US09631100B2

The invention provided herein presents a novel family of antifouling agents based on hydroxylated and fluorinated compounds.
US09631099B2

This invention relates to an epoxy resin composition and its application in marine maintenance and repair coating with improved overcoatability.
US09631098B2

The present invention relates to ester-coated core particles, thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a thermo-plastic polymer and such coated particles, a method for producing ester coated particles and the use of compositions of the invention as fillers or pigments with improved dispersion properties and pourability.
US09631096B2

Dye compounds of the formula (1) wherein A is a protective agent group that has a characteristic of modifying the singlet-triplet occupancy of the shown cyanine moiety, and M is a reactive crosslinking group or a group that can be converted to a reactive crosslinking group. Methods for synthesizing the dye compounds and applications for their use are also described.
US09631095B2

A moldable composite material contains flakes of composite material, i.e., flakes of polymeric matrix materials having fibers embedded therein. An improved substrate is provided by providing a substrate and applying a coating onto the substrate, the coating containing the flakes of composite material. A first construction member can be secured to a second construction member by applying the coating onto an attachment region of the first construction member, and applying a fastener onto the first construction member in the coated attachment region to secure the first construction member to the second construction member.
US09631094B2

A non-blown roofing grade bitumen composition comprising bitumen feedstock, polyolefin having a molecular weight of from about 800 to about 50,000 g/mol, and optionally one or more additives, wherein the softening point of the composition is above 70° C. as determined according to method ASTM D36 and the penetration of the composition is at least about 12 dmm at 25° C. as determined according to method ASTM D5. A method of making the same.
US09631086B2

The present invention relates to the use of polymers of the following formula (I): wherein: A1i represents a radical alkylene divalent comprising from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; A2i represents a radical alkylene divalent comprising from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; X1i is chosen from the group consisting of: —S—, —CH2— and a bond; Y represents H, a phenyl group or an alkyl group comprising from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; i represents an integer varying from 1 to n; n represents an integer comprised from 2 to 1,000; provided that the total number of carbon atoms of the radicals A2i, X1i et A1i is greater than or equal to 8; as additives in a polymeric matrix chosen from the group consisting of matrices of polyester, poly(vinyl chloride), polyurethane, polyamide, poly(alkyl acrylate), poly(alkyl methacrylate), polystyrene and polyolefin, said polymer of formula (I) being different from poly(ricinoleic acid).
US09631083B2

A resin composition including a resin component and glass fibers, the resin component including 0 to 99 wt % of a hydrogenated crystalline cycloolefin ring-opening polymer that includes a repeating unit derived from a polycyclic norbornene-based monomer that includes 3 or more rings, and does not include a polar group, and 1 to 100 wt % of a hydrogenated modified crystalline cycloolefin ring-opening polymer that includes a repeating unit derived from a polycyclic norbornene-based monomer that includes 3 or more rings, and includes a polar group, the resin composition including the glass fibers in an amount of 5 to 150 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the resin component; and a resin formed article obtained by forming the resin composition.
US09631077B2

A process for preparing a multimodal polyethylene product with at least two different polyethylene resins includes producing a first polyethylene resin in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst in a reactor. The Ziegler-Natta catalyst used for the production of the first polyethylene resin has an average particle size (D50) of at most 15 μm. The process includes separately producing a second polyethylene resin in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst in a reactor. The process includes physically blending together the first and second polyethylene resins to produce a multimodal polyethylene product.
US09631067B2

A carbon fiber composite including: carbon fiber; and silicon carbide coated on the surface of the carbon fiber, and a production method of the same are provided. The carbon fiber composite may reduce weight, implement an outstanding heat-dissipating efficiency by using high thermal conductivity, and be used in various ways in electronic products and the like where heat-dissipating characteristics are required.
US09631066B2

The invention disclosed herein is the composition comprising a fluorescent chromophore as cross linker incorporated to polymer beads, wherein the fluorescence of the composition occurs in solid state and solution state with high quantum yield in solid state. Particularly, the invention provides fluorescent monodisperse crosslinked PS-PBIX, PS-OPVX, PS-PBITEGA, PS-PBITEGA-OPVX, PS-PBIX-OPVX, PMMA-OPVX, and PMMA-PBIX microspheres or beads, having tunable color emission such that fluorophore made using PS-PBITEGA-OPVX will emit white light. Further it discloses process for the preparation of highly fluorescent monodisperse, cross-linked polymer microbeads.
US09631062B2

A silicone gel composition including: an organopolysiloxane shown by the following general formula: RaR1bSiO(4-a-b)/2, having one or more alkenyl groups bound to a silicon atom in one molecule, wherein the amount is 100 parts by mass; an organohydrogenpolysiloxane shown by the following general formula: R2cHdSiO(4-c-d)/2, having two or more hydrogen atoms bound to a silicon atom in one molecule, wherein the amount is such that 0.6 to 3 hydrogen atoms bound to a silicon atom is contained relative to one alkenyl group bound to a silicon atom in the component; a platinum-based catalyst, wherein the amount is an effective amount; and a carbon nanotube, wherein the amount is 0.01 to 3 parts by mass. This provides a silicone gel composition which can be a silicone gel cured product with low elastic modulus, low stress, and excellent heat resistance at 230° C., when it is cured.
US09631059B2

The instant invention provides a polyolefin composition suitable for packaging applications, films, multilayer structures and packaging devices made therefrom. The polyolefin composition according to the present invention comprises: an ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer composition comprising (a) from 50 to 75 percent by weight of a first ethylene/α-olefin copolymer fraction having a density in the range of 0.894 to 0.908 g/cm3, a melt index (I2) in the range of from 0.2 to 1 g/10 minutes, and (b) from 25 to 50 percent by weight of a second ethylene/α-olefin copolymer fraction, and wherein said ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer composition has a density in the range of 0.910 to 0.924 g/cm3, a melt index (I2) in the range of from 0.5 to 2 g/10 minutes, a zero shear viscosity ratio (ZSVR) in the range of from 1.15 to 2.5, a molecular weight distribution, expressed as the ratio of the weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight (Mw/Mn) in the range of from 2.0 to 4.0, and tan delta at 0.1 radian/second and 190° C. in the range of from 6 to 43.
US09631055B2

Pre-polymer according to structure (I) X—(R2—O)n—CH2—O—(R1—O)m—CH2—(O—R2)p—X (I) wherein R1 and R2 can be the same or different and are selected from alkane chains containing 2-10 carbon atoms, X is a halogen atom, and n, m, and p are integers that can be the same of different and have a value in the range 1-6. The use of this pre-polymer in the preparation of a liquid polysulfide polymer allows better control over the sulfur and oxygen content and the polarity of the resulting polymer.
US09631052B2

A method to prepare a borate complexed polyalkylguanidinium polymer, the method including heating bis(hexamethylene triamine and guanidine chloride to prepare a polyalkylguanidinium chloride, reacting the polyalkylguanidinium chloride with glycidol in an equimolar amount of glycidol and secondary amine functionalities present in the polyalkylguanidinium chloride to prepare a N-2,3-dihydroxypropyl polyalkylguanidinium chloride polymer, and reacting the N-2,3-dihydroxypropyl polyalkylguanidinium chloride polymer with a boron-oxide material to prepare the borate complexed polyalkylguanidinium polymer.
US09631049B2

Compounds of formula I, uses as crosslinking agents or curing agents thereof, and resins obtained by using the compounds as crosslinking agents.
US09631048B2

Compounds of the formula (I), (Ia) or (Ib) wherein A1, and A− is for example (II) is 1 or 2; X is C1-C4 alkylene or CO; Y is for example O, O(CO), O(CO)O, R1 is for example hydrogen, d-dsalkyl, C3-C30cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphthyl, anthracyl, phenanthryl, biphenylyl, fluorenyl or C3-C20heteroaryl, all of which optionally are substituted; R2 and R3 for example are C1-C10haloalkylene which is optionally substituted, or R2 and R3 are phenylene, which optionally is substituted; R4 is a group (A) or a group (B); R5 and R6 for example are C1-C20alkyl; or R4 and R5 or R4 and R6 together form a straight-chain C2-C6alkylene, R5 and R6 together form a straight-chain C2-C6alkylene; R7, R8, R9 and R10 ifor example are C1-C20alkyl; M for example is C1-C20alkylene, C2-C20alkenylene, C2-C20alkynylene; R25 and R26 are for example hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl; R27, R28, R29, R30 and R31 are for example hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl, C2-C20alkenyl, C3-C20cycloalkyl, or two radicals R27 and R28, R28 and R29, R29 and R30 and/or R30 and R31 together form a straight-chain C2-C6alkylene, or R25 and R27 together form 1,2-phenylene, R33 and R34 for example are hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl; R35, R36 and R37 for example are hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl; are suitable as thermo-acid generators.
US09631047B2

The present invention relates to curing agents for epoxy resins, containing at least one adduct of a primary diamine and an aromatic monoepoxide, at least one primary diamine and at least one secondary diamine which is free of primary amino groups and free of hydroxyl groups. The curing agent is of low viscosity and cures, together with epoxy resins, rapidly and without blushing, even under damp, cold conditions, to form films of high hardness and low brittleness. It is particularly well suited for low-emission coatings that cure at room temperature.
US09631042B2

The present invention pertains to copolymers having one or more polyisobutylene segments and one or more biodegradable polymer segments, to methods of making such copolymers, to medical articles that contain such copolymers, and to methods of making such medical articles. According to certain aspects of the invention, copolymers are provided, which comprise a plurality of polyisobutylene segments and a plurality of biodegradable polymer segments. According to certain aspects of the invention, copolymers are provided, which comprise urethane linkages, urea linkages, amide linkages, ester linkages, anhydride linkages, carbonate linkages, linkages commonly described as “click” chemistry linkages, and combinations of two or more types of such linkages.
US09631036B2

A fluoroelastomer comprising a copolymer of fluoroolefin monomers selected from one or more of the group consisting of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; wherein the fluoroelastomer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of from about −60° C. to about 53° C. A process of making the fluoroelastomer.
US09631030B2

Administering antibodies or fragments thereof which bind hemopexin for use in the treatment of retinal diseases, in particular a retinal disease in which there is a dysfunction of the external blood-retinal barrier, the dysfunction being an impairment of the blood-retinal barrier. Pharmaceutical and veterinary compositions are also disclosed in which the antibodies or fragments thereof are present. The compositions may be applied in wide spectra of ocular diseases.
US09631029B2

The present invention relates to an antibody, recombinant or synthetic antigen-binding fragments thereof able to recognize and bind an epitope comprised in the spacer domain of ADAMTS-5, nucleic acid and expression vector encoding the same, method of production and uses thereof.
US09631026B2

Provided herein are antibodies specific for TIM3 that can be used to detect cancer cells, in particular, cancer stem cells. The antibodies can also be used in therapeutic compositions for treating cancer and reducing inflammation.
US09631024B2

Disclosed herein are anti-LGR4 antibodies for the treatment of cancer. Antibodies disclosed herein may bind LGR4 without disrupting LGR4-RSPO1 binding or signaling, and may disrupt LGR4 signaling through Wnt that is independent of RSPO1. Also disclosed are heavy and light chain polypeptide sequences for antibodies that bind LGR4, for example without disrupting LGR4-RSPO binding or signaling.
US09631016B2

A pen-injector device comprising an anti-IL-6 antibody with a liquid formulation have applications in diagnostic and/or therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.
US09631007B2

A method for the purification of immunoglobulins by ion exchange chromatography is described. The chromatographic method uses a weak ion exchange resin and a single step elution process for the purification of an immunoglobulin. Additionally a method for the determination of the salt concentration for the single step elution of an immunoglobulin from an ion exchange resin is described.
US09631005B2

The present invention is directed stromal cell derived factor-1 peptides that have been mutated to make them resistant to digestion by the proteases dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) but which maintain the ability of native SDF-1 to attract T cells. The mutants may be attached to membranes formed by self-assembling peptides and then implanted at sites of tissue damage to help promote repair.
US09630999B2

The application of flagellin derivative CZLC31 from Salmonella in preparation of medicines for preventing and treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is introduced in this invention. The CZLC331 protein has a good preventive and therapeutic effect for IBD, such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in this invention. Therefore, this protein can be prepared into the drug for prevention and treatment of IBD. It has been found that the bad efficacy, slow onset, long course of treatment, side effects can be significantly avoided for existing clinical IBD drugs, it can reduce the patient's pain during the treatment in this invention. The rehabilitation and quality of life of the patients have been largely improved. The drug will play an important role in the prevention and treatment of IBD in this invention, and has broad application prospects.
US09630994B2

Synthetic nanostructures, polypeptides that are useful, for example, in making synthetic nanostructures, and methods for using such synthetic nanostructures are disclosed herein.
US09630989B2

Dipeptide analogs comprising a tryptophan (Trp) moiety coupled to a beta-sheet breaker moiety derived from alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) are disclosed. The dipeptide analogs exhibit an improved performance in inhibiting amyloid fibril formation, as compared to previously described dipeptides. Compositions containing the dipetide analogs and uses thereof in treating amyloid-associated diseases and disorders are also disclosed.
US09630987B2

Disclosed is a process for the preparation of abiraterone and abiraterone acetate with high yields and purity. A key element of the method is the isolation of a crystalline intermediate that makes the process particularly suitable for implementation on an industrial scale.
US09630980B2

A ligand of formula (I′) wherein L is a divalent bridge selected from —R′2C—, —R′2C—CR′2—, —R′2Si—, —R′2Si—SiR′2—, —R′2Ge—, wherein each R′ is independently a hydrogen atom, C1-20-hydrocarbyl, tri(C1-20-alkyl)silyl, C6-20-aryl, C7-20-arylalkyl or C7-20-alkylaryl; R2 and R2′ are each independently a C1-20 hydrocarbyl radical; R5′ is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; R6, R6′, R7 and R7′ are each independently hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; Ar and Ar′ are independently an aryl or heteroaryl group having up to 20 carbon atoms; each R1 is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group or two R1 groups on adjacent carbon atoms taken together can form a fused 5 or 6 membered non aromatic ring with the Ar group; and each R4 is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; and the dotted lines represent a double bond present in between carbons 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 of the indenyl ring.
US09630976B2

Provision of orally-available and low-toxic somatostatin receptor subtype 2 agonist. Since the compound represented by the general formula (I): [wherein all symbols represent the same meanings as those described in the description] a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof, a solvate thereof, or a prodrug thereof is non-peptidic low-molecular compound which has strong somatostatin receptor subtype 2 agonist activity, the compound is orally-available. Additionally, since the compound is low-toxic, the compound is useful for the prevention and/or treatment of the somatostatin related diseases such as acromegaly or gastrointestinal obstruction.
US09630974B2

A process is described for the acid-catalyzed dehydration of a sugar alcohol, wherein the catalyst comprises a water-tolerant Lewis acid. In particular embodiments, the catalyst comprises a homogeneous water-tolerant Lewis acid, especially a homogeneous Lewis acid selected from the group consisting of bismuth (III) triflate, gallium (III) triflate, scandium (III) triflate, aluminum triflate, tin (II) triflate and indium (III) triflate. Such catalysts are effective for dehydrating both of sorbitol and the 1,4-sorbitan dehydration precursor of isosorbide, and bismuth (III) triflate particularly is beneficial for dehydrating mannitol to isomannide.
US09630966B2

Provided herein are methods for treating or preventing glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) characterized by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression and/or promoter methylation status, comprising administering an effective amount of a Dihydropyrazino-Pyrazine Compound to a patient having glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) characterized by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) expression and/or promoter methylation status.
US09630958B2

The present invention relates to novel triazine compounds of formula (1). The present invention also discloses compounds of formula I along with other pharmaceutical acceptable excipients and use of the compounds to modulate the PI3K/mTOR pathway.
US09630950B2

The present invention relates to polyamides capable of inhibiting ARE-, GRE- and ERE-mediated gene regulation in cells. The present invention also relates to polyamides capable of modulating the activity of RNA polymerase II and p53. The invention also relates to methods to treat diseases related to ARE-, GRE- and ERE-mediated gene regulation and to RNA polymerase II and p53 activity.
US09630949B2

The present invention relates to novel compounds derived from oxoazetidine corresponding to general formula (I) to the compositions containing same, to the process for preparation thereof and to the use thereof in pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions.
US09630940B2

Disclosed is a process for preparing dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives of formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The process of the invention provides the compound of formula I in concise cascade reactions and in one pot. The compound of formulae I prepared by the process of the invention and its further transformed derivatives are useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.
US09630939B2

A derivative of homoserine lactone represented by formula I, and a preparation method and use thereof. The compound has a bacterial quorum-sensing regulatory effect, and can be used for prevention and/or treatment of a disease caused by a bacterial infection.
US09630932B2

The present invention provides trisubstituted benzotriazole derivatives as dihydroorotate oxygenase inhibitor compounds of formula (I), which may be therapeutically useful as DHODH inhibitors. wherein, R1, R2 and R3 have the meanings given in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof that are useful in the treatment and prevention in diseases or disorder, in particular their use in diseases or disorder where there is an advantage in inhibiting DHODH. The present invention also provides methods for synthesizing trisubstituted benzotriazole derivatives of formula (I).The present invention also provides pharmaceutical formulations comprising at least one of the DHODH inhibitor compound of formula (I) together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient.
US09630926B2

The present invention is directed to bendamustine esters and bendamustine amides and their use for the treatment of cancer.
US09630915B2

The invention generally relates to compounds that function as TP antagonists for treating thrombosis and other cardiovascular, renal, or pulmonary diseases. In some embodiments, the invention provides a compound including a substituted nitro phenoxy phenyl, a sulfonylurea, and an alkyl group. In some embodiments, the invention provides a method of treating thrombosis by administering an antithrombotic compound that preferentially binds to a thromboxane receptor, has preferential binding for either TPalpha (TPα) or TPbeta (TPβ) receptor subtype.
US09630910B2

This document discloses molecules having the following formula (“Formula One”): and processes associated therewith.
US09630906B2

The present invention relates to unsaturated amine salts of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, to a method of producing said amine salts and to the use of said amine salts in the production of pharmaceutically acceptable salts of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
US09630894B2

The present invention relates to the energy efficient and selective extraction of dilute concentrations of biomolecules, e.g., small organic compounds, e.g., one or more C2-C6 alcohols, one or more C3-C5 carboxylic acids, one or more C8-18 fatty alcohols, one or more C1-C18 dicarboxylic acids, one or more furfurals, one or more furans, one or more butanediols, one or more butadienes, and mixtures thereof, from an aqueous solution using liquid phase dimethyl ether (DME).
US09630889B2

This invention provides a system for producing organic fertilizer from excreta of domestic animal obtained by digesting of larvae belonging to Diptera such as Musca domestica (housefly), Boettcherisca peregrine and Tabanus, and for producing grown larvae which can be used as a feed for cultured fish and chicken raising. In an embodiment, the system for producing organic fertilizer from excreta of domestic animal and for producing grown larvae which can be used as a feed for cultured fish and chicken raising is characterized by arranging a plurality of nurturing-processing storage units for nurturing larvae hatched from eggs, and a means for dislodging only larvae forcibly from a former nurturing-processing storage unit to a later nurturing-processing storage unit successively with the progress of growth of larvae, wherein larvae leave said former nurturing-processing storage unit autonomously.
US09630868B2

