTK−/− tumors and ITD and TKD mutant forms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)), and as adjunctive agents in combination with chemotherapeutic, radiation or other standard of care for neoplasms.
US09555008B2
A method of making a hyperbranched amphiphilic polyester compound includes drying under vacuum a mixture of 2-(4-hydroxybutyl)-malonic acid and p-toluene sulphonic acid as catalyst. The vacuum is then released with a dry inert gas after drying. The dried mixture is heated under the inert gas at a temperature sufficient for polymerization. The inert gas is evacuated while continuing to heat the mixture. The formed polymer is then dissolved in dimethylformamide and precipitated out by adding methanol. Modifications of the method yield nanoparticles of polyesters having properties suited for coencapsulating fluorescent dyes together with therapeutic drugs, resulting in theranostic nanoparticles, that is, nanoparticles useful in both therapeutic treatments and diagnostic methods.
US09555007B2
Biocompatible hydrogel capsules encapsulating mammalian cells having a diameter of greater than 1 mm, and optionally a cell free core, are disclosed which have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.
US09554994B2
The present invention describes a composition in form of a gel for the virucidal disinfection of mammalian skin comprising 71 to 95 weight percent of a C1 to C3 monoalcohol, 0.01 to 1 weight percent thickener and wherein the composition has a viscosity range of from 3000 to 19000 mPas measured at 20° C. with spindle LV3 at a speed of 2.5 rpm. Furthermore, the invention describes a method for virucidal disinfection of skin.
US09554984B2
The invention provides a biological dressing for treatment of a condition of the skin, mucosa, teeth or other tissue within or proximate to the oral cavity of a subject, the biological dressing comprised of a gum resin, a topically acceptable volatile solvent, and an oral care agent. The gum resin is present in a suitable amount that the composition, when the solvent evaporates, will dry to form a solid coating that sticks to the tissue to which the composition is applied and maintain the oral care agent over a sustained period of time in contact with sites on the tissue exhibiting symptoms of the condition. Methods are provided for treating symptoms of oral condition with such a oral care composition.
US09554982B2
An aerosol antiperspirant composition is provided. The aerosol antiperspirant composition includes a propellant and an antiperspirant composition. The antiperspirant composition includes one or more liquid materials, wherein the one or more liquid materials comprise one or more non-volatile silicone fluids having a concentration from 40% to about 70% by weight of the antiperspirant composition; antiperspirant active particulates having a concentration from about 16% to about 32% by weight of the antiperspirant composition; one or more non-antiperspirant active particulates that are substantially inert, wherein the one or more non-antiperspirant active particulates that are substantially inert have a concentration from 10% to 30% by weight of the antiperspirant composition; and wherein the antiperspirant composition has a total particulate concentration from 30% to about 60% by weight of the antiperspirant composition.
US09554979B2
Hair care compositions including from about 0.005% to about 5% apigenin; from about 0.15% to about 12% of a solubilizing agent, wherein the solubilizing agent comprises an amine functional group; and at least about 20 weight percent of an aqueous carrier, where the composition has a pH ranging from about 3 to about 10, and methods of making the same are provided. These hair care compositions can be applied to any area of the scalp or hair where healthier hair appearance is desired.
US09554975B2
A dentifrice composition is described for combating dental erosion and/or tooth wear comprising a fluoride ion source and a silica dental abrasive, the dentifrice having a Relative Dentine Abrasivity (RDA) value from 20 to 60 and a pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 and being free of an orthophosphate buffer or a water soluble salt of a C10-18 alkyl sulfate.
US09554972B2
A hair treatment composition is in the form of an emulsion, preferably of a micro emulsion, which improves hair quality in terms of softness, shine and touch feeling. Emulsion type of hair treatment composition is characterized in that it includes in a cosmetically acceptable aqueous medium a—one or more surfactants as emulsifier, b—one or more natural and/or mineral oil, c—one or more silicone oil, and d—at least one polyethyleneglycol with a molecular weight of more than 10,000.
US09554967B2
An alignment device for coupling a liquid drug cartridge with a longitudinal cartridge axis and a constricted neck portion with a cap and a piercable septum distal from the neck portion with an adapter is presented. The septum is perpendicular to the cartridge axis. The device comprises an adapter cannula with a longitudinal cannula axis to pierce the septum and a proximal cartridge engagement structure for axial aligned engagement with a distal end section of cartridge body. The device further comprises a distal adapter engagement structure for axial aligned engagement with the adapter. A coupling of the cartridge with the adapter is enabled via the alignment device. The adapter and the cartridge are, during the coupling, aligned by the cartridge engagement structure and the adapter engagement structure, respectively relative to each other such that the longitudinal cartridge axis and the longitudinal cannula axis form a common longitudinal axis.
US09554959B2
The improved positioning device, for use in hip, pelvis or bariatric surgery, securely and safely supports a morbidly obese patient lying in the lateral decubitus position at one side of an operating table so the surgeon may stand close to the anterior side of the patient. The support device includes a double-ended bracket having a pair of oppositely positioned padded end portions secured to an angular bracket post adapted to securely mount to an operating table via a question mark-shaped bracket. The angular bracket arm vertically adjusts to support the patient on one side, with the padded end portions applied to bony prominences such as the symphysis pubis and the lower side anterior superior iliac spine. The support device is used in combination with a posterior pelvic support plate, and a pair of anterior-posterior chest support plates to retain the patient in a secure and stable manner during surgery.
US09554950B2
A film particularly suited for use as a transfer layer in an absorbent article has a plurality of capillaries and a plurality of drains, said capillaries comprising side walls depending from a female side of the film and terminating in an aperture on a male side of the film; said drains comprising side walls that depending from the female side of the film and terminating in an aperture on the male side of the film, wherein the drains are disposed at an obtuse angle relative to a base plane of the film.
US09554942B1
A steerable laser probe may include a handle, an actuation lever, an optic fiber, and a housing tube. The housing tube may have a first housing tube portion having a first stiffness and a second housing tube portion having a second stiffness. The second stiffness may be greater than the first stiffness. The optic fiber may be disposed within the housing tube and within an inner bore of the handle. An actuation of the actuation lever about a pivot pin of the handle may gradually curve the optic fiber. An actuation of the actuation lever about the pivot pin of the handle may gradually straighten the optic fiber.
US09554936B2
A resin MMF/reimplantation kit is provided with a dental arch bar that includes an elongated pliable splint and a plurality of attachment members. The pliable splint includes an interiorly facing side surface and an exteriorly facing side surface. The pliable splint includes a curable component that cures from a moldable state to a rigid state in less than one minute upon being activated. The attachment members can be ether partially embedded in the pliable splint or can be separate from the pliable splint until after the pliable splint is attached to the patient's teeth.
US09554928B2
A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes one or more balloon pressurization steps. The balloon pressurization steps are selected to enhance scaffold retention to the balloon while retaining, at least partially, the original balloon folds as the balloon is pressurized and de-pressurized within a crimper head. By at least partially retaining the original balloon folds, a uniformity of scaffold expansion by the balloon is improved.
US09554921B2
There is provided a movement support apparatus including a lower limb coupling portion configured to be coupled to a lower limb, an elastic member, a ground contact unit configured to include a ground contact plate coming into contact with a surface and a transmission portion transmitting force generated by the elastic member, and an ankle portion configured to be installed between the lower limb coupling portion and the ground contact unit. The ground contact unit is installed to be displaceable between a position at which the transmission portion comes into contact with the ankle portion and a position at which the transmission portion is uncoupled from the ankle portion.
US09554918B2
A spacer for separating bones of a joint, the spacer includes a frame having a longitudinal axis, and ramped surfaces. An endplate configured to engage a bone of the joint has ramped surfaces mateable with the ramped surfaces of the frame. When the endplate is moved relative to the frame in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the frame, the endplate is moved in a direction away from the frame to increase the height of the spacer. A second endplate configured to engage a second bone of the joint can be similarly configured.
US09554917B2
A prosthesis system comprises plates that can be positioned against vertebrae and a selected resilient core that can be positioned between the plates to allow the plates to articulate. The selected resilient core can be chosen from a plurality of cores in response to patient characteristics, such as age and/or intervertebral mobility, such that the prosthesis implanted in the patient is tailored to the needs of the patient. The plurality of cores may comprise cores with different resiliencies, and one of the cores can be selected such that the upper and lower plates articulate with the desired shock absorbing resiliency and/or maximum angle of inclination when the one selected core is positioned between the plates.
US09554914B2
An implant that facilitates the fusion of a first bone part with a second bone part includes an implant body that extends between the first bone part and the second bone part. The implant body includes a first portion that fits within a first receiving aperture in the first bone part, and the implant body includes a second portion that fits within a second receiving aperture in the second bone part. At least one of the first portion and the second portion can be made of bone. Additionally, at least the second portion is formed to have a non-circular cross-sectional shape to inhibit relative motion between the bone parts and the implant body.
US09554913B2
A shock-absorbing implant for use in shoulder arthroplasty has a bearing surface, a mounting base affixed to or formed with the bearing surface, a convex element extending outwardly of the mounting base opposite the bearing surface, a receptacle positioned so as to slidably or pivotably receive a portion of the convex element therein, a housing receiving at least a portion of the receptacle therein, and a resilient element received in the housing and bearing against a surface of the housing and against a surface of the receptacle. The bearing surface can be concave when the implant is used as a glenoid implant. The bearing surface can be convex when the implant is used as a humeral head implant.
US09554902B2
A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an annulus section adjacent the proximal end and an aortic section adjacent the distal end. The heart valve further includes a plurality of commissure features disposed on the stent, and a collapsible and expandable valve assembly, the valve assembly including a plurality of leaflets connected to the plurality of commissure features, each of the plurality of leaflets having a free edge and being configured to have a tension line aligned near the free edge to prevent backflow.
US09554897B2
A prosthetic valve comprises a self-expanding frame which includes a self-expanding atrial skirt that forms a flanged region, a self-expanding ventricular skirt, and a first self-expanding tab coupled with the ventricular skirt. A receptacle for receiving a valve leaflet is formed by the area bounded by an outer surface of the atrial skirt, an outer surface of the ventricular skirt, and an inner surface of the first tab. The receptacle has a window for receiving the valve leaflet that is defined by a gap between an edge of the flange and a tip of the first tab. The gap is maximized when the tip of the first tab is unconstrained and a base of the first tab is at least partially constrained. The gap is minimized when the tip of the first tab and its base are unconstrained.
US09554890B2
A prosthetic capsular device configured to be inserted in an eye includes a housing structure and a ring structure. The housing structure includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side, a fourth side opposite the third side, a posterior side including a refractive surface, an anterior side opposite the posterior side, and a longitudinal axis. The first side, the second side, the third side, the fourth side, the posterior side, and the anterior side at least partially define a cavity configured to contain an intraocular device (e.g., an IOL). The anterior side includes an opening. The ring structure includes a ring structure portion extending radially outward from proximate one of an end of the first side and an end of the second side.
US09554888B2
Systems and methods for producing scaffolds are disclosed. The system includes a polymer solution and a non-solvent, which are sprayed into receiving portions of support elements. After scaffolds are formed on the support elements, the support elements permit elongation of the scaffolds. Composites formed from a plurality of scaffolds are also disclosed.
US09554882B2
A method of making a calcium-fluoride layer formed on an object surface for more wear resistance includes the steps of coating sodium fluoride to a surface of an object having calcium, whereby the calcium fluoride and the calcium are inverted to become a calcium-fluoride layer on the surface of the object after a chemistry reaction; preparing a CO2 laser device having a CO2 laser emitter for emitting CO2 laser; and applying irradiation of the CO2 laser via the CO2 laser emitter to the calcium-fluoride layer for at least five seconds. In light of this, the wear resistance of the calcium-fluoride layer is enhanced for at least 34%, the absorption rate of the fluoride is increased for at least 23%, and the surface of the object has aesthetic and integral appearance.
US09554865B2
A cooperative-control robot includes a base component, a mobile platform arranged proximate the base component, a translation assembly operatively connected to the base component and the mobile platform and configured to move the mobile platform with translational degrees of freedom substantially without rotation with respect to said the component, a tool assembly connected to the mobile platform, and a control system configured to communicate with the translation assembly to control motion of the mobile platform in response to forces by a user applied to at least a portion of the cooperative-control robot. The translation assembly includes at least three independently operable actuator arms, each connected to a separate position of the mobile platform. A robotic system includes two or more the cooperative-control robots.
US09554864B2
A system and method for tool exchange during surgery for cooperatively controlled robots comprises a tool holder for receiving a surgical tool adapted to be held by a robot and a surgeon, a tool holding element for constraining downward motion of the tool while allowing low force removal of the surgical tool from the holder, a first sensor for detecting if the surgical tool is docked within the tool holder, and a selector for automatically selecting different movements or actions of the tool holder to be performed based upon information detected by the first sensor. The system and method of the present invention provides an advantage to an often slow moving cooperative robot, by increasing the speed by which the tool holder may move in the direction away from the patient.
US09554861B2
A medical instrument holding apparatus includes a shaft slidably engaged into a housing and movable into and out of the housing, the housing includes a guiding member engaged with the shaft for guiding and limiting the shaft to slide relative to the housing only and for preventing the shaft from being rotated relative to the housing, a locking device is engaged onto the shaft and includes a positioning member for engaging with an anchoring member of the shaft and for locking the shaft and the housing together, and one or more fasteners are engaged with the housing and the locking device for securing the shaft and the housing together with the locking device.
US09554858B2
A tool for a distal end or on a distal end of a shaft of a medical instrument includes a basic body, a mouth part which is pivotable about a pivot axis in relation to the basic body, and a bearing which defines the pivot axis, wherein the bearing includes two axle journals which are spaced apart from one another, each with a radial surface which is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the pivot axis.
US09554849B2
An intravascular catheter for peri-vascular and/or peri-urethral tissue ablation includes multiple needles advanced through supported guide tubes which expand around a central axis to engage the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the injection an ablative fluid for ablating tissue, and/or nerve fibers in the outer layer or deep to the outer layer of the vessel. A method of treating hypertension involves injecting an ablative fluid such as ethanol deep into zones in the wall of the renal artery such that the zones of fluid merge to form a circumferential ablation ring at a depth which ablates sympathetic nerves while minimizing injury to interior layers of the vessel wall.
US09554833B2
Implants, instruments, and methods for performing surgical procedures on the spine, including one or more of creating an operative corridor to the spine, delivering implants to the spine, fusing one or more segments of the spine, and fixing one or more segments of the spine.
US09554827B2
Provided is a medical robot system which includes a medical manipulator capable of handling organs such as a uterine of different shapes and sizes. The medical robot system includes a robot arm, a medical manipulator which is detachably provided in the robot arm and supports an organ to a predetermined position, and a controller unit operable by an operator to control the robot arm and the medical manipulator. The medical manipulator also includes a first arm portion in a base side thereof, a second arm portion in a front side thereof for supporting the organ, and a connection portion connecting the first arm portion with the second arm portion. The control unit adjusts a relative direction of the second arm portion and the first arm portion and a length of the second arm portion in a telescopic manner thereby being suitable for organs of various shapes and sizes.
US09554817B2
A medical device and method for the treatment of a sinus opening includes a handle, a guide catheter, a guide wire, a balloon catheter, a guide wire movement mechanism and a balloon catheter movement mechanism. The guide wire and balloon catheter are both disposed at least partially in the handle and catheter lumen. The guide wire movement mechanism is configured for advancement and retraction of the guide wire through the handle and catheter lumen by user operation of the guide wire movement mechanism. The guide wire movement mechanism includes an integrated guide wire locking and rotation mechanism configured for rotation of the guide wire and for securely locking and unlocking the guide wire to the guide wire movement mechanism. The balloon catheter movement mechanism is configured for advancement and retraction of the balloon catheter through the handle and catheter lumen by user operation of the balloon catheter movement mechanism.
US09554812B2
Methods and apparatus for integrating an electromagnetic navigation system and a tool and aligning the tool with a target are presented, including a sensor tool, a tool, a field generator, a display, and a computer. The sensor tool attaches to a target component in a unique position relative to target features. The field generator is fixed relative to the tool except in rotation about a tool axis. The display is adjustably mounted to the tool and automatically adjusts image parameters. Target registration and error compensation methods are provided. The system detects magnetic field and signal disturbances that may lead to inaccurate navigation, filters navigation data, and adjusts filtering parameters based on detected conditions. Apparatus for proximally locking an IM nail such that a clear passage through the cannulation of the nail is maintained are provided.
US09554810B2
An orthopedic surgical instrument assembly includes a system handle configured to clamp a broach and femoral stem trial assembly. The system handle includes a clamp lever and a release lever both pivotally coupled to the system handle, and a leaf spring connecting the clamp lever and the release lever. When the release lever is moved from an unclamped position to a clamped position, the leaf spring is put in tension, and the clamp lever engages a flange of the broach, securing the broach to the system handle. Methods of assembling the system handle are described and claimed.
US09554802B2
An anvil assembly includes a retaining member having a body portion and a frangible portion connected to the body portion, where the frangible portion is positioned to engage a backup member and separates from the body portion during movement of the backup member from a first, proximal position to a second, distal position. The retaining member keeps the backup plate in the proximal position prior to firing of the stapling assembly, and upon separation of the frangible portion allows the backup plate to move to the distal position during firing of the stapling assembly. Proximal force on the backup plate after firing of the stapling assembly is avoided, thereby helping to ensure titling of the anvil assembly.
US09554800B2
An apparatus for closing a surgical incision comprises left and right base panels, a plurality of closure components, and a plurality of left and right axial supports coupled to the respective base panels. The closure components couple the left and right base panels to each other laterally and have left and right ends coupled to the respective base panels. The closure components are positioned laterally across the left and right panels, the left axial supports are disposed between pairs of left closure component ends, the right axial supports are disposed between pairs of right closure component ends, and the left and right axial supports are offset from one another such that a serpentine arrangement of consecutive closure components and axial supports is formed. The apparatus can be made of antimicrobial materials or materials impregnated with antimicrobial agents. A flexible adhesive cover can be provided over the apparatus when in use.
US09554796B2
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge assembly, a firing assembly, and a lockout assembly. The cartridge assembly is configured to house a plurality of sets of surgical fasteners. The firing assembly is configured for repeated actuation wherein, upon each actuation, the firing assembly is moved from a first position to a second position to at least partially eject a set of surgical fasteners. The firing assembly further configured to translate from the second position back to the first position to reset the firing assembly for subsequent actuation. The lockout assembly is configured to permit a predetermined number of actuations and is configured to transition from a first condition, wherein subsequent actuation is permitted, to a second condition, wherein subsequent actuation is inhibited, when a number of previous actuations of the firing assembly is equal to the predetermined number of actuations.
US09554784B2
A vascular closure system includes an expandable anchor, a sealing material, a sealing tip, and a sealing tip release member. The expandable anchor is temporarily positioned through a vessel puncture within a vessel. The sealing material is positioned outside of the vessel and configured to seal the vessel puncture. The sealing tip is positioned distal of the anchor and releasable within the sealing material upon removal of the anchor and sealing tip through the sealing material. The sealing tip release member is operable to release the sealing tip without application of a tactile force.
US09554768B2
A mobile X-ray imaging apparatus and a method of controlling the mobile X-ray imaging apparatus are provided. The mobile X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray source mounted in a movable main body, a battery configured to supply operating power to the X-ray source, a charger configured to supply charging power to charge the battery, and a controller configured to block charging of the battery while X-rays are radiated.
US09554766B2
Streak artifacts generated by at least one X-ray attenuating object arranged outside a reconstruction volume in a three-dimensional image data set showing the reconstruction volume are reduced. The reconstruction volume is reconstructed from two-dimensional projection images recorded from different projection directions. The object is localized in the projection images showing the object. To determine corrected projection images for the reconstruction of the image data set, the image data of the area of each projection image showing the object is corrected to remove the object. The localization of the object is performed taking into account difference images of the measured projection images and from a reconstruction data set of forward-projected comparative images reconstructed from the measured projection images.
US09554763B2
A surgical hardware and software monitoring system and method allows for surgical planning while the patient is available for surgery, for example while the patient is being prepared for surgery so that the system may model the surgical site. In one embodiment, the model may be used to track contemplated surgical procedures and warn the physician regarding possible boundary violations that would indicate an inappropriate location in a surgical procedure. In another embodiment, the monitoring system may track the movement of instruments during the procedure and in reference to the model to enhance observation of the procedure. In a further embodiment the monitoring system can be used to model and track the changes in the surgical site itself.
US09554760B2
A computed tomography (CT) image apparatus includes a plurality of photon-counting detectors (PCD); and processing circuitry configured to obtain a photon count of a PCD of the plurality of PCDs, compare the obtained photon count to a predetermined photon-count threshold, and apply an external light source to the PCD when the obtained photon count is larger than the predetermined photon-count threshold.
US09554757B2
An X-ray tube includes a cathode, an anode, and a deflection device. The cathode and the anode generate an electron beam that is directed toward a target area of the anode to generate X-ray radiation through electrons of the electron beam impinging the target area. The deflection device controls the electron beam such that the electrons hit the anode at different focal spot positions. The deflection device provides gradual deflection for a stepless transition between monoscopic viewing and stereoscopic viewing. For monoscopic viewing, the X-ray radiation is generated from a single focal spot position. For stereoscopic viewing, the X-ray radiation is generated from two focal spot positions spaced apart in a first stereo-direction transverse to a viewing direction. The deflection device provides gradual deflection for a stereo focal spot position in a second stereo-direction, which is transverse to the first stereo-direction and the viewing direction.
US09554754B2
A system, method and computer program for integrated, personalized disease management is provided. The method involves capturing individual attributes, analyzing the individual attributes to establish an individual classification for an individual, and based on the individual classification for the individual assigning automatically a program template for disease management of the individual. The system provides a coaching platform for managing interactions between a coach and a system client based on the program template.
US09554739B2
Systems, methods, and devices for intercommunication between a medical sensor and an electronic patient monitor are provided. For example, one embodiment of a system for communicably coupling a medical sensor to an electronic patient monitor may include a sensor-side communication connector and a monitor-side communication connector. The sensor-side communication connector may be capable of receiving a raw physiological measurement signal from the medical sensor, and the monitor-side communication connector may be capable of providing a digital physiological measurement signal based at least in part on the raw physiological measurement signal to the electronic patient monitor via a data link.
US09554730B2
According to the invention, a compression depth sensor for measuring a compression depth comprises a first pressure transducer (30), attachable to a fixed element, a first liquid filled lumen (20), having a first fixed lumen end (21) attachable to the pressure transducer and a first movable lumen end (22) being movable between a first position and a second position, a distance between the first and second position defining the compression depth, whereby the first pressure transducer is adapted to measure the compression depth by measuring a change in liquid pressure in the lumen during movement of the first movable lumen end between the first position and the second position. A CPR apparatus according to the invention comprises such a compression sensor.
US09554727B2
The present invention relates to imaging and characterizing atherosclerotic lesions. The invention utilizes a low-flip-angle gradient echo-based MRI acquisition technique combined with specialized magnetization preparative schemes (i.e. non-selective inversion and FSD), and multiple co-registered 3D image sets with different contrast weightings are collected in an interleaved fashion. Using the inventive method, a single scan allows for comprehensive assessment of atherosclerotic plaque within just a few minutes.
US09554726B2
A hyperpolarized liquid contrast agent is for use in a MRT device. The liquid contrast agent passes through a conduit of a MW resonator in the magnetic field of the MRT device. A microwave with a frequency of at least 40 GHz couples into the MW resonator for polarizing the liquid contrast agent upon passage through the conduit in the MW resonator using DNP. The contrast agent is polarized in a continuous passage in the MW resonator and administered immediately. A MW mode is formed in the MW resonator which has an antinode in the magnetic field strength and a node in the electric field strength. The power of the introduced microwave and coupling of the microwave into the resonator are adjusted such that in the area of the line, an amplitude of the MW magnetic field strength B 1 ≥ 1.5 · 10 - 2 Ts 1 T 1 , e results, wherein T1,e is the relaxation time of the DNP-active electrons.
US09554718B2
Catheterization of the heart is carried out by inserting a probe having electrodes into a heart of a living subject, recording a bipolar electrogram and a unipolar electrogram from one of the electrodes at a location in the heart, and defining a window of interest wherein a rate of change in a potential of the bipolar electrogram exceeds a predetermined value. An annotation is established in the unipolar electrogram, wherein the annotation denotes a maximum rate of change in a potential of the unipolar electrogram within the window of interest. A quality value is assigned to the annotation, and a 3-dimensional map is generated of a portion of the heart that includes the annotation and the quality value thereof.
US09554717B2
Described herein are implantable systems and devices, and methods for use therewith, that can be used to monitor and treat heart failure (HF). Such implantable systems preferably includes a lead having at least two electrodes implantable in a patient's left ventricular (LV) chamber. A plurality of different sensing vectors are used to obtain a plurality of IEGMs each of which is indicative of an evoked response at a corresponding different region of the LV chamber. For each of the IEGMs, there is a determination of one or more evoked response metrics indicative of a localized cardiac function at the corresponding region of the LV chamber. The evoke response metrics can be, e.g., paced depolarization integral (PDI) and/or maximum upward slope of an R-wave, but are not limited thereto. The patient's HF condition is monitored based on the localized cardiac function at the plurality of different regions of the LV chamber as determined based on the one or more evoked response metrics determined for each of the IEGMs.
US09554716B2
A guidance system for assisting with the insertion of a needle or other medical component into the body of a patient is disclosed. The guidance system utilizes ultrasound imaging or other suitable imaging technology. In one embodiment, the guidance system comprises an imaging device including a probe for producing an image of an internal body portion target, such as a vessel. One or more sensors are included with the probe. The sensors sense a detectable characteristic related to the needle, such as a magnetic field of a magnet included with the needle. The system includes a processor that uses data relating to the detectable characteristic sensed by the sensors to determine a position and/or orientation of the needle in three spatial dimensions. The system includes a display for depicting the position and/or orientation of the needle together with the image of the target.
US09554715B2
In one embodiment, ECG data collected during the long-term monitoring are compressed through a two-step compression algorithm executed by an electrocardiography monitor. Minimum amplitude signals may become indistinguishable from noise if overly inclusive encoding is employed in which voltage ranges are set too wide. The resulting ECG signal will appear “choppy” and uneven with an abrupt slope. The encoding used in the first stage of compression can be dynamically rescaled on-the-fly when the granularity of the encoding is too coarse. In a further embodiment, offloaded ECG signals are automatically gained as appropriate on a recording-by-recording basis to preserve the amplitude relationship between the signals. Raw decompressed ECG signals are filtered for noise content and any gaps in the signals are bridged. An appropriate signal gain is determined based on a statistical evaluation of peak-to-peak voltage (or other indicator) to land as many ECG waveforms within a desired range of display.
US09554714B2
Implantable medical device systems and methods configured to use a detection profile selected from among a plurality of detection profiles to define a detection threshold for identifying cardiac events, in which a close call definition is used to determine which of the plurality of detection profiles is to be chosen. Upon identifying a close call, in which an overdetection nearly occurred but did not actually take place, a relatively less sensitive detection profile is chosen.
US09554710B2
Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, side-loading electrical connectors for use with intravascular devices are provided. The side-loading electrical connector has at least one electrical contact configured to interface with an electrical connector of the intravascular device. A first connection piece of the side-loading electrical connector is movable relative to a second connection piece between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the open position an elongated opening is formed between the first and second connection pieces to facilitate insertion of the electrical connector between the first and second connection pieces in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the intravascular device and wherein in the closed position the at least one electrical contact is electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector received between the first and second connection pieces.
US09554709B2
There is provided a specimen information acquisition apparatus that can obtain an image in which an influence of a local fluence distribution in a specimen is reduced. A signal processing apparatus includes a region extraction unit and an optical constant estimation unit. The region extraction unit extracts two or more regions that have a known absorption coefficient, from an optical characteristic value distribution of the specimen. The optical constant estimation unit estimates an optical constant of a background of the specimen by using optical characteristic values of the two or more regions extracted by the region extraction unit and a local fluence distribution obtained from an optical constant which is set in advance for the specimen background.
US09554706B2
A patient monitor includes a plurality of monitoring devices which collect data about a patient. An evaluation unit determines the patient's condition from the collected data and generates an alarm if the patient's condition warrants notifying an appropriate medical responder. A communication unit which transmits the alarm to a access point over a hospital Internet protocol (IP) network, the communication device includes a first transmitter for transmitting the alarm using a primary link and a second transmitter for transmitting the alarm using a secondary link in response to the transmission using the primary link failing.
US09554700B2
An optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus includes a movement amount acquisition unit configured to acquire an amount of rotation of a subject's eye based on a plurality of images of the subject's eye acquired at different times, and a control unit configured to control a scanning unit to correct, based on the acquired amount of rotation, a scanning position between a scan and a next scan performed by the scanning unit.
US09554694B2
Methods and apparatus for delivering a neurostimulator to a target tissue are provided which may include any number of features. One feature is a delivery tool comprising a handle portion, an elongate shaft comprising a contoured distal portion, a visualization system embedded in the elongate shaft, and an insertion groove on the elongate shaft configured to deploy the neurostimulator. The contoured distal portion can be shaped and configured to maintain contact with a posterior maxilla and elevate a periosteum off of the posterior maxilla to avoid soft tissue dissection. In some embodiments, the neurostimulator is implanted in close proximity to or touching the sphenopalatine ganglion.
US09554685B2
A mop air dryer combination comprising: a mop head; an air dryer, wherein the air dryer is positioned above the mop head; an adjustable clip extending from the air dryer; and a handle inserted into the adjustable clip extending from the air dryer. In one particular embodiment, the handle further includes an audio player or a radio integrated into the handle. Alternatively in another exemplary embodiment, the air dryer may be used in conjunction with a broom.
US09554684B1
A floor scrubber comprising a scrubber head and a base assembly, with the base assembly including wheels for movably supporting the floor scrubber on a floor and the scrubber head being movably mounted to the base assembly. The floor scrubber includes a head adjustment assembly operable to place the scrubber head into three orientations including a raised orientation, a standard cleaning orientation, and an increased cleaning pressure orientation in which additional downward force is applied to the scrubber head.
US09554681B2
The invention relates to a vacuum-cleaning apparatus with a vacuum-cleaner unit and a filter bag, in which the filter bag is designed as a flat bag, as a nonwoven filter bag and as a disposable filter bag, and the vacuum-cleaner unit has a filter-bag-accommodating chamber with rigid walls, wherein the filter-bag-accommodating chamber has an opening which can be closed by a flap and has a predetermined opening surface area, through which the filter bag can be inserted into the filter-bag-accommodating chamber. The invention is distinguished in that the ratio between the surface area of a rectangle corresponding to the opening surface area and the surface area of the filter bag is greater than 0.70, preferably greater than 0.85, and highly preferably greater than 1.0.
US09554676B1
The water dispenser and drain for use with a toilet is a device that is used to wet toilet paper. The water dispenser and drain is an accessory that is adapted to be positioned atop of or adjacent to a toilet. Moreover, the water dispenser and drain is adapted to tie into a water line that is associated with said toilet. The water dispenser and drain includes a drainpipe that is adapted to be fed into the toilet tank in order to drain excess water therein. The water dispenser and drain includes a catch basis that includes a drain in fluid connection with the drainpipe. A nozzle is connected to a valve that is in turn in fluid connection with the water line associated with the toilet. The nozzle is positioned directly over the catch basin and drain.
US09554675B2
A foam dispenser includes a dispensing outlet, a pre-mixing chamber receiving liquid from a liquid source and air from an air source, a mixing chamber downstream of the pre-mixing chamber and proximate the dispenser outlet, and a first conduit coupling the pre-mixing chamber to the mixing chamber.
US09554674B2
A shower rod mounting assembly is provided with a flexible substrate having a first side and a spaced apart second side. A reversible dry adhesive layer at least partially covers the first side of the substrate to attach the flexible substrate to a surface and leave the underlying surface unmarked after removal. The reversible adhesive retains an adhesion property for a plurality of adhesion cycles. A receptacle is mounted to the second side and is adapted to receive an end of a shower rod. A boss extends from the substrate with a track formed therein with an opening to receive an end of a shower rod. A biasing member extends from the substrate adjacent to the opening to retain the end of the shower rod after installation.
US09554673B2
A towel shower caddy for an improved combination apparatus designed to safely, securely, and efficiently store and transport items, which may be used in the course of personal showering or bathing. The device is essentially comprised of at least one storage container that may contain a towel or other items, may attach above or below a shower head pipe, has a door which may contain a speaker and other electronic devices, a moveable exterior shelf, two detachable hanger members, four detachable suction cups, a support base, a detachable interior shelf and dividing wall, and a collapsible and detachable carrying handle. Different embodiments of the towel shower caddy may include a frame 10, a door 20, a fixed handle assembly 30, a support base system 40, a fixed hanger system 50, two hanger covers 60, and a detachable exterior shelf system 70.
US09554672B2
A system and method for frying one or more food items. The system comprises a frying tank (2) having an open state in which the one or more food items may be introduced into the tank (2) and a closed state in which the interior chamber is hermetically sealed. A cooking oil delivery system (6) delivers cooking oil to the tank (2) so as to completely fill the tank with cooking oil. The method of the invention comprises Inserting one or more food items into the frying tank (2) and delivering cooking oil to the tank so as to completely fill the tank, and then frying the food items.
US09554671B2
A grilling apparatus having a grate and a collection basin. The grate is configured to support food items during a cooking operation and includes a first, second, third, and fourth support member. The collection basin is configured to support the grate during the cooking operation and includes a domed bottom surface having an apex substantially centered in the collection basin, and a first, second, third, and fourth diversion channel along the domed bottom surface, where each diversion channel is configured to channel substances that fall from the grate. The collection basin also includes a first, second, and third basin void passing through the domed bottom surface, where the first basin void is positioned between the first and the second diversion channel, the second basin void is positioned between the second and the third diversion channel, and the third basin void is positioned between the third and the fourth diversion channel.
US09554670B2
An apparatus for making waffles with customized shapes having a top plate with a top lid having a plurality of variable length protrusions in a shape that fits a round recess on the bottom plate. The apparatus can be used to make the top of a sandwich bun and/or the bottom of a sandwich bun in the same or different waffle irons. Variable shaped protrusions allow for even distribution of heat to a mixture for making shaped edible items.
US09554664B2
A decorative object to be decorative may include a first section having a first body member and a first neck member, a second section having a second body member and a second neck member being connected to the first section, a third section having a third body member and a third neck member being connected to the first section. The first section may be looped and the second section may be looped over the first section. The third section may be looped over the second section. The first section may include a hanging extending projection to hang the decorative object.
US09554661B2
A modular framing assembly is provided. Each individual module comprises one or more retractable slats that may be extendable to connect with another individual module. The individual modules may be arranged in a plurality of angles and configurations to create frames of varying sizes, shapes and that are capable of bending around corners, where two wall meet.
US09554659B2
An infant sleep pod providing passive and/or active safety features. The infant sleep pod provides a safe sleeping environment for infants sharing sleep areas with adults. The infant sleep pod provides a firm, flat, separate, portable, and dedicated sleep space for an infant. The infant sleep pod includes a base with a bed and sidewall, and a bridge extending across the bed. The bridge covers a head portion of the bed, while a foot portion of the bed is left open for inserting and removing the infant. The bridge prevents pillows and blankets from covering the bed and infant. The infant sleep pod also includes electronics for monitoring the sleep pod. The electronics include a sensor unit in the bridge and a control unit in communication with the sensor unit. The control unit and sensor unit are operable to detect unsafe conditions and, in response, generate alerts.
US09554658B2
An infant high chair includes a standing frame, a seat assembly and a side segment. The seat assembly includes a seat support frame movably connected with the standing frame, and a rear and a front seat portion respectively connected with the seat support frame, the front seat portion being respectively connected with the seat support frame and the side segment at two vertically spaced-apart locations. The side segment is pivotally connected with the seat support frame about a pivot axis, and is rotatable between a folded state and a deployed state. A rotation of the side segment in a folding direction drives a rearward sliding displacement of the front seat portion relative to the rear seat portion. Moreover, a downward displacement of the seat assembly to a predetermined lower position while the side segment remains in the folded state can trigger unlocking of the standing frame.
US09554654B1
A folding chair having a friction damping part for decelerating a rotary speed of a seat board is provided. The folding chair comprises the seat board vertically rotatably supported between a pair of stand frames, a rotary connection part connecting the seat board to the pair of stand frames to be vertically rotatable while having a rotary shaft line as a center of rotation, and a damping part capable of decelerating a rotary speed of the seat board. The damping part comprises a friction clutch disposed on the rotary shaft line and having a friction surface arranged in a direction perpendicular to the rotary shaft line, a clutch pressure plate integrally rotating with the seat board and having a pressure surface configured to come in contact with the friction surface of the friction clutch, and an elastic pressure body elastically pressing the clutch pressure plate toward the friction clutch.
US09554649B2
The present invention relates to modular framework support systems. In particular, it relates to framework support systems of the non-penetrative type particularly used for supporting heating and ventilating apparatus and other service and plant apparatus on a roof of a building. The application describes a support (10) for a modular framework system, the support comprising a planar foot (11) comprising a socket (12) having a substantially rectangular cross-section with a long axis and a short axis. The socket has a base and an opening. The socket is provided with one or more elongate ribs (25) between the base and the opening and extending into the socket. The socket further comprises a projection (20) extending upwardly from the base, the projection having a spine (21) aligned with the long axis of the socket. Preferably, each rib (25) has a stepped configuration such that an operatively lower portion of the rib extends further into the socket than an operatively upper portion of the rib.
US09554641B2
An oral care implement having an internal reservoir. In one embodiment, the invention can be a toothbrush comprising: a handle having an internal reservoir containing an oral care fluid; a head coupled to the handle; an applicator located on the head; a partition member positioned within the internal reservoir that divides the internal reservoir into a storage chamber and an overflow chamber; a passageway extending through the partition member from the storage chamber to the overflow chamber, the passageway terminating as a first opening in a first surface of the partition member and as a second opening in a second surface of the partition member; and a wick member having a first end in fluid communication with the applicator and a second end terminating in an end surface that abuts the second surface of the partition member to prohibit axial movement of the wick member in a first axial direction.
US09554634B2
An airflow concentrator for electric hairdryer includes a airflow divider connected with the electric hairdryer, an airflow generated by the electric hairdryer is divided and deflected in the airflow divider, and then flowed out of the airflow divider, two connecters connected with the airflow divider respectively, and two airflow nozzles connected with the two connecters respectively, wherein the airflow flowed out from the airflow divider is deflected in the airflow nozzles, and then flowed out of the airflow nozzles.
US09554633B1
A hair braiding apparatus includes a main housing having a lower portion defining a lower interior area. A rotor assembly is mounted to the lower portion of the main housing and includes a rotor motor having a plurality of rotors operatively coupled to the rotor motor. The rotor assembly includes at least a pair of orbital tracks configured to receive the plurality of rotors for movement therealong. A plurality of hair retention members are coupled to respective rotors for positioning hair to be styled. A processor is positioned in the lower portion and electrically connected to the rotors for actuating the rotors to move along the orbital tracks. A memory stores programming instructions to selectively control movement of the rotors and the platform.
US09554626B2
There is provided a locking arrangement that includes an entry element and a housing element, the entry element having a portion that is selectively disposable in the housing element via a movement of the portion of the entry element and the housing element relatively toward one another in an insertion direction, the entry element and the housing element being in a releasably secured disposition when the portion of the entry element has been disposed in the housing element via a movement of the portion of the entry element and the housing element relatively toward one another in the insertion direction and the entry element and the housing element being releasable from their releasably secured disposition via a movement in a release direction that is other than a direction opposite to the insertion direction.
US09554623B2
An article of footwear includes an upper for securing the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly operatively coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes a bladder that contains a fluid. The bladder has a posterior portion, an anterior portion, and a middle portion disposed between the posterior and anterior portions. The posterior portion has a heel recess that is approximately coincidental with a center of a heel of the wearer. The middle portion includes a neck chamber that extends between the posterior and anterior portions. The neck chamber is elongate and has a width that is less than both the posterior and anterior portions, and the anterior portion has a plurality of toe recesses that extend generally away from the neck chamber.
US09554620B2
A material that includes at least one layer made of an auxetic structure and articles of footwear having soles comprising the materials. When the material is under tension, it expands in both the direction under tension and in the directional orthogonal to the direction under tension. The articles of footwear have soles that have at least one layer made of a material that has a pattern of sole elements with apertures. The sole elements have may rotate with respect to each other when the sole is under lateral or longitudinal tension, thus increasing the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the sole. One or more auxetic or flat liners may be used to prevent entry of debris into the apertures.
US09554614B2
A branched braid member has a central braid portion and one or more tensile strands or small braids at either end of the central braid portion. The branched braid member may be incorporated into a shoe upper.