An apparatus and method for manufacturing glass objects comprising a glass blowing pipe and a metal mounting device configured to melt with glass to form a glass piece that is easily removed from the glass blowing pipe without the need to break the glass from the headstock of the glass blowing pipe, wherein the metal mounting device comprises a contact patch and a number of slits to secure the metal mounting device to the glass. A method for manufacturing a glass object utilizing a metal mounting insert is described. A glass object having a metal mounting insert for installation and use in other applications is also described.
US09630866B2

The present invention relates to a process for workup of nitrite-comprising alkaline process wastewaters from the nitration of aromatic compounds, wherein the alkaline process wastewater is acidified by addition of acids and the offgas which comprises nitrogen oxides and escapes from the acidified process wastewater is worked up, comprising the steps of a) acidifying the process wastewater by adding acid to a pH below 5, which forms an organic phase which separates out, an acidic aqueous phase and a gaseous NOx-containing phase, and b) removing the gaseous NOx-containing phase.
US09630865B2

A method of treating wastewater includes removing BOD and ammonium from the wastewater. The wastewater is directed into a tank where it is mixed with mixed liquor or activated sludge from an activated sludge wastewater treatment system. The mixture of wastewater and mixed liquor or activated sludge forms a mixed liquor stream. The mixed liquor stream is directed to a ballasted flocculation system where suspended solids is removed from the wastewater. This produces a clarified effluent that is directed to a zeolite tank. Clarified wastewater from the ballasted flocculation system is directed into the zeolite tank and mixed with zeolite. Zeolite is effective to remove ammonium from the wastewater. Thus, the process as a whole is effective in removing suspended solids, soluble BOD as a result of mixing the mixed liquor or activated sludge with the wastewater, and ammonium.
US09630855B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for improving dewatering of Bayer Process alumina trihydrate slurry. The method comprises adding an R-Succinic Compound (such as octadecenyl succinic acid, hexadecenyl succinic acid, and/or dodecenyl succinic acid) to the slurry. The R-Succinic Compound removes water that would otherwise be trapped within the filtered slurry cake and therefore reduces the energy needed to calcine the resulting solids.
US09630853B2

An object is to provide polycrystalline diamond applicable to diverse applications; and a water jet orifice, a stylus for gravure printing, a scriber, a diamond cutting tool, and a scribing wheel that include such polycrystalline diamond. This object is achieved by polycrystalline diamond obtained by converting and sintering non-diamond carbon under an ultrahigh pressure and at a high temperature without addition of a sintering aid or a catalyst, wherein sintered diamond grains constituting the polycrystalline diamond have an average grain diameter of more than 50 nm and less than 2500 nm and a purity of 99% or more, and the diamond has a D90 grain diameter of (average grain diameter+average grain diameter×0.9) or less.
US09630845B2

Presented herein is a method for obtaining a dissolved selenium liquid mixture from solid selenium. The method involves mixing an amine solvent and a thiol solvent with the solid selenium to produce a liquid intermediate solution and removing a sulfur containing compound from the liquid intermediate solution to produce a dissolved selenium liquid mixture. A method for obtaining dissolved sulfur liquid mixture by mixing an amine with a thiol to produce a liquid solution that dissolves sulfur to produce a dissolved sulfur liquid mixture is also presented. In addition, a method for obtaining a dissolved sulfur and selenium liquid mixture from solid selenium and solid sulfur by mixing an amine solvent with a thiol solvent is presented.
US09630841B2

The invention relates to a method for producing an ultrapure, aqueous, long-term- and storage-stable, and thus transportable chlorine dioxide solution, comprising the steps of providing chlorite, providing peroxodisulfate, and combining chlorite and peroxodisulfate in an aqueous system and in a molar ratio of peroxodisulfate to chlorite [S2O82−]/[ClO2−] of greater than 1, forming the aqueous chlorine dioxide solution, wherein no additional buffer is added to produce the aqueous chlorine dioxide solution. The invention further relates to a corresponding chlorine dioxide solution, to the use of said chlorine dioxide solution, and to a device for producing the chlorine dioxide solution.
US09630836B2

A simplified MEMS fabrication process and MEMS device is provided that allows for cheaper and lighter-weight MEMS devices to be fabricated. The process comprises etching a plurality of holes or other feature patterns into a MEMS device, and then etching away the underlying wafer such that, after the etching process, the MEMS device is the required thickness and the individual die are separated, avoiding the extra steps of wafer thinning and die dicing. By etching trenches into the substrate wafer and filling them with a MEMS base material, sophisticated taller MEMS devices with larger force may be made.
US09630830B2

A MEMS resonator active temperature compensation method is provided. The MEMS resonator active temperature compensation method includes: a MEMS resonator is provided, wherein a structural resistance of the MEMS resonator is varied with an environmental temperature; a structural resistance shift value is formed by a variation of the environmental temperature; an electrical circuit is provided, wherein the electrical circuit is electrically connected with the MEMS resonator for providing an adjustment mechanism to the MEMS resonator; and a compensation value is provided from the adjustment mechanism for controlling the structural resistance shift value.
US09630827B2

Dispenser device for automatic dispensing machines of carbonated beverages from bottles and like containers. At least one decompression chamber is associated and works together to an inert gas insufflating system in order to maintain the carbon dioxide content of the beverage after the bottle is opened, therefore keeping the original effervescence and perlage of the dispensed carbonated beverage up to complete depletion of the bottle.
US09630826B2

A beverage making machine includes a first beverage making cartridge including at least one of a gas source portion, the gas source portion contains a solid gas source that through sublimation emits a gas, and a gas storage tank arranged to store the gas emitted from the solid gas source. The beverage making machine further includes a second beverage making cartridge includes at least one of a beverage ingredient, a beverage diluent receptacle for receiving a beverage diluent liquid, a dissolver dissolves portion of the gas, from the gas storage tank, into the beverage diluent liquid, and a dispenser selectively dispenses a predefined ratio of at least one of the beverage ingredient and the beverage diluent liquid, to form a beverage. Exemplary embodiments include a computer control arranged to receive a beverage selection from a consumer and control the beverage making machine to form beverages.
US09630824B1

An appliance for opening screw and twist type containers 10 for prescription medicine bottles, water bottles, sports drinks, and jars of nearly all sizes. The appliance has a one piece thermoplastic body with an integrally molded low profile unidirectional gripping blade being positioned on the center line of the appliance. The appliance has an optimized offset from center line loading ramp and reaction plane resulting in a highly efficient opener with an asymmetrical split V type geometry. The appliance provides the optimal leverage, retention, and gripping force required to greatly ease in the removal of screw or twist type container lids ranging in size from ½″ to 4½″ in diameter. This under cabinet mounted appliance provides unprecedented ease in opening even the most difficult twist type container or jar, which is very beneficial for the aging, as well as the young, and those with arthritic conditions or other hand related problems. The appliance is highly efficient and effective in opening screw top containers, while being able to be manufactured at a high rate with low cost.
US09630813B2

An offshore floating vessel includes a hoisting system including a drive for moving connecting device and emergency brakes to inhibit motion of the connecting device; wherein the hoisting system is to be operated at least in a hoisting mode and in an active heave compensation mode; wherein hoisting system is to perform an active heave compensation when operated in the active heave compensation mode and to operate without active heave compensation when operated in the hoisting mode; wherein the emergency brakes are operable in a normally-energized mode including a de-energized state where the emergency brakes engage so as to inhibit motion of the connecting device relative to the floating vessel; wherein the hoisting system is operable in a fixed-to-bottom mode; wherein the hoisting system is to perform an active heave compensation when operated in fixed-to-bottom mode; and wherein the hoisting system is adapted to prevent the emergency brakes from engaging.
US09630810B1

A hook for a hoist system includes a hook having a hook body and a loading portion, a latch movably connected to the hook having an open position wherein the hook is open and a closed position wherein the hook is closed, a first sensor operable to sense a position of the latch and to generate a signal responsive to the latch being in the closed position, a lock movably connected to the hook and having a locked position wherein movement of the latch from the closed position is obstructed by the lock and an unlocked position wherein movement of the latch from the closed position is unobstructed by the lock, and, a second sensor operable to sense a position of the lock and to generate a signal responsive to the lock being in the locked position.
US09630807B1

The present invention provides a variable mass elevator apparatus and method of operation, wherein the apparatus comprises an electronic scale, an elevator car, a traction sheave, a control computer, a mass storage area, a mass, a mass conveyor, a floor control panel outside of the elevator. When a passenger desires to operate the elevator, the passenger steps on the electronic scale and chooses a floor on the floor control panel, wherein the floor control panel has buttons for each floor. The electronic scale relays the weight of the passenger to the control computer, and the floor control panel relays the desired floor to the control computer. The control computer instructs a mass conveyer to couple a mass corresponding to the weight of the passenger to the elevator cable to act as a counterweight and equalize the potential energy of the elevator according to the desired floor of the passenger and the weight of the passenger.
US09630806B2

A method for constructing an interface between a sheave and a coated belt or rope of an elevator system, includes determining the surface energy of a surface of a coated belt or rope; and selecting a sheave such that the sheave has a work of adhesion between the coated belt or rope and the sheave, the work of adhesion meeting a defined relationship with a work of adhesion threshold.
US09630796B2

A cutting mechanism assembly for use with a tape cartridge includes a support arm having first and second opposing ends and adapted to be coupled to the tape cartridge. The cutting mechanism assembly also includes a mount for a biasing element. The mount is coupled to the support arm and the biasing element is configured to couple the mount to the tape cartridge. Further, the cutting mechanism assembly includes a support plate for a mechanism for reducing a biasing force from the biasing element. The support plate is coupled to the support arm and the mechanism is configured to couple the support plate to the tape cartridge.
US09630790B2

This disclosure provides a coupling device configured to couple a shaft and a rotating member supported on the shaft so as to be rotatable and demountable from the shaft including a contacting portion provided on a rotating member, and a restricting member provided on the shaft so as to be rotatable and configured to restrict a movement of the rotating member in the axial direction by coming into contact with the contacting portion.
US09630788B2

A paper output tray, which can be included in a paper output unit in an image forming apparatus, includes a tray body, a paper support extension slidably attached to the tray body and arranged switchable between a stored state in which the paper support extension is stored in the tray body and an extended state in which the paper support extension is pulled out to extend from the tray body, and a stopper rotatably attached to the paper support extension and arranged switchable between a folded state in which the stopper is folded to the paper support extension and a standing state in which the stopper is raised from the paper support extension. With the paper support extension in the stored state and the stopper in the folded state, the stopper overlaps an outer surface of the tray body.
US09630784B2

A destacking conveyor and a roller transfer device. The destacking conveyor includes an infeed conveyor feeding articles to a roller transfer device at a first elevation. A discharge conveyor at a lower elevation receives articles dropped from the roller transfer device. The roller transfer device comprises an array of closely spaced rollers whose axial lengths decrease with distance from the infeed conveyor to form an oblique drop-off edge over which articles drop and unstack.
US09630782B2

A scraper blade adapted to scrape off material from a conveyor belt surface, including a mounting portion at one end, and a scraper tip at the other end. The scraper blade includes by a scraper portion extending from the scraper tip and to a point adjacent to or in the mounting portion. The scraper blade includes at least one side wall which is tapered from the scraper tip towards the mounting portion. One or more scraper blades form a scraper for a conveyor belt.
US09630773B1

A water containment apparatus includes a straight strut arrangement comprising a plurality of straight strut assemblies forming an alternating v-shape and inverted v-shape pattern; and a curved strut arrangement comprising a plurality of corner strut assemblies forming a desired curvature and connecting two straight strut arrangements to form a closed loop water containment system.
US09630759B2

A gusset bag (10), having a pair of flat surface portions (11, 11) facing each other and a pair of side surface portions (12, 12) facing each other which are folded toward the inside, has a side edge sealing portion (13) in which the flat surface portion and the side surface portion are heat-sealed together at side edge portions thereof, and a folded-back portion (13c) in which all or a part of the side edge sealing portion in the width direction is folded back toward the flat surface portion or the side surface portion. The gusset bag and a spout-attached gusset bag (1) using the gusset bag have an excellent self-standing property, and causes one's hand to feel little pain even when being squeezed.
US09630754B2

A tamper-evident container closure device is provided. The device is securable to an open container to close the container. The closure device includes an electrically powered tamper-indicating means for indicating that the housing has been detached from the container after being secured to the container.
US09630752B2

A single piece sealing lid is made of a soft, flexible material that allows the lid to cover and reseal an opened food can. The flexible lip seal may have such a length so as to allow it to seal against the outside circumference of the can, below the can lid ridge. Since the flexible lip of the sealing lid is flexible, it can accommodate cans of varying diameter and does not require the can opening to be perfectly round. Therefore, the sealing lid may fit damaged or out-of round can openings. A pull tab may be provided on the sealing lid to assist in the installation and removal of the sealing lid from a can.
US09630740B2

The present invention provides an improved product holding and dispensing package and an improved method for manufacturing, holding, and storing products, especially comestible products. In an embodiment, a package for comestible products may be provided. The package includes a package blank having walls that define a package interior. The package also includes a sheet disposed inside the package interior. The sheet wraps around a stack of comestible products and maintains the products in a stacked formation. The sheet also retains the comestible products against lateral movement within the sheet. In an embodiment, the plurality of comestible products are releasably attached to the sheet to prevent the comestible products from sliding out of the sheet. In an embodiment, the sheet may be attached to the package interior.
US09630736B2

A carton for holding a plurality of articles. The carton includes at least one top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel. A plurality of end flaps is foldably connected to a respective panel to close an end of the carton. The carton includes reinforcement features at the end of the carton to increase the strength of the carton.
US09630728B2

A boarding bridge includes: a fixed tunnel of which one end is connected to a terminal or an extended fixed tunnel; and a rotunda of which one end is connected to the other end of the fixed tunnel and which is supported by a rotunda column. The rotunda column is driven to raise or lower the rotunda.
US09630722B2

A routing support (64) for a conduit line fastened in openings and the line includes a plurality of conduits connected end-to-end along a longitudinal axis. The routing support (64) incorporates an outer body (66) with a structure (68) for fastening the body in an opening. The routing support also includes a housing structure to accommodate the ends of two conduits in an end-to-end arrangement and the structure may include two separate structures (one for each conduit end (72)) or a single common structure (accommodating respective ends of the two conduits). The routing support also includes a flexible interface (74) connecting the housing structure (70) to the outer body (66). In addition, the flexible interface (74) and the outer body (66) and the housing structure (70) are integral. Embodiments include a line for transporting fuel with this routing support, and an aircraft wing in which such a line/support transports fuel.
US09630720B2

An armrest for arrangement between two seats, especially two passenger seats of a vehicle such as an aircraft is provided, having at least one first support portion for an arm of a first person and at least one second support portion for an arm of a second person wherein the first and second support portions provide different height levels.
US09630718B2

An improved overhead storage system for use in an aircraft includes a variable opening overhead storage bin that is configured to automatically open to an initial open position when a latch mechanism is released, to open further to a second open position when a force is applied to the bin, and to return to the initial open position when the force is removed. The variable opening overhead storage bin includes a first stop device configured to stop the bin at the initial open position, and a second stop device configured to stop the bin at the second open position. When in the initial open position, the variable opening overhead storage bin is angled to retain stowed articles within the bin. When the variable opening overhead storage bin is further opened to the second open position, the passenger's hands are in a better position to control articles stowed within the bin.
US09630712B1

This disclosure describes systems and processes using multirotor lifter to deploy and/or engage fixed wing aircraft. For example, one or more unmanned multirotor lifters may engage an unmanned fixed wing aircraft, aerially navigate the fixed wing aircraft vertically to a desired altitude, and then release the fixed wing aircraft so that the fixed wing aircraft can initiate a flight plan. In some implementations, multirotor lifter may also be configured to engage fixed wing aircraft while both the multirotor lifters and the fixed wing aircraft are in flight.
US09630706B2

An aircraft having a moveable ejector member for assisting in alleviating a boundary layer flowing along an aircraft surface is disclosed. The moveable ejector member is capable of being placed at a variety of positions between a fully open position and a nested position to entrain the boundary layer with another fluid flow. The ejector member can take the form of an ejector shroud used with a nacelle. In some forms, a gas turbine engine is used to provide an ejector flow to entrain the boundary layer through the flow path.
US09630698B2

A water jet propulsion watercraft includes an exhaust passage, a catalyst member, a water lock, a first oxygen sensor, and a second oxygen sensor. The exhaust passage guides exhaust gas from an engine to an exterior of a hull of the watercraft. The catalyst member is arranged inside the exhaust passage. The water lock is arranged in the exhaust passage downstream of the catalyst member. The first oxygen sensor is arranged in the exhaust passage upstream of the catalyst member. The second oxygen sensor is arranged in the exhaust passage at a position downstream of the catalyst member and upstream of the water lock.
US09630689B2

In one example, a board includes a body having a single piece structure, the body including an upper surface that defines a deck, and a lower surface. The board also includes first and second retractable fins, where the first retractable fin is rotatably connected directly to the body at a first fixed location on the body such that the first retractable fin is rotatable about the first fixed location between an extended position and a retracted position, and the first retractable fin including an engagement portion that is engageable with a first portion of the body and with a second portion of the body. The first retractable fin assumes the extended position when the engagement portion is releasably retained by the first portion of the body, and the first retractable fin assumes the retracted position when the engagement portion is releasably retained by the second portion of the body.
US09630687B2

A collapsible flotation device is provided that uses a coilable spring coupled to a panel to collapse the device when the spring is coiled, and to expand the device when the spring is uncoiled configuration. The spring can be contained within a sleeve along the outer portion of the panel. A support member that traverses the panel is provided. An inflatable bladder disposed about a part of the outer portion of the panel and coupled to the support member buoyantly supports a body weight of a user. The combination of the inflatable bladder and the support member provide support for a user in a seated position on the panel. Many configurations are disclosed, including a multi-user collapsible flotation device, multiple connected single-user flotation devices, and so forth. A back support member and a headrest, both of which can be inflatable, provide additional support for a user to maintain a seated position on the panel. A foot support member is provided for the comfort of the user.
US09630681B2

A device for tensioning anchor chains, in particular mooring legs of off-shore vessels and installations, comprises a frame carrying connectors for holding together lower and upper portions of the chain to be tensioned. The frame further carries a tensioning mechanism for pulling at least one portion of the chain towards the other portion of the chain while the device is submerged.
US09630676B2

A conversion kit for converting a two wheeled motorized vehicle to a three-wheeled motorized vehicles, having a two-wheeled axle and offset drive assembly that is non-coaxial with the original one wheeled axle, having two drive sprockets one of which is rearwardly offset from the other, and is driven by a minimally adapted original drive assembly corresponding to the original one wheeled axle.
US09630670B2

A cycle safe system for providing secure storage of items on a bicycle. The cycle safe includes a container having a body and a cap, the cap housing a locking mechanism with a user interface on a top face and a latch capable of being extended out of the cap via a latch opening disposed on the side of the cap, and a bracket having a base member with an anchor opening at one end, a stopper at the opposite end, and a lateral support component connected to one or more sides of the base member, the lateral support component configured to enclose the container. When the container is inserted into the bracket and the locking mechanism is engaged, the latch engages with the anchor opening and the container is immovably secured in the bracket.
US09630664B2

The invention relates to load-carrying frame for carrying load of an articulated tracked vehicle comprising a front and a rear vehicle unit connected to each other through said load-carrying frame, wherein said front vehicle unit comprises a rolling link. The load-carrying frame is configured for rotatable attachment to the front vehicle unit via said rolling link for enabling rotation of the front vehicle unit relative to the load-carrying frame about an axis of said rolling link running in the axial main direction of extension of said load-carrying frame.
US09630657B2

A tire skirt system configured for attachment to a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include a first skirt bracket adapted for attachment to the vehicle, a skirt panel having a first edge adapted for attachment to the first skirt bracket, and a transparent window in the first skirt bracket, the window having an outside face and an inside face. The window may be aligned with at least a portion of a tire when the tire skirt system is attached to the vehicle.
US09630656B2

A vehicle body structure includes a dash lower panel including a wheel-arch-shaped portion that constitutes a portion of a wheel arch and separating a power unit chamber from a vehicle interior, a reinforcing panel covering the wheel-arch-shaped portion from a side of the vehicle interior, and a side sill extending in a front-rear direction and having a front end portion connected to an end portion in a vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel. The reinforcing panel includes a horizontal closed cross-section defining portion that defines a closed cross-section extending in the vehicle width direction in combination with the wheel-arch-shaped portion and a vertical closed cross-section defining portion that defines a closed cross-section extending in a vertical direction in combination with the wheel-arch-shaped portion. The horizontal closed cross-section defining portion and the vertical closed cross-section defining portion intersect each other.
US09630647B2

An electric power steering system includes a joint that connects a rotary shaft of an electric motor with a worm shaft of a speed reducer. The joint includes a first rotational element that has a boss into which a first end portion of the worm shaft is press-fitted, and a flange extending radially from the boss. The first bearing is held by a housing and supports the first end portion so that the first end portion is rotatable and movable in an axial direction. A first elastic body, which urges the worm shaft in the axial direction toward the electric motor through the first rotational element, is provided between an inner ring of the first bearing and the flange.
US09630645B2

A telescopic shaft includes an inner shaft, an outer shaft, a plurality of rolling bodies that are disposed between recessed grooves of the inner shaft and the outer shaft and form a line in an axial direction, a stopper, and a buffer body. The stopper restricts falling of the rolling bodies from the recessed groove of the inner shaft. The buffer body is interposed between the stopper and a rolling body at an end portion of the line. An end surface of the buffer body includes an inclined abutment portion that is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the inner shaft. The abutment portion abuts against the rolling body at the end portion of the line at a stroke end of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft.
US09630639B2

A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.
US09630638B1

A storage container in which a lid of the storage container has a set of lid wheels is disclosed. When the lid of the storage container is placed on the base of the storage container such that the lid and the set of lid wheels are below the base, the storage container can be moved by the set of lid wheels. The storage container can be moved manually or through the use of a motor such as a windup or electric motor. Furthermore, the storage container can have an appearance of a vehicle. Furthermore, the storage container can include a mechanism to attach the storage container to a second storage container. For example, attaching the first storage container's back to the front of the second storage container, can allow a train of storage containers to move together.
US09630637B2

The invention discloses a complex network-based high speed train system safety evaluation method. The method includes steps as follows: (1) constructing a network model of a physical structure of a high speed train system, and constructing a functional attribute degree of a node based on the network model; (2) extracting a functional attribute degree, a failure rate and mean time between failures of a component as an input quantity, conducting an SVM training using LIBSVM software; (3) conducting a weighted kNN-SVM judgment: an unclassifiable sample point is judged so as to obtain a safety level of the high speed train system. For a high speed train system having a complicated physical structure and operation conditions, the method can evaluate the degree of influences on system safety when a state of a component in the system changes. The experimental result shows that the algorithm has high accuracy and good practicality.
US09630635B2

Systems and methods for detecting train direction and route along a railroad track. The systems and methods use wireless train presence detection sensors such as e.g., magnetometer sensors to detect the presence of the train, and its direction and route along the track.
US09630634B2

A traveling route structure of a conveying traveling body has a traveling route with an area intersecting a crossing aisle, and has a movable rail horizontally openable and closable between a connection working position that connects guide rails in front and rear of the crossing aisle and a retracting position lateral to the crossing aisle. The movable rail has front and a rear movable rails arranged in a line when the movable rails are in the connection working position. Each of the movable rails is pivotally supported so as to be horizontally rotatable about a vertical spindle at each outer end portion positioned outside of the crossing aisle. A locking means couples inner end portions of both movable rails together, with the inner end portions being adjacent to each other when the movable rails are in the connection working position.
US09630632B2

An overhead carrier for transporting an article on a ceiling of an article conveying system can travel on curves with various curvatures so as to increase the layout flexibility of traveling rails. Driving wheels that move an overhead carrier along traveling rails and non-driving wheels that are rotated separately from the driving wheels are provided on the right and left of the transport direction of the overhead carrier. In a linear section, the driving wheels on the right and left sides are supported by the traveling rails. In a curved section, the inner non-driving wheel is supported by the inner traveling rail while the outer driving wheel is supported by the outer traveling rail.
US09630628B2

Data representing movement of a portable device is received. A vibrational torque signal within that data corresponding to the vibration of a steering wheel is identified. Based at least in part on the identification, it is determined that a user has a hand on the steering wheel.
US09630627B2

A system includes a processor configured to receive environmental context data upon which automatic engagement of a fuel economic driving mode (eco-mode) is conditioned. The processor is also configured to evaluate the context data to determine if the eco-mode should be automatically engaged based on a data correspondence to an engagement factor and engage the eco-mode upon correspondence of the data to an engagement factor.
US09630609B2

The present invention provides a method of detecting solenoid valve failure of a vehicle electric brake booster, the method including: a) driving the motor so that the piston moves forward until the piston closes at least the cut-off hole in a state in which the solenoid valve is locked; b) measuring pressure in the master cylinder in a state in which the piston is moved forward; c) determining whether the pressure in the master cylinder which is measured in step b) exceeds a predetermined reference value; and d) determining that the solenoid valve is in a failure state when the pressure in the master cylinder which is measured in step b) is the predetermined reference value or less, to detect failure of the solenoid valve only by a software control change, thereby providing an advantageous effect that secures braking safety.
US09630606B2

A control device for a braking system of a vehicle equipped with an electric brake booster includes an activating unit which is configured to output, taking into account at least one provided sensor signal regarding a setpoint brake pressure, at least one brake pressure control signal to the electric brake booster in such a way that, if the setpoint brake pressure is below a predefined limiting value, a brake pressure portion effectuated on the booster side is equal to a difference between the setpoint brake pressure and a brake pressure portion effectuated on the driver side, while once the predefined limiting value is exceeded by the setpoint brake pressure, the brake pressure portion effectuated on the booster side remains constant or decreases.
US09630600B2

A central control entity controls all actuators of a chassis control system of a motor vehicle. To select a combination of actuator operations best suited for influencing the handling of the motor vehicle, the effect of a change of settings of motor vehicle actuators on the handling is predicted by an observer device configured to receive at least one sensor signal from a sensor via a signal input and, depending on the sensor signal, to determine at least one estimated value for a slip resistance of the motor vehicle. The controller is configured by operating the controller in a test motor vehicle that has a sensor for a measured variable, for which the observer device determines an estimated value. The estimated values from the controller are then compared with corresponding measured values.
US09630597B1

A landing gear deploying system includes a trailer that has a pair of landing gear. The trailer includes a shaft extending between each of the landing gear. The landing gear is positionable in a deployed position to support the trailer over a support surface. The landing gear is positionable in a stored position. Thus, trailer may be coupled to a vehicle. A drive is coupled to an associated one of the landing gear and the drive is in mechanical communication with the shaft. The drive selectively rotates the shaft in a first direction such that each of the landing gear is urged into the deployed position. The drive selectively rotates the shaft in a second direction such that each of the landing gear is urged into the stored position.
US09630596B2

A tool attachable to a valve stem of a tire grips and removes the valve core from the valve stem prior to introduction of sealant through the tool into the tire. Subsequently, the valve core, which has been stored in the tool, may be reinserted into the valve stem. An external pressurized gas source may then be attached to the tool so that gas may be injected through the tool and the valve stem of the tire into the tire.
US09630595B1

A manifold for inflating tubeless tires that efficiently directs pressurized air to a void between a tire bead and a rim edge. Manifold is fan shaped with a center face and angled side faces. Side faces have a first plurality of apertures at a predetermined centerline and the center face has a second plurality of apertures that are offset from the predetermined centerline. The offset second plurality of air flow apertures are directed to the widest void between the tire bead and rim edge while the first plurality of air flow apertures are directed to the narrow void on either side of the widest void. A two contact point stop or rest assembly is used to abut against two points on the rim edge to provide and maintain a predetermined distance between the center face and the widest void and to provide an optimum angle of the manifold for inflation.
US09630594B2

A materials removal assembly for clearing materials from a horizontal surface, such as for removing snow or precipitation from a top surface on a vehicle. The assembly has a beam; a first coupling connected to a first end of the beam; a second coupling connected to the first coupling; and a blade assembly connected to the second coupling. The first coupling permits rotation of the second coupling and the blade assembly above and below a longitudinal axis of the beam. The second coupling permits rotation of the blade assembly about a first vertical axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the beam. In one embodiment, movement of the materials removal assembly causes rotation of the blade assembly and movement of the materials to a side of the vehicle.
US09630591B2

Device (140) for a window wiper arm of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a cover (144) and an accessory, such as a nozzle (142), which is rigidly connected to the cover, said cover having a generally U-shaped cross section and being configured to be applied and fastened to an end piece (28) of U-shaped cross section of said arm.
US09630586B2

An airbag module is provided. The airbag module may include an inflator, an inflatable airbag, a housing and a cover. The cover may include a retainer hook and a snap-lock configured to engage the housing.
US09630585B2

A side curtain airbag includes a protector that holds a bag body and that guides deployment of the bag body and a bag bracket that is fastened to a bag attaching seat located between two grab rail attaching seats protruded from a roof side portion and that is used to attach the side curtain airbag to the roof side portion. Portions of the protector which are located between the two grab rail attaching seats and which are located at both sides of the bag attaching seat in the vehicle front-rear direction are provided with first cutout portions.
US09630584B2

A mounting structure of air bag device on vehicle body includes: a seat side block long in a vertical direction disposed on a side of a backrest portion of a seat; and an air bag unit including an inflator that injects high pressure gas at a time of application of an impact and a bag body that is deployed upon receiving the high pressure gas of the inflator. The airbag unit is built in the seat side block. The air bag unit along with the seat side block is mounted on a vehicle body side member. Retaining pieces are protrudingly provided in a retainer of the seat side block that holds the inflator and are inserted in openings of the vehicle body side member.
US09630582B1

A crush-can is provided. That crush-can includes a first wall, a second wall within the first wall and a corrugated core between the first wall and the second wall. A method for producing the crush-can via 3D printing is also disclosed.
US09630567B1

A package tray assembly of a vehicle includes a package tray panel and a Z-member. The package tray panel may be located adjacent a rear window cutout and defines a speaker cutout in a substantially central region of the panel, a first edge, and a second edge. The Z-member may be mounted to the panel adjacent the speaker cutout and spans across the panel from the first edge to the second edge, or from substantially the first edge to the second edge, to structurally reinforce the package tray panel and reduce vibration therein. The Z-member may be mounted to an under surface of the package tray panel and proximate a sunshade to reduce vibration within the sunshade resulting from activation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout.
US09630566B2

A carrier mountable to a vehicle seat for holding objects, such as a vase with flowers. A one piece foldable structure has holes for receiving the vase at two separate locations along the vase length with the carrier back wall being positioned toward and against the inclined seat back. A seat belt extends across the front wall of the carrier through recesses securely holding the seat belt thereto.
US09630560B2

A shape memory actuator includes a supporting body, a driven element pivotably mounted on the supporting body and in permanent contact with a driving element whose movement is determined by a SMA actuating member and by at least one resilient return member acting in opposition to the SMA actuating member. The driven element is able to take two stable positions under the action of a bistable moving system connecting the driving element to the driven element such that each toggling between the two stable positions is due to an activation of the SMA actuating member, the latter being arranged together with the bistable moving system. The resilient return member, the driving element and the driven element on a same side of the supporting body are in a substantially co-planar arrangement.
US09630558B2

A driver-responsive dynamic mirror system for a vehicle. The present system includes a sensor that is configured to track the direction that the driver is facing and automatically adjust the orientation of the vehicle's mirrors in response to changes in the direction that the user is facing.
US09630550B1

Methods and apparatus are provided for an energy attenuating mounting system configured for attaching a container to a vehicle bed at a plurality of discrete mounting points around the container. The mounting system may include a bracket attached to the container at each mounting point, and a plastically deformable energy attenuating member extending from an upper end attached to the bracket, to a lower end attached to the vehicle bed substantially below a bottom of the container, thereby supporting the container in an elevated position. The energy attenuating member is configured to remain rigid and un-deformed if a load carried by the energy attenuating member is below a threshold value, and to attenuate energy by plastically deforming in a predictable manner if the load exceeds the threshold value.
US09630547B2

A retractable shelter is provided for use with a slideout compartment of a recreational vehicle. The retractable shelter includes a sheet of flexible material capable of being rolled up into a retracted position; and a storage compartment capable of storing the sheet of flexible material rolled up into the retracted position. The storage compartment is attachable along and near a bottom edge of a slideout compartment of a recreational vehicle. Doors can also be attached to the extended sheet of flexible material underneath the slideout compartment. The sheet of flexible material can also be extended in a horizontal direction to support poles.
US09630544B2

Stresses are decreased at joints of a support structure disposed on a body of a dump truck. The dump truck includes a body frame (2), a body (2), a support structure (12) disposed on the body and supported by the body frame, and load transmission structures configured to transmit a load from the support structure to the body frame and, to transmit a reaction force from the body frame to the support structure. The support structure has a plurality of vertical plates (12a, 12b) and a bottom plate (12c). The vertical plates are arranged along a direction in which the reaction force is received from the body frame, and the bottom plate is maintained in upward contact with these vertical plates. The bottom plate is divided into first areas and a second area. The first areas include areas where the bottom plate is in contact with the vertical plates, and the second area is an area other than the first areas. The load transmission structures are configured to transmit the reaction force from the body frame such that a reaction force to be transmitted to each of the first areas becomes greater than a reaction force to be transmitted to the second area.
US09630543B2

A cup holder for a vehicle may include a holder body having a thermoelectric element to perform cooling and/or heating of a cup stored in the holder body and having a blower to circulate air in the holder body to enhance heat convention, a heat exchanging part provided on a heat radiating surface of the thermoelectric element to perform heat exchange, and a moisture absorption part having one end portion disposed at a lower portion of the blower of the holder body to absorb moisture and the other end portion disposed at a side of the heat exchanging part to vaporize the moisture.
US09630537B2

Embodiments of the present invention include a vehicle interior component. The vehicle interior component has a cover forming a design surface, and a tag attached to the cover. The tag has a first piece, a second piece and an attachment portion for attaching the first piece to the cover. The second piece has a first end integrated with the first piece, and a second end attached to the cover directly or indirectly. The second piece is laminated on the first piece while covering the attachment portion. Thus, the second piece is capable of using the attachment portion to suppress impairment of the design property of the vehicle interior component. The tag is attached to the cover in a manner helping to achieve a satisfactory outward appearance.
US09630533B2

A motor vehicle seat has a seat inflation system for selectively inflating/deflating a plurality of inflatable cushions in the seat back and/or bottom. A switch for controlling the system includes a display having a first symbol indicating a function of the cushion and a second symbol indicating a parameter of the active function, a plurality of keypads defining a circular perimeter surrounding the display and actuatable to select the active function, and a ring surrounding the perimeter and rotatable to adjust a value of the parameter.
US09630518B2

A vehicle includes a traction battery configured to be coupled to a power network that is controlled by a grid management system. The vehicle further includes a controller. The controller charges the traction battery and activates vehicle loads based on a request from the grid management system to consume an amount of power from the power network. When the traction battery is fully charged, one or more vehicle loads are activated to consume the amount of power. When a charge power limit of the traction battery is greater than or equal to the amount of power requested, the traction battery is charged to consume the amount of power requested.
US09630516B2

One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging are provided herein. A first vehicle may be equipped with a first vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging system and a second vehicle may be equipped with a second vehicle-to-vehicle wireless charging system. The first vehicle may be placed in a charge providing mode and the second vehicle may be placed in a charge receiving mode. Respective vehicles may detect or monitor for hazards prior to, during, or after wireless charging. When hazards are detected, notifications may be provided to promote safety while wireless charging occurs. The first vehicle may be pulled alongside, in front of, or behind the second vehicle within a charging proximity to facilitate wireless charging. Control may be provided such that charging or starting the second vehicle is possible without exiting the first vehicle.
US09630511B2

A vehicle-to-grid system connected to a power grid includes a first vehicle group of one or more vehicles connected to the power grid, a second vehicle group of one or more vehicles connected to the power grid, and a vehicle-to-grid controller. The vehicle-to-grid controller causes each vehicle from the second vehicle group to supply electrical power to the power grid at a nominal frequency and at an adjusted amplitude, and causes each vehicle from the first vehicle group to supply electrical power to the power grid at an adjusted frequency that is different than the nominal frequency and at a nominal amplitude that is different than the adjusted amplitude.
US09630510B2

In one embodiment, an engine management system (EMS) can use a human machine interface (HMI) to modify operating parameters of a set of engine generators controlled by an engine control unit (ECU). The HMI can permit authorized users to adjust a plurality of operating parameters of the engine generators in accordance with an authorization level of the authorized users. The ECU can be a standalone system operable independent of the EMS. A communication network (e.g., ARCnet) can link the EMS to the ECU, wherein the changes of the operating parameters input via the HMI are maintained over a power-cycle of the EMS. Further, changes of the operating parameters input via the HMI can be maintained even when communications over the communication network linking the engine.
US09630509B2

An apparatus for controlling a vehicle having a motor is provided and includes a driving information sensor that senses driving information of the vehicle including an open value of an APS, an open value of a BPS, a driving wheel speed, a non-driving wheel speed, external temperature, battery temperature, a vehicle speed, and a shift stage. A driving motor generates a driving force and is operated as a power generator when the vehicle coasts to generate electric energy. An ABS that adjusts a braking force applied to a driving wheel. A controller changes a coast regeneration torque subject to regenerative braking by the driving motor when the vehicle is coasting, based on a difference between a driving wheel speed and a non-driving wheel speed, correction temperature determined based on the external temperature and the battery temperature, a friction coefficient of a road, and an operation condition of the ABS.
US09630506B2

A conductor arrangement for producing an electromagnetic field and thereby transferring energy to vehicles driving on a surface of a route, in particular for transferring energy to road automobiles is disclosed. The conductor arrangement includes a first, lower coating layer, a second upper coating layer, and at least one electric line which—if arranged as part of the route—extends under the surface of the route in and/or about the travelling direction of the vehicles. The at least one electric line is arranged in between the lower and upper coating layer.
US09630501B2

A vehicle includes a motor accommodated in a housing and a power control unit. The power control unit is supported by a front bracket and a rear bracket and fixed above the housing. The rear bracket has a base section, a support section and ribs. The ribs are arranged on both sides of the support section in a vehicle width direction, and each of the ribs has a fragile section. The fragile section is configured to yield first in each of the ribs at a time when the power control unit receives a collision load from a vehicle front direction.
US09630496B2