US09554612B2
A cap includes a crown portion being generally hemispherical in shape and having a hollow interior such that the crown portion defines an interior surface and an exterior surface and the crown portion further includes an apex and a generally circular base. A securement mechanism includes a first and a second elongate flexible strand where each of the flexible strands have a first, a second end, and a mid portion. A bead defines a pair of openings there through where a first end of the first flexible strand extends through a first one of the pair of openings and a first end of the second flexible strand extends through a second one of the pair of openings. The cap retains the second end of each of the flexible strands on opposing sides of the cap.
US09554608B2
A protective helmet for successive impacts includes a head cap adapted to surround and move with a wearer's head and an outer shell which surrounds the head cap. An energy absorbing flexible liner predominantly comprised of radially oriented foam columns is attached to both the head cap and outer shell. The liner establishes a preset initial relative position and spacing between the head cap and the outer shell and compliantly absorbs energy imparted to the outer shell during a helmet impact to enable the outer shell to move linearly and angularly relative to the head cap during the helmet impact and to be returned to the initial relative position with the head cap following the impact.
US09554597B2
An electronic cigarette comprising a cigarette-holder is provided, the cigarette-holder includes a variable color material; and when the electronic cigarette is smoked, the variable color material generates a chemical reaction or a physical change and causes a color of the variable color material to change. Thereby whether the electronic cigarette has been smoked can be determined by observing the color change of the variable color material.
US09554587B2
The present invention relates to nutritional compositions intended to prevent or treat regurgitations in infants and young children without altering, or even improving, their gut motility and/or for preventing and/or treating intestinal disorders of the infant or child. The invention also concerns the process for manufacturing this composition.
US09554586B2
Nutritional compositions delivered in vivo in a time controlled manner sustainable over long periods of time, provide enhancing athletic performance, increased hand/eye coordination and concentration on the task at hand.
US09554585B2
A feed block is formed of compacted feed components and includes a moisture level of between about 7 and about 15 percent. Feed blocks have an initial weight, which is substantially free of liquid, and liquid is introduced to the feed block to cause the feed block to absorb liquid. A final resulting weight of the feed block is at least 100 percent greater than the initial weight. The feed block with the absorbed liquid is provided the to the livestock animals for the simultaneous ingestion of feed and liquid. Feed blocks are formed by introducing feed components in a high pressure press and compacting the feed components to form the feed block.
US09554582B2
The present invention is directed to a panned confectionery product comprising a chocolate piece having a color adherent coating on a surface of the chocolate piece, wherein the coating comprises a color adherent coating solution selected from the group consisting of a chocolate polish and a confectionery glaze and at least one edible colorant adhered to the coating solution.
US09554581B2
The invention relates to a sausage collating device and a method for collating sausages to form sausage groups of a predetermined number of sausages with a transport device for transporting spaced sausages and at least one accumulator element for accumulating the sausages, where the at least one accumulator element is for collating and is movable in the direction of transport of the transport device.
US09554576B2
The present invention provides a compound having an excellent efficacy for controlling pests. A tetrazolinone compound of formula (1): shows an excellent controlling efficacy on pests.
US09554564B2
Genetically modified non-human animals are provided that exhibit a functional lack of one or more lncRNAs. Methods and compositions for disrupting, deleting, and/or replacing lncRNA-encoding sequences are provided. Genetically modified mice that age prematurely are provided. Also provided are cells, tissues and embryos that are genetically modified to comprise a loss-of-function of one or more lncRNAs.
US09554562B2
A method of experimenting on aquatic life in an indoor facility and a lighting assembly for accomplishing the same. The lighting assembly includes a lighting device that emits light at a predetermined wavelength that provides a minimum water penetration depth and is positioned in a manner to provide uniform lighting at the air and water interface within a containment unit housing the aquatic life. The on and off functions are also controlled by the lighting assembly to provide a gradual turn on and turn off to prevent interference of effects of lighting with experimental results.
US09554561B2
An animal chew may include a first elongated half and a second elongated half rotatably secured to the first elongated half, wherein the first and second elongated halves are rotatable around an axis of rotation. The animal chew may also include a locking pin retained between the first elongated half and the second elongated half, wherein the locking pin slides up and down the axis of rotation into a locked position and an unlocked position. The animal chew may further include a chamber having an opening and an interior volume, wherein the chamber is formed in at least one of the first elongated half and the second elongated half. When the locking pin is in the locked position, rotation of the first elongated half relative to the second elongated half is impeded.
US09554559B2
The towed roping dummy shock absorption apparatus provides for an apparatus designed to be inserted between a pulling vehicle and a towed roping dummy when practicing team roping from horseback. The apparatus provides for modulation of jerks and forces on the dummy that cause strain on the vehicle, dummy and horse, as well as providing for more consistent speed when being towed.
US09554552B2
A method and device for spraying dairy animals and in particular for spraying an udder region of dairy animals, including cows, during an at least partly or fully automatic milking process, includes providing a spray device mounted on a robot arm, the spray device including a spray nozzle with a spray opening, and a fluid channel feeding spray solution from an input port to the spray opening; pumping spray solution through the fluid channel towards the spray opening; heating the spray solution in a heating region of the fluid channel; and spraying the heated spray solution through the spray opening towards the udder region of the dairy animal.
US09554546B1
A novel sorghum variety designated PHONRMMIT and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a plant that comprise crossing sorghum variety PHONRMMIT with another plant. Methods for producing a plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHONRMMIT through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the sorghum seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid sorghum seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the sorghum variety PHONRMMIT or a locus conversion of PHONRMMIT with another sorghum variety.
US09554541B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH102421. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH102421, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH102421 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH102421.
US09554539B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated XR30AT14RX. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety XR30AT14RX. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety XR30AT14RX and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety XR30AT14RX with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09554529B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01046035. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01046035. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01046035 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01046035 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09554527B2
The cotton variety FM 1320GL is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and cotton lint as well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety FM 1320GL with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of FM 1320GL and to plants of FM 1320GL reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from FM 1320GL.
US09554523B2
The present invention is directed to a passive solar greenhouse for controlling the greenhouse's interior environment and maximizing photosynthetic metabolism within the plants grown therein through regulation of sunlight, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels and methods optimizing plant growth conditions by using passive solar greenhouse of the present invention. Generally the greenhouse has a sloped glazed face which faces substantially true south in the Northern hemisphere and substantially true north in the Southern hemisphere with a predetermined slope angle designed to maximize incident solar radiation (insolation) and increase the interior temperature during the colder months of the year while reducing overheating during the warmer months of the year.
US09554511B1
Four (4) methods to reduce stalk shear in a corn head row unit utilize a non-variable or dependent drive system. The four methods described include altering the gearbox ratio, increasing the lengths of the fluted portion of the stalk roll, increasing stalk roll diameter or reducing the size of the gathering chain drive sprocket. A method for reducing the size of the gathering chain drive sprocket includes the steps of providing a kit with a kit gathering chain drive sprocket of reduced size and replacing the gathering chain drive sprocket with the kit gathering chain drive sprocket.
US09554510B2
A header assembly for a harvesting machine comprising a primary cutter head for cutting the crop, and a feeder for feeding the cut crop into the mouth of a crop processing mechanism. The assembly further comprises a secondary scissor-action cutter head trailing behind the primary cutter head for cutting stalks left behind by the primary cutter head, the secondary cutter head coupled to the rear of the header and supported by ground engaging rollers. The rollers include at least one support cylinder having a circumferentially discontinuous ground engaging outer surface operative to perform a preliminary processing of at least one of the crop residue and the soil.
US09554502B2
Herein provided are innovative methods and techniques for improving seedling germination and plant establishment including a seed composition of at least one seed having a seed protective coating applied to the seed and a soil surfactant coating applied to the seed protective coating. The seed protective coating is positioned between the seed and the soil surfactant. The seed protective coating is formulated to keep the soil surfactant from contacting the seed and the soil surfactant coating is formulated to increase wettability of soil and being a sufficient quantity of soil surfactant to treat the soil in contact with the seed composition such that the soil is conditioned for growing the seed.
US09560787B2
Devices, systems, and techniques for managing heat generated in coils for wireless energy transmission are disclosed. Inductive coupling between two coils (e.g., a primary coil and a secondary coil) may be used to recharge the power source of an implantable medical device. A phase change material may be thermally coupled to the primary coil to absorb heat generated during the inductive coupling and reduce temperature increases of the primary coil. In one example, the phase change material may be configured to absorb heat from an energy transfer coil. A housing may be configured to contain the phase change material and a coupling mechanism may be configured to removably attach the housing to the energy transfer coil.
US09560774B2
A high-speed router backplane is disclosed. The router backplane uses differential signal pairs on multiple signal layers, each sandwiched between a pair of digital ground layers. Thru-holes are used to connect the differential signal pairs to external components. To reduce routing complexity, at least some of the differential signal pairs route through a via pair, somewhere along their path, to a different signal layer. At least some of the thru-holes and vias are drilled to reduce an electrically conductive stub length portion of the hole. The drilled portion of a hole includes a transition from a first profile to a second profile to reduce radio frequency reflections from the end of the drilled hole.
US09560773B2
An electrical connection structure includes a variable-composition nickel alloy layer with a minor constituent selected from a group consisting of boron, carbon, phosphorus, and tungsten, wherein at least over a portion of a conductive substrate, the concentration of the minor constituent decreases throughout the variable-composition nickel alloy layer in a direction from the bottom surface of the variable-composition nickel alloy layer to the top surface of the variable-composition nickel alloy layer.
US09560767B2
A wiring board includes a metal core including a first surface and a second surface facing each other and a first portion and a second portion disposed on the first and second surfaces, respectively. The first and second portions each include a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of wiring layers stacked in an alternating manner. At least one capacitor is disposed in at least one interior region. The at least one capacitor includes first and second electrodes. The at least one interior region exposes a portion of the metal core and a portion of at least one of the first and second portions adjacent to the metal core and at least one first via electrically connects one of the wiring layers of the first portion with the first and second electrodes.
US09560733B2
A nozzle assembly includes an upper portion defining an opening for receiving a gas and a longitudinally extending cylindrical body portion adjacent to the upper portion and defining a passageway for the gas. The nozzle assembly also includes a tip portion adjacent to the body portion, with the tip portion defining a throat channel. The throat channel includes a throat inlet region that focuses a flow of the gas. The throat inlet region is fluidly connected to the passageway via a throat inlet opening. The throat channel also includes an acceleration region that is disposed downstream of the throat inlet region and fluidly connected to the throat inlet region to compress the gas and accelerate the flow of the gas. The throat channel further includes an expansion region disposed downstream of the acceleration region and fluidly connected to the acceleration region to allow the gas to expand.
US09560728B2
Techniques presented herein are directed to lighting management techniques supporting lighting functions of networked light fixtures. In accordance with one example, a light fixture in networked lighting system accepts a lighting request transmitted by a computing device. The light fixture determines whether the lighting request is a control message or a query message and performs one or more operations in response to the lighting request depending on whether the lighting request is a control message or a query message.
US09560726B2
The invention addresses the problem of dependency of wireless control systems for electrical appliances on pre-existing control switches along with limited switching functionality. It relates to a system (1,50) for wirelessly controlling an electrical appliance (100). By providing the system with an input unit (5,25,55) comprising a user-operable command interface (9,19,49,59) and a control device (3,30) which is connectable to said electrical appliance, wherein said input unit is located remotely from said control device, and said control device is adapted to detect a light signal being reflected off said command interface, to allocate said light signal to a predetermined command and to output said command to the electrical appliance, it is possible to rely on light manipulation when being reflected, without need of connection to the electrical wiring present in a building.
US09560722B2
A lighting device is provided. The lighting device includes a substrate, integrated circuits (22′, 24), embedded passive components (26, 27), and a lighting component (22), the device being arranged in an architecture having three layers: an integrated circuits layer (11) including the integrated circuits (22′, 24), wherein the integrated circuits layer (11) is integrated on a first side of the substrate; an embedded passive components layer (12) including the embedded passive components (26, 27), wherein the embedded passive components (26, 27) are embedded in grooves formed in the substrate and wherein the embedded passive components are connected to the integrated circuits (22′, 24) through vias (28) in the substrate; and a bonded layer (13), including the lighting component (22), the lighting component (22) being connected to the integrated circuit layer (11) through flip-chip bonding or monolithic integration.
US09560721B2
A method (100) for controlling lighting includes using a portable pointer device, intended for the focusing of lighting, to determine (310) its position for establishing position data, and transmitting (150) the position data to a control unit, which is intended for controlling a lighthead and which controls the lighthead in such a way that the lighthead produces lighting for an object from a direction determined by the position data and location data, the location data having been established by determining a location of the pointer device in relation to the lighthead.
US09560719B2
A two-level LED security light includes a power supply unit, a motion sensor unit, a time setting unit, a loading and power control unit, an external control unit, and a lighting-emitting unit. The LED security light is turned on at dusk for generating a first level illumination and turned off at dawn. When the motion sensor detects any intrusion, the LED security light is switched from the first level illumination to a second level illumination for a short duration time to scare away the intruder. After the short duration time, the LED security light returns to the first level illumination for saving energy. The light emitting unit includes one or a plurality of LEDs. The time setting unit is for managing illumination timing. The external control unit is for setting illumination characteristics of the first level illumination or the second level illumination of the light emitting unit.
US09560714B1
Assemblies of temperature monitored, semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) are disclosed that produce color temperature adjustable white light sources. Warm-white LEDs are combined with green and blue LEDs to produce light have continuous spectrum spanning the wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm with a white light point located at a selectable Planckian locus location and a color rendering index greater than 80. The circuitry includes LED temperature monitoring used to adjust LEDs spectral and luminosity output. Alternate arrangements combine warm-white LEDs with green, blue and red LEDs; warm-white and cool-white LEDs with green, blue and red LEDs; warm-white and cool-white LEDs with green LEDs; and a warm-white and cool-white LEDs with green-white LEDs.
US09560706B2
A lightening apparatus includes light-emitting elements arranged in a matrix. One of the light-emitting elements is located at each intersection between at least two first reference voltage lines and “n” first drive voltage lines. A first reference voltage driver time-divisionally switches the first reference voltage lines. A first drive voltage driver supplies first luminous drive voltages to the first drive voltage lines. One of the light-emitting elements is located at each intersection between at least one second reference voltage line and “n” second drive voltage lines. A second reference voltage driver switches the second reference voltage line. A second drive voltage driver supplies second luminous drive voltages to the second drive voltage lines.
US09560702B2
A light source module may include at least one LED cascade with a plurality of LEDs, a supply line, wherein at the input side the LED cascade is coupled thereto, and a ground line. The light source module further includes a communications line for coupling to a control device for the current to be provided by the current source, a thermal derating unit coupled between a first voltage source and the communications line and including a temperature-sensitive element, wherein the thermal derating unit applies a temperature dependent current component determined depending on the temperature-sensitive element, to the communications line, at least one current measurement resistor connected in series between the LED cascade and the reference potential, wherein the conductance of the current measurement resistor is proportional to the current requirement of the LED cascade, and at least one coupling resistor coupled between the coupling point and the communications line.
US09560701B2
The invention relates to a driving circuit comprising a first bridge circuit, a second bridge circuit, a first protection device and a second protection device. The first bridge circuit comprising a first positive input terminal, a first negative input terminal, a first positive output terminal and a first negative output terminal is coupled to an AC voltage source to output a first voltage. The second bridge circuit comprising a second positive input terminal, a second negative input terminal, a second positive output terminal and a second negative output terminal is coupled to the AC voltage source to output a second voltage. The second and the first negative output terminals are both coupled to the ground potential. The first protection device is coupled between the second positive input terminal and the AC voltage source. The second protection device is coupled between the second negative input terminal and the AC voltage source.
US09560699B2
An apparatus includes a chamber configured to support a number of quasi-orthogonal resonant modes, and at least one antenna assembly, where the antenna assembly includes an antenna having a radiating element, where (i) the antenna has predominantly linear polarization of radiation defined by a polarization plane, (ii) the radiating element is disposed within the chamber such that the polarization plane is not parallel and not perpendicular to the plane containing a primary axis of the chamber and a central point of the radiating element, and (iii) each antenna is coupled to the chamber through a designated surface of the chamber and coupled to a source of microwave or radio frequency energy external to the chamber having a nominal operating frequency.
US09560688B2
A mobile communication system, which supports D2D communication that is direct device-to-device communication that is performed by using a radio resource assigned from a network, comprises a user terminal that transmits a message for starting the D2D communication to the network when another user terminal that should be selected as a communication partner in the D2D communication is discovered. The network comprises a communication control device that determines whether to permit the D2D communication performed by the user terminal and the other user terminal on the basis of the message received from the user terminal.
US09560681B2
A method and a device establish a communication initiated by a terminal sending a communication request to a shared public identity associated with at least two destination terminals. The terminal sending the request receives at least one provisional response to the communication request, originating from one of the two destination terminals. From the provisional response received, the terminal sending the request obtains an address identifying the destination terminal that sent the provisional response received. The terminal sending the request sends a message to find out the capacities of a terminal to said destination terminal using the address obtained and receives in return a response message to the message to find out the capacities of a terminal originating from the destination terminal; the response message includes the capacities supported by the destination terminal. The terminal sending the request can thus display information representative of the capacities supported by the destination terminal.
US09560678B2
A method for operating a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system capable of supporting a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) communication is provided. The method includes receiving at least one response message from at least one Mobile Station (MS) that has received a request message from a first MS and determining whether to allow the first MS to performs the P2P communication with a second MS based on the at least one response message.
US09560668B1
Systems and methods are described for scheduling low-delay transmissions from an access node. Packet transmission delay data associated with communication links is received at a base band unit (BBU). The communication links can be routed between pluralities of antennas of the BBU. A link identification can be assigned to each of the communication links and to each antenna in communication with the BBU. A scheduling algorithm in communication with one of the antennas is selected, at the BBU, from a plurality of scheduling algorithms based on the packet transmission delay data associated with at least one of the communication links. Packet data for at least one wireless device may be transmitted using the selected scheduling algorithm.
US09560651B2
A network node operates in accordance with a first radio access technology in a frequency band, wherein communication according to a second radio access technology may occupy one or more of the radio resources of the frequency band. A method comprises receiving a beacon signal associated with the second radio access technology and determining whether or not the beacon signal comprises information indicative of which of the radio resources of the frequency band are used as primary and secondary channels, respectively, in accordance with the second radio access technology. The method also comprises determining a communication activity rate of at least one of the radio resources of the frequency band and selecting one or more of the radio resources of the frequency band based on the determined communication activity rate, and allocating one or more of the selected radio resources to communication in accordance with the first radio access technology.
US09560647B2
A fractional Resource Block (RB) allocation method which enables resource allocation in a unit smaller than RB to improve the capacity of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system is provided. The method includes generating modulation symbols streams by performing channel coding and modulation on transport blocks corresponding to first and second data to be transmitted to respective users, multiplexing the modulation symbols stream alternately in a unit of two continuous modulation symbols, and transmitting the multiplexed modulation symbol stream as mapped to corresponding resource. A resource arrangement method allows different users to share the same resource without using a Space Domain Multiple Access (SDMA) and indicates fractional RB allocation.
US09560645B2
A UE, a MeNB, a SeNB and respective methods performed thereby are provided. The UE, the MeNB, and the SeNB are operable in a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system being adapted to provide for dual connectivity between the SeNB and a UE, and between the UE and a MeNB. The method is performed for providing system information of the wireless communication system to the UE and for the UE to acquire the system information. The method performed by the UE comprises receiving (110), from the SeNB, a MIB of a cell of the SeNB; and acquiring (120) a System Frame Number, SFN, from the MIB.
US09560640B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transmitting an uplink control signal in a carrier aggregation-based wireless communication system, the method comprising a step of receiving, at one or more cells from among a plurality of cells, one or more downlink signals in subframe #(n−k); and a step of transmitting, in subframe #n, an uplink control signal including information on the acknowledgement to the one or more downlink signals. The bit number of the information on the acknowledgement corresponding to a specific cell from among the plurality of cells in the subframe #(n−k) is given as a first value according to the transmission mode of the specific cell if the subframe #(n−k) is a first subframe, and given as a predetermined second value if the subframe #(n−k) is a second subframe.
US09560638B2
A method is provided for transmitting a control frame from a emitting entity to a receiving entity. The control frame includes what is called a “first layer” header field intended to convey information relating to a first layer. The method includes a modulation step employing a first modulation technique, and, before the modulation step, a step of inserting information relating to a second layer into the first layer header field.