A vehicle occupant alert system may include an in-vehicle sensor configured to detect an object in a rear seat of a vehicle, and a controller configured to receive, from the sensor, an indication of an object in the rear seat, and to transmit, in response to the indication, presence information to a mobile device to cause the mobile device to transmit a command to a wearable device including instructions for an alert at the wearable device.
US09630495B2

A power transmission control apparatus is for use with a vehicle that includes a power generator. The device includes a switching unit and a positioning unit. The switching unit includes an electric driving mechanism and an outer shell. The electric driving mechanism includes an electric motor and a gear assembly. The positioning unit includes a position limiting member and an engaging portion that has first and second engaging ends. One gear of the gear assembly is driven by the electric motor to rotate between a non-supplying position, where the position limiting member engages the first engaging end and where the power generator cannot work, and a supplying position, where the position limiting member engages the second engaging end and where the power generator can work.
US09630490B2

A filler pipe mounting structure that suppresses permeation of the fuel constituents and that provides ease of mounting. The filler pipe mounting structure includes a resin fuel tank including a projecting cylindrical neck; a fastening member including an embedded section and a joining section, the embedded section being embedded in the neck along a circumferential direction thereof, the joining section formed on the embedded section and exposed from an inner wall of the neck; a mounting member disposed on an end portion of a filler tube and attached to an inner side of the fastening member, the filler tube being in communication with the fuel tank; and a seal member placed between the inner wall of the neck and the outer wall of the mounting member.
US09630489B2

A valve member is provided to a vent pipe for communicating a fuel tank with a canister. A solenoid valve is provided to a canister side bypass passage between a back pressure chamber of the valve member and the canister side vent pipe. An extending member is provided to restrict the valve lift amount in accordance with the internal pressure of the fuel tank.
US09630487B2

A hybrid system includes an engine, a first rotary machine, a speed change device to which the engine is connected, a differential gear to which the speed change device and the first rotary machine are connected, a clutch and a brake causing the speed change device to change gears by engagement and disengagement between first plates and second plates, a casing configured to house therein these members except the engine and to be connected to the engine, and a cover wall configured to cover an opening of the casing which opening is provided on an engine side. The first rotary machine is placed on the engine side relative to the clutch and the brake, the clutch is placed inside a cylinder member of the brake, and the cylinder member is connected to a cover wall.
US09630486B2

A vehicle including a mounted object, which is supported by a framework member of the vehicle with a supporting member and which is disposed offset to one side of the vehicle with respect to a center of the vehicle in a front-rear direction, wherein the mounted object includes an extending portion that extends from the mounted object while inclined to a vertical direction or that extends from the mounted object in a horizontal direction, and that is formed such that, when an external force of a predetermined value or larger is exerted on the mounted object from the one side to displace the mounted object to the other side by a predetermined amount or larger, the extending portion abuts on a surface of the right-left framework member, the surface facing upward in the vertical direction.
US09630460B2

A valve stem for mounting and supporting a tire pressure monitoring assembly includes a flange formed after insertion into the wheel rim for preventing movement caused by forces generated during wheel rotation.
US09630457B2

The subject invention relates to a method of preparing a tire inner surface to attain better adhesion of balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams. In this method a strip of multi-axially stretchable film is adhered to the inner surface of an uncured tire with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Then a release agent coating is applied to the film strip on the inner surface of the uncured tire which is subsequently cured in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature. The cured tire is then removed from the mold and after allowing the cured tire to cool the annular circumferential film strip is removed from the inner surface of the tire to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface onto which balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams can be adhered.
US09630454B2

A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion provided with a pair of shoulder main grooves adjacent to each tread edge, and shoulder lateral grooves extending from each shoulder main grooves to each tread edge. Each shoulder lateral groove includes an axially inner portion extending from the shoulder main groove with a first angle, an axially middle portion extending from the axially inner portion with a second angle larger than the first angle, and an axially outer portion extending from the axially middle portion with a third angle smaller than the second angle. The shoulder lateral grooves include first and second shoulder lateral grooves alternately arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire. The axially middle portion of the first shoulder lateral groove is disposed axially inwardly of the axially middle portion of the second shoulder lateral groove.
US09630429B2

Provided is a tape cartridge capable of reducing false detection by a detection portion. A tape cartridge 100 installed in a tape printing apparatus includes: a label tape 101 having a plurality of detection convex portions 109 partially projecting from an end thereof in a tape width direction; a cartridge case in which the label tape 101 is accommodated; a platen roller 103 accommodated in the cartridge case and paying out the label tape 101 by rotation; and an exposed area formed in the cartridge case and serving as an area in which the plurality of detection convex portions 109 is exposed one after another as the label tape 101 is paid out by the platen roller 103, wherein the label tape 101 is not exposed in the exposed area except for the detection convex portions.
US09630419B2

An ejection chip is disclosed, and comprises a substrate, a flow feature layer, a nozzle plate, and one or more valves. The substrate includes one or more fluid channels and one or more fluid ports each in communication with at least one of the one or more fluid channels. The flow feature layer is disposed over the substrate, and the flow feature layer include one or more flow features each in communication with at least one of the one or more fluid ports.
US09630414B2

A printing system includes a printing station having a digital ink-jet print head disposed on a subsystem that moves along a transport path for the containers. A tank for holding ink is part of a static subsystem that is not entrained with the print head. The tank has a static tank-part and a moving tank-part, the latter being entrained by the moving subsystem.
US09630411B2

There is provided a method of improving the yield of a nozzle plate fabrication process, the method comprising determining a variation in the size of nozzles in a nozzle plate from a predetermined size or range of sizes for the nozzles, the nozzles in the nozzle plate having been fabricated using a plurality of mandrels, each mandrel defining a respective nozzle in the nozzle plate and determining modifications to the size of one or more mandrels in the plurality of mandrels to compensate for the determined variation in the size of nozzles in the nozzle plate. Also provided is a method of fabricating a nozzle plate, the method comprising fabricating a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles using a plurality of mandrels on a substrate, each mandrel defining a respective nozzle in the nozzle plate, the mandrels in the plurality of mandrels having varying sizes in order to compensate for local variations in the fabrication process that would result in local variations in the size of nozzles in the nozzle plate from a predetermined size or range of sizes.
US09630409B2

A liquid discharge head includes a print element substrate provided with discharge ports, through which liquid is discharged; and a support member having a liquid chamber, which is provided with a communicating opening that communicates with the discharge ports, wherein the liquid chamber has a first surface provided with the communicating opening, and a second surface facing the first surface, the second surface is provided with a buffer chamber, which is a hollow space for storing gas, and the buffer chamber has, in the second surface, an opening having a projecting portion projecting toward the inner side of the opening.
US09630406B2

The present invention improves rigidity in a joining portion between a substrate and piezoelectric element, and provides a liquid discharging device having improved vibration properties.A liquid discharging device includes a pressure chamber made up of a space surrounded by a pair of side walls, a floor wall, and a ceiling wall; a substrate configured to make up at least one of the floor wall or ceiling wall; a liquid supplying unit configured to fill the pressure chamber with liquid; and an electrode having a pair of side walls made of piezoelectric elements, configured to apply voltage to the piezoelectric elements in order to shrink the volume of the pressure chamber by deforming the piezoelectric elements and to discharge liquid from the pressure chamber; wherein the tip side face portion of the piezoelectric element is restrained as to the substrate.
US09630402B2

According to an embodiment, an ink jet head includes a discharge unit, a first storing unit, a second storing unit, a waveform generating unit, and a voltage applying unit. The discharge unit discharges ink according to the operation of an actuator. The first storing unit stores a pattern of a voltage to be applied to the actuator. The second storing unit stores a plurality of timer sets. The waveform generating unit generates, on the basis of the timer sets stored by the second storing unit and the voltage pattern stored by the first storing unit, a waveform of the voltage to be applied to the actuator. The voltage applying unit applies the voltage to the actuator on the basis of the waveform generated by the waveform generating unit.
US09630401B2

The invention relates to a method of printing a two-dimensional bit-mapped image having a number of pixels per row, the printhead having a row of ejection channels and each ejection channel having associated ejection electrodes to which voltages are applied in use. During printing, in order to cause volumes of fluid to be ejected from selected ejection channels of the printhead for printing, voltage pulses having values of predetermined amplitude and duration as determined by respective image pixel bit values generated by a raster image processor are applied, at a given pulse period, to the electrodes of the selected ejection channels. The part of the raster image corresponding to an ejection channel is scanned to determine the number of adjacent non-printing pixel periods prior to a pixel to be printed and, immediately prior to the printing of said pixel, a voltage pulse, having a value predetermined in accordance with the time, measured in units of the given pixel period, between the last pixel to be printed and said pixel to be printed, is applied to the ejection electrode.
US09630400B2

A print head die includes a storage element. The print head die includes a plurality of analog devices. The storage element is to store an authentication value. The authentication value is generated based on comparisons of the measured electrical characteristics of at least some of the analog devices.
US09630392B2

A printing cylinder assembly for a printing machine includes a rotating shaft pivotally supported at one axial end shaft section thereof in a cantilever structure, and a sleeve cylinder removably mounted on the rotating shaft so that the cylinder can be fitted on and extracted from the rotating shaft from the other axial end side of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is formed at one axial end side thereof with a sleeve cylinder supporting tapered surface, and the sleeve cylinder is formed at one axial end side of an inner diameter portion thereof with a tapered surface, whereby the tapered surface of the sleeve cylinder can be fitted on and in close contact with the sleeve cylinder supporting tapered surface of the rotating shaft and thereby detachably coupling one axial end portion of the sleeve cylinder with one axial end portion of the rotating shaft.
US09630386B1

An automatic gluing machine includes an automatic gluing mechanism. The automatic gluing mechanism includes a sleeve, a pushing component mounted to the sleeve, an assembling head, and a driving module including a gear module. The sleeve is equipped with a first sleeve gear. The pushing component includes a rotating body and a first rotary gear. The assembling head is assembled inside the sleeve. The gear module cooperates the first rotary gear to drive the rotating body to rotate bidirectionally. The gear module cooperates with the first sleeve gear to make the sleeve to rotate in a single direction. A rotation speed difference between the first rotary gear and the first sleeve gear is generated, so after every rotation of the assembling head, a single-direction rotation displacement of the assembling head is generated relative to a last rotation of the assembling head.
US09630384B2

The present disclosure relates to dyed polyester films whose color remains stable after prolonged exposure to UV radiation and to methods of making such dyed polyester films.
US09630380B2

A method for manufacturing an alumina sintered body, according to the present invention, includes the steps of (a) obtaining a compact by putting a slurry containing an Al2O3 powder, a MgO powder, a MgF2 powder, a solvent, a dispersing agent, and a gelatinizer into a mold, gelatinizing the slurry by a chemical reaction of the gelatinizer in the mold, and causing mold release, (b) obtaining a calcined body by drying the compact, performing degreasing, and further performing calcination, and (c) obtaining a ceramic sintered body by subjecting the calcined body to hot-press firing at 1,150° C. to 1,350° C. In the step (a), the Al2O3 powder having a purity of 99.9 percent by mass or more is used and 0.1 to 0.2 parts by mass of MgO powder and 0.13 parts by mass or less of MgF2 powder relative to 100 parts by mass of Al2O3 powder are used.
US09630378B2

A device (1) for automated connection of two components (25, 27) in joint region (29) is proposed. The device (1) has a rotating winding device, especially a circle-segment-like rotor (3), which is arranged to guide a cloth tape (23) along winding paths (26) and to create a wound joint connection in the joint region (29).
US09630370B2

A winding device is provided that includes a base plate that is rotated by a rotary shaft and segments. With rotation of the base plate, a wire is wound on the outer circumference of the segments, which rotate integrally with the base plate, to form a bead ring. The winding device includes an manipulation shaft that is rotated by a handle, and conversion mechanisms that are provided between the manipulation shaft and each of the segments The conversion mechanisms transmit and convert rotation of the manipulation shaft to movement of each segment in the radial direction of the base plate.
US09630369B2

A carcass ply is applied around an outer surface of a building drum, according to an application diameter greater than the fitting diameter of the tire. An annular anchoring structure defining the fitting diameter is coaxially engaged around each of the end flaps. An outer sleeve including at least one belt structure possibly associated with a tread band is disposed at a coaxially centered position around the carcass sleeve applied onto the building drum. Through axial approaching of two halves forming the building drum, the carcass sleeve is shaped into a toroidal configuration to determine application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve.
US09630367B2

Cast-film process for making a fiber-reinforced film is disclosed. The process includes providing at least a first thermoplastic resin, melting the at least first thermoplastic resin, extruding the at least first thermoplastic resin through a first extension die to form a first thermoplastic film, providing at least a second thermoplastic resin, melting the at least second thermoplastic resin, extruding the at least second thermoplastic resin through a second extension die to form a second thermoplastic film, transporting the first and second thermoplastic films along respective casting rollers, and introducing a plurality of fibers between the first and second thermoplastic films so as to form a fiber-reinforced film having a thickness between about 0.2 mil to about 2.0 mils and having a first thermoplastic layer, a second thermoplastic layer, and a plurality of fibers dispersed therebetween. Cast-film process for making a fiber-reinforced bag is also disclosed.
US09630365B2

One variation of a method for manufacturing a physical volumetric representation of a virtual three-dimensional object includes: slicing the virtual three-dimensional object into a set of virtual layers of discrete virtual thickness; for each virtual layer in the set of virtual layers, selecting a set of cross-sections of a portion of the virtual three-dimensional object within the virtual layer, setting an opacity level for each cross-section, combining the set of cross-sections into a composite cross-section based on an opacity level set for each cross-section, and printing the composite cross-section onto a dominant face of a substrate in a set of substrates; and assembling the set of substrates into a stack, each substrate in the set of substrates positioned within the stack according to a position within the virtual three-dimensional object of a cross-section printed on the substrate.
US09630364B2

A three-dimensional (3-D) printing apparatus and a nozzle temperature adjustment method thereof are provided, and the nozzle temperature adjustment method includes the following. A first melting point temperature of a first feed material and a second melting point temperature of a second feed material are read when a feed material switch procedure is executed. The first melting point temperature and the second melting point temperature are compared, and the higher one is selected to serve as an initial conversion temperature. After executing a slag processing procedure according to the initial conversion temperature, the initial conversion temperature is adjusted to the second melting point temperature.
US09630358B1

A threadless plastic blow molding device includes a main molding-base, a bottom molding-base, and a blow molding-base. The main molding-base has two mating portions each defines a recessed cavity. The recessed cavities correspond to each other when the mating portions are mated. The bottom molding-base and the blow molding-base are respectively assembled to two ends of the main molding-base. The blow molding-base has a gas blowing portion. The main molding-base, the bottom molding-base, and the blow molding-base collectively define a forming space for forming a blank. The blow molding-base has an expanded portion extended toward the mating portions. Each of the mating portions has a recessed section corresponding to the expanded portion. Accordingly, the blank can be positioned in the molding device.
US09630355B2

A batch mixer is equipped with a plunger for pushing material from the batch mixer. The batch mixer includes a mixer tank structured to accommodate material. The mixer further includes a mixer head comprising at least one blade structured to blend the material within the mixer tank. The mixer further includes a plunger mechanism structured to push the blended material directly from the mixer tank.
US09630354B2

A method of recycling polymers and other plastics comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles (or other suitable recycled polymer) into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 5 millibars; (E) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (F) preparing the polymer melt for recycling into a new product. In various embodiments, the above process may be utilized in the recycling of, for example, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), or any other suitable polymer or plastic.
US09630351B2

This manufacturing process of a composite part (B), including a stamped body (11, 12) and an injected polymer material part (14), includes steps consisting of: a) placing a blank (1) of a body (11, 12) between a support (456) and a mold (31, 32), such that the said hollow part forms a pattern cavity (33) communicating with an opening (13) going through the blank (1); b) stamping the blank (1) using a punch (8); c) placing the holder (456) in a position in which it defines with the blank (1) at least one cavity (400) and in which there is at least one injection runner (50-60) leading to the said cavity (400). d) injecting the polymer material through the injection runner (50-60), said cavity (400) and said opening (13), so as to fill the said pattern cavity (33); and e) removing the composite part (B) from the mold.
US09630345B2

An extruder is disclosed, and more particularly, to an integrated single screw extruder and a twin screw extruder for mixing, compounding, kneading and/or extruding of materials. The integrated extruder includes a first barrel assembly and a second barrel assembly. The integrated extruder further includes a first screw having a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion. The first threaded portion is housed within the first barrel assembly and is configured to provide upstream material processing. The second threaded portion is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide downstream material processing. The integrated extruder further includes a second screw having a non-threaded shaft portion and a threaded portion. The threaded portion of the second screw is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide the downstream material processing with the second threaded portion of the first screw.
US09630344B2

In production of electrode paste, powder and solvent are separately injected into a hollow exterior component, the powder and the solvent are transferred to a downstream side in a transfer direction by rotation of two rotary shafts supported by the exterior component in a state where the rotary shafts are located parallel to each other at a predetermined interval, a mixture is produced by mixing the powder and the solvent by rotation of the rotary shafts without applying a shearing force, which is higher than or equal to a predetermined shearing force, to the powder, and producing electrode paste by kneading the mixture through application of a shearing force, which is higher than the shearing force that is applied in the mixing step, to the mixture through rotation of the rotary shafts.
US09630316B2

Example systems and methods may be used to determine a trajectory for moving an object using a robotic device. One example method includes determining a plurality of possible trajectories for moving an object with an end effector of a robotic manipulator based on a plurality of possible object measurements. The method may further include causing the robotic manipulator to pick up the object with the end effector. After causing the robotic manipulator to pick up the object with the end effector, the method may also include receiving sensor data from one or more sensors indicative of one or more measurements of the object. Based on the received sensor data, the method may additionally include selecting a trajectory for moving the object from the plurality of possible trajectories. The method may further include causing the robotic manipulator to move the object through the selected trajectory.
US09630306B2

A pressure accumulator for connection to a hydraulic fluid-driven percussion device. The percussion device includes at least one impact piston arranged to carry out a reciprocating motion caused by the pressure from the hydraulic fluid. The pressure accumulator is arranged in communication with a hydraulic fluid space of the impact piston. The pressure accumulator includes a space that extends at least partly around the impact piston when the pressure accumulator is mounted on the percussion device. A partition divides the space into two separate pressure chambers so that the pressure chambers are located an axial direction of the impact piston in relation to each other when the pressure accumulator is mounted on the percussion device. A first of the two separate pressure chambers is intended to be filled with a compressible medium. A second pressure chamber is in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid space of the impact piston.
US09630301B2

Disclosed is a gas cylinder ratchet driver tool that is specifically suited for opening and closing valve posts of gas cylinders. The tool comprises an outer handle body for one-handed use and an external ratchet switching actuator. Within the handle body is an internal housing that supports a rotatable socket therein. The socket comprises an elongated length with a lower working end adapted to engage a gas cylinder valve post and a ratchet gear upper end. A first and second wedge plate supported by the housing and acted upon by the actuator controls the ratchet direction by bearing against the ratchet gear, determining ratchet direction or ratchet lock. A flat spring beneath the actuator manipulates the wedge plates against the ratchet gear to control the ratchet direction. The socket working end comprises two flat portions to facilitate placement of the socket onto a gas cylinder valve post in emergency situations.
US09630294B2

A machine tool is provided which comprises a machine base (10), a first support (20,100) mounted on a first rotational machine axis on the base, and a second support (22,102) mounted on a second rotational machine axis on the base. The second rotational axis is parallel to and spaced laterally from the first rotational axis and carries a mount (38,112) moveable relative to the second support along a first linear machine axis orthogonal to the second rotational axis. A control arrangement is operable to control the orientation of the first support on the first rotational axis, and the orientation of the mount relative to the second rotational axis and its location along the linear axis, so as to govern the position and orientation of the first support and the mount relative to each other. Existing machine tools often use long linear guide rails and stacked orthogonal axes which introduce alignment and offset errors. The present invention avoids the need for and/or reduces the number of these structures in machine tools.
US09630293B2

A chemical mechanical polishing pad is provided containing: a polishing layer having a polishing surface; wherein the polishing layer comprises a first continuous non-fugitive polymeric phase and a second non-fugitive polymeric phase; wherein the first continuous non-fugitive polymeric phase has a plurality of periodic recesses; wherein the plurality of periodic recesses are occupied with the second non-fugitive polymeric phase; wherein the first continuous non-fugitive polymeric phase has an open cell porosity of ≦6 vol %; wherein the second non-fugitive polymeric phase contains an open cell porosity of ≧10 vol %; and, wherein the polishing surface is adapted for polishing a substrate.
US09630292B2

Apparatus polishing one side of a wafer to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth is provided. In the apparatus of the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer. The contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1) is measured; the rotation speed of the head and the surface plate is determined based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4). One side of the wafer is polished by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).
US09630285B2

A servo-driven tool unclamping system for a machine tool contains: a tool changing unit, a tool unclamp unit, and a servo control unit. The tool changing unit includes a cam box, a first servo motor for driving the cam box, a driving shaft driven by the cam box, and a tool change arm driven by the driving shaft. The tool unclamp unit includes a spindle, a transmission assembly, and a second servo motor. The servo control unit includes a main controller, a first servo drive and a second servo drive both electrically connected with and controlled by the main controller. The first servo drive and the second servo drive are also electrically coupled with the first servo motor and the second servo motor and numerically control the tool changing unit and the tool unclamp unit, hence the tool change arm operates, and the spindle clamps and unclamps each tool.
US09630282B2

An interface structure that is constituted by a first, U-shaped toothed pivot, which can be associated in an upper region, by way of a jaw connection, with a fixing element with the interposition of a first bush for centering. The first toothed pivot is rendered axially integral in a lower region with a fastening element that can be associated with an underlying device for compensating the misalignment in automatic locking systems for the mounting of blanks.
US09630274B2

A friction stir spot welding structure includes a pair configured of an upper side flange portion and a lower side flange portion that are friction stir spot welded together by being pressed by a rotating pin rotating from one thickness direction side at a mutually overlapping location. A pair of protruding portions that project out in a protruding shape from the upper side flange portion toward the lower side flange portion are formed to the upper side flange portion. A pair of engagement holes into which the pair of protruding portions are inserted are formed to the lower side flange portion.
US09630254B2

A tailstock device includes a lower transport unit, a base seat, and a tool unit. The lower transport unit includes a lower transmission mechanism that has a lower leadscrew adapted to be rotatably installed on a bed of a lathe machine and extending in a lengthwise direction. The base seat threadedly engages the lower leadscrew and is driven movably by the transport unit along the lower leadscrew. The tool unit is mounted on the base seat, is movable relative to the base seat in a crosswise direction transverse to the lengthwise direction, and has a lathe center adapted to point toward a headstock of the lathe machine and a carriage adapted to be mounted with a deep-hole drilling tool. The carriage and the lathe center are arranged in the crosswise direction.
US09630249B2

A system and method for additive manufacturing of heterogeneous porous structures, and structures made therefrom. The system includes: a powder feeding module for depositing layers of powder material; a binder module for dispensing powder binding material; a porogen module for selectively depositing at least one porogen to the layers of powder material, wherein the at least one porogen is removable to produce at least one predetermined porosity in the part; and a controller to control the powder feeding module, binder module and porogen module. The method includes: forming a layer by performing at least one of: applying a powder to a substrate; applying a binder to the powder; applying at least one porogen to the powder based on a predetermined pattern; and forming additional layers until a predetermined number of layers is reached, wherein at least one of the layers includes a porogen.
US09630246B2

Disclosed is an apparatus comprising at least one gate and a vessel, the gate being configured to move between a first position to restrict entry into an ejection path of the vessel and contain a material in a meltable form within the vessel during melting of the material, and a second position to allow movement of the material in a molten form through the ejection path. The gate can move linearly or rotate between its first and second positions, for example. The apparatus is configured to melt the material and the at least one gate is configured to allow the apparatus to be maintained under vacuum during the melting of the material. Melting can be performed using an induction source. The apparatus may also include a mold configured to receive molten material and for molding a molded part, such as a bulk amorphous alloy part.
US09630234B2

A cooling gas system for a can bodymaker tool pack is provided. The cooling gas system uses a compressed gas to cool a punch and/or a die pack. That is, a compressed gas is delivered to at least one location adjacent the punch and die pack. A nozzle assembly directs the compressed gas toward a selected location. As the compressed gas passes through the nozzle assembly, or immediately after passing through the nozzle assembly, the compressed gas expands. As is known, an expanding gas cools as it expands. Thus, a cool gas is directed to the surface of the punch and the die pack. The cool gas absorbs heat from the punch and die pack thereby cooling the heated components.
US09630232B2

A punch constitutes, together with a die, a blanking die for punching a workpiece with a punching shape in which protrusions protrude outwards from an annular body. The punch includes a cylinder-shaped punch section and a holder section. In the punch section, a shape of the front end surface corresponding to the punching shape of the workpiece is continuous to a rear end surface, and includes a cutting edge on its front end surface. The holder section is a short cylinder including an inner circumferential surface formed in correspondence with an outer circumferential surface of the punch section to allow insertion of a rear part of the punch section. The protrusions are brought into intimate contact with the recesses of the holder section. A clearance is provided between a part of the punch section other than the protrusions and a part of the holder section other than the recesses.
US09630229B2

A protruding portion is formed in a metal plate material by use of a plurality of molding tools each of which has a die and a punch. In a first step, an initial protruding portion is formed in the metal plate material by use of a first molding tool. In this step, a top of the initial protruding portion is formed to be thinner than other parts. In a second step, a sidewall of the initial protruding portion is rolled out by use of a second molding tool, and the protruding portion is formed.
US09630228B2

A system for maintaining a continuous speed in a long rolling mill is provided that includes a plurality of guide rollers that feed a billet product from a caster to an entry roll stand along a mill pass line to an exit roll stand. Also, the system includes a plurality of gauges positioned at a plurality of locations along the mill pass line, the gauges perform speed measurement of the billet product passing along the guide rollers. Furthermore, the system includes a logic controller that receives the speed measurement and maintains a speed relationship where the speed between the caster and the entry roll stand is constant as well as the exit speed of the end roll stand is also constant.
US09630219B2

An air shower system, as described herein, is for use with a dust collector having an intake vacuum. The system includes a chamber having at least one vacuum orifice and at least one air blade orifice. The intake vacuum is functionally connected to the vacuum orifice(s). At least one air blade is created when the intake vacuum draws air from the exterior of the chamber into the interior of the chamber through the air blade orifice(s). The air blade(s) may be used for dislodging contaminants from an occupant within the chamber.
US09630217B2

To provide a cleaning apparatus which is flexibly adaptable to a wide variety of workpieces so as to improve productivity while being suitably adaptable to high-pressure cleaning so as to improve cleaning work efficiency. The cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece by jetting cleaning liquid from nozzles disposed in a cleaning region includes: a feeding device that is disposed facing the cleaning region to hold and move the workpiece; a holding device that is disposed on the feeding device to hold the workpiece; a moving device that movably supports the feeding device; and a cover device that shields the moving device from the cleaning region E and allows the feeding device to pass therethrough. The feeding device moves the workpiece W to the cleaning region E for cleaning.
US09630215B2

A re-conformable material removal system comprises a head comprising an axial slot extending from an inner chamber to the exterior thereof. A plurality of material removal blades are arranged in side-by-side relationship and have first, proximal ends disposed in the inner chamber, axially extending blade shafts extending through the axial slot and second, distal ends projecting outwardly from the housing to define a removal edge. A biasing member is disposed within the inner chamber to yieldably bias the blades to a fully extended position through the axial slot; wherein placement of the re-conformable material removal system against a surface results in yielding of the biasing member and movement of the blades into the housing when the surface is uneven, resulting in a conformed edge that is continuously adjustable and conformable to the contour of the surface.
US09630212B2

A method of forming a multi-layer paint film comprising coating an aqueous first colored base paint (A) on an electro-deposition paint cured paint film to form a first colored base paint film, coating an aqueous second colored base paint (B) on the first colored base paint film without preliminary heating of the first colored base paint film to form a second colored base paint film, coating a clear paint (C) coated on the second colored base paint film after preliminary heating of the first paint film and second paint film to form a clear paint film, and heating and curing the three paint films at the same time, wherein a talc pigment is included in each of paint (A) and paint (B) in an amount of from 1 to 5 mass % with respect to the total resin solid fraction of each of paint (A) and paint (B).
US09630209B2

In one aspect, methods of coating a surface with carbon are described herein. In some implementations, a method of coating a surface with carbon comprises electrically charging carbon particles; directing the charged carbon particles toward an electrically charged surface; and contacting the charged carbon particles with the electrically charged surface. In some implementations, the method further comprises forming a coating of physisorbed carbon particles on the surface.
US09630206B2

An electrosurgical device coated an epoxy modified rigid silicone powder coating which includes a solvent-free hydroxyl functional solid phenyl silicone resin in the range of about 40% to about 60% parts per weight of the coating; a calcium metasilicate in the range of about 20% to about 40% parts per weight of the coating; an epoxy cresol novalac resin in the range of about 5% to about 15% parts per weight of the coating; an ultra-fine air micronized muscovite mica in the range of about 0% to about 10% parts per weight of the coating; a 60% active powder version of a methyl alkyl polysilaxane in the range of about 3% to about 7% parts per weight of the coating; a high temperature calcination of coprecipitated compound with manganese-copper-iron in the range of about 0% to about 10% parts per weight of the coating; an o-cresol novolac resin in the range of about 0.5% to about 3% parts per weight of the coating; and an acrylate copolymer in the range of about 0.5% to about 3% parts per weight of the coating. This coating is applied to the surfaces of an electrosurgical device minimize the build-up of charred tissue (i.e., eschar) on the surfaces of the electrosurgical device.
US09630203B2

Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.
US09630195B2

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for spraying one or more target objects. A primary blower system is adapted to create a relatively isolated field of circulating air by creating a primary air stream around the field of circulating air. A secondary blower system is adapted to circulate air within the isolated field by flowing a secondary air stream in directions contrary to the primary air stream. A chemical spray comprising liquid, aerosol droplets, particulate matter, or the like may be emitted into the circulating air within the field and thereby deposited on target objects within the field. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used for agricultural, automotive, aerospace, and other applications to emit, contain, and/or recapture a spray.
US09630192B2

A nozzle device for spraying fluid includes a body, two or more rotational nozzles, and a control member. The body includes a supply inlet that receives supply of fluid and two or more spray holes that communicate with the supply inlet and are open on a fluid spraying side. The rotational nozzles are arranged in the body in correspondence with the two or more spray holes, the rotational nozzles being retained in the body in a rotatable manner. The control member controls rotation of the rotational nozzles. Each rotational nozzle has a nozzle hole, through which fluid flowing into the corresponding spray hole of the body is sprayed toward a spraying side of the nozzle device. Each rotational nozzle includes a tip portion on the spraying side in which an axis of the nozzle hole is tilted relative to a rotation axis of the rotational nozzle.
US09630190B2

A multi-function water output device includes: a shell, a water ejection head and a core body connected to each other in the shell. On the core body is provided with a first valve hole, a second valve hole, and a third valve hole disposed in sequence along a water flow direction from rear to front. Rear end of the core body is provided with an outer interface, while inside the outer interface is provided with an inner interface. An inner cavity of the inner interface is in communication with a first water input port at bottom of a first valve hole. An upper portion of the first valve hole is provided with first water output port. In the first valve hole is provided with a first valve plug, controlling connection and disconnection of the first water input port and the first water output port.
US09630184B2

A pulverizer 10 includes a journal assembly 19 with a grinding roller 18 that grinds solids in a grinding table 14. The oscillations of the journal assembly 19 are monitored by an angular displacement transducer (ADT) 32 that creates a composite signal. A controller 83 receives the composite signal from the ADT and compares it with known information of the pulverizer 10. It then identifies abnormal situations such as damage to a grinding roll 14, the grinding table 14, the spring assembly 20 and other parts of the pulverizer 10 before they cause major damage.
US09630179B2

System, apparatuses, and methods for performing automated reagent-based analysis are provided. Also provided are methods for automated attachment of a cap to a reaction receptacle, and automated removal of a cap from a capped reaction receptacle.
US09630166B1

A method is provided for fabricating a catalyst carrier. At first, aluminum hydroxide is used for forming an alumina powder. The alumina powder is mixed with carbon nanotubes and a complex additive to be shaped into a cake. The cake is kneaded into a noodle-like shape to be hot-dried. Then, calcination is processed in a furnace under 1200 celsius degrees (° C.) with air passed through. The crystal structure remains without phase change. A catalyst carrier of α-alumina having nano-scaled pores is formed. The catalyst carrier is a powdery material made into different three-dimensional forms. The catalyst carrier thus fabricated is suitable for generating hydrogen through methane reformation. The catalyst carrier has a methane conversion greater than 99 percents. The catalyst carrier will not be crumbled under 800° C. for 4000 hours without carbon deposit.
US09630163B2

An apparatus for producing metal organic frameworks, comprising: a tubular flow reactor comprising a tubular body into which, in use, precursor compounds which form the metal organic framework are fed and flow, said tubular body including at least one annular loop.
US09630158B2

The present invention relates to systems and methods of performing in-line mixing of assay components and delivery of such mixed components into microfluidic channels. In one aspect, a method of delivering mixed assay components is provided which comprises causing an unmixed primer solution to flow into a first mixing channel, the unmixed primer solution comprising a common reagent and a primer, holding the unmixed primer solution in the first mixing channel for at least a threshold amount of time to allow the unmixed primer solution to transition into a mixed primer solution, causing a buffer to flow into a second mixing channel, the buffer comprising the common reagent but not including a primer, and, after holding the unmixed primer solution in the first mixing channel for at least the threshold amount of time, drawing, from the first mixing channel, the mixed primer solution into a common exit channel.
US09630156B1

A fluid holding structure fluid circulating system includes a fluid movement assembly for urging fluid upwardly towards a surface of the fluid holding structure. The fluid movement assembly includes a frame that is positionable on a floor of a fluid holding structure. The frame includes a lower section and an upper section. A motor is mounted to the upper section of the frame and a propeller is mounted on the motor such that the propeller is above the frame. The propeller urges fluid upwardly away from the frame when the motor is turned on to rotate the propeller.
US09630155B2

A system and a method for dispersing by circulating a mixture that simplifies the structure of the part for sealing a shaft of a dispersing device and lengthens the life of the device are provided. The system for dispersing by circulating a slurry or liquid mixture to disperse substances in the mixture comprises a rotating and continuously dispersing device that disperses the mixture, a tank that is connected to an outlet of the dispersing device, a circulating pump that circulates the mixture, and a piping that in series connects the dispersing device, the tank, and the circulating pump. In the dispersing device the outflow of the mixture is greater than the inflow so that an amount of the mixture in the dispersing device is maintained at a level where a part for sealing a shaft that is provided inside the dispersing device is not immersed.
US09630154B2

A gas and a liquid are contacted in an apparatus, comprising a housing provided with: a liquid supply; at least two inclined plates that have been arranged in series and that are on a liquid side in fluid communication with the liquid supply; and a gas supply that is in fluid communication with a space at the other, gas side of the plates;wherein at least some of the plates, preferably all plates are provided with gas passage openings, which openings have been arranged downstream of the gas supply and have been provided with projecting channels with downstream directed flow openings on the liquid side that is in contact with the liquid; and wherein the plates are configured such that liquid flows from one plate directly onto a downstream plate via a slit-formed passage in a substantially vertical downwards direction.
US09630153B2

Wine aerating devices and methods of aerating wine are shown. A wine aerating device can include an actuator, a piston movable between first and second positions, a pumping chamber coupled to the piston, and a bubble generating material coupled to the pumping chamber. Upon application and release of a force on the actuator, the piston can move between the first and second positions to inject a metered amount of air from the pumping chamber out through the bubble generating material to generate air bubbles into a container of wine.
US09630150B2

The present invention provides a porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane having a surface coated with a liquid-repellent agent. In this porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, the liquid-repellent agent is a polymer obtained by polymerization of monomers consisting essentially of CH2═CHCOOCH2CH2C6F13. This porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is suitable for use as a gas-permeable membrane that allows passage of gases but prevents entry of liquids and/or dust, specifically as a waterproof sound-transmitting membrane, a waterproof gas-permeable membrane, or a dustproof gas-permeable membrane.
US09630148B2

A filter composite material is provided that includes first and second filtration membranes and a drainage material arranged therebetween. The drainage material and the filtration membranes are laminated using adhesive nets. A flat filter element is made as a blank from the filter composite material and has a geometric shape adapted to the particular end use.
US09630144B2

Implementations disclosed herein provide a dry chemical scrubber with a pH regulator that adjusts an internal pH value of the dry chemical scrubber by adding high pH elements to the contents of the dry chemical scrubber on a continuous or periodic basis.
US09630135B2

A honeycomb body of ceramic material for use in installations for cleaning and/or regenerating gases, comprising a prismatic body, which is penetrated by many rectilinear gas-flow channels parallel to one another, which discharge into both face ends of the honeycomb body, wherein the honeycomb body (1) has at least one tubular recess (5, 5′), which is oriented transversely to the direction of the flow channels (4).
US09630130B2

A method of manufacturing a tube sheet by forming a plurality of separate thin tube sheet segments; forming multiple holes in each sheet in a predetermined pattern, each hole for accommodating a tube sheet filter tube; aligning all of the plurality of tube sheet segments so that the hole pattern of each sheet aligns with the hole pattern in all other sheets of the plurality of tube sheet segments; and securing all of the tube sheet segments together to form a unitary tube sheet. A tube sheet construction that includes a plurality of separate thin tube sheet segments, multiple holes being provided in each sheet in a predetermined pattern, each hole for accommodating a tube sheet filter tube, all of the tube sheet segments being aligning so that the hole pattern of each sheet aligns, and fasteners for securing all of the tube sheet segments together. A media layer is provided between adjacent sheet segments.
US09630125B2

A gas-blowing liquid sample infusing device includes a sample introducing tube 17 made from a liquid-sample inner tube 40 and a nebulizing-gas outer tube 41 for nebulizing and supplying a liquid sample, and an exhaust sealing tube 18 provided on the circumference of the sample introducing tube 17, and a cushion member 43 that is mounted on the opening of a sample container 19 (the body of an infusion container 21), that allows the sample introducing tube 17 to pass through and has a contact surface for contacting the lower end of the exhaust sealing tube 18, and an engaging member (lid) 20 that includes a cushion admitting concave part 42 in which an engaging part 44 that is mounted on the opening of the sample container 19 and prevents the upward movement of the cushion member 43 is provided on the lateral surface of the inner circumference.
US09630124B2