US09560628B2
The present invention relates to a method in the radio access node for paging user equipment attached to a radio network. The steps performed by the radio access node include receiving (31) a core network paging message from a core network. A request for paging of the user equipment in a set of neighboring radio access nodes using paging level information in the core network paging message is identified (32), wherein the paging level information may include information that an escalated page is to be performed. A radio access node paging instruction is generated (33) in the radio access node receiving the paging message; the paging instruction including an escalated page instruction. The paging instruction is sent (34) to the set of neighboring radio access nodes, whereupon a page is initiated in at least one cell of each neighboring radio access node. The invention also relates to a radio access node configured to perform the inventive method.
US09560616B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of wireless communications and particularly to a method of and apparatus for determining a synchronous cell so as to determine a synchronous cell of an extension carrier so that the extension carrier is available between the network and a user equipment. The method of determining a synchronous cell according to the invention includes: a network-side apparatus determining an extension carrier to be configured for a user equipment; and the network-side apparatus determining a synchronous cell of the extension carrier upon determining that the extension carrier is a synchronous extension carrier. The synchronous cell of the extension carrier can be determined so that the extension carrier is available between the network side and a user equipment to thereby improve the performance of the system.
US09560606B2
In a wireless communication system capable of wireless communication by using multiple frequency bands at the same time, a mobile station includes an uplink transmitting unit, which transmits allowable power difference between frequency bands and limitation node information indicating an object of power limitation in transmission power control of the mobile station to a base station, and a transmission-power control unit, which controls transmission power on the basis of a TPC command received from the base station, and the base station includes a TPC-command generating unit, which generates a TPC command on the basis of the allowable power difference between frequency bands and the limitation mode information, and a transmitting unit, which transmits the TPC command to the mobile station.
US09560602B2
A wireless communication system comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a data signal and a control signal to the same mobile station and a control unit configured to regulate transmission power of the control signal in accordance with a reception status of the control signal in the mobile station.
US09560601B2
Systems and method for improving design and/or operation of a radio frequency system are provided. One embodiment provides a radio frequency system, which includes a first look-up table that describes a static reference value, association between a maximum output power and a first specification level, and association between a first back off value and a second specification level, in which the first back off value is defined in relation to the static reference value and used to determine a first reduced output power; and a second look-up table that describes association between the maximum output power and a first set of operational parameters and association between the first reduced output power and a second set of operational parameters. The radio frequency system wirelessly transmits the analog electrical signal in compliance with an instructed specification level instruction by determining a desired output power based on the instructed specification level using the first look-up table and implementing operational parameters determined based on the desired output power using the second look-up table.
US09560599B2
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for controlling uplink power of a user equipment, where the method includes: separately acquiring first maximum transmit power of the user equipment corresponding to a first subframe and second maximum transmit power of the user equipment corresponding to a second subframe; and when the first maximum transmit power and the second maximum transmit power are different, using a minimum value of the first maximum transmit power and the second maximum transmit power as first configured maximum transmit power, and performing power control over transmit power of multiple carriers in an overlap region according to the first configured maximum transmit power, so that total transmit power of the multiple carriers in the overlap region after the power control is lower than or equal to the minimum value of the first maximum transmit power and the second maximum transmit power.
US09560592B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus receives an LDCS configuration for a UE relay from a second entity and monitors for an LDCS from the UE relay based on the received LDCS configuration. The second entity may comprise one of an LPN that is not in a dormant state and a Macro cell. The apparatus may receive LDCS configurations for a plurality of LPNs and monitor for a plurality of LPNs based on the received LDCS configurations. When the apparatus determines a need to connect to a LPN, the apparatus may select an LPN among the plurality of LPNs.
US09560584B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for switching between a wireless local area network (LAN) and a cellular network for a user equipment's (UE) data communication by passively sensing the load on the wireless LAN. A method is disclosed that includes detecting an access point associated with a wireless LAN and receiving packets that are transmitted by other devices that are using the wireless LAN. The method can further include examining the received packets to estimate a data load of the wireless LAN and selecting between the wireless LAN and a cellular network based on the estimated data load.
US09560578B2
To transmit a “CELL UPDATE message” in a radio access network not supporting “Additional Dynamic Transport Format Information for CCCH,” a mobile station UE according to the present invention includes a transmitting unit 13 configured to transmit a “CELL UPDATE message” to a radio access network in a “CELL UPDATE procedure,” and the transmitting unit 13 includes a predetermined information element in the “CELL UPDATE message” only when the radio access network supports the “Additional Dynamic Transport Format Information for CCCH.”
US09560577B2
User equipment (UE) includes an architecture for locating femtocells. The architecture implements a phased search approach. The phased search helps the UE find the correct femtocells in a time and power efficient manner, by performing the search in a way that matches the likely changes to femtocell configurations.
US09560573B2
A link based on one radio access technology (RAT) is used to supplement the operation of another RAT. For example, in a user equipment (UE) device that can access both long term evolution (LTE) and millimeter wave (mmW) networks, the UE may use an LTE network to relay information between the UE and the mmW network.
US09560572B2
An originating transceiver node provides wireless service to a wireless communication device that is transmitting uplink signals within originating uplink time periods assigned to the originating transceiver node. A target transceiver node is assigned target uplink time periods for uplink communication from wireless communication devices receiving wireless service from the target transceiver node where the target uplink time periods are different from the originating uplink time periods. The target transceiver node monitors the originating uplink time periods and transmits a message if an uplink signal is received within an originating uplink time slot. In some circumstances, the target transceiver node sends the message only if a determination is made that the wireless communication device transmitting the uplink signal has a proximity to the target transceiver node that is less than a threshold.
US09560571B2
A method for performing mobile communications may include receiving a first multimedia broadcast or multicast stream from a serving cell; determining whether or not a neighbor cell is capable of providing the first multimedia broadcast or multicast stream to generate a first determination result; and initiating neighbor cell protocol operations with the neighbor cell according to a first set of threshold criteria if the first determination result is negative and initiating neighbor cell protocol operations with the neighbor cell according to a second set of threshold criteria if the first determination result is positive. The neighbor cell protocol operations are cell measurements of the neighbor cell or cell reselection to the neighbor cell.
US09560560B2
Embodiments of a User Equipment (UE) to support inter-frequency handover are disclosed herein. The UE may receive, from an Evolved Node-B (eNB), a measurement report configuration message that includes multiple measurement events to be determined at the UE. The UE may transmit a measurement report when a combined measurement event occurs. The combined measurement event may include a combination of the multiple measurement events according to a “logical AND” operator such that the combined measurement event occurs when the multiple measurement events occur. The measurement events may be related to signal measurements performed on one or more signals received at the UE from one or more cells configured for operation in the network.
US09560554B2
The present invention provides a method involving at least one mobile node and a heterogeneous network comprising a plurality of access nodes. One embodiment of the method includes providing at least one first message including information indicative of a selected access node. The access node is selected to provide command services to the at least one mobile node.
US09560550B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for facilitating mitigation of interference using beamforming techniques are provided. In some embodiments, interference periodicity and interference duration associated with interference of a radar beam are used to determine an extent of time during which a lobe of a communication tower is to be modified in power, direction, or a combination thereof. Upon an occurrence of the extent of time, the lobe of the communication tower is modified in power, direction, or a combination thereof so that the lobe does not interfere with a radar beam emitted from a radar remote from the communication tower.
US09560546B2
A wireless device transmits, during a first period, a first plurality of voice packets of a first talking period on a first plurality of subcarriers of a first carrier. The wireless device transmits, during a second period, a second plurality of voice packets of a second talking period on a second plurality of subcarriers of a second carrier. The wireless device transmits, in the first period and the second period, data traffic packets on a third plurality of subcarriers. There is at least one guard band between at least two subcarriers in the third plurality of subcarriers.
US09560540B2
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement in a transmitting node (560) for enabling a receiving node (540) to perform measurements on interference caused by transmissions from at least one transmission point (510, 520, 530) controlled by the transmitting node (560) on receptions at the receiving node (540). The transmitting and receiving nodes (560, 540) are comprised in a wireless communications system (500, 600, 700). The transmitting node determines (910) an interference measurement resource, IMR, comprising a set of Time-Frequency Resource Elements, TFREs, upon which the transmitting node is expected to transmit interference. The transmitting node then transmits (930) at least one interfering signal on said IMR as said interference. The at least one interfering signal comprises at least one of a desired signal, that is expected to be decoded or coherently measured upon by the receiving node (540) or another node (550) served by said transmitting node (560), and another signal, that is not expected to be decoded or coherently measured upon by any node (540, 550) served by said transmitting node (560). The desired signal is transmitted in place of the another signal as said at least one interfering signal on one or more TFREs of the IMR when the at least one transmission point is to transmit the desired signal to the receiving node (540) or to the another node (550). The another signal is transmitted on TFREs of said IMR where no desired signal is transmitted and the another signal is muted on TFRE's of said IMR where the desired signal is transmitted.
US09560538B2
Methods, apparatuses and computer readable media are described that determine a connection state between a mobile wireless device and a wireless network upon detection of an interruption of a connection between the mobile wireless device and the wireless network. The mobile wireless device transmits an uplink resource allocation message to the wireless network, and when receiving no response to the uplink resource allocation message, transmits a random access message to the wireless network. When receiving no response from the wireless network to the random access message, the mobile wireless device executes a radio link failure procedure. In an embodiment, the uplink resource allocation message includes a unique identifier for an existing radio resource control connection between the mobile wireless device and the wireless network.
US09560536B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for reporting cell information and adjusting a cell mobility parameter. The method for reporting cell information includes a connection failure occurring on a terminal and re-establishing a radio resource control RRC connection with a cell by the terminal. A cell identity of a neighboring cell of a source cell and event information of the neighboring cell that is recorded by the terminal before the connection failure occurs is sent by the terminal to a base station that controls a cell where the RRC connection is re-established. Technical solutions provided in embodiments of the present invention may help improve the accuracy of mobility parameter adjustment on a network side and further improve the terminal handover efficiency.
US09560532B2
A system for supporting electronic positioning in apparatuses. Apparatuses may receive various wireless signals over time. The strength of the received wireless signals may be determined by the apparatuses, and based on this determination an occurrence for each received wireless signal may be accumulated in a histogram in the apparatus. Information based on the histogram may then be transmitted to a mapping database. The mapping database may then utilize this information to, for example, create signal-based maps for use in apparatus positioning.
US09560531B1
A method and system for joint wireless and fixed network optimization for heterogeneous cellular networks includes performing a feasibility evaluation for an x-haul network comprising at least one of a fronthaul network and a backhaul network, after determining base station locations and radio frequency (RF) parameters. The feasibility evaluation may determine, based on a network graph, which small cell locations are accessible according to actual network demand and based on cost metrics for different types of network links.
US09560521B2
An address management method is provided, for use when a mobile terminal accesses a service from a WLAN access network, wherein the service is provided in a 3GPP network or in a service provider network via the 3GPP network. First, the mobile terminal connects to the WLAN access network. Second, the mobile terminal sends a tunnel setup request message from the WLAN access network to a network entity located in the 3GPP network, wherein the tunnel setup request message includes a service request identifier for accessing a requested service and a mobile terminal identifier. Third, the network entity receives the tunnel setup request message, and allocates an address for use by the mobile terminal to access the requested service based on the service request identifier and the mobile terminal identifier.
US09560520B2
A processor in a mobile wireless device provisions a user identity module (UIM) card in the mobile wireless device in response to a user command. The processor detects a user command to provision the UIM card and reads a provisioning status of the UIM card from a UIM card provisioning status file in the UIM card. When the provisioning status is “not provisioned”, the processor establishes a bearer independent protocol (BIP) data connection to a server in a wireless network and exchanges provisioning data between the server and the UIM card until the UIM card commands the processor to close the BIP data connection. In representative embodiments, the UIM card provisioning status file includes fields for a UIM card provisioning status, a UIM card software version and a UIM card provisioning date/time, and the processor updates the fields during provisioning.
US09560519B1
A mobile communication device. The device comprises a cellular radio transceiver, a processor, and a memory integral with the device, wherein the memory is apportioned into a plurality of partitions. The device further comprises a first wireless communication identity stored in a first partition of the memory and a second wireless communication identity stored in a second partition of the memory, wherein the second wireless communication identity is different from the first wireless communication identity. The device further comprises an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, detects a triggering event and in response to the triggering event selects one of the wireless communication identities to be an active communication identity of the device, wherein a wireless communication identity comprises a network access identity and a list of wireless communication systems to which the device is authorized to attach.
US09560518B1
A method, system, and apparatus are described for facilitating data roaming. The system is configured to monitor data usage by a mobile device associated with a first communication network when roaming on a second communication network. The system is further configured to receive a request initiated by the second communication network to allocate a roaming resource to the mobile device. The system is further configured to assess at least a portion of the data usage to determine whether or not to grant the request for a roaming resource. The system is further configured to, in response to a determination to grant the request, communicate a reply indicative of the determination.
US09560515B2
A synch server comprises a first interface configured to transmit and receive MAP messages, and communicate with a Home Location Register (HLR) in a Circuit-Switched (CS) network, a second interface configured to communicate with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) in an IP-Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, and a third interface configured to transmit and receive Extensible Markup Language (XML) Configuration Access Protocol (XCAP) messages. A synch function module is configured to receive a message containing a change to a supplementary service setting associated with a User Equipment (UE) connected to a Circuit-Switched (CS) network or an IMS network, and communicate the change to the supplementary service setting to both the HLR and the HSS so that the supplementary service settings in both the HLR and the HSS are updated to reflect the change to the supplementary service setting.
US09560508B2
A mobile communication system includes a mobile station, a base station that communicates wirelessly with the mobile station, a gateway apparatus that connects the base station to a core network, and a core network apparatus that is arranged in the core network. The base station includes a control unit that includes, in a message, information indicating that the mobile station has originated a call as an emergency call, and a transmission unit that transmits the message to the core network apparatus. In addition, the core network apparatus includes a reception unit that receives the message that was transmitted from the base station.
US09560507B2
A method and system to improve emergency call continuity by allowing inbound mobility towards non-member CSG cells is disclosed. The method enables the UE to detect an emergency call. Then the UE initiates an autonomous search procedure by itself, without need for network to configure the UE for proximity reporting. The method enables the UE to use non-member CSG cells for continuity of emergency calls. The method also enables the UE to confirm emergency call handling support provided by the target CSG cell before initiating handover.
US09560490B2
A system and method for determining adverse/dangerous road conditions based on sensor data received from a vehicle and generating alerts for other vehicles which may encounter the same condition. The system receives sensor data from a vehicle and evaluates the data to determine if the vehicle encountered a potentially dangerous road condition. The system may apply one or more thresholds to the data, where the thresholds are designed to detect various sudden movements of the vehicle. The system may monitor the location associated with the potentially dangerous road condition and evaluate sensor data from one or more other vehicles that drive near the same location to determine whether they encounter a similar condition. The system may generate one or more alerts and transmit those alerts to vehicles that are approaching the location of the dangerous condition using location data provided by the approaching vehicles.
US09560489B2
Methods, program products, and systems for reducing a location search space are described. A mobile device, when arriving at a venue, can determine a location of the mobile device using signals from one or more signal sources associated with the venue. The mobile device can use a coarse location estimator to estimate a coarse location of the mobile device at the venue. The mobile device can request, from a server, detailed location data associated with the coarse location. The detailed location data can include location fingerprint data associated with a portion of the venue that includes the coarse location. The mobile device can determine an estimated location that has finer granularity than the coarse location using the location fingerprint data.
US09560484B2
A method comprising receiving information indicative of an incoming communication, determining a notification that signifies the incoming communication, causing rendering of the notification, receiving information indicative of a point of interest selection input that identifies a selected point of interest, and causing performance of a location response action associated with the incoming communication, based at least in part, on the selected point of interest is disclosed.
US09560483B2
A method includes tracking positioning satellite signal using a first data string obtained by sampling received signal of the positioning satellite signal at a first sampling rate that is a non-integer multiple of a chip rate, and capturing the positioning satellite signal using a second data string obtained by sampling the received signal at a second sampling rate that is an integer multiple of the chip rate.
US09560474B2
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for accessing and distributing data that includes a portable first device and a second device wherein both devices have unconscious capture capability. The first device has a first memory wherein at least one document is stored in the first memory of the first device. The first device has a transceiver, an identifier, and a public key to access a second device.
US09560464B2
The system and method of the present invention rely on combining the Speakers+Room binaural Impulse Response(s) (SRbIR) with a special kind of crosstalk cancellation (XTC) filter—one that does not degrade or significantly alter the SRbIR's spectral and temporal characteristics that are required for effective head externalization. This unique combination leads to a 3D audio filter for headphones that allows the emulation of the sound of crosstalk-cancelled speakers through headphones, and allows for fixing the perceived soundstage in space using head tracking and thus solves the major problems for externalized and robust 3D audio rendering through headphones. Furthermore, by taking advantage of a well-documented psychoacoustic fact, this system and method can produce universal 3D audio filters that work for all listeners i.e. independent of the listener's head related transfer function (HRTF).
US09560461B2
In some embodiments, a method for automatic detection of polarity of speakers, e.g., speakers installed in cinema environments. In some embodiments, the method determines relative polarities of a set of speakers (e.g., loudspeakers and/or drivers of a multi-driver loudspeaker) using a set of microphones, including by measuring impulse responses, including an impulse response for each speaker-microphone pair; clustering the speakers into a set of groups, each group including at least two of the speakers which are similar to each other in at least one respect; and for each group, determining and analyzing cross-correlations of pairs of impulse responses (e.g., pairs of processed versions of impulse responses) of speakers in the group to determine relative polarities of the speakers. Other aspects include systems configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the inventive method, and computer readable media (e.g., discs) which store code for implementing any embodiment of the inventive method.
US09560459B2
Disclosed is a modular voice amplification system for a protective mask that allows connection of a single amplifier assembly to masks of varying configurations through minimal adjustment of the system. Adapter plates in the form of mounting brackets are provided, each of which is configured for attachment to the single amplifier assembly, but is individually configured for attachment to protective masks of varying configurations through differing attachment mechanisms provided on each adapter plate.
US09560458B2
A system for operating a hearing instrument is disclosed. The system comprises one or more electrodes for measuring the brain wave signals of a user wearing a hearing instrument. The electrodes are placed on the scalp of the user. Based on the measured brain wave signals, a detecting unit is configured to detect a relaxation state of the hearing instrument. A controller sets the hearing instrument to a relaxation mode setting in response to the detection of the relaxation state of the user.
US09560455B2
A multi-membrane microphone including an audio processing circuit is disclosed. The membranes are configured to output to a plurality of amplifiers a plurality of sensing signals in response to sound. The amplifiers in turn create amplified signals by amplifying the sensing signals and introduce a plurality of offsets into the amplified signals, respectively. The audio processing circuit includes a controller that sequentially measures the offset for each amplifier a corresponding membrane is inactive and stores the offset. The controller also compensates each amplified signal by the corresponding offset during operation of the multi-membrane microphone.
US09560453B2
An electroacoustic transducer includes a diaphragm including: a wing-pair portion; and a cone portion. The wing-pair portion includes a pair of convex surfaces having respectively convex surfaces of a pair of longitudinal split tubular members. A valley is formed between one side portions of the pair of convex surfaces. The cone portion surrounds an outer peripheral portion of the wing-pair portion and extends in a conical shape. The electroacoustic transducer further includes: a converter configured to convert between a vibration of the diaphragm in a depth direction of the valley and an electric signal corresponding to the vibration; and a supporter supporting an outer peripheral portion of the cone portion to allow the diaphragm to vibrate in a direction of the vibration.
US09560434B2
A head gear audio system having an audio plug electrically connected to a y-adapter, a left coiled wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the y-adapter and the second end connected to a left ear bud speaker; and a right coiled wire having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the y-adapter and the second end connected to a right ear bud speaker, wherein the left coiled wire is releasably affixed to a left section of a stretchable cord and the right coiled wire is releasably affixed to a right section of the stretchable cord, and a tensioner.
US09560431B1
The embodied invention relates to an audio system-drink holder assembly, and, in particular, to an audio system/drink holder assembly where an audio system is an integral part of the assembly and encompasses a drink holder. The drink holder is designed to take a variety of drink sizes and securely hold them in place as well as providing insulation for a hot (or cold) beverage temperature.The embodied invention also includes an AM/FM radio with an embedded antenna, a music player, connection to an external Bluetooth device, speakers connected to a digital audio control system, a microphone for recording messages and providing control commands, a user interface for control and for display, an electronic clock with alarm, a rechargeable battery pack with charging cord, and weather reporting.