A gas condensing device may be configured to condense regeneration gas and separate target gas from condensate. The gas condensing device may include: a housing; a condenser mounted in an upper portion of the housing and configured to condense the regeneration gas; and a reflux apparatus mounted in the housing below the condenser and configured to temporarily store the condensate and discharge evaporation gas evaporated from the condensate back to the condenser.
US09630120B2

A toy or game with an illuminable transparent or translucent tube has a moveable part in the tube and a power source adjacent an end of the tube for selectively controllable movement of the part. The part may be a moveable light source or a separate stationary light source may be adjacent one end of the tube with the moveable part blocking light from the light source. The power source and the light source may be adjacent the same end of the tube or may be adjacent opposed ends. The power source may be an elastic element or compressed gas. Air flow through the blower is adjusted by user manipulable controls.
US09630117B2

A toy figure is provided that incorporates a torso, rotatably mounted on a spine, a pelvis fixed to the spine separate from the torso, a movable leg mounted on the pelvis, and a movable arm movably mounted to the torso. A lever extending from the movable leg into the torso rotates the torso on the spine as a result of the motion of the leg. The movable arm, attached to the spine by a linkage, is moved as a result of the relative motion of the rotating torso and the spine. The linkage may be attached within the movable arm near the shoulder or near the elbow.
US09630116B1

A slide has a slide body and a fixing assembly. The fixing assembly has a connecting rod mounted on the slide body, a flexible unit, and a fixing unit. An end of the flexible unit is connected to the connecting rod. The fixing unit is mounted on the flexible unit. The fixing unit and the flexible unit jointly fix a tread of an open riser stairway. As the flexible unit is bendable, the flexible unit and the fixing unit can be easily moved to clamp the tread, thereby facilitating easy assembly and disassembly.
US09630097B2

A user-activity video signal can be received. The user-activity video signal can comprise a video capture characterizing a user's interaction with a software application on a client. The software application can have an interface display space on the client and the software application can execute on the client in operation with at least one remote backend computing system. Backend user interaction data corresponding to the user's interaction with the software application as generated by the at least one remote backend computing system can be received. A new video comprising a plurality of divided segments of the user-activity video signal can be generated automatically using the backend user interaction data and a plurality of predefined rules. The new video can be provided. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.
US09630096B2

In one embodiment, a system and method for controlling mobile gaming on a vessel may have a plurality of mobile gaming devices, a location server operable to track a device position of each of the plurality of mobile gaming devices and track a vessel position of the vessel, and a mobile gaming management server configured to communicate with the location server and a gaming server, the mobile gaming management server operable to individually control whether each of the plurality of mobile gaming devices is permitted to play a game of chance based on the device position and the vessel position.
US09630091B2

A system, having an image production module adapted to generate two images with different content and a display module adapted to synchronously display the images such that each image can be selectively viewed depending on a viewer selecting an appropriate visual aide.
US09630090B2

A fact checking system is able to verify the correctness of information and/or characterize information by comparing the information with one or more sources. The fact checking system automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information. Fact checking results are able to be validated by re-fact checking the fact check results.
US09630081B2

An elastic resistance training apparatus for the performance of ankle plantar flexor resistance exercises, dorsi flexor resistance exercises, ankle inverter resistance exercises, or ankle everter exercises by a user. The apparatus comprises an elastic cord with a primary loop at each end configured to engage the dorsum and plantar surfaces of the user's foot. An auxiliary loop is connected to the primary loop and configured to engage the user's calcaneus bone when the primary loop engages the dorsum and plantar surfaces of the user's foot centering the apparatus at the talocrural joint to enable the user to perform talocrural joint movements without the apparatus disengaging from the user's foot during resistance exercises.
US09630079B2

A golf club assembly includes at least one sensor assembly, the sensor assembly being operable to sense at least motion and impact of a golf club head and a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor assembly, the processor being operable to sample data from the sensor assembly at a first rate, receive a signal indicating motion of the golf club head, and sample data from the sensor assembly at a second rate different from the first rate upon receiving the signal indicating motion of the golf club head.
US09630076B2

An improved projectile throwing apparatus is described comprising a handle, an elongate shaft, and a throwing head for throwing a projectile, such as a golf ball. The throwing head may be interchangeable with golf shafts of varied lengths, with lacrosse shafts, or other shafts to achieve accurate, long distance golf ball throws. The throwing head may be shaped to achieve throws of different distance, launch angle, and trajectory, optionally imparting spin with a retrograde ramp at the distal end of the throwing head. The throwing apparatus is useful for golf-type game play, including for those with physical disabilities, as well as for a training and instructional aid for golf, lacrosse, and other sports.
US09630075B1

The golf club cover is a cover adapted for use with golf clubs. The golf club cover is designed to protect both the head and the shaft of the golf club. In order to more appropriately pad and protect the shaft, the golf club cover opens into two segments that can be wrapped around the head of the club and wrapped tightly around the shaft of the club. Once properly placed on the golf club, the golf club cover is held in position using a plurality of magnets. The golf club cover comprises a head piece, an elastic band, and a shaft padding.
US09630061B2

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core and cover are provided. The ball contains a small, heavy inner core and surrounding outer core layer. The inner core preferably contains metal materials such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, nickel, iron, tin, and bronze particles dispersed in a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric matrix. Preferably, the polymeric matrix comprises polybutadiene rubber. The outer surface of the inner core preferably has a non-uniform structure and includes projecting members. For example, the outer surface may contain multiple projecting ribs with gaps located between the ribs. The ball includes a cover surrounding the core structure. The cover may be multi-layered.
US09630059B2

The present invention provides group performance monitoring systems and methods. In one exemplary embodiment, a group monitoring device includes a display configured to display, during an athletic activity, a plurality of individual performance metrics relating to a plurality of individuals engaged in the athletic activity, each individual performance metric relating to one of the plurality of individuals; and an input to manipulate the display.
US09630057B1

A shoulder motion exercise device and method of use having a retainer, a connector, an extender, and a slider. The extender is gripped in one hand, the slider, which is in slidable engagement with the extender, is held in the other, and the slider is attached to the retainer at, or above, the elbow of an intended user. When the user mimics a golf swing, the device aids in the stretching and exercise of at least a shoulder and a portion of the torso.
US09630051B2

An adjustable and swingable exercise bike includes a base, a bike body and multiple cushion units. The base has two connecting portions, and each connecting portion has a supporting rod protruding upward and a shaft seat mounted on a top of the supporting rod. The bike body is mounted on the base and has a bike frame and two swinging seats. The bike frame has a front end and a rear end. The swinging seats are respectively and securely mounted on the front end and the rear end of the bike frame, and each swinging seat is pivotally connected with the corresponding supporting rod. The cushion units are elastic, elongated and respectively mounted between the connecting portions and the swinging seats. The cushion units can help the bike body of the exercise bike simulate a situation of riding a real bike.
US09630041B2

A machine for exercising at least a user's abdominal muscles, the machine having a base having front and back ends, an arm lever mounted to the base, a user platform moved by a user and/or by the arm lever, the user platform slidably and pivotably mounted to the base, and a linkage mechanism operatively connecting the arm lever to the user platform so that when the arm lever is moved towards the user platform, the user platform is moved towards the arm lever and a front end of the user platform is moved upwards, pivoting the user platform into an angled configuration, and when the arm lever is moved away from the user platform, the user platform is moved away from the arm lever and the front end of the user platform is moved downwards, pivoting the user platform into a horizontal configuration.
US09630034B2

Methods and apparatus for an emergency descent system according to various aspects of the present technology may comprise a cable connector non-slidably connected to an emergency escape cable and a housing connected to the cable connector and configured to enclose a controlled descent system and at least a portion of a length of rope. The housing may comprise an outer protective layer, an inner wall section substantially enclosed by the outer protective layer forming an open interior portion, and a cover configured to be selectively attached to an upper portion of the outer protective layer. The cover may be configured to be selectively attached to an upper portion of the outer protective layer. The cover may be configured to cover at least a portion of the controlled descent system and protect the open interior portion from environmental conditions.
US09630033B2

A method of handling fall protection systems (2) in association with towers, pylons and masts includes climbing a tower (5), securing a guide channel (10) to a top portion (6) of the tower, extending a fall protection guide line (20) through the guide channel, connecting a first end (3) of a fall protection system (2) to a first end (21) of the guide line (20), extending the fall protection system (2) through the secured guide channel (10) by pulling a second end (22) of the guide line, securing the first end (3) of the fall protection system to a ground (G) level fixing point (8) and securing a second end (4) of the fall protection system to personal protection equipment worn by a worker. An assembly (1) for handling fall protection systems in association with towers, pylons and masts is also provided.
US09630029B2

A focused ultrasonic transducer navigation system attaches to a patient and includes a housing that contains an ultrasonic device. An alignment system moves the housing, and moves the ultrasonic device within the housing, so a focal point of ultrasonic energy from the ultrasonic device is aligned in x, y, and z planes with a target location in the patient. The alignment system realigns the focal point of the ultrasonic device with the same patient target location over multiple therapy sessions eliminating repeated use of an MRI system for repeatedly realigning the ultrasonic device.
US09630027B2

In a beam transport system, based on a beam temporal-variation related amount that has been calculated by a beam analyzer and that is a beam-position temporal variation amount or a beam diameter at a beam profile monitor, an optical parameter calculator calculates a start-point momentum dispersion function that is a momentum dispersion function (η, η′) of a charged particle beam at a start point in design of the beam transport system that is set on a beam trajectory of the accelerator; and calculates optical parameters using, as an initial condition, the start-point momentum dispersion function and a beginning condition at an irradiation position at the time of detecting profile data.
US09630020B2

An electromedical device comprising an operating head which has a depression chamber provided with an opening and connected to a vacuum pump. A pair of rollers are placed in the depression chamber and are connected to an electrical motor for rotating the rollers. The electromedical device further comprises a generator of pulsed electric current and an electromagnetic transducer, which is connected to the generator such as to transform the pulsed electric current into a pulsed magnetic field that crosses the opening of the depression chamber.
US09630019B2

One embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus for performing deep brain stimulation with an electromagnetic field. The includes an electrode assembly having multiple electrodes and a phased array system for driving the electrodes to generate the electromagnetic field. By controlling delays within the phased array system, the generated electromagnetic field can be steered to a desired region of the brain.
US09630017B1

A system for minimizing adverse effects to an implanted medical device (IMD) can include an automated external defibrillator and an IMD safety control. The automated external defibrillator can have a shock function having the potential to adversely affect a treatment provided by and/or the operation of the implanted medical device. The implanted medical device can be embedded within a living body, referred to as an implantee. The implanted medical device can include wireless communication capabilities. The IMD safety control can be coupled to the automated external defibrillator and can be configured to disable performance of the shock function upon the implantee when the shock function is activated and enable performance of the shock function upon resolution by an operator of the automated external defibrillator. The IMD safety control can be capable of wireless communication with the implanted medical device.
US09630016B2

A defibrillator includes: an impedance measuring section which is configured to obtain an impedance measurement value between a living body of a rescue target and electrodes; a controller which is configured to detect a kind of the electrodes, and which, based on the detected kind of the electrodes, is configured to perform determination of whether the impedance measurement value is to be output or not; and an outputting section which, based on the determination, is configured to output the impedance measurement value.
US09630014B2

The technology disclosed herein relates to a system and method for analyzing medical device programming parameters. One aspect of the current technology is a method where an overall performance metric is detected for a cardiac medical device that is outside of a threshold at a first cardiac location in a patient. Processing circuitry identifies a first operating condition and sensing circuitry measures a first sensor response during the first operating condition. An adjustment is proposed to one or more programming parameters of the medical device based on the performance metric, the first operating condition, and the sensor response to the operating condition.
US09630003B2

A device (10, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) is used to apply an electric pulse or spike to a patient to treat the patient. The device can have a series of preset treatments programmed therein. A user can select a treatment from menus displayed on a display (100). The impedance of the skin and underlying tissue to be treated can be measured prior to the treatment to locate active areas on the skin for treatment. A variety of probes can be used with the device, with the device automatically detecting the type of probe attached. Multiple electrodes can be used on the probe, which allows the active areas in contact with the probe to be identified prior to treatment to allow the treatment to concentrate on the active areas.
US09629996B2

An implantable medical lead includes a lead body having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The lead also includes first and second contacts located at the proximal portion of the lead body, and includes first and second electrodes located at the distal portion of the lead body. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the first contact and the second electrode is electrically coupled to the second contact. The first contact has a proximal end and a distal end and the second contact has proximal end and a distal end. The second contact is radially spaced apart from the first contact. The contacts do not extend around the lead body. This disclosure also relates to an implantable lead extension and to an implantable signal generator having connectors configured to receive the present lead.
US09629987B2

Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve shunting fluid, e.g., shunting cerebrospinal fluid in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Self-cleaning catheters are provided which include split tips configured such that pulsatile flow of fluid in a cavity in which the catheter is inserted can cause the tips to strike one another and thereby clear obstructions. Catheters with built-in flow indicators are also provided. Exemplary flow indicators include projections that extend radially inward from the interior surface of the catheter and which include imageable portions (e.g., portions which are visible under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). Movement of the flow indicators caused by fluid flowing through the catheter can be detected using MRI, thereby providing a reliable indication as to whether the catheter is partially or completely blocked. Systems and methods for flushing a shunt system are also disclosed herein, as are various systems and methods for opening auxiliary fluid pathways through a shunt system.
US09629982B2

A medical device control handle or catheter includes deflection assembly and at least one of the following: a disk actuator, a lever actuator and a ring actuator for actuating additional puller wires in manipulation of multiple features of the medical device or catheter independently of each other. The disk actuator has a common rotational axis with but is rotationally independent of the deflection assembly. The lever actuator has a separate rotational axis. The ring is mounted outside of the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle to actuate another puller wire for manipulating another feature of the catheter.Each of the disk, lever and ring actuators are of a design that allows existing control handles and catheters to be readily modified to include these actuators.
US09629974B2

Headgear for a respiratory mask includes a strap arrangement comprising front strap portions adapted to be disposed over a patient's cheeks and each having a connector adapted for attachment to an airway interfacing portion, and a cover provided to each front strap portion and structured to at least partially encapsulate the front strap portion. The cover includes side portions adapted to be wrapped around the front strap portion and releasably fastened to one another.
US09629964B2

A moisture sensor for monitoring an access to a patient for a system by which, via a flexible line, a liquid is fed to and/or out from a patient, for monitoring the vascular access in extra-corporeal blood treatment or for monitoring a central venous catheter for acute dialysis, and a method of producing a moisture sensor are described. The moisture sensor has a substrate material with an electrically conductive structure having conductor paths arranged at a distance from one another and connected together across a terminating resistor. The terminating resistor is an electrically conductive film which is applied in a section of the substrate material on which are formed electrical contacting regions for connecting the terminating resistor to the conductor paths, such that an external terminating resistor is not required and the moisture sensor can be produced easily in large numbers complete with the terminating resistor.
US09629963B2

System and methods are described herein for generating an injection guide, which include receiving one or more digital images of a body region of an individual, the body region including one or more physical registration landmarks, generating at least one digital representation of the body region using the one or more digital images, the at least one digital representation including one or more digital registration landmarks corresponding to the one or more physical registration landmarks on the body region, adding one or more digitally registered injection sites to the at least one digital representation of the body region in an injection-treatment pattern, the one or more digitally registered injection sites registered relative to the one or more digital registration landmarks, and generating one or more output signals having information for controlling one or more controllable light-emitting elements to illuminate a location on a surface of the body region of the individual corresponding in location to at least one of the one or more digitally registered injection sites.
US09629956B2

An infusion system for delivery of therapeutic fluids from a remote source into a patient's body. The system has an infusion assembly, a rotating pivot joint member, a fluid connector assembly, and a sealing assembly retained within the infusion assembly between the housing of the infusion assembly and the rotating pivot joint member. The seal reduces leakage of fluids. The rotating joint may be pivoted to three distinct positions to allow for emplacement on the patient, delivery of the therapeutic fluid to the patient, and protected, sealed closure of the fluid channels to avoid patient fluid backflow.
US09629951B2

An apparatus for performing blood therapy having a plurality of pumps for engaging blood and fluid tubing is characterized by a plurality of manually mounted and disengagable panels installed on the sides of the apparatus housing, the panels having pump engaging tubing mounted on the inside of the respective panels.
US09629950B2

An exterior cap of transfer set for peritoneal dialysis, including: a cylindrical cap unit to which the end connector of the peritoneal transfer set is coupled; a guide unit that is coupled to the cap unit, extends to the peritoneal transfer set to provide an expanding internal space, and guides the end connector of the peritoneal transfer set into the cap unit; and a coupling-separating unit that combines the cap unit and the guide unit with each other and separates the cap unit and the guide unit in accordance with selection of a user.
US09629949B2

A renal failure blood therapy system includes a renal failure blood therapy machine, a test including multiple blood samples taken at multiple times during a test therapy to determine concentration levels for each of a first solute and a second solute at each of the multiple times, and a device programmed to (i) estimate at least one first patient parameter using the determined concentration levels for the first solute, (ii) estimate at least one second patient parameter using the determined concentration levels for the second solute, (iii) determine a first plurality of acceptable treatments using the at least one first patient parameter, (iv) determine a second plurality of acceptable treatments using the at least one second patient parameter, and (v) merge the first plurality of acceptable treatments with the second plurality of acceptable treatments to determine a plurality of clinically acceptable treatments for both the first solute and the second solute.
US09629945B2

The invention is directed to latent reactive and polymerizable derivatives of fluorescent stilbene-based compounds. The compounds can be used to provide articles with a fluorescence property, such as medical devices (e.g., catheters). The fluorescent compounds can be used in association with polymers, or can be incorporated into polymers, and the polymers used in a coating composition on the article surface. The compounds allow for visual or machine inspection of coating properties such as uniformity of coverage.
US09629944B2

The present invention provides an implantable device having a coating including a slow dissolving polymer or material and the methods of making and using the same.
US09629941B2

The present document is directed to a titanium dioxide scaffold comprising a hydrogel coating comprising a biologically active substance. Also disclosed is a method for producing a thin hydrogel coating on a titanium dioxide scaffold and uses of the hydrogel coated scaffolds as medical implants.
US09629939B2

Provided is a foam material, comprising a plurality of substantially collagenous beads, wherein the foam material is a bead foam, and wherein adjacent collagenous beads are fused together by a network of collagen fibers. Also provided are methods for preparation of foam materials comprising a plurality of substantially collagenous beads. The foam materials may be used in applications such as bioscaffolds for wound healing, soft tissue regeneration and augmentation, for localized cell delivery, or as cell culture substrates for research. The foam materials include natural collagen fibrils that provide a stable scaffold and enhance integration of the implanted scaffold and regeneration of cells and tissue.
US09629937B2

The present invention provides methods and systems for an air scent device that includes a base that extends to an outer edge, an outer ring that extends substantially upward from the outer edge, and an outer lip that extends substantially outwardly from the outer ring. A plurality of protruding structures extend substantially upward from the base, and a scented substance disposed within the cavity.
US09629929B2

Methods for introducing nucleic acids to cells via exosomes for use in gene modulation and therapy, such as for gene silencing and to introduce genetic material into cells to compensate for abnormal genes or to induce or repress a process in the recipient cell.
US09629928B1