US09560427B2
Hybrid dilated Benes photonic switching architectures employ an arrangement of two-by-one (2×1) photonic and two-by-two (2×2) photonic elements to enjoy improved cross-talk performance while maintaining moderate cell counts. A jumpsuit switch optical network node architecture comprising multiple stages may operate more efficiently than single stage switching fabrics, by enabling manipulation of connectivity in some stages to achieve load balancing over other stages. Specifically, a first stage of switching fabrics connected to input ports of the optical node may be manipulated to load balance incoming signals over a second stage of switching fabrics coupled to output ports of the optical node. Additionally, a third stage of switching fabrics connected to add ports of the optical node may be manipulated to load balance added optical signals over the second stage of switching fabrics.
US09560413B2
Systems and methods for generating a notification when activity exceeds an authorization level are provided. A determination is made as to whether content currently being presented to a first user exceeds an authorization level associated with the first user. In response to determining that the content exceeds the authorization level, the content being presented is monitored to determine whether the content meets a criterion. An amount of time the content being presented meets the criterion is measured. In response to determining that the amount of time exceeds a threshold, a communication is transmitted to a second user indicating that the content currently being presented to the first user exceeds the authorization level.
US09560410B2
Systems and methods executable by a home based media distribution system for preserving the continuity of a video transmission following a WiFi disconnect include transmitting a media stream via a wireless access point associated with a wireless client; receiving a disconnect report from the access point; in response to the disconnect report, diverting the media stream to a digital video recorder (DVR); receiving a reconnect report from the access point; and automatically resuming the media stream from the point when the disconnect occurred.
US09560400B2
A content platform that includes subscribable paid channels is provided. The content platform receives, via a user interface, a request of an end user to subscribe to a paid channel. The paid channel is one of a plurality of channels of the content platform and has dynamically changed content. The content platform requests, via the user interface, end user information that includes payment information of the end user. The content platform receives the end user information and creates a subscription to the paid channel for the end user based on the end user information. The content platform provides, via the user interface, access to the content of the paid channel to the end user at substantially the same time as creating the subscription for the end user.
US09560399B2
Particular embodiments provide a watch list of shows to users. The watch list is personalized for each user. Also, the watch list is dynamically organized to predict an order the user will want to watch the shows. Particular embodiments analyze historical user behavior with respect to the timing for recurring releases of the episodes for shows to determine the order of the shows in the watch list. The watch list is organized in a way that a user may select a “watch all” button where unseen episodes for the shows in the watch list are all played to the user in an order that is predicted to be the order in which the user would want to watch the shows. Providing the watch all button makes it important to predict the order of the shows accurately.
US09560398B2
The embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and arrangements for accomplishing trick modes. This is achieved by assigning samples within a track to sample groups, wherein all samples within a sample group belong to one temporal level and by allowing the client to access one temporal level independently of lower temporal levels. In this way, the flexibility for the client regarding play out of different frame rates is increased which can result in a lower bandwidth utilization.
US09560397B2
Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide apparatus, methods, and systems including an input to receive data associated with a channel viewership of a network; a distribution unit coupled to the input, the distribution unit to determine one or more relative viewership distributions based on the data; and a configuration unit coupled to the distribution unit, the configuration unit to provide one or more reconfiguration settings for one or more reconfigurable servers coupled to the network.
US09560396B2
Systems and methods for push-based dynamic bandwidth allocation deliver addressable, advertising content in a digital network. Bandwidth is allocated on a push basis in response to receiving a trigger from a content distribution stream. The trigger contains data indicating an addressable break. A portion of bandwidth is then allocated to an addressable content stream based on the data of the trigger. The addressable content stream is then streamed to a receiver during the addressable break and the receiver is tuned from the broadcast stream to the addressable content stream for the duration of the addressable break. The additional bandwidth is de-allocated at the end of the addressable break.
US09560395B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for receiving a request to display, on an first communications device, media content, where the request comprises a first logical address for accessing the media content at a first storage location, transmitting to a second communications device, a second logical address for accessing a copy of the media content at a second storage location, where the second logical address differs from the first logical address, and where the second storage location differs from the first storage location. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09560388B2
A set-top box with an interactive portal and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, the set-top box is deployed to provide an interactive portal in a hospitality establishment having multiple rooms, such as a hotel. The set-top box is associated with a room and includes a housing that secures a television input, a television output, a processor, a transceiver, and memory therein in an interconnected bus architecture. The set-top box generates a guest interactive portal as well as a housekeeping interactive portal for a guest and housekeeper, respectively. Each of the portals provides relevant feedback on the condition of the room to a server associated with the hotel.
US09560382B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively reducing blocking artifacts in block-coded video are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes processing logic at least capable of deblock filtering at least a portion of a line of video data based, at least in part, on edge information and texture information to generate at least a portion of a line of deblocked video data, and an image data output device responsive to the processing logic.
US09560378B2
An image coding method includes selecting two or more transform components from among a plurality of transform components that include a translation component and non-translation components, the two or more transform components serving as reference information that represents a reference destination of a current block; coding selection information that identifies the two or more transform components that have been selected from among the plurality of transform components; and coding the reference information of the current block by using reference information of a coded block different from the current block.
US09560372B2
An appropriate motion vector to assign to a pixel in a digital video frame is performed by a comparison of motion vectors of particular surrounding pixels. Direction of at least one of color transition or color brightness transition in the digital video frame is detected to detect direction of object boundaries in the digital video frame. The particular surrounding pixels are selected and grouped (filtered) according to the detected object boundary direction at each pixel. A comparison of the motion vectors of the surrounding pixels then provides information on which group of pixels to assign a current pixel being processed based in part on how close the motion vectors of the surrounding groups match a group pixels to which the pixel being processed belongs.
US09560366B2
In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for encoding and sharing media clips via a social networking provider responsive to a user interaction via a single “like” or “share” button. Media may be constantly buffered as the user watches the program, such that the user need not initiate recording, enabling the user to quickly share amusing or media clips as they happen live. The device may decode, scale or subsample, and compress or re-encode the media to take up less space in a buffer of the device and/or to comply with copyright fair use requirements. Responsive to the user interaction or “share” command, the device may transfer the contents of the buffer to a social media service along with instructions to generate a post to the social network identifying the user, media, and/or buffer contents.
US09560360B2
A method for decoding a picture on an electronic device is described. The method includes obtaining a bitstream. The method also includes obtaining a current picture. The method further includes obtaining a relative reference picture set (RPS) parameter. The method additionally includes initializing an index value. Furthermore, the method includes processing another RPS parameter based on the index value. The method also includes decoding the current picture.
US09560358B2
An apparatus configured to code video information includes a memory and a processor in communication with the memory. The memory is configured to store video information associated with a reference layer and an enhancement layer, the reference layer comprising a reference layer (RL) picture having a first slice and a second slice, and the enhancement layer comprising an enhancement layer (EL) picture corresponding to the RL picture. The processor is configured to generate an inter-layer reference picture (ILRP) by upsampling the RL picture, the ILRP having a single slice associated therewith, set slice information of the single slice of the ILRP equal to slice information of the first slice, and use the ILRP to code at least a portion of the EL picture. The processor may encode or decode the video information.
US09560354B2
A method of predicting a motion vector for a current block in a current picture includes obtaining, by the moving picture decoding device, at least three motion vectors for at least three blocks other than the current block based on a direction of a reference picture, wherein the direction of the reference picture is based on a display order of the reference picture and a display order of the current picture, and the at least three blocks are not in an intra mode and predicting, by the moving picture decoding device, the motion vector for the current block by using a median operation of the at least three motion vectors.
US09560351B1
A method of rate-distortion computations for video compression is disclosed. The method may include steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may generate a plurality of transform coefficients from a residual block of the video using a circuit. Step (B) may generate a block distortion value (i) based on the transform coefficients and (ii) independent of a plurality of inverse transform samples produced from the residual block. Step (C) may generate a rate-distortion value from the block distortion value.
US09560346B2
The present invention relates to a communication system, a transmission device, a reception device, a communication method, a program, and a communication cable, whereby high-speed communication can be executed while maintaining compatibility. In the event that an HDMI® source 71 and an HDMI® sink 72 execute two-way IP communication using a CEC line 84 and a signal line 141, a switching control unit 121 controls a switch 133 to select a partial signal making up the differential signal from a conversion unit 131 at the time of transmitting data, and controls the switch 133 to select a partial signal making up a differential signal from a receiver 82 at the time of transmitting data, and in the case of executing two-way communication using the CEC line 84 alone, the switching control unit 121 controls the switch 133 to select the CEC signal from the HDMI® source 71 or receiver 82 with the switch 133. The present invention may be applied to HDMI®, for example.
US09560341B2
A stereoscopic image is displayed with an appropriate amount of parallax on the basis of auxiliary information recorded in a three-dimensional image file. A 3D image file is read (Step S31), and the size of a display which performs 3D display is acquired (Step S32). The maximum display size capable of appropriately performing 3D display of a viewpoint image is acquired from metadata of the read 3D image file (Step S33). The size acquired in Step S32 is compared with the maximum display size acquired in Step S33 (Step S34). When the maximum display size is smaller, parallax displacement or parallax compression is performed, (Step S35), and then 3D display is performed (Step S36). Therefore, display can be appropriately performed on the basis of the maximum display size.
US09560340B2
A three-dimensional image pickup lens system, including two lens apparatuses, each of the two lens apparatuses including: an optical element drivers in a direction containing a component perpendicular to an optical axis; a driving unit driving the optical element; a detector detecting vibration of a corresponding one of the lens apparatuses; a first generator generating a first signal driving the optical element to correct image blur due to the vibration; a second generator generating a second signal driving the optical element to a position corresponding to a set angle of convergence; a retainer retaining an effective maximum correction amount as a correctable maximum image stabilization amount determined based on the second signals generated in the lens apparatuses and is common to the lens apparatuses; and a controller driving the optical element by the driving unit based on the first signal, the second signal, and the effective maximum correction amount.
US09560334B2
Described herein are methods and apparatus to adjust the convergence point of a stereoscopic image pair captured by an imaging device. In one method, a first image and a second image of a stereoscopic image pair are provided, and then shifting or cropping of the first image is performed to align the first and second image. This shifting or cropping is performed while preserving the second image. The method then includes determining a target horizontal image disparity based on a desired convergence point of the stereoscopic image pair and when the target horizontal disparity is greater than a predetermined maximum, the cropping of an outside dimension of the first image is limited. In some implementations it is limited to the predetermined maximum.
US09560333B2
A movie processing apparatus comprises a first acceptance unit configured to accept an instruction to delete a section of a specific chapter of a stream of a movie divided into a plurality of chapters; a reproduction unit configured to reproduce, upon accepting the instruction by the first acceptance unit, a movie of a section of a deletion target chapter; a second acceptance unit configured to accept, after the reproduction unit starts reproduction of the section of the deletion target chapter, an instruction to execute a deletion operation for the section of the deletion target chapter; and a deletion unit configured to delete, in response to acceptance of the deletion instruction by the second acceptance unit, the section of the deletion target chapter of the movie.
US09560327B2
A projection system includes an image capturing unit which, when a first pattern image is projected on a first projection area, captures an image capture area including the first projection area and at least a portion of a second projection area which overlaps the first projection area to obtain a first captured image and, when a second pattern image is projected on the second projection area, captures the image capture area to obtain a second captured image, a first projection unit which projects a first partial projection-target image extracted from a projection target image based on the first and second captured images and the projection target image on the first projection area, and a second projection unit which projects a second partial projection-target image extracted from the projection target image based on the first and second captured images and the projection target image on the second projection area.
US09560322B2
A device having built-in digital data means is powered by an unlimited power source for a lamp-holder, LED bulb, or light device connected to unlimited power source by prongs or a base that can be inserted into a socket that would otherwise receiving a bulb. The device may take the form of a webcam having auto tracking functions and retractable prongs that plug directly into a wall outlet.
US09560320B2
A reverse 911 can be sent to a TV communicating with the Internet. The TV is automatically turned on if it is off, and a viewer can acknowledge the reverse 911 using a TV remote control.
US09560319B1
Embodiments of the present invention relate to audiovisual stream processing in videoconferences. For each audiovisual stream in a videoconference, a sound level of the audiovisual stream is detected. If the sound level exceeds a predefined threshold level, the audiovisual stream is processed with a first configuration. If the sound level is below the predefined threshold level, the audiovisual stream is processed with a second configuration. The second configuration is more resource-effective than the first configuration.
US09560318B2
Apparatus and method for receiving and transmitting streaming live imagery data and audio signals in real time is provided. Imagery data and audio signals are acquired through a telestreamer input device and streamed to one or more remote recipients, allowing remote operators to electronically collaborate by telestrating, annotating, and sketching image overlays. Streaming video images displayed on a monitor are superimposed onto a virtual mesh projected via computer graphics. Vertices of the virtual mesh move according to a computational physics engine. Virtual tools are also superimposed onto a virtual mesh projected via computer graphics. The virtual tools interact with the virtual mesh to deliver real time, realistic modifications of the streaming image data. Recursive positioning of mesh layers and creation of a multi-layered virtual mesh enhance the realistic nature of the modified streaming image data.
US09560303B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: first electrode pads formed on a first substrate on which photoelectric conversion elements included in pixels are arranged; second electrode pads formed on a second substrate having a reading unit that reads signals of the pixels; and connecting portions, one end being bonded to the first electrode pads and the other being bonded to the second electrode pads to electrically connect the first electrode pads and the second electrode pads to each other. The pixels are partitioned into areas for each unit pixel cell or each cell including pixels, first to n-th of the first electrode pads and first to m-th of the second electrode pads are allocated to the partitioned areas, and the first to n-th first electrode pads and the first to m-th second electrode pads allocated to the same partitioned area are electrically connected to each other via the connecting portions.
US09560299B2
At least one image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and an amplification unit. The charge storage unit includes a first charge storage unit, a second charge storage unit, and a third charge storage unit. In a first period from a first time to a second time, charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit in the first period are transferred to the first charge storage unit and charges stored in the second charge storage unit and the third charge storage unit in a period preceding the first period are transferred to an input node of the amplification unit. In a second period from the second time to a third time, charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit in the second period are transferred to the first charge storage unit and the third charge storage unit for storage.
US09560291B2
A system and method of determining a measure of accuracy of a registration mapping combining data indicative of spatial positions in a three-dimensional operating space and imaging data acquired with an imaging device located in a position and orientation in operating space is provided. A phantom is brought into a first pose, wherein the phantom is at least in partial view of the imaging device located in a second pose, the phantom comprising a marker assembly that can be imaged by the imaging device. Image data of the marker assembly of the phantom is acquired with the imaging device in the second pose. Imaged markers in the acquired image data of the marker assembly are located, and mapped markers are obtained by submitting spatial positions of the markers in the marker assembly of the phantom in the first pose to the registration mapping using the second pose as the imaging pose. A distance measure of the imaged markers and the mapped markers is determined as the measure of accuracy of the registration mapping.
US09560290B2
Long and short exposure time pixel information are input to pixel information. A long exposure time image set with the pixel values assuming all of the pixels have been exposed for a long time and a short exposure time image set with the pixel values assuming all of the pixels have been exposed for a short time are generated. A point spread function corresponding to the long exposure time image is computed as a long exposure time image PSF. A corrected image is generated using the short exposure time image, the long exposure time image, and the long exposure time image PSF. The corrected image is generated as a wide dynamic range image utilizing the pixel information for the long and short exposure time image. Utilizing the pixel information for the short exposure time image with little blurring, makes the corrected image a high quality corrected image with little blurring.
US09560289B2
A control method for a recording device includes image processing of applying an effect to a moving image, and controlling to record the moving image into a recording medium, when recording a moving image obtained by image capturing. In the image processing, an effect is applied to a moving image corresponding to a partial period of a normal moving image to be recorded into the recording medium with no effect being applied. In the controlling, control is performed to connect the normal moving image to which no effect is applied and a moving image created by applying the effect to the moving image corresponding to the partial period of the normal moving image, to record the normal moving image and the created moving image into the recording medium as a continuous moving image.
US09560288B2
An omnidirectional camera having a camera for acquiring a digital image, an image data processing device for compressing a signal output from the camera and an external memory is disclosed. In the omnidirectional camera, a writing changeover unit accumulates signals output from a signal processing unit in one of a set of first internal memories until data is accumulated to a predetermined amount. When the data is accumulated to a predetermined amount, the writing changeover unit changes destinations and accumulates signals output from the signal processing unit in the other of the set of first internal memories. The signal is output to a data converting unit from the first internal memory where accumulation reaches the predetermined amount, and the data conversion unit compresses and converts an inputted signal to an image signal and the image signal is inputted to the external memory by an input/output control unit.
US09560282B2
Techniques for entering an image-capture user interface from a locked mobile device and capturing an image while the mobile device is still in a locked state. In an example implementation, a mobile device at a lock-screen may detect a change in orientation of the mobile device from a portrait orientation to a landscape orientation. In response, the mobile device may display an image-capture UI. In some implementations, the image-capture UI may be overlaid over one or more elements of the lock-screen. Accordingly, the mobile device may provide visual notice to a user that the phone is still in a locked state while offering image capture functionality. In another implementation, the mobile device may provide another indication that the mobile device is still locked.
US09560279B2
A camera device includes a lens module and a birefringent sapphire lens. The sapphire lens is coupled to the lens module as a light window to protect the lens module. The sapphire lens has a crystal structure and a crystal axis. The crystal structure is a single-crystal structure and the crystal axis is one of c-axis (0001), a-axis [including (1210), (1120), (2110), (1120), (2110) and (1210)], m-axis [including (1010), (1100), (0110), (1010), (1100), and (0110)], and r-axis [including (1011), (1011), (0111), (0111), (1101) and r-axis (1101)].
US09560272B2
An electronic device for processing image data including a camera module configured to obtain the image data. The electronic device also including a control module configured to set at least one pointing object in the image data and configured to control the image data on an object corresponding to a position of the set pointing object according to at least one of a position and movement of the at least one pointing object.
US09560264B2
A single user input element in an image capture device is used for both photo and video capture. Based on a first user interface activity, a timing reference is engaged at a first reference time. In a first case, photo capture is performed. In the first case, a second reference time is based on a second user interface activity, and the timing reference indicates a passage of time between the two reference times is shorter than a particular time interval. In a second case, video capture is performed. In the second case, the timing reference indicates a passage of time since the first reference time is equal to or longer than the particular time interval. Video capture is stopped based on a subsequent user interface activity. The user interface activities may comprise detecting actions based on the same type of physical manipulation of the single user input.
US09560263B2
A digital camera is provided with a vertically long camera body having an approximately rectangular solid shape. An LCD panel provided in a rear surface of the camera body is arranged such that longitudinal directions of the display screen and the camera body correspond to each other. The digital camera is operated through a touch panel provided in a lower portion of the display screen. In a taking mode, an image is displayed in a small size on an upper portion of the display screen. In reproducing, the camera body is rotated sideways by 90 degree. Ina reproducing mode, display posture of the image is also rotated by 90 degree, and the image is displayed in a large size on the entire display screen.
US09560261B2
A camera according to the present invention comprises an operation member provided on an outer periphery of a photographing lens of the camera, a mode determination section for determining an adjustment mode in accordance with a first operation of the operation member, a numerical adjustment section capable of numerical adjustment of shooting parameters in accordance with the determined mode, in accordance with a second operation of the operation member, and a switching section for switching the first operation and the second operation.
US09560250B2
There is provided with an information processing apparatus. Location information indicating an approximate location of a measurement target relative to a projection apparatus is obtained. The projection apparatus projects, onto the measurement target, projection light of a predetermined pattern composed of light rays travelling in respective directions. For respective travelling directions, incident regions of the measurement target on which the projection light is incident are estimated in accordance with the location information. Amounts of the projection light toward the respective travelling directions are determined such that light amounts of reflected light from the estimated incident regions toward an image capturing apparatus fall within a predetermined range. The image capturing apparatus captures an image of the measurement target onto which the projection light has been projected.
US09560246B2
Techniques for vision-based sensing of structural displacement of an object, are disclosed. An example system includes digital video cameras adapted to generate digital image information corresponding to features of the object, an input to receive the digital image information corresponding to the one or more features, a converter configured to convert the digital image information into templates, and a comparator to compare the templates in sequence and to subtract displacement of stationary reference features.
US09560245B2
An imaging apparatus having a lens or a mount unit for mounting a lens on an object side surface of an apparatus main body and a grip unit at an end portion on one side of the apparatus main body, includes a setting unit to set a prohibit state that prohibits changing a setting value, an operation member for changing the setting value, a temporary cancel member, and a control unit to perform control. Where the prohibit state is set and if the temporary cancel member has not been operated and the operation member has been operated, the control unit controls not to change the setting value. Where the prohibit state is set and if the temporary cancel member has been operated and the operation member has been operated, the control unit changes the setting value according to an operation performed on the operation member.
US09560242B2
Described is a method and a device for screen calibration for the true-to-original reproduction of surface colors, the spectral reflection distribution of which is known, wherein by setting parameters the screen can be influenced using software and an electronic controller in each partial region of the screen. The disclosure is characterized in that an observer adapts the reproduced color impression of the screen to the color impression of an original in each partial region of the screen, wherein the original is compared to the screen colors immediately thereafter on the screen surface and the screen parameters are varied until the color impressions of the original and of the screen appear identical to the observer on the respectively viewed partial screen, viewed from a predefined observer angle, and the settings performed are stored in a screen profile.
US09560239B2
This invention discloses a method and apparatus for generating dots in image reproduction, and relates to the field of image reproduction in the printing industry. The method comprises performing a binarization process on a threshold matrix of one or more basic dots according to level thresholds to obtain a set of level-binarization matrixes corresponding to the threshold matrix; determining substitution binarization matrixes and auxiliary binarization matrixes from the set of level-binarization matrixes; performing a Boolean operation on the substitution binarization matrixes and the auxiliary binarization matrixes to generate resulted binarization matrixes; substituting binarization matrixes to be substituted in the set of level-binarization matrixes with the resulted binarization matrixes; and according to the substituted set of level-binarization matrixes, forming a substituted threshold matrix, and generating shape-varied dots according to the substituted threshold matrix. The shapes of dots with some grayscale in basic dots are changed by Boolean calculation among binarization matrices, thereby achieving the purposes of changing the overall shape of the basic dots and constructing dots with complicated shapes using dots with simple shapes, so that it is simple and easy to implement.
US09560237B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device acquiring a captured image on a subject; a display section; setting means for setting whether to make effective a temporary recording mode in which the captured image is temporarily recorded in a first storage section; if the temporary recording mode is effective, display control means for playback displaying the captured image recorded in the first storage section from when the temporary recording mode has been effective on the display section in response to an instruction operation of a user; and recording control means for recording an image specified by the user from the playback-displayed captured images in a second storage section as an image to be saved.
US09560233B2
In an information processing apparatus controlling a scanner, a reading instruction and a reading setting made in the scanner is detected by the scanner driver. When the reading instruction is detected, reading to be performed according to the detected reading setting is acquired by an application via an operating system, and the scanner driver is instructed that the scanner executes the reading according to the acquired reading setting, with the application.
US09560229B2
A control method in a printing apparatus includes printing, by a printing unit, an adjustment image for adjusting a printing position on a sheet, conveying, by a conveying unit, the sheet on which the adjustment image is printed, reading, by a reading unit, an image to generate image data, the reading unit being executable to perform reading by a first reading method for reading an image of a sheet without conveying the sheet or a second reading method for reading the image of the sheet while conveying the sheet, and determining, based on that a type of the sheet on which the adjustment image is to be printed is a specific type, to read the adjustment image by the first reading method.
US09560223B2
A photographic exchange network may allow individuals taking photographs to share those photographs with other individuals having their photograph taken. An example technique may include receiving an indication of a physical location of a first user and, responsive to receiving the indication of the physical location of the first user, determining at least a second user at the physical location of the first user. The example technique may also include transmitting information identifying the first user to a mobile device associated with the second user and then receiving an image of the first user from the mobile device associated with the second user.
US09560216B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for performing roaming traffic charging for a user equipment; receiving a roaming traffic charging request about the user equipment, wherein the user equipment roams to a visited network, the roaming traffic charging request includes roaming traffic-related information of the user equipment; if the roaming traffic-related information satisfies a first charging condition, forwarding the roaming traffic charging request to an OCS of an alternative roaming provider corresponding to the user equipment so as to perform the roaming traffic charging for the user equipment, wherein the alternative roaming provider corresponds to a home network of the user equipment. Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides an innovative online charging solution to support an alternative roaming provider, which is based on the new EU roaming regulations and independent from H-MNO, for roaming tariff; enables operators to support new EU roaming regulations and fulfill most of EU Commission's expectations without causing a great impact to the core network.
US09560214B1
Network devices register a mobile device to use mobile data with a service provider network and create a default account for the mobile device. The network devices receive, via the mobile device, user credentials to activate a portable data service for the mobile device, and determine that the user credentials correspond to an existing account that is different than the default account for the mobile device. The network devices assign, to the existing account, a temporary mobile directory number (MDN); map the temporary MDN to a unique identifier for the mobile device; and log mobile data use, by the mobile device, using the temporary MDN. The network devices detect a signal to deactivate the portable data service for the mobile device; and creating a billing record based on the logging and associated with the existing account.
US09560212B2
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, node (320), for handling User Equipment-Aggregated Maximum Bit Rate, UE-AMBR, for a wireless device (305) in a communications network (300). The PCRF node (320) comprises a direct interface (317) with a Mobility Management Entity/Serving General packet radio service Support Node, MME/SGSN (308). The PCRF node (320) receives a subscribed UE-AMBR from the MME/SGSN (308) using the direct interface (317). The subscribed UE-AMBR is associated with a wireless device subscription. When triggered, the PCRF node (320) calculates a UE-AMBR based on the subscribed UE-AMBR and based policies associated with the wireless device (305). The PCRF node (320) transmits the calculated UE-AMBR to the MME/SGSN (308) using the direct interface (317).
US09560208B2
A communication device is described along with various methods and systems for controlling the same. Methods are provided that monitor audio from a local and remote audio stream when determining whether to provide a mute notification on a muted call. In general, when a mute function of a communication device is active and a user attempts to speak, the system can analyze the user's local audio stream and the call's remote audio stream to determine whether characteristics exist to provide a mute notification to the user. The system provides mechanisms for controlling false positive determinations of speaking through mute by utilizing a combination of recorded characteristics and initiated timers that can be adjusted based on determinations made.
US09560205B2
Methods and apparatus for providing voicemail services to callers of wireless devices may include providing customized outgoing messages to callers based upon the caller's identification. A subscriber to the voicemail service may select one or more contacts associated with the subscriber to receive a customized outgoing message while the remaining callers receive a general outgoing message. The methods and apparatus may further include distributing voicemail messages from a subscriber's voicemail accounts to one or more social networking sites. The subscriber to the voicemail services may share one or more received voicemail messages via one or more social networking accounts associated with the subscriber.
US09560202B2
Methods and systems for automatically implementing contact center administration updates based on acceptance of a broadcast request are provided. In particular, a request can be broadcast to a target audience. Acceptance of the request by members of the target audience automatically implements changes defined in connection with the request for accepting agents. The broadcast request can be recalled under certain conditions. In addition, the action or actions implemented in response to the acceptance of the request can be undone under various conditions.
US09560192B2
Methods and apparatus for allowing users in a group, e.g., family members, to share a telephone number while using different devices, e.g., IP devices, are described. The methods and apparatus allow for users in a group to obtain individual presence information for members of the group by making a single request for presence information corresponding to members of the group. In some embodiments, in response to the single request, the requesting device will be supplied with individual presence information for each member of the group to which the request corresponds. The presence information may be received in individual communications, e.g., one individual message providing presence information on a user of the group. Alternatively presence information for the individual members of the group may be included in a single message that is sent to the requesting device.
US09560182B2
A mobile terminal apparatus according to this invention comprises an acceleration sensor 14 that detects applied acceleration; a storing unit 12 that stores an acceleration condition set in advance for the detected acceleration and stores an alarm condition set in advance for the stored information; and control unit 11 and sound generating unit 16 that alarm about stored information in accordance with an alarming method set in advance so as to correspond to the alarm condition, when the detected acceleration satisfies the stored acceleration condition and the stored information satisfies the stored alarm condition.
US09560167B2
A network system is provided that includes at least one terminal and a server. The server sends at least one terminal information for inhibiting sending of data from at least one terminal. At least one terminal each sends the server at least a part of obtained data according to the information from the server.
US09560164B2
An image processing apparatus, comprises: a dynamic portion reconfiguration unit configured to be able to reconfigure an internal circuit configuration dynamically and partially; and a reconfiguration control unit which controls the reconfiguration of the circuit configuration by the dynamic portion reconfiguration unit; wherein one or more processing circuits configured in the dynamic portion reconfiguration unit are each configured to include a data processing unit and a parameter holding unit for holding a parameter used for processing by the data processing unit, and for the parameter holding unit, a circuit configuration corresponding to a parameter corresponding to a setting in the processing by the data processing unit is defined, and the reconfiguration control unit, in accordance with a modification of the setting in the processing by the data processing unit, reconfigures only the circuit configuration of the parameter holding unit.
US09560163B1
A request for a first resource by a user is received. In response to receiving the request for a first resource, a second resource is determined based on the first resource and a resource usage pattern of the user. A response to the request for the first resource is provided. The response includes the first resource and the second resource.
US09560155B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for content caching with remote filtering services in a radio access network (RAN). In an embodiment of the invention, a method for content caching with remote filtering services in a RAN can include receiving a response to a request from an end user device wirelessly coupled to a base station of the RAN, marking the response as uncacheable, and routing the response to the base station over a data communications network. In one aspect of the embodiment, the response can be received in an RNC of the RAN. Of note, the process of marking the response as uncacheable can depend upon the evaluation of a policy with respect to the response. Finally, in another aspect of the embodiment, marking the response as uncacheable, can include annotating a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) header of the response to indicate that the response is not to be cached in the base station.
US09560144B2
An apparatus and method for processing packets are disclosed. The apparatus for processing packets includes a session processing unit, a parallel processing unit, and a storage unit. The session processing unit divides a packet group, including a plurality of HTTP packets, into a plurality of session files, and then distributes the session files. The parallel processing unit generates metadata and extracts content from each of the distributed session files based on the plurality of session files. The storage unit stores the metadata generated by the parallel processing unit and the content extracted by the parallel processing unit.
US09560143B2
A system and method for automatic session data transfer between computing devices based on zone transition detection are disclosed. A particular embodiment is configured to: determine if a mobile or wearable computing device is located within a proximity zone around a location of a stationary computing device; establish an authorized wireless data connection with the mobile or wearable computing device via a wireless transceiver; determine if the mobile or wearable computing device is likely departing the proximity zone and if so, upload user session data to the mobile or wearable computing device; and determine if the mobile or wearable computing device is likely approaching the stationary computing device and if so, download user session data from the mobile or wearable computing device.
US09560141B2
A method and apparatus of establishing a network connection for P2P communications is disclosed. According to one example, a method of establishing a network connection may include establishing an initial data connection between a first network device and a second network device via a third network device, the third network device providing an initial communication channel required to exchange setup messaging between the first network device and the second network device. Other operations may include establishing another data connection between the first network device and the second device after the setup messaging is exchanged, the another connection being independent of the third network device, and transferring data messages between the first network device and the second network device via the another connection. Once the P2P connection is established, the initial data connection may be removed.
US09560131B2
Objects in a virtual space may need to be synchronized between different instances (or different expressions of an instance) of the virtual space that are separated spatially. Objects include characters. Different expressions may be associated with different users and different client computing platforms that are connected by a network. The actions of the same character in two expressions of the same instance of the virtual space may not be synchronized due to network delay, lag, latency, or other delays, or due to joining a session already in progress. Responsive to a determination that an object is not synchronized, a sequence of subsequent states is determined that will result in the object being synchronized.
US09560121B2
A method of provisioning a Web hosting resource includes providing a cloud service. A request for a Web hosting resource is received by the cloud service, wherein the request is provided by a client. The cloud service identifies a Web host based on the received request for a Web hosting resource. The cloud service sends a request to the Web host to provision a first Web hosting resource for use by the client.
US09560114B2
Embodiments relate to message switch file sharing. A file is accessed by a computer processor of a client producer device to share with a plurality of client consumer devices across a network. The computer processor partitions the file into a sequence of message payloads associated with a topic and a scheme. The scheme defines a sequence identifier to establish an order to reassemble the sequence of message payloads into the file. A sequence of messages is formed including the topic and the sequence of message payloads. The sequence of messages is published to a message queue associated with the topic in a message switch in the network. The message switch provides the client consumer devices with access to the sequence of message payloads based on subscriptions to the topic.
US09560112B2
A method to operate field devices using an operating device with a touch-sensitive input and/or display area via which, for the purpose of operation, a field-device-dependent main menu level is displayed with multiple segments and at least one first segmentation level, which is assigned to a specific segment. A zoom function is used to increase or reduce the size of a selected segment of the main menu level and change the transparency of the main menu level and the transparency of the first segmentation level so that the transparency of the main menu level increases and the transparency of the first segmentation level decreases when the user zooms in such that the first segmentation level becomes visible. The transparency of the main menu level decreases and the transparency of the first segmentation level increases when the user zooms out such that the main menu level becomes visible such that switching takes place between the main menu level and the first segmentation level assigned to the desired segment.
US09560100B1
It is possible to capture video information using one or more body mounted cameras, to transmit that information over a wireless communication channel, and to process that information, such as by using angular momentum information captured by gyroscopes, to obtain an image which is suitable for viewing in real time. This technology can be applied in a variety of contexts, such as sporting events, and can also be applied to information which is captured and stored for later use, either in addition to, or as an alternative to, streaming that information for real time viewing.
US09560097B2
A method and computing system for receiving an indication of a first photo being uploaded to a web-based resource. A first capture date is determined for the first photo. A first object is associated with the first photo. The first object is positioned within a graphical representation of a calendar based, at least in part, upon the first capture date.
US09560095B2
In one embodiment, a client device determines that a client device display screen is displaying a video image as enlarged, compares received regions of a received video image with regions of the displayed video image, determines that the compared regions of the received video image are different from the regions of the displayed video image, and stores received video frames comprising the received video image in a cache memory. Related systems, apparatus, and methods are also described.
US09560093B2
In one embodiment, there is a multi-cluster synchronization system between two or more clusters. The multi-cluster synchronization system uses variable compression to optimize the transfer of information between the clusters. Compression is used not only to minimize the total number of bytes sent between the two clusters, but to dynamically vary the size of the objects sent across the wire to optimize for higher throughput after considering packet loss, TCP windows, and block sizes. This includes both the packaging of multiple small files together into one larger compressed file, saving on TCP and header overhead, but also the chunking of large files into multiple smaller files that are less likely to have difficulties due to intermittent network congestion or errors. A further embodiment uses forward error correction to maximize the chances that the remote end will be able to correctly reconstitute the transmission.
US09560087B2
The disclosure is related to providing a machine to machine (M2M0 service. A user interface (UI) template associated with a M2M device may be retrieved when a message is received from the M2M device. Then, data collected from the M2M device may be combined with the retrieved UI template. The M2M service associated with the M2M device may be provided by embedding the combined data to application data for producing a M2M service user interface (UI) of the associated M2M service.
US09560079B1
A policy engine is situated within the communications path of a cloud computing environment and a user of the cloud computing environment to comply with an organization's policies for deploying web applications in the cloud computing environment. The policy engine intercepts communications packets to the cloud computing environment from a user, such as a web application developer, for example, in preparation for deploying a web application in the cloud computing environment. The policy engine identifies commands corresponding to the communications packets and directs the communications packets to appropriate rules engines corresponding to such commands in order to execute rules to comply with an organization's policies. Upon completion of execution of the rules, the communications packets are forwarded to the cloud computing environment if they comply with the policies.
US09560073B2
Channel based authentication schemes for intrusion detection that operates at the physical layer are described that apply the capabilities of a pattern re-configurable antenna for improved performance. Performance gains are achieved by the schemes as a function of the number of antenna modes. The first scheme relies on a channel based fingerprint for differentiating between transmitters whereas another scheme poses the intruder detection problem as a generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) test problem that operates on the channel realizations corresponding to different modes present in a reconfigurable antenna. The benefits of these two schemes over single element antennas are demonstrated. General guidelines are provided on how to choose the different elements of the decision metric in order to realize better performance for physical layer based authentication schemes based on any diversity scheme.
US09560061B2
A motor vehicle has a processor device to run application programs in a first communication zone and a storage device for vehicle control data, by which a driving behavior of the motor vehicle is determined. The storage device is arranged in a second communication zone of the motor vehicle. In order to allow a modification of the vehicle control data at a later stage using an application program and thus provide protection against an undesired manipulation of the vehicle control data, the first and the second communication zones are coupled by a monitoring device that forwards new data, which an application program is attempting to transmit from the first communication zone into the second communication zone, to the second communication zone only if the monitoring device has detected that the new data leads to a safe motor vehicle driving behavior defined by a specified safety criterion.
US09560059B1
A decryption scheme for recover of a decrypted object without a cryptographic key is described. First, logical operation(s) are conducted on data associated with a first data string expected at a first location within an object having the predetermined format and data within the encrypted object at the first location to recover data associated with a portion of a cryptographic key from the encrypted object. Thereafter, logical operation(s) are conducted on that data and a first portion of the encrypted object at a second location to produce a result. Responsive to the result including data associated with the plaintext version of the second data string, logical operation(s) are conducted on a second portion of the encrypted object and the data associated with the plaintext version of the second data string to recover data associated with the cryptographic key. Thereafter, the encrypted object may be decrypted using the cryptographic key.
US09560058B2
A monitoring device to operate as a first monitoring device in a network including communication devices and monitoring devices, the monitoring device includes: an acquisition unit to acquire information of packets transmitted or received by a first communication device monitored by the first monitoring device; a transmission unit to transmit a first join request message to a first multicast group in which a second monitoring device performs notification of communication information of a second communication device monitored by the second monitoring device, when the first communication device communicates with the second communication device, after the first communication device communicates with an external device not included in the network; and a determination unit to determine whether the external device is performing unauthorized access to the second communication device via the first communication device, based on packets transmitted from the second monitoring device to the first multicast group.
US09560052B2
A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product controls access to computer resources used by a computer application. One or more processors fractionate a computer application into disparate components. Two or more of the disparate components are assigned to different communication pathways, where the different communication pathways lead to requisite resources needed to execute the disparate components. One or more processors create and install a virtual machine within at least one of the different communication pathways, such that the virtual machine controls access to a particular requisite resource by a particular disparate component. One or more processors then issue a resource retrieval instruction to retrieve the particular requisite resource via the virtual machine and at least one of the different communication pathways.
US09560045B1
A mobile device is described that stores and renders content. Access to certain content is predicated at least upon receiving a particular wireless signal from an external or separate device that has previously been associated with the mobile device or with content stored on the mobile device.
US09560041B2
This invention provides a simple and secure PIN unblock mechanism for use with a security token. A set of one or more passphrases are stored on a remote server during personalization. Likewise, the answers to the passphrases arc hashed and stored inside the security token for future comparison. A local client program provides the user input and display dialogs and ensures a secure communications channel is provided before passphrases are retrieved from the remote server. Retrieval of passphrases and an administrative unblock secret from the remote server are accomplished using a unique identifier associated with the security token, typically the token's serial number. A PIN unblock applet provides the administrative mechanism to unblock the security token upon receipt of an administrative unblock shared secret. The remote server releases the administrative unblock shared secret only after a non-forgeable confirmatory message is received from the security token that the user has been properly authenticated. The administrative unblock shared secret is encrypted with the token's public key during transport to maximize security.
US09560036B2
A method to enable access to resources hosted in a compute cloud begins upon receiving a registration request to initiate a user's registration to use resources hosted in the compute cloud. During a registration process initiated by receipt of the registration request, a federated single sign-on (F-SSO) request is received. The F-SSO request includes an assertion (e.g., an HTTP-based SAML assertion) having authentication data (e.g., an SSH public key, a CIFS username, etc.) for use to enable direct user access to a resource hosted in the compute cloud. Upon validation of the assertion, the authentication data is deployed within the cloud to enable direct user access to the compute cloud resource using the authentication data. In this manner, the cloud provider provides authentication, single sign-on and lifecycle management for the user, despite the “air gap” between the HTTP protocol used for F-SSO and the non-HTTP protocol used for the user's direct access to the cloud resource.
US09560024B2
A system and method for establishing a pairwise temporal key (PTK) between two devices based on a shared master key and using a single message authentication codes (MAC) algorithm is disclosed. The devices use the shared master key to independently compute four MACs representing the desired PTK, a KCK, and a first and a second KMAC. The Responder sends its first KMAC to the Initiator, which retains the computed PTK only if it verifies that the received first KMAC equals its computed first KMAC and hence that the Responder indeed possesses the purportedly shared master key. The Initiator sends a third message including the second KMAC to the Responder. The Responder retains the computed PTK only if it has verified that the received second KMAC equals its computed second KMAC and hence that the Initiator indeed possesses the purportedly shared master key.