A mechanism for providing inventory information from distributed computing resources in an enterprise network in a manner that minimizes network traffic being sent from those computing resources to a centralized inventory server is provided. Bandwidth minimization is performed by generating a value corresponding to identifying information for each item inventoried on a computing resource and transmitting only those values to the inventory server. The generated value is shorter than a string containing the detailed information regarding the inventoried item, but is unique to that item. The inventory server then only requests more detailed information about an individual inventory item if a reported value has not previously been reported to the inventory server. In this manner, detailed information about a specific inventoried item is only transmitted through the network the first time that the item is inventoried and reported from any computer in the network. For any subsequent nodes reporting the same inventoried item, only the value is transmitted through the network and recorded within the inventory server. This avoids transmitting detailed information about each inventoried item for each computer during each computer report to an inventory server, thereby reducing network traffic.
US09629917B2

The present invention provides methods for facilitating cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract of a patient prior to a diagnostic, surgical or therapeutic procedure. The methods can improve patient compliance, and thus, efficacy of the preparation. Specifically, the present methods make the gastrointestinal tract preparation composition palatable for the patient to consume. For example, for a patient preparing to undergo colonoscopy, the present methods make the bowel preparation solution taste significantly less salty.
US09629908B2

Ways to increase the effectiveness of probiotics is disclosed. One embodiment relates to a combination of probiotics with secretory IgA and possible uses of this combination. For example, a method of using a composition comprising secretory IgA and at least one probiotic to prepare a product to treat or prevent infection is disclosed.
US09629904B2

A high potency botulinum toxin pharmaceutical composition comprising two excipients (such as albumin and sodium chloride) in a weight to weight ratio of between about 1 and about 100.
US09629898B2

This invention relates to a use of IL-22 in the treatment of viral hepatitis. As illustrated in the examples of this invention, IL-22 can significantly reduce liver damage caused by hepatitis virus, and can significantly reduce the increase of transaminase ALT/AST induced by heptatitis virus. In addition, the IL-22 dimer of this invention can effectively treat viral hepatitis.
US09629895B2

An object of the present invention is to provide methods for preventing or treating a steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent inflammatory bowel disease. The object can be achieved by a method for preventing or treating a steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent inflammatory bowel disease in a patient in need of the prevention or treatment of the inflammatory bowel disease, comprises administering an effective amount of adrenomedullin, a modified product thereof having an activity of suppressing steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent inflammation, or a salt thereof having an activity of suppressing steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent inflammation, to the patient.
US09629894B2

Disclosed are magnesium-containing oxytocin peptide formulations or compositions comprising an oxytocin peptide and a magnesium salt that produces synergistic analgesia when used in treating pain. Also disclosed are methods for the treatment of pain (such as migraine headache) comprising co-administration of an oxytocin peptide and a magnesium salt.
US09629893B2

The present invention relates to a proteinaceous extract derived from tortoise spleen and to a tetrapeptide FTGN, which have stimulatory activity on hematopoietic cells. In particular, this tetrapeptide enhances hemopoietic reconstruction, and bone marrow re-population, reduced as a consequence of a high dose of radiation or chemotherapy exposure. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising as an effective ingredient the proteinaceous extract or the FTGN tetrapeptide and ex vivo and in vivo methods of treatment employing them.
US09629882B2

The invention discloses a bacterial strain of non pathogenic Cobetia marina useful in aquaculture, corresponding to an isolated Cobetia marina strain, Gram negative, oxidase positive, deposited under registry number CECT N°7764; grows with dibenzothiophene (DBT) as the only carbon source. Also disclosed is a method to obtain a biosurfactant surfactant extract comprising growing strain Cobetia marina (MM1IDA2H-1) CECT N° 7764 in a reactor with liquid growth medium from 24 to 48 hours at a temperature between 10 and 35° C., pH 6 to 8; constant stirring between 100 to 400 rpm and oxygen saturation between 10 to 21%; until obtaining a grown cell culture and extracellular products plus inorganic salts; separating the cells, lyophilizing supernatant, sieve the obtained powder and dry. Further disclosed is a biosurfactant surfactant and uses thereof for treating infectious pathologies in aquaculture; use as additive for paint formulations for submergible surfaces; and use as food additive for fish, for inducing an immune response.
US09629872B2

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising sodium thiosulphate dispersed in a hydrophile-in-lipophile emulsion, and the use thereof for topical administration for the treatment of an ectopic calcification and/or of the consequences thereof in an individual, the sodium thiosulphate being in the form of a pharmaceutical composition comprising, in addition, a hydrophile-in-lipophile emulsion. The invention also relates to a method for preparing these pharmaceutical compositions.
US09629866B2

The present invention provides the use of cordycepin or derivatives thereof in manufacture of medicaments for antidepression, said derivatives mean pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters of crodycepin or glycosides formed by cordycepin and saccharides.
US09629862B2

The present disclosure relates to pantothenate derivatives for the treatment of neurologic disorders (such as pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration), pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, and their use in treatment of neurologic disorders.
US09629858B2

This document relates to bi-carbonate-buffered dialysis solutions with physiological phosphate content and increased stability. The solutions include an organic ester of phosphoric acid, calcium ions and/or magnesium ions, and optionally additional electrolytes, buffers and glucose in physiologically effective concentrations.
US09629846B1

The present invention relates to nutritional supplements to be administered to, or to be taken by, women desiring to become pregnant, and pregnant and nursing women. The nutritional supplements of this invention have a unique blend of one or more folic acid materials, vitamins and minerals and a nutritionally acceptable carrier therefor. The invention describes specific nutritional supplements for the uses set forth above.
US09629831B2

Novel benzamide compounds including their pharmaceutically acceptable isomers, salts, hydrates, solvates and prodrug derivatives having activity against mammalian factor Xa are described. Compositions containing such compounds are also described. The compounds and compositions are useful in vitro or in vivo for preventing or treating coagulation disorders.
US09629826B2

This invention relates to the treatment of uveitis, in particular posterior infectious uveitis. In specific embodiments, the invention provides for methods of treating uveitis and/or infectious uveitis comprising administration of a sustained-release system containing 5-amino-[4-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3,5-dichlorobenzyl]-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamide) and optionally a glucocorticoid. In one embodiment, the glucocorticoid is dexamethasone. In another embodiment, the sustained-release system comprises a polymer such as e.g. polylactic-coglycolic acid.
US09629824B2

Substituted indole derivatives of formula (I) wherein the radicals have e.g. the following meaning: R1 is hydrogen, —C1-6-alkyl, R2 is hydrogen, —C1-6-alkyl or cycloC3-12-alkyl; R3 is —OR R4 is hydrogen or halogen, R5 is hydrogen, —C1-6-alkyl R6 is hydrogen, —C1-6-alkyl R is hydrogen or —C1-6-alkyl; X is a group —C(O)CH2— or —CH═CH—; R7 is hydrogen are potent inhibitors of Abeta peptide polymerization and can be used for the treatment of e.g. Alzheimers disease or ocular disorders.
US09629811B2

A cell carrying microsphere composition, wherein the microsphere composition comprises a microspheric core comprising a triblock copolymer matrix A-B-A wherein A is selected from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) or polylactide (PLA) and B is poloxamer or poloxamine, wherein the microspheric core is coated with a cell adhesion coating and further comprises whole cells or cell fragments bonded to the cell adhesion coating, a process for the preparation of a cell carrying microsphere composition, and applications thereof.
US09629805B2

Described are stability-enhancing formulations of drugs that are sensitive to moisture. The formulations comprise co-granulates containing a moisture-sensitive drug and an excipient selected from fructose, xylitol, maltitol, and mixtures thereof. Also described are methods of producing a pharmaceutical tablet. The method comprises forming a blend of a moisture-sensitive drug and a first excipient selected from fructose, xylitol, maltitol, and mixtures thereof; spraying the blend with water to produce granules; drying and milling the granules; mixing a second excipient with the granules; and compressing into tablets.
US09629804B2

The present invention provides, among other things, methods of delivering mRNA in vivo, including administering to a subject in need of delivery a composition comprising an mRNA encoding a protein, encapsulated within a liposome such that the administering of the composition results in the expression of the protein encoded by the mRNA in vivo, wherein the liposome comprises a cationic lipid of formula I-c: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US09629783B2

The present invention relates to a multifunctional milk bottle holder, and more particularly, to a multifunctional milk bottle holder which: is capable of providing information related to whether bottle-feeding is occurring using the inclination of the holder for feeding, wherein power is automatically turned on when a milk bottle containing liquid milk is placed in the holder for feeding; is capable of providing information related to the temperature of the liquid milk while maintaining the temperature of the liquid milk for a predetermined period of time; and has excellent price competitiveness due to reduced manufacturing costs. Also, the holder is capable of developing the senses of vision and hearing through the operation of a mobile which rotates in the holder and of a sound source generation unit, thereby ensuring ease of use.
US09629775B2

There is disclosed an apparatus for treating a sexual dysfunctional female patient, comprising an implanted stimulation device adapted to stimulate at least a part of the sexually responsive tissue of the vulva or the wall of the vagina of the patient by movement of said stimulation device and contact between said stimulation device and the sexually responsive tissue or the wall of the vagina. A system and an operation method for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction are also disclosed.
US09629773B2

A novel technique for the fabrication of a casket dome lid from, for example, Smooth-One-Side (“S1S”) hardboard is disclosed. The invention is also directed to the fabrication of a casket lid which has a domed configuration both in the lateral and longitudinal directions of the lid. The method comprises the steps of providing a lid blank having a first end, second end, and a central region; providing a pair of diagonal voids oriented at corners of the first end of said blank and extending inward toward the central region; placing the lid blank in a vacuum fixture; and flexing the lid blank into a domed configuration via the vacuum fixture, such that the blank is domed in both a longitudinal and a transverse direction.
US09629766B2

A surgical table comprising a base and a patient support supported between opposed ends of the base, each opposed end including a pitch/roll assembly. The base is configured such that the patient support can be rolled and pitched relative to the opposed ends via the pitch/roll assemblies such that the roll axis of each pitch/roll assembly remains coaxial regardless of how the patient support is pitched or rolled relative to the base. The patient support includes an outer frame and an inner frame supported on, and displaceable relative to, the outer frame. The inner frame is further articulating about, and relative to, itself. The outer frame is rigid in that it does not change configurations.
US09629763B2

The present invention relates to improvements in the design of a rear-steer collapsible, in particular the invention relates to a number of safety enhancing features that provide a safer and more versatile rear steer portable wheelchair.
US09629759B2

A patient transfer device is utilized to transport infant patients between locations within a hospital environment. The patient transfer device includes a center support section and a pair of side sections that can be moved into contact with each other to surround the infant patient. The first and second side sections each include a handle that can be brought into close proximity to each other and can be grasped by a single hand of a clinician. The patient transfer device includes an integrated vapor barrier that can be positioned to at least partially surround the infant when the infant is received on the patient transfer device to reduce evaporative cooling of the infant. The vapor barrier includes a support structure to create a canopy that holds the vapor barrier out of contact with the infant.
US09629749B2

The present invention generally relates systems, methods, and devices for treating an eye of a patient. In some embodiments, a system may be provided that includes a console for generating a treatment laser and an illumination light. The system may further include a treatment probe for delivering the illumination light to an eye so as to illuminate the ciliary process of the eye. With the illuminated ciliary process, the treatment probe may be aligned to deliver the treatment laser from the console to the ciliary process of the eye for the purpose of treating a patient for glaucoma. In some embodiments, a treatment probe may be provided with an illumination fiber for delivering light to specific portions of the eye or at desired angles in order to illuminate the ciliary process. In some embodiments a treatment probe may be configured to cooperate with a removable light pen for eye illumination.
US09629748B2

Multi-stage tubing connecting a pneumatic pulse generator to a surgical cutter and for transmitting pressure pulses from the pneumatic pulse generator to the surgical cutter. The multi-stage tubing includes a first-stage and a second-stage. The first-stage has a first end connected to an output port of the pneumatic pulse generator, a second end opposite the first end, and a first inner channel for transmitting the pressure pulses to the surgical cutter. The first inner channel has a first cross-sectional area. The second-stage has a first end in pneumatic communication with the second end of the first-stage, a second end opposite the first end of the second-stage, and a second inner channel for transmitting the pressure pulses to the surgical cutter. The second inner channel has a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area.
US09629742B2

A knee brace for continual electro-acupuncture stimulation system comprises: a first electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point Heting “(S 156)”; a second electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point “Spleen 10 ”; a third electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point “Stomach 34 ”; a fourth electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point “Hsiyen (S 145)”; a fifth electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point “Stomach 35 ”; a sixth electrode configured to electrically coupled to acupuncture point “Bladder 40 ”. The first, second, and third electrodes are connected to a polarity of voltage, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes are connected to an opposite polarity of voltage, such that electric currents flow in a body of a patient to achieve analgesia, cartilage repair and regeneration in the knee joint.
US09629741B2

A gastric tube for use in a bariatric surgical procedure includes an elongate tube and a movable component supported on an outer surface of the elongate tube. The elongate tube has a non-circular cross section along at least a portion of a length of the elongate tube. The movable component is movable between an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration. In the unexpanded configuration, the movable component is disposed in abutting engagement with the outer surface of the elongate tube. In the expanded configuration, the movable component bows outwardly from the outer surface of the elongate tube.
US09629737B2

A prosthesis introducer system may include an introducer. A trigger wire release mechanism and a restraining member may be positioned near the distal end of the introducer. The system may include first and second trigger wires, each including a proximal portion releasably coupleable to a portion of a prosthesis and a distal portion coupled to the trigger wire release mechanism. The second trigger wire may be engaged by the restraining member. Each of the first and second trigger wires may include a taut portion. The second trigger wire may include a slack portion extending distally from the taut portion and positioned distal of the restraining member. Upon actuation of the trigger wire release mechanism, the first trigger wire may be releasable from the prosthesis and the second trigger wire may be releasable subsequent to the release of the first trigger wire.
US09629734B2

According to one aspect of the present invention, a fatigue resistant stent comprises a flexible tubular structure having an inside diameter, an outside diameter, and a sidewall therebetween and having apertures extending through the sidewall. According to other aspects of the invention, processes for making a fatigue resistant stent are disclosed. According to further aspects of the invention, delivery systems for a fatigue resistant stent and methods of use are provided.
US09629733B2

The present embodiments provide a method for delivering a stent comprising providing a stent in a delivery state, where the stent comprises a plurality of interconnected strut segments that enable expansion of the stent from a delivery state to a deployed state. Stacking a frontal surface of a first strut segment at least partially behind a rear surface of a second strut segment in the delivery state. Aligning a sharpened tip of a first barb at least partially circumferentially behind at least one strut segment in the delivery state such that the sharpened tip is not radially exposed. Expanding the stent from the delivery state to a deployed state, wherein the first barb is exposed to a patient in the deployed state.
US09629729B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for near-simultaneous and integrated delivery of bone graft material during the placement of surgical cages or other medical implants in a patient's spine. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device according to various embodiments delivers and disperses biologic material through a fusion cage to a disc space and, without withdrawal from the surgical site, may selectably detach the fusion cage for deposit to the same disc space. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device is formed such that a hollow tube and plunger selectively and controllably place bone graft material and a fusion cage in or adjacent to the bone graft receiving area. In one embodiment, the integrated fusion cage is an expandable integrated fusion cage.
US09629724B2

A method of surgically implanting a reverse shoulder orthopedic implant, the method comprises the step of installing a glenosphere component having a bore formed therein over a metaglene component implanted within bone tissue of a glenoid surface of a scapula, capturing a screw cap within the bore of the glenosphere component, the screw cap positioned with a shaft of the screw cap located within a bore formed in an elongated stem of the metaglene component and an upper surface of a locking flange opposite the shaft of the screw cap flush with an upper surface of a platform of the metaglene component opposite the elongated stem of the metaglene component.
US09629723B2

An orthopedic knee prosthesis includes a femoral component which exhibits enhanced articular features, minimizes removal of healthy bone stock from the distal femur, and minimizes the impact of the prosthesis on adjacent soft tissues of the knee.
US09629721B2

Among other things, there are disclosed embodiments of a valve implant that in particular examples are implantable within a blood vessel, which include a first set of elongate members, a second set of elongate members, and a hood affixed to the first set of elongate members. The first set of elongate members is resiliently deformable, and their distal ends are flared radially outward. The distal ends of the second set of elongate members are distal to the ends of the first set of elongate members. The hood is affixed to the first set of elongate members, and seals against the interior wall of the blood vessel in an expanded configuration. When blood flows from the proximal to the distal side of the valve implant, it presses on the hood, compressing the first set of elongate members, breaking the seal.
US09629717B2

A prosthetic heart valve assembly suitable for implantation in body ducts via a catheter. The prosthetic heart valve assembly includes a collapsible and expandable tubular frame having an inlet end and an outlet end. The frame is preferably made from a self-expanding material. Three pericardial leaflets form a tricuspid valve having a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion. Three longitudinal support members are positioned along an internal surface of the frame, desirably proximate to the outlet end. Each support member includes a pair of longitudinal surfaces that extends radially inwardly. End portions of adjacent valve leaflets extend through a gap between the pairs of longitudinal surfaces of each support member. The end portions are sutured to the longitudinal support members. The bottom portion of the tricuspid valve is sutured to the inlet end of the frame.
US09629716B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for repairing or replacing a defective cardiac valve including an anchor having a double helix configured to engage the cardiac valve leaflets of a diseased or defective cardiac valve, and a replacement valve body disposed in an expandable stent configured to be disposed within the anchor so that the anchor limits expansion of the expandable stent. The expandable stent of the replacement valve body may be self-expanding or mechanically expanded, e.g., using a balloon catheter or catheter-based mandrel and the valve body may be formed of animal tissue or a synthetic fabric.
US09629707B2

A tissue graft attachment device includes a platform member including a leading edge and a trailing edge connected to the leading edge by a pair of sides. The platform member defines a pair of slots extending along a longitudinal axis passing between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and an opening between the pair of slots and the leading edge. The device includes a first suture passing through the opening, a second suture passing through one of the slots, and an attachment member passing through the pair of slots to form a loop. A method for attaching a tissue graft includes providing the tissue graft attachment device, forming a bone tunnel, pulling on the first suture to pull the platform member through the bone tunnel, and pulling on the second suture to position the platform member on the bone tunnel.
US09629706B2

The present disclosure relates to an assembly for fixing a ligament in bone. The assembly includes a suspension member and an implant having a mechanism for fixedly receiving the suspension member and at least partially suspending the suspension member and the received bone graft within the implant, allowing for bony in-growth. A method of fixing a ligament in bone is also disclosed.
US09629700B2

A tooth cleaning assembly for removing embedded plaque between a user's tooth and gum includes a housing that may be gripped by the user. A motor is coupled to the housing. A shaft is coupled to the motor. The motor rotates the shaft. A brush is structured to taper to a point. The brush may be positionable between the user's tooth and the user's gum. The brush removes embedded plaque. The brush is mechanically coupled to the shaft so the shaft rotates the brush. An actuator is coupled to the housing. The actuator is electrically coupled to the motor. The actuator actuates and de-actuates the motor.
US09629697B2

A framework for a removable, partial or complete prosthodontic device is made by machining, using a CAD/CAM technique, a disc 2, made from polyetheretherketone, to define the framework 4. Prosthetic teeth and gums can be secured to the framework to define the prosthodontic device.
US09629690B2