US09560023B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting user privacy in, for example, online advertising environments. The method includes receiving data related to a user in a first communication session between a host server and a client device, and generating a user profile associated with the user. The method further may include encrypting the user profile to produce encrypted user profile data and generating a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted user profile data. Thereafter, either the decryption key or a portion of the encrypted user profile data may be transmitted to the client device and then deleted from host server before ending the first communication session. The method further may include establishing a second communication session between the host server and the client device and retrieving the transmitted content. Then targeted advertising may be provided by decrypting the encrypted user profile data.
US09560016B2
System and method embodiments are disclosed here to resolve Internet Protocol (IP) address overlap of Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) endpoints in packets forwarded between the VXLAN and an external or public network. An embodiment method includes assigning different port number ranges to different virtual private networks of the VXLAN, mapping private IP addresses for endpoints at the virtual private networks to corresponding public IP addresses known to a public network, and mapping local ports of the endpoints to corresponding port numbers from the port number ranges assigned to the virtual private networks, wherein each of the endpoints at the virtual private networks is assigned to a unique combination of public IP address and port number. The mapping can be done at a VXLAN gateway or at the endpoints on physical servers of the virtual private networks.
US09560012B1
A computer network is disclosed that includes a first domain and a second domain. The second domain has a higher security classification than the first domain. The computer network also comprises a Temporal Separation Cross Domain Gateway (TSEP-CDG) having a temporal separation hardware interlock. The interlock is configured to physically prevent communication between the first and second domains. It connects with the first domain in a first state to allow the TSEP-CDG to receive data from the first domain. The TSEP-CDG executes an information-invariant data transformation (IIDT) on the received data before it is available to the second domain. The IIDT alters the representation of the data while conveying the same information, disrupting anti-malware present in the received data. The temporal separation hardware interlock is configured for connection with the second domain in a second state to allow the TSEP-CDG to transmit the transformed data to the second domain.
US09560008B2
A method and an arrangement for providing a wire-free mesh network are provided. An approval procedure is carried out in situations in which a subscriber who is registering on the mesh network transmits an MAC address which already exists in the mesh network, such that two different subscribers within the mesh network never have identical MAC addresses.
US09560004B2
A method for organizing messages may include detecting, by a processor, receipt of each new message of an activity stream comprising a group of messages and determining, by the processor, a tense associated with each new message. The method may also include associating, by the processor, the tense with each new message. At least the tense may be used for organizing the group of messages of the activity stream. The method may additionally include adding, by the processor, each new message and the associated tense of the message to the activity stream.
US09559996B1
A cloud storage system receives information associating a user's cloud storage account with a network service account associated with a service provider. The cloud storage system identifies files associated with the network service account, retrieves metadata associated with the files, and provides a list of the files and their associated metadata to the user. The metadata stored by the cloud storage system may indicate the context of the identified files within the network service account. In response to a user command, the cloud storage system may store one of the identified files in the cloud storage account, and may continue to provide the content of the stored file within the network service account even if the stored file is deleted from the network service account.
US09559991B1
An automated message response system includes computer programmable software that stores a bank of pre-recorded responses. Each response is capable of being entered into a remote database into a response bank. Each response bank is associated with inputted parameter constraints. A user of the system can set up the automatic message response system to deliver a desired response automatically based on an incoming message, or the response can be delivered manually.
US09559985B1
A technique includes determining a first set of intra-node port weights for a first switch of a first routing node, determining a set of inter-node port weights including a first inter-node port weight for routing traffic to a second routing node, determining a first inter-node weighted port group for the first switch for traffic directed to the second routing node, the first inter-node weighted port group including a first total port weight based on a first intra-node port weight and the first inter-node port weight and which is applied to a first port of the first switch, and a second total port weight based on a second intra-node port weight and the first inter-node port weight and which is applied to the second port of the first switch, and routing traffic to an output port of the first switch based on the first inter-node weighted port group.
US09559983B1
A network device may comprise a first connector for connecting to an external network in which upstream data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) signals are communicated using a first frequency band and downstream cable and/or DOCSIS signals are communicated using a second frequency band. The device may also comprise a second connector for connecting to an on-premises network, as well as circuitry residing in a signal path between the first connector and the second connector. The circuitry may be operable to permit the downstream cable and/or DOCSIS signals to pass from the first connector to the second connector, and to block the upstream DOCSIS signals from passing from the first connector to the second connector. The circuitry may be operable to transmit, via the second connector, non-DOCSIS signals into the on-premises network using the first frequency band.
US09559967B2
A communication system is made up of a number of LMR and IP bearers including LTE and P25. The information flowing over the integrated system is managed according to the situational context of the user. A policy driven approach is described that uses user context as its inputs and converts this into actions that preferentially improves the communication for the user particularly as they move between the available networks.
US09559965B2
A device may receive machine-to-machine (M2M) traffic associated with an M2M application. The device may determine parameters associated with managing the M2M traffic. The parameters may include information identifying a time window. The device may determine a weighted average traffic rate associated with the M2M traffic based on the parameters. The device may determine a holding time to be applied to the M2M traffic based on the weighted average traffic rate and the parameters. The device may determine an outgoing traffic rate to be applied to the M2M traffic based on the weighted average traffic rate and the parameters. The device may manage the M2M traffic based on the holding time and the outgoing traffic rate.
US09559963B2
A communication system according to the present invention includes a plurality of ad hoc communication networks each formed by one or more communication units and one gateway and includes a monitoring server that monitors the ad hoc communication networks. The monitoring server determines on the basis of a monitoring result of load states of the gateways and a monitoring result of a congestion state of radio traffic whether it is necessary to carry out load distribution control for moving a communication unit subordinate to a first gateway to be subordinate to a second gateway set around the first gateway and, when determining that it is necessary to carry out the load distribution control, instructs at least one gateway of the first gateway and the second gateway to broadcast-deliver a signal including control information and instructing reselection of a gateway set as a participation destination.
US09559962B2
Techniques for optimizing traffic flows via dynamic routing protocol (DRP) modifications when server virtualization is used with dynamic routing are provided. In one embodiment, a network device can determine that it is part of a system of network devices acting as a virtual router. The network device can then transmit, to a client device, a DRP control packet that includes an interface IP address of the network device and a virtual IP address of the virtual router. In a further embodiment, the client device can receive the DRP control packet and store the interface IP address and the virtual IP address in a routing database. At the time of computing routing entries based on the routing database, the client device can replace, in entries that identify the interface IP address as the next hop, the interface IP address with the virtual IP address.
US09559961B1
A test system for a distributed load balancer in which a router receives packets from at least one client and routes packet flows to multiple load balancer (LB) nodes, which in turn distribute the packet flows among multiple server nodes. The test system includes message bus technology that enables the distributed load balancer to be run in a single process without requiring load balancing code to be deployed to multiple hosts in a production network. The message bus technology may be implemented in message bus layers of the test system to simulate network segments. The message bus functionality hooks into the IP tables at the kernel level, intercepts packets, and sends the packets up into the message bus process for routing.
US09559960B2
Technologies for managing congestion of a communication channel includes a network device for receiving a network packet from a computing device destined for another computing device, analyzing network traffic flows over a communication channel established between the network device and an upstream network device, and determining whether the communication channel is congested as a function of the network traffic flows. Such technologies may also include storing the received packet in a local storage in response to determining that the communication channel is congested, transmitting an acknowledgement packet to the computing device in response to storing the received network packet local storage, and transmitting the stored network packet to the upstream network device in response to determining that the communication channel is no longer congested.
US09559959B2
A control apparatus includes a communication device controller that acts on a set of flow entries retained by one communication device of a group of communication devices(s) to control the group of the communication devices(s), and a flow statistics information management unit that gathers and manages the flow statistics information collected by the communication device per flow entry. On occurrence of a new flow, the communication device controller finds an estimated lifetime of the new flow based on the flow statistics information, and sets a flow entry on the communication device(s) on a path of the new flow. The flow entry has set an aging time consistent with the estimated lifetime.
US09559958B1
In one embodiment, accurate packet metrics are recorded despite delayed resolution of one or more traffic monitors that maintain the metrics for the packet flow. One or more metrics related to an initial plurality of packets of a packet flow are stored in a temporary metrics data structure. One or more monitors are subsequently resolved based on information included in packets of at least the initial plurality of packets. For example, an application or Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) segment that is to be monitored may not be identified until after numerous packets have passed. The monitor(s) are updated with metrics related to the packet flow based on said one or more metrics related to the initial plurality of packets from the metrics data structure and packets of the packet stream subsequent to the first one or more packets.
US09559957B2
A system for preventing quality of service policy abuse comprising a media connection and a local area network prioritizing quality of service in which quality of service to a to a video receiver or similar device may be maintained by prioritizing its signal relative to other signals competing for network bandwidth.
US09559954B2
An apparatus and method for using indexed segment identifiers in segment routing. An example method involves receiving a globally unique index value at a node. The method also involves receiving a base value at the node, where the base value comprises a segment routing value configured to identify a nodal segment. The method then involves calculating a segment identifier based on the index value and the base value.
US09559952B2
An example method for routing IPv6 link-local addresses in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet at a first switch from an attached first host in a virtual local area network (VLAN) associated with a virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) instance of a network environment, where the packet is destined to an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) link-local address of a remote second host in the VLAN, and routing the packet at Layer 3 to a second switch, to which the second host is attached. In specific embodiments, the second switch routes the packet at Layer 3 to the second host if the VRF does not include duplicate IPv6 link-local addresses corresponding to the IPv6 link-local address of the second host; the second switch bridges the packet at Layer 2 to the second host if the VRF includes at least one duplicate IPv6 link-local address.
US09559947B2
Recovery from failure of a working path for communications traffic in a connection-oriented network, where the working path has a preplanned recovery path, involves initiating recovery by requesting computation of a new recovery path for the communications traffic to avoid the failure. If the recovery is not successful within a time limit, recovery is carried out using the preplanned recovery path. Determining if the recovery is not successful and initiating the recovery using the preplanned recovery path can be controlled by an ingress node of the working path. By trying to compute a new recovery path first, network resources can be used more efficiently, as the new recovery path is likely to reuse most of the working path, since it is computed knowing the location of the fault.
US09559945B2
Embodiments relate to path selection for packet transfer in a network. An aspect includes a method of selecting a path among a plurality of paths in a network for transfer of a packet from a first system to a second system in the network. The method includes storing, in a memory device, a static path performance vector indicating a tier among a plurality of tiers corresponding with each of the plurality of paths, each of the plurality of tiers corresponding with a relative performance level. The method also includes maintaining a path availability bit vector indicating an availability of each of the plurality of paths, and selecting, using a processor, the path among the plurality of paths based on the path performance vector and the path availability bit vector.
US09559944B2
In order to achieve path diversity for dual-homed User-Network Interface clients connected to a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching control plane enabled transport network that is operated in an overlay mode, the overlay extension service model is enhanced by adding shared constraint information for path diversity in the optical transport network. In particular, within the provider network, shared constraint information of a first traffic path is determined and a data element indicative of the shared constraint information is returned by a first provider edge node to a customer edge device via a User-Network Interface. When the customer edge device requests a second traffic path through the provider network to be established from a second provider edge node and to be disjoint from said first traffic path, the customer edge device forwards the data element to the second provider edge node to enable path calculation of the second traffic path using the shared constraint information as exclusion list.
US09559943B2
There is provided an improved redundancy method for a communication network. The invention is based on the insight that a hitless failover can be performed by at the receiving node using a single common indexed play-out buffer in which a selective reconstruction of the transported data stream utilizing individual pieces, i.e. frames or packages, of a data stream received over multiple links is performed.
US09559941B2
A network node that provides egress fault protection for a primary egress node. The network node may receive a service label associated with an application from a primary egress node of a primary label switched path (LSP). The network node may use the service label to add a forwarding entry into a forwarding table associated with the primary egress node. Following a fault in the primary egress node, the network node may receive a data packet comprising an LSP label and the service label from a partial backup LSP. The network node may use the LSP label to locate the forwarding table associated with the primary egress node. The service label may be used to deliver the data packet to a destination node according to the forwarding table associated with the primary egress node.
US09559929B2
Technologies for measuring a data throughput rate of a link typically used for transferring media catalogs and media between a media provider and an UPnP Control Point.
US09559923B2
The present invention relates to a method for communicating in a network from a first station to a second station, wherein the first station comprises at least one buffer memory for storing data packets to be transmitted, the method comprising the steps of (a) the first station estimating the status of the at least one buffer memory, (b) the first station transmitting at least one buffer status packet representative of the buffer memory status, wherein the method further comprises (c) adapting the value of a first parameter of the buffer status packets on the basis of a data traffic characteristic.
US09559920B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for monitoring decommissioned servers in a shared data environment. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to aggregate information associated with an environment from external resources, and calculate a baseline of server activity from the aggregated information. When new information is received, it is compared to the baseline of server activity in order to determine a possible misuse of the server assets, when inconsistencies are detected between the baseline of activity and the new information.
US09559919B2
The data ports in a network are displayed in a list in descending order based on either the higher transmit or receive data value of the port. Therefore, the port with the highest of either the transmit or receive data value would be displayed on the top of the list. The port with the second highest of the transmit or receive data value would be displayed second on the list. This process would continue for all data ports that are displayed. The other of the transmit or receive data values of the port would be displayed but would not affect the ordering on the display.
US09559911B1
The present invention provides a method for computing traffic between a pair of Points of Presence in an IP network by summing link utilization values measured for each link connecting a pair of Points of Presence and dividing the sum by the number of link utilization values included in the sum. The resulting average link utilization is the average link utilization of any link in the aggregate and may be multiplied by the number of active links connecting a pair of Points of Presence to reflect the total amount of traffic between the two Points of Presence. Future link utilization may be forecast by modeling the observed traffic between a pair of Points of Presence using wavelet multiresolution analysis to create an approximation curve that captures the long-term trend of link utilization and at least one detail curve that captures the short term deviation of link utilization around the long-term trend. A time series model of the approximation curve may then be constructed and used for forecasting. In a similar fashion, deviation of link utilization may be forecast.
US09559895B2
A network may include a method that includes, for example, receiving a communication request responsive to a telephone number mapping query failure, where the communication request is initiated by an originating communication device requesting a communication session with a terminating communication device, foregoing initiating the communication session as a circuit-switched communication session responsive to determining that the originating communication device and the terminating communication device are enabled to use packet-switched communications, and instructing a second network node to initiate the communication session as a packet-switched communication session between the originating communication device and the terminating communication device responsive to the determination. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09559894B2
A system and method can implement highly available Internet Protocol (IP) based communication across multiple independent communication paths. The system can have different IP addresses associated with different interfaces and communication paths and can implement communication fail-over as part of the communication layers above the IP layer, e.g. at the application level. The system can provide a balance between an average fail-over time and implementation complexity, and can achieve simplicity and robustness while providing high communication performance.
US09559889B1
Methods and apparatus for WAN-optimized cache population at a storage gateway appliance are disclosed. A read request is received at the appliance from a client. The request is directed to a particular data block of a data chunk of a storage object of a remote storage service. A method comprises, in response to the read request, initiating a first data transfer of the data chunk from the remote storage service to an intermediate device. The method includes determining, based on one or more criteria, contents of one or more other data transfers including a second data transfer from the intermediate device to the appliance, initiating the second data transfer to transmit the requested data block to the appliance, and providing the particular data block to the client from the appliance.
US09559884B2
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, mobile station or user equipment receives pilot signals from two or more infrastructure nodes in a distributed antenna system, and calculates phase or timing information, or combinations thereof, from the pilot signals. The mobile station feeds back the phase or timing information, or combinations thereof, to the infrastructure nodes, and then receives one or more subsequent transmissions from the infrastructure nodes with phase shift or timing adjustments, or combinations thereof, calculated by the infrastructure nodes and applied to the spatial streams transmitted by the infrastructure nodes.
US09559883B2
A digital wireless transmitter and a method of transmitting a high-power modulated RF signal using a digital wireless transmitter are provided. In one embodiment, the transmitter includes: a digital system-on-a-chip configured to receive a complex digital input signal and having: an all-digital phase-locked loop and digital pulse modulator configured to modulate a phase and frequency modulation signal based on the complex digital input signal to yield a modulated complex signal, a driver configured to generate a pulse-position-modulated and pulse-width-modulated pulse train based on an instantaneous phase and amplitude of the modulated complex signal and a power supply modulation control block configured to develop an amplitude modulation control signal based on the complex digital input signal that defines a non-constant-envelope for an output signal of the transmitter.
US09559876B2
Provided is an adaptive equalization processing circuit with which an adaptive equalization process converges in a stable manner without reducing the transmission efficiency. This adaptive equalization processing circuit is characterized by being equipped with: a demodulation means that demodulates a received signal, and generates and outputs a training signal; an adaptive equalization processing means that uses a tap coefficient (generated using the received signal or the training signal) to perform an adaptive equalization process for removing waveform distortion in the received signal, and then outputs an equalization output signal; and a selection means that selects the training signal when the adaptive equalization processing means is in a non-convergent state, and inputs the training signal to the adaptive equalization processing means.
US09559875B2
A blind equalizer apparatus includes a decision-directed (DD) least mean squares (LMS) blind equalizer. A blind equalizer apparatus includes: a DD LMS blind equalizer, wherein: the blind equalizer uses a finite impulse response filter with tap weights that are adaptively updated using a filter tap update algorithm, wherein blind equalization of one of an in-phase (I) channel and a quadrature (Q) channel is carried out by maximizing the Euclidean distance of binary modulated waveforms, wherein the blind equalizer averages a block to compute an independent phase estimate for a block, wherein the blind equalizer computes an error variable for a block from the phase estimate for the block, wherein the blind equalizer uses the phase estimate and alternating I/Q one dimensional/binary slicing to make a hard decision, and wherein the blind equalizer uses the hard decision to derive an error variable that is used to update the filter tap weights.
US09559874B2
In a time-reversal wireless system, a transceiver receives a combined signal that includes signals from a plurality of devices, each device sending a signal to the transceiver through multiple wireless propagation paths. Signals sent from each of the devices are estimated based on the combined signal and a signature waveform associated with the device. Interference associated with the estimated signal from each of the devices is determined based on the estimated signals from the devices. The signal sent from each of the devices is determined by subtracting the interference associated with the estimated signal associated with the device from the estimated signal associated with the device.
US09559872B2
A signal transmission system includes a transmitter configured to encode a transmission signal to generate 2N (N: integer larger than or equal to two) binary signals among which a number of 0s and a number of 1s are equal to each other, and to transmit the 2N binary signals, 2N signal lines configured to transmit the 2N binary signals, respectively, and a receiver configured to detect a bit pattern among a plurality of possible bit patterns of the 2N binary signals in response to a plurality of differential components between 2N received signals received through the 2N signal lines, and to decode the detected bit pattern.
US09559868B2
A method for reducing data bandwidth usage in wireless communication comprises receiving a request from the a mobile device to provide the an e-mail message; sending a request to the an e-mail server for delivery of the e-mail message; analyzing the e-mail message delivered from the e-mail server to determine if a size of the e-mail message is above a threshold value, and if not expanding the e-mail content to be above the threshold value; acknowledging to the mobile device the existence of the e-mail message and its respective size; and delivering to the mobile device header content of the e-mail content, thereby only a small fraction of the data corresponding to the e-mail message is actually delivered to the mobile device.
US09559867B2
A communications terminal (200) including a user interface communicably coupled to a controller is configured to form a group of contacts. In one embodiment, the terminal displays only contacts having at least two attributes in common. In another embodiment, the terminal displays a group of contacts having a social relationship with at least two degrees of social separation relative to a user associated with the group. In another embodiment, a group of contacts is formed upon initiation of an application at the terminal, wherein all contacts in the group are associated with terminals running the same application and are also engaged in a common activity.
US09559858B2
Network and device configuration systems and methods are described. In an embodiment, a first user interface configured to receive from a user configuration information regarding a first network provided. Program code stored in computer accessible memory is configured to generate a barcode that includes information related to the first network configuration information, wherein the barcode can be scanned by a device having a barcode scanner and a network interface to configure the network interface to access the first network.
US09559855B2
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving signaling data associated with a request for a multicast channel, the request includes an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) source and an IPv6 group address. The method may also include identifying an Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) source and an IPv4 group address to be mapped to the IPv6 source and the IPv6 group address. The signaling data can be converted from a first protocol to a second protocol. The converted signaling data can be communicated to a network element. In more particular embodiments, the network element is an IP edge router configured to join the multicast channel and stream data in response to receiving the converted signaling data. The IP edge router can be configured to perform an encapsulation operation to transport IPv6 multicast packets within an IPv4 multicast channel.
US09559853B2
There is provided a wireless communication device including a wireless communication unit, a communication control unit configured to control a process of detecting a nearby wireless communication device by the wireless communication unit, a connection process to the nearby wireless communication device detected in the detection process, and communication of content data with the nearby wireless communication device connected in the connection process, and a storage unit that stores content data. The communication control unit, on the basis of information received from the nearby wireless communication device in the detection process, determines if one of the content data in the storage unit or content data in the nearby wireless communication device has been updated relative to the other, and controls the connection process performed when the update is determined.
US09559851B2
Technologies for securely pairing a first computing device with a second computing device include the first computing device to generate a session message key based on a key exchange with the second computing device. The first computing device receives a message including a hardware key certificate, 5 a cryptographically-signed communication, and a message authentication code from the second computing device. The cryptographically-signed communication is signed with a private hardware key of the second computing device. The first computing device validates the message authentication code, the certificate, and the signature received from the second computing device. After validation, the first computing device 10 identifies a user of the second computing device based on user-identifying data received from the second computing device.
US09559848B2
Embodiments of an invention for method, apparatus, and instructions for safely storing secrets in system memory are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes a hardware key, an instruction unit, and an encryption unit. The instruction unit is to receive an encryption instruction and a compare instruction. The encryption instruction is to have a first plaintext input value. The compare instruction is to have a second plaintext input value. The encryption unit is to, in response to the encryption instruction, encrypt the first plaintext input value using the hardware key to generate a ciphertext value, and, in response to the compare instruction, decrypt the ciphertext value using the hardware key to generate a plaintext output value and compare the plaintext output value to the second plaintext input value.
US09559846B2
A method for processing a data packet before transmission over a radio communications network as a succession of waveforms transmitted at positions defined by hopping codes, which are time positions or frequency positions. The packet is transmitted over a communications channel of the network by a transmitter node to a destination node. The method includes the following steps performed for each bit of the data packet to be transmitted, referred to as the current bit: calculating a hopping code at least as a function of the value of the current bit and of an encryption key generated by a pseudo-random generator, the encryption key having size greater than the maximum size of a data packet transmitted over the channel; and causing a waveform to be transmitted at the position defined by the calculated hopping code, the transmitted waveform being identical regardless of the value of the current bit.
US09559838B2
A method of cryptographic processing of data (X), in particular a method protected against fault injection attacks, and an associated device. The processing includes at least one transformation (100, 1001-1006) of an input data item (s) into a result data item (s′). In this case the method includes a step (E204) of verifying the transformation including the following steps: obtaining (E206) a first data item (DV(s′)) that is compressed by applying a compression operation (110, MDV, ADV) to the result data item (s′); obtaining (E208) a second compressed data item (DV(s)) that is compressed by applying the compression operation (110, MDV, ADV) to the input data item (s); determining (E210) a verification data item (DV(s)′) by applying the transformation (100, 1001-1006) to the second compressed data item (DV(s)) and; comparing (E212) the verification data item and the first compressed data item.
US09559832B2
Systems and methods for synchronizing a power line communication system including a power line and one or more devices communicatively coupled to the power line. A mains frequency of the power line is estimated at the devices, and corresponding local frequencies of the devices are adjusted based on the corresponding estimated mains frequency. Data signals are transmitted from or received by the devices based on the adjusted local frequencies.
US09559823B2
A method and apparatus for allocating control channels of a relay is provided. The method includes generating resource block assignment information related to resource blocks allocated to the relay; transmitting resource information comprising the resource block assignment information; and transmitting a control channel according to the resource information.
US09559821B2
A transmitter includes: a frame generator configured to generate a frame including a frame starting symbol, at least one data symbol and a frame closing symbol; a pilot and reserved tone inserter configured to insert pilots and reserved tones in at least one of the frame starting symbol, the data symbol and the frame closing symbol such that positions of the reserved tones do not overlap positions of the pilots in the at least one of the frame starting symbol, the data symbol and the frame closing symbol; and a transmitter configured to transmit the frame in which the pilots and the reserved tones are inserted, wherein the reserved tones are not used to transmit data in the frame.
US09559817B2
A User Equipment (UE) for performing carrier aggregation is described. The UE includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The UE determines a duplex method of each serving cell for frequency-division duplexing (FDD) and time-division duplexing (TDD) carrier aggregation. At least one serving cell is a TDD cell and at least one serving cell is a FDD cell. The UE also determines physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgement/Negative Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) transmission timing for a serving cell. When a primary cell is a TDD cell, the PDSCH HARQ-ACK transmission timing for the serving cell is determined based on a downlink (DL) association set for the serving cell. The UE further sends PDSCH HARQ-ACK information based on the PDSCH HARQ-ACK transmission timing.
US09559815B1
A method for generating a modified orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, the method may include generating, for each pair of FDR error and outer OFDM symbol constellation sample that belong to a same sub-carrier, a modified OFDM symbol constellation sample thereby providing multiple modified OFDM symbol constellation samples; and calculating the modified OFDM symbol; wherein the calculating of the modified OFDM symbol comprises performing a frequency domain to time domain conversion of (a) the multiple modified OFDM symbol constellation samples and (b) unmodified OFDM symbol constellation samples.
US09559806B2
A method of conditioning payload data includes providing a processor and receiving a packet comprising payload data, a first error code, and a second error code. The method also includes computing, using the processor, a first recalculated error code and determining a difference between the first error code and the first recalculated error code. The method further includes modifying the payload data in response to determining the difference.
US09559801B2
A system and method that enforces one or more policy rules on user-allocated bandwidth portions of the overall system bandwidth, for example in an optical fiber transmission system. The policy rules may limit, for example, the range of optical wavelengths, the acceptable range on the output-power-spectral density and/or the total per-band optical power within the user-allocated bandwidth that a user may provide on the system. The system may include one or more user control units that receives respective user output signals and applies all policy rules. The resulting optical output(s) of the UCU(s) may be provided an optical transmission path for transmission to a receiving terminal. In the receiving terminal, one or more UCU(s) may apply receiver policy rules, for instance by limiting the range of wavelengths transmitted to a receive subsystem. In addition, the system may be configured to dynamically add and/or remove loading signals to the transmitted signal in response to changes in loading of the user-allocated portions of the system bandwidth, e.g. through dropping or adding of channels by a user or by equipment failures.
US09559800B1
A solution for dynamic packet filtering includes, at a network device, if an n-tuple of a packet matches an n-tuple filter, applying an action of the filter to the packet. If the packet has not been discarded as a result of the filter application, and if the packet is identified, by using payload portion, as a network application associated with a filter policy, an n-tuple filter is generated based on the packet. If the application ID of the packet is not associated with a filter policy, the packet is forwarded to the network application.
US09559796B1
A location sensitive, public security advisory system and method that communicates with the service subscriber app running on mobile devices, and utilizes the real-time location information to present comprehensive subscriber status information in a given area of interest to security agents. This system can also identify zones at different security status and direct the apps on the mobile devices to display textual alerts and visual geographical zone alerts on the map and blueprint of the area of interest. The system can also provide escape route advice to the subscribers textually or visually on the app's map.
US09559785B2
Provided is a frequency error estimating apparatus used for a coherent optical receiver, which determines an amplitude of a baseband digital electrical signal converted from a received light signal modulated with a phase and amplitude shift keying, determines, with respect to each determined amplitude, a modulated phase component of the baseband digital electrical signal based on phase noise estimation values and frequency error estimation values of N previous symbols (N is a positive integer), and calculates a frequency error based on an inter-symbol phase difference of a signal obtained by cancelling the modulated phase component from the baseband digital electrical signal.
US09559782B2
An optical receiver (20) for multimode communications comprises: a mode demultiplexer (21) having an input connected to a multimode link (22) and a plurality of output lines (231-234), wherein the mode demultiplexer is adapted to couple each of the modal components of the optical signal substantially into a selected one of the output lines, a plurality of coherent optical detectors (251-254) respectively connected to the output lines to produce a set of electrical digital signals each comprising an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component, a plurality of independently adjustable optical delay devices (241-244) arranged on the output lines to impart a selected delay to each of the corresponding modal components, and a signal processing device (26) adapted to process the digital signals to recover the independent modulations of the respective modal components by inverting a mode-mixing characteristic of the multimode link.
US09559779B2
A distributed traveling-wave Mach-Zehnder modulator driver having a plurality of modulation stages that operate cooperatively (in-phase) to provide a signal suitable for use in a 100 Gb/s optical fiber transmitter at power levels that are compatible with conventional semiconductor devices and conventional semiconductor processing is described.
US09559778B2
Optical dispersion imposed on a communications signal conveyed through an optical communications system is compensated by modulating the communications signal in the electrical domain. A compensation function is determined that substantially mitigates the chromatic dispersion. The communications signal is then modulated in the electrical domain using the compensation function. In preferred embodiments, compensation is implemented in the transmitter, using a look-up-table and digital-to-analog converter to generate an electrical predistorted signal. The electrical predistorted signal is then used to modulate an optical source to generate a corresponding predistorted optical signal for transmission through the optical communications system.
US09559776B2
An optical system for a locally powered optical communication network includes a first trunk terminal emitting an optical signal, a second trunk terminal receiving the optical signal, a communication trunk, an intermediate unit and a power source. The communication trunk is disposed along a floor of a body of water and couples the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal. The communication trunk transmits the optical signal from the first trunk terminal to the second trunk terminal. The intermediate unit is connected to the communication trunk between the first and second trunk terminals. The intermediate unit receives the emitted optical signal from the first trunk terminal, amplifies the received optical signal and sends the amplified optical signal to the second trunk. The power source is connected to and powers the intermediate unit and is located at or near a surface of the body of water.
US09559772B2
A method and a system for achieving communication between a mobile device and an electronic device are disclosed. The system includes a mobile device, having a lighting unit, which modulates light beams therefrom with a message signal by a communicating mode; a light beam receiver, connected to or embedded in an electronic device, for receiving the modulated light beams and transforming the modulated light beams into an electric signal; and a demodulator, equipped in the electronic device, for demodulating the electric signal to get the message signal. Light beams are used as media to transmit signal from the mobile device to the electronic device.
US09559770B2
Dynamic restoration involves routing and bandwidth assignment of an unplanned restoration path in a wavelength switched optical network (20), having regeneration nodes (60), nodes each having a ROADM (62) having drop paths and add paths. An electrical switch (68) provides configurable regeneration capacity by coupling selected drop paths to selected add paths. Some of the configurable regeneration capacity is kept for unplanned restoration paths. A PCE determines (120) routing and bandwidth assignments for an unplanned restoration path for the traffic flow to avoid a fault, and sends (130) configuration messages to the nodes to set up the unplanned restoration path dynamically and to configure the electrical switch to provide regeneration on the path. Keeping some reconfigurable regeneration capacity enables much longer unplanned paths to be found to avoid faults, and enables wavelength conversion if needed. Thus the reliability of finding at least one path avoiding the fault can be increased.
US09559769B2
A transmission method for use in a wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and an intermediate apparatus, where the source apparatus and destination apparatus are arranged to transmit and receive information via the intermediate apparatus, and where at least the source apparatus is arranged to perform a network entry process in order to connect to the system. The includes, in the intermediate apparatus, determining whether the source apparatus has initiated a network entry process with the intermediate apparatus and if so, notifying the destination apparatus thereof while continuing to conduct the network entry process with the source apparatus. The method also includes, in the destination apparatus, responding to said notification with a return message to the intermediate apparatus, said return message being used to facilitate completion of the network entry process.
US09559768B2
A satellite broadcasts radio programs to mobile and fixed receivers at various locations. Ground stations supplement the satellite broadcasts in areas where the satellite signal may be shadowed. Likewise, the satellite signal supplements the terrestrial transmissions in areas with marginal terrestrial signal strength. Ground stations and a satellite transmit the same digital symbol stream over a same frequency spectrum. The symbol streams arrive in each service area of the ground stations with a relative delay that is within a window for which a receiver is adapted to decode efficiently. Spectral efficiency is achieved by allowing the ground stations to share the same frequencies as the satellites.
US09559765B2
An apparatus and a method relieve intercell interference in a wireless communication system. In a method for operating a transmission node, a first private message encoding a portion of transmission data of a neighbor transmission node is received. Weight for canceling the first private message of the neighbor transmission node received in a intended reception node is determined. The first private message of the neighbor transmission node multiplied by the weight, a common message encoding a portion of data to be transmitted to the intended reception node, and a second private message encoding the rest of the data are transmitted.
US09559749B2
Systems and methods for encoding information in a preamble used in a frequency agile radio network are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises creating a plurality of preamble patterns, wherein each preamble includes an N bit header and M bit body, wherein N and M are integers greater than two. The method further comprises identifying the preamble patterns that have headers with a bit pattern that cannot occur in the body, wherein the preamble has a run length no greater than P bits, wherein P is an integer greater than one.
US09559745B2
Antenna tuning switch circuitry includes an input port, a shunt switch, control circuitry, and an integrated ground. The shunt switch is coupled between the input port and the integrated ground. The control circuitry includes a control signal input port, a switch driver output port coupled to the shunt switch, and a ground connection port coupled to the integrated ground. The shunt switches, the RF input ports, the control circuitry, and the integrated ground are monolithically integrated on a single semiconductor die. The antenna tuning switch circuitry is adapted to selectively couple the input port to the integrated ground in order to alter one or more operating parameters of an attached antenna. By monolithically integrating the shunt switch together with the control circuitry and the integrated ground, the ON state impedance and the parasitic OFF state impedance of the antenna tuning switch circuitry can be significantly improved.
US09559736B2
An active noise control system and associated auto-selection method for modeling a secondary path for the active noise control system are provided. The method includes the steps of: receiving a reference signal; filtering the reference signal with a secondary-path estimation filter to obtain a filtered reference signal, wherein the secondary path estimation filter is determined from a plurality of candidate secondary-path estimation filters; filtering the reference signal with an adaptive filter to provide a compensation signal; sensing a residual noise signal at a listening position of the active noise control system; and adapting filter coefficients of the adaptive filter according to the residual noise signal and the filtered reference signal.
US09559726B2
Integrated circuits, systems and methods are disclosed in which data bits protected by error correction code (ECC) detection and correction may be increased such that a combination of primary and additional bits may also be ECC protected using existing ECC allocation, without affecting ECC capabilities. For example, the additional bits may be encoded into phantom bits that are in turn used in combination with the primary bits, to generate an ECC. This ECC may then be combined with the primary bits to form a code word. The code word may be transmitted (or stored) so that when the data bits are received (or retrieved), assumed values of the phantom bits may be decoded, using the ECC, back into the additional bits without the phantom bits or the additional bits ever having transmitted (or stored).
US09559717B1
In a signal processing chain producing an analog output signal from a digital input signal, dynamic range control applies to the analog output signal a dynamic range control gain as a function of an input gain applied to the digital input signal. The dynamic range control gain is applied to the analog output signal with a delay relative to the input gain applied to the digital input signal. A first flag signal is generated for the analog output signal and a second flag signal for the digital input signal, each flag assuming first and second levels and set to the first level when the signal from which the flag is generated is within a certain amplitude range. The first and second flag signals are compared and delay of application of the dynamic range control gain to the analog output signal controlled as a function of a result of the comparison.
US09559715B2
A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter including separable dual capacitor array is disclosed. The disclosed successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter comprises: a dual capacitor array configured to include a first capacitor array for converting most significant bits of n bits and a second capacitor array for converting least significant bits of the n bits; a comparator configured to compare a level signal outputted from the first capacitor array with a level signal outputted from the second capacitor array; and an SAR logic circuit configured to convert an analog input voltage into a digital signal having the n bits by using the comparison result. Here, the first capacitor array includes a 1-1 capacitor circuit and a 1-2 capacitor circuit and the second capacitor array includes a 2-1 capacitor circuit and a 2-2 capacitor circuit. Each of the capacitor circuits includes capacitors connected in parallel each other.
US09559699B1
A method and apparatus for reducing global interconnect delay on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) on an integrated circuit die comprising coding with a digital to analog coder on the integrated circuit die successive groups of n digital bits into an 2n level voltage or current signal where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2; transmitting the voltage or current signal on a global interconnect on the integrated circuit die; receiving on the integrated circuit die the signal transmitted on the global interconnect; and decoding the received signal on the integrated circuit die to reconstitute the successive groups of digital bits.
US09559695B2
A data transmission circuit may include a first driving block configured to drive an output terminal for a first time in response to a data driving signal and a level of the output terminal, and a second driving block configured to drive the output terminal for a second time after the first time, in response to the data driving signal.
US09559694B2
In one embodiment, the operating range of an over-current detection circuit is extended to higher input voltage levels by providing a reference-voltage generation circuit for the detection circuit with voltage protection circuitry that applies an additional voltage drop to shield other vulnerable transistor devices from the higher input voltages. In addition, bypass circuitry is provided that is inactive at the highest input voltage levels, but actively bypasses at least some of the voltage protection circuitry at relatively low input voltage levels to apply a voltage drop that is sufficient to ensure proper operation of the vulnerable transistor devices at the low voltage levels. In one implementation, the vulnerable transistor devices are NFET devices in a programmable current mirror of the reference-voltage generation circuit. In addition, a stiffened voltage divider helps to ensure sufficient voltage drop at the low voltage levels. The protection and bypass circuitry also enable hot-socketing operations.
US09559693B2
A semiconductor device includes a first power source line which accepts the supply of power in the active mode, a second power source line which accepts the supply of power in the active mode and the standby mode, a memory circuit to be coupled with the first and second power source lines and a first switch which electrically couples the first power source line with the second power source line in the active mode and electrically decouples the first power source line from the second power source line in the standby mode. The memory circuit includes a memory array, a peripheral circuit and a second switch. Each of the first and second switches includes a first PMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor.
US09559690B2
An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device are provided. The array substrate comprises: a gate electrode (11) and a gate line (12) located on a base substrate (00); an active layer (20) located on a film layer where the gate electrode (11) and the gate line (12) are located; a drain electrode (31), a source electrode (32) and a data line (33) located on the active layer (20); a pixel electrode (40) located on a film layer where the drain electrode (31), the drain electrode (32) and the data line (33) are located and connected to the drain electrode (31) through a first via hole (100); and a common electrode layer (50) located on a film layer where the pixel electrode (40) is located and insulated from the pixel electrode (40); wherein, the common electrode layer (50) includes a plurality of self-capacitive electrodes (51) disposed on a same layer and mutually insulated; the array substrate further comprises: a plurality of conducting lines (60), located on the film layer where the drain electrode (31), the source electrode (32) and the data line (33) are located, and insulated from the drain electrode (31), the source drain (32), the data line (33) and the pixel electrode (40); and, disposed on a layer different from the common electrode layer (50), and each of the conducting lines (60) being electrically connected to a corresponding self-capacitive electrode (51) through a second via hole (200).
US09559681B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device is configured such that if, due to an erroneous connection or the like, an abnormal state is entered in which an output voltage is lower than a ground potential VSS, an N-type DMOS transistor and a first P-type MOS transistor are turned off and a voltage is applied to their parasitic diodes in the opposite direction, preventing a current from flowing. In a normal state in which the output voltage is higher than the ground potential, at least one of the N-type DMOS transistor and first P-type MOS transistor, which are connected in parallel, is turned on, preventing a current from flowing into the parasitic diode of the N-type DMOS transistor.
US09559667B1
An integrated electronic circuit is provided. The integrated electronic circuit includes a transconductance cell formed from transconductance cell devices. The integrated electronic circuit further includes active and passive decoupling circuits. The integrated electronic circuit also includes an oscillator having a tank that is direct current decoupled from the transconductance cell devices using the active and passive decoupling circuits to increase voltage swing and decrease phase noise of the oscillator.
US09559661B2
A duplexer includes: a transmit filter that is connected between an antenna terminal and a transmit terminal and has a plurality of acoustic wave resonators; a receive filter that is connected between the antenna terminal and a receive terminal and has a plurality of acoustic wave resonators; and a delay line or a longitudinal coupling type resonator that is connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of acoustic wave resonators of the transmit filter and the plurality of acoustic wave resonators of the receive filter and has at least two IDTs (Interdigital Transducers).
US09559647B2
The present disclosure relates to an amplifier circuit (2) for a capacitive transducer (1), comprising a preamplifier (8) adapted to receive a transducer signal through an input node (9) and to provide an amplified signal at an output node (10), and a transconductance amplifier (11) comprising a first input (12) and an output (14), wherein the first input (12) of the transconductance amplifier (11) is connected to the output node (10), and the output (14) of the transconductance amplifier (11) is connected to the input node (9).