A description is given of a sonotrode (18) for connection to an ultrasonic vibration transducer (2, 3) comprising a connecting portion (4), which extends along a first axis (16) and is attached by a first end (42) to the vibration transducer (2, 3) or is connected thereto, wherein the connecting portion (4) is made to vibrate almost exclusively along the first axis (16) by the ultrasonic vibration transducer (2, 3). Said sonotrode is characterized in that, at the free end (43) of the connecting portion (4), opposite from the first end (42), both a substantially cylindrical, first sleeve (5), which extends along a second axis (8), and a substantially cylindrical, second sleeve (6), which extends along a third axis (17), are arranged in a common crossing region (36), wherein the first axis (16) forms a first angle (γ) in the range of 100-140° with the second axis (8), and wherein the first axis (16) forms a second angle (β) in the range of 100-140° with the third axis (17), wherein the three axes (8, 16, 17) are arranged substantially in one sonotrode plane (41). Moreover, corresponding sonotrode tools and uses of such sonotrode tools are described.
US09629685B2

The invention relates to a surgical instrument (1) comprising a detection means (10) for reacting to at least one external stress (30) emitted by a generator means (15) that generates the stress (30). The invention also relates to the method for producing such a surgical instrument (1). The invention likewise relates to the generator means (15). The invention further relates to a method for detection of the surgical instrument (1) by the generator means (15).
US09629680B2

A sterile surgical drape for protecting a robotic surgical system includes an oblong drape of a clear flexible plastic material, which unfolds from a compact packet. From the proximal side of the main panel of the drape there project two pocket flaps, which are separated by a medial trough. The two pocket flaps are configured to slip over one another and together enclose the top of the control tower in an overlapping fashion, such that the robotic manipulator arms extend on either side of the main panel, while the camera/endoscope arm extends through the medial trough. The open ends of the pocket flaps are folded over to form cuffs, wherein a nurse can insert his/her hand to draw the flap over the top of the tower without touching non-sterile surfaces. The unfolding of the main panel is controlled by adhesive tabs or tear strips, so that the bottom of the panel does not engage the cart's wheels or the floor.
US09629674B2

A kit includes: an implant having a distal end for inserting the implant into the body; and a gripper in the form of a hollow elongate body that is open at at least one end, that is slotted longitudinally, and made, at least partly, of an elastically-deformable material, the slot opening out into the axial cavity of the body, inside which the implant is suitable for insertion, with its distal end projecting from the “distal” end of the body. The kit includes at least one reception sheath for receiving the distal end of the implant in order to separate the implant from its gripper by moving the sheath and the gripper relative to each other in the direction that breaks the alignment between them, the sheath has a bearing seat against which the implant bears both when the implant is inserted in the sheath, and when separated from its gripper.
US09629667B2

Instrumentation for fixing at least two spinal vertebrae by pedicle screw type bone anchoring implants and connecting elements via the posterior or posterolateral approach has at least one bone anchoring element designed to be fixed to a vertebra, pre-mounted with a disposable mounting tube and a sterile sealed packaging. A kit of instruments for inserting or removing a spinal implant, has at least two threaded bone anchoring elements, a rod-type or plate-type connecting element mechanically connecting the bone anchoring elements and locking elements for locking the connecting element in position in relation to the anchoring elements, in order to perform all of the surgical procedures relating to the insertion or removal of the implant, all of the required instruments are disposable and packed in a sterile manner in one or several sealed packagings.
US09629666B2

An apparatus is designed to attach an implant to bone in a manner that permits rotational adjustment of the implant about multiple axes prior to securement via the apparatus. The apparatus includes separate rotational and translational fasteners that can be individually locked to independently restrict rotation and translation of the implant relative to the bone. The rotational fastener includes an interpositional member, an expandable engagement member, and a rotational locking member that urges the expandable engagement member to advance along the interpositional member. The resulting expansion of the engagement member causes it to engage the implant. The rotational fastener is slidable along a fixation member implanted in the bone until the translational fastener is applied to restrict relative translation between the rotational fastener and the bone.
US09629663B2

Exemplary spinal fixation devices, systems, and method are provided for stabilizing vertebrae in a patient's spine. In one exemplary embodiment, methods and devices are provided for coupling one or more bone anchors, such as hooks, screws, etc., and/or one or more spinal fixation elements, such as spinal rods, cables, plates, etc. In certain exemplary embodiments, a cross connector is provided for connecting and stabilizing two bone anchors, a bone anchor and a spinal fixation element, or a bone anchor and bone.
US09629658B2

A lead introducer includes an outer needle with a sharpened distal tip and an open channel extending along an entire length of the outer needle. An inner needle slides along the open channel of the outer needle. The inner needle includes a blunt distal tip. A biasing element is coupled to the inner needle and facilitates transition of the inner-needle distal tip between a distally-biased position, where the inner-needle distal tip obstructs the sharpened outer-needle distal tip, and a retracted position, where the inner-needle distal tip exposes the sharpened outer-needle distal tip. A splittable member is disposable over the outer needle when the inner needle is disposed in the open channel of the outer needle. The splittable member is separatable from the inner and outer needles along at least one perforated region.
US09629648B2

An apparatus for operating on tissue comprises a body, an elongate shaft, an end effector, a compression member, and a firing beam. The end effector has a pair of jaws configured to open and close along a first plane. The end effector is capable of delivering RF energy to the tissue. The compression member is configured to drive the jaws to a closed position once the compression member has been distally driven into the end effector. The compression member is substantially inflexible along the first plane yet is flexible along a second plane that is transverse to the first plane. The firing beam is operable to sever tissue captured within the end effector. The compression member may be actuated distally to close the jaws upon tissue and provide uniform compression of the tissue along the length of the jaws before the firing beam is advanced through the tissue.
US09629643B2

An ultrasound catheter has an elongate flexible catheter body having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body. The ultrasound transmission member has a proximal end that is coupled to a separate ultrasound generating device, and a distal tip that is attached to the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member and which is located at the distal end of the catheter body. The distal tip has at least one dimensional step. The ultrasound transmission member is directly attached to the catheter body and/or to a guidewire tube, either directly or via an attachment device. The catheter has an additional radiopaque marker positioned on the distal end the catheter.
US09629636B2

Non-expandable space-occupying devices for treating voids within the body are disclosed. The devices can have multiple non-expandable space-occupying elements connected to a flexible leader. Methods of making and using the devices are also disclosed.
US09629634B2

An introducer accessory for being fitted with a circular stapler is disclosed, and pertains to the technical field of medical instrument. The introducer accessory at least comprises a sleeve portion sleeved around a distal end of the circular stapler and an introducing portion disposed at a distal end of the sleeve portion. And the introducing portion comprises a spiral member in a conical shape with a cavity and a traction member, the traction member extends in the cavity of spiral member to connect with the distal end of the spiral member such that when the traction member is pulled by an external force, the distal end of the spiral member is pulled out by the traction member through the cavity which causes the spiral member to be unwound internally and finally to form a strip body to withdraw through the circular stapler. Thus, the withdrawing process of introducer accessory can avoid injury to patient during surgery.
US09629632B2

Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing a lacerated tendon or ligament adjacent a repair site. In one embodiment, a repair device includes an elongated flexible structure and multiple anchors, the multiple anchors pre-positioned with the elongated flexible structure. The repair device may be coupled to the tendon or ligament at the repair site with a delivery device. The repair device may be pre-positioned in a cartridge such that the cartridge is loaded into the delivery device. The lacerated tendon or ligament is positioned within a cradle portion of the delivery device such that the tendon is positioned between the cradle portion and the cartridge that holds the repair device. The delivery device may then be triggered to actuate and drive the repair device from the cartridge to couple to the lacerated tendon or ligament. In this manner, the repair device may be anchored to the lacerated tendon.
US09629627B2

A surgical stapling apparatus is provided. The surgical stapling apparatus includes an actuating device including an elongated shaft. A tool assembly is disposed on a distal end of the shaft. The tool assembly includes a first jaw member supporting a cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical fasteners, and a second jaw member supporting an anvil. The first jaw member is movable in relation to the second jaw member between a spaced position and an approximated position. One of the first and second jaw members includes a cantilever at a proximal end thereof. A firing cam bar assembly is slidably disposed within the tool assembly and includes a cam surface configured to engage the cantilever to move the first and second jaw member towards the approximated position and a distal end configured to deploy the plurality of surgical fasteners from the cartridge assembly.
US09629618B2

A specimen retrieval pouch (pouch) is provided. The pouch including a closed bottom portion, an open upper portion and an elongated tube operably coupled to an interior wall of the pouch. The elongated tube has a plurality of openings positioned along a length thereof. A suture accessible at a proximal end of the pouch is positioned within the elongated tube and extends past a distal end thereof. The suture is movable within the elongated tube and relative to the pouch. The suture has either a needle or a loop at a distal end thereof for attaching to tissue and subsequently drawing the tissue into the pouch when the suture is pulled. One or more reinforced tabs are operably disposed on the pouch. The reinforced tab(s) is/are configured to be grasped by a user to provide a counter pull force as the suture is being pulled through the elongated tube.
US09629617B2

A notched tissue-collection needle configured similarly to a fine-needle-aspiration needle is provided with a cutting edge disposed in the notch and configured to excise tissue into the notch for collection. A stylet may be provided through a lumen of the needle during introduction into a patient body. The needle may be provided with echogenicity-enhancing features. A coated-wire sheath through which the needle is slidably disposed includes an overcoating that is thicker along a distal length and thinner along a proximal length.
US09629615B1

A method for cardiac motion estimation includes: receiving a set of echocardiographic images of a heart, the echocardiographic images including B-mode ultrasonic images and Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) images; and calculating, by the image processing machine, a motion field representing the motion of the heart using the B-mode ultrasonic images and applying a velocity constraint from the TDI images. A system for cardiac motion estimation, includes: an imaging device configured to acquire a set of echocardiographic images of a heart, the echocardiographic images including B-mode ultrasonic images and TDI images; a data storage device in communication with the imaging device and configured to store the set of echocardiographic images; an image processing machine in communication with the data storage device and configured to calculate a motion field representing the motion of the heart using the B-mode ultrasonic images and applying a velocity constraint from the TDI images.
US09629605B2

Embodiments for forming a color map necessary for forming an elastic image in an ultrasound system. A transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) unit transmits ultrasound signals to a target object and receives ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object to thereby obtain receive signals. The receive signals include first receive signals obtained before applying a stress to the target object and second receive signals obtained after applying a stress to the target object. An ultrasound data forming unit forms first and second ultrasound data based on the first and second receive signals, respectively. A processing unit computes strains by using the first and second ultrasound data and form a histogram based on the computed strains. The processing unit further clusters the histogram for separation into a plurality of clusters and forms a color map including a plurality of color map regions corresponding to the respective clusters.
US09629600B2

A medical imaging system includes an X-ray Talbot imaging apparatus and an image processing apparatus. The X-ray Talbot imaging apparatus includes a controller which generates reconstructed image(s) including at least a differential phase image from image signals of an imaged subject. The image processing apparatus measures the thickness of cartilage in the joint in the differential phase image or an image generated from the differential phase image, by reference to at least one of i) an edge of a bone in the joint identified in a reconstructed image or an image generated from the reconstructed image and ii) an edge of the cartilage identified in the differential phase image or the image generated from the differential phase image.
US09629599B2

A method of assigning first localization data of a breast of a patient derived from first image data of the breast, the first image data being the result of a first radiological data acquisition process, to second localization data of the same breast derived from second image data, the second image data being the result of a second radiological data acquisition process, or vice versa. Thereby, the first localization data are assigned to the second localization data by intermediately mapping them into breast model data representing a patient-specific breast shape of the patient and then onto the second image data—or vice versa, thereby deriving assignment data. An assignment system performs the above-described method.
US09629586B2

System, devices and methods are presented that integrate stretchable or flexible circuitry, including arrays of active devices for enhanced sensing, diagnostic, and therapeutic capabilities. The invention enables conformal sensing contact with tissues of interest, such as the inner wall of a lumen, a nerve bundle, or the surface of the heart. Such direct, conformal contact increases accuracy of measurement and delivery of therapy.
US09629575B2

A filter device for a hearing test probe and a method of manufacturing a filter device are disclosed. The filter device extends along a center axis in a first direction from a first end to a second end. The filter device comprising: a first part having a first filter structure, a second part having a second filter structure, a first channel extending along the center axis. The first part and second part are joined together, and the first filter structure and the second filter structure define a filter element with a first set of filter openings for the first channel.
US09629574B2

A base station identifies user-wearable devices being worn by a user, wherein each of the user-wearable devices is battery powered, includes a plurality of sensors, performs wirelessly communication, and is worn on a separate portion of the user's body. For each of the user-wearable devices, the base station identifies a portion of the user's body on which the user-wearable device is being worn. The base station also identifies an activity in which the user is engaged, and identifies multiple types of sensor data to be sensed using the sensors of the user-wearable devices, to enable tracking of metric(s) relevant to the activity in which the user is engaged. The base station determines how to distribute sensing responsibilities for the multiple types of sensor data among the sensors of the user-wearable devices being worn by the user, and selectively activates and deactivates individual sensors of each of the user-wearable devices.
US09629557B2

After light has been output to a subject to be examined, a photoacoustic wave induced in the subject by the output light is detected. It is assumed that at least one virtual detector element is present outside of a real detector, and dummy data corresponding to the at least one virtual detector element are added to photoacoustic data in which pieces of data of the photoacoustic wave detected by the detector are arranged in accordance with the positions of detector elements. A photoacoustic image is generated by reconstructing the photoacoustic data to which the dummy data have been added by using a Fourier transform method.
US09629555B2

An exposure amount designation value calculation unit calculates an exposure amount designation value for designating the amount of exposure, which is required to image an observation target, based on an image signal. A threshold value calculation unit calculates a threshold value for comparison with the pixel value of the image signal according to the exposure amount designation value. A region detection unit detects a first region, in which the pixel value falls within a range set by the threshold value, and a second region, in which the pixel value is out of the range. An image generation unit generates an oxygen saturation image, in which the oxygen saturation is displayed differently in the first and second regions, using the image signal, the oxygen saturation, and information of the first and second regions.
US09629551B2

A method for detecting a movable object in a location includes —providing a first 3D representation of at least part of a surface by scanning; —providing a second 3D representation of at least part of the surface by scanning; —determining for the first 3D representation a first excluded volume; —determining for the second 3D representation a second excluded volume; —if a portion of the surface in the first 3D representation is located in space in the second excluded volume, the portion of the surface in the first 3D representation is disregarded, and/or —if a portion of the surface in the second 3D representation is located in space in the first excluded volume, the portion of the surface in the second 3D representation is disregarded.
US09629548B2

This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for predicting heart failure decompensation using within-patient diagnostics. A method comprises detecting an alert status of each of one or more sensors; calculating an alert score by combining the detected alerts; and calculating a composite alert score, the composite alert score being indicative of a physiological condition and comprising a combination of two or more alert scores.
US09629545B2

In one implementation, an apparatus estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point is described, estimates temperature from a digital infrared sensor and determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer, or determines vital signs from a solid-state image transducer and estimates body core temperature from an infrared measurement of an external source point using a cubic relationship between the body core temperature and the measurement of an external source point; after which the estimated and/or determined information is transmitted to an external database.
US09629539B2

An eyeglasses-wearing simulation method comprising: a step of creating a pair of left and right original images for enabling a patient to perform stereoscopic viewing by utilizing binocular parallax, based on virtual scene data constituted by virtual objects placed in visual field spaces of the left and right eyes; a step of calculating distortion and blur of a right eye eyeglass lens and adding the distortion and blur to the right eye original image, and calculating distortion and blur of a left eye eyeglass lens and adding the distortion and blur to the left eye original image; and a step of stereoscopically displaying the processed images viewed through the pair of left and right eyeglass lenses on a screen, wherein a value of the blur is calculated by setting a same amount of accommodation to the left and right eyes in regard to all of object points.
US09629538B2

One aspect of the disclosure includes a method to assess vision function. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a sequence of test images on a display (106) to a test subject (102) during a stimulus interval and providing a response pattern image for each of the sequence of test images during a response interval after the stimulus interval. Each of the sequence of test images includes multiple stimulus patterns (304, 306) arranged around a fixation target (302). The response pattern image includes multiple response targets (320), each of which corresponds to a location of each of the multiple stimulus patterns (304, 306). One (304) of the multiple stimulus patterns (304, 306) differs. An assessment of a vision function of the test subject (102) is based on a selection by the test subject of one of the multiple response targets (320) that the test subject indicates corresponds to a location of the multiple stimulus pattern that differs (304). A corresponding vision testing system (100) is disclosed as well.
US09629534B2

The invention relates to an illuminated optical laryngoscope formed by an assembly, longitudinally defining a first straight segment and a second curved segment and comprising a main body (1) that is inserted into a tubular protective case (2). The curved segment of the main body (1) is formed by successive segments hinged to one another.
US09629528B2

An exemplary apparatus for imaging at least one anatomical structure can be provided. For example, the apparatus can include an endoscopic first arrangement, a radiation source second arrangement which provides at least one electro-magnetic radiation, and a third arrangement attached to at least one portion of the endoscopic arrangement. The third arrangement can contain an optical arrangement which, upon impact by the at least one electro-magnetic radiation and based thereon, may transmit a first radiation and reflects a second radiation. The first radiation can impact at least one first portion of the anatomical structure(s), and the second radiation can impact at least one second portion of the anatomical structure(s). The first and second portions can be at least partially different from one another. Further, the first and second radiations can have characteristics which are different from one another.
US09629517B2

A scanning endoscope system includes: a fiber that guides illuminating light emitted from a light source; a first actuator provided on a side of the fiber, the first actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; a second actuator disposed at a position facing the first actuator across the fiber, the second actuator expanding/contracting according to an applied voltage, thereby swinging the fiber; and a drive signal output section that applies a first drive signal that varies with reference to a first voltage that brings the first actuator into a contracted state to the first actuator and applies a second drive signal that varies with reference to a second voltage that brings the second actuator into a contracted state to the second actuator.
US09629515B2

A domestic appliance, and a dishwasher in particular, which includes a rack which is able to be reversibly pulled out from within the dishwasher for the placement of dishware and/or crockery, wherein the rack includes an actuator configured to rotate a multi-sided rotatable tine body such as to select between a discrete number of predetermined tine configurations which differ in tine height, spacing, and the distance between tines.
US09629513B2

A floor cleaning machine has a housing and a movable hood that covers over vacuum and liquid hoses of the machine that are visible in prior art floor cleaning machines. The vacuum and liquid hoses are each pivotally connected to a wall of the machine housing and are also pivotally connected to a transparent dome provided on the hood. These connections reduce stresses on the hoses when the hood is moved and allow the dome to pivot relative to the hood. The floor cleaning machine also has a pair of slit orifices that eject fan spray patterns of cleaning liquid that are non-coplanar and do not intersect each other. Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine has an oscillating brush assembly that includes a brush that is replaceable without using tools. The brush height can be adjusted via an adjustment member provided on the oscillating portion of the assembly.
US09629512B2

A switching mechanism for a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum generator and an agitator, comprising a vacuum generator switch, an agitator switch, and a coupler for coupling the agitator switch with the vacuum generator switch such that switching of the vacuum generator switch switches the agitator switch. The switching mechanism is configured such that, switching of at least one of the agitator switch and the vacuum generator switch uncouples the agitator switch from the vacuum generator switch. The switching mechanism is further configured such that, when the vacuum generator switch and the agitator switch are uncoupled from each other and the agitator switch is in its open state, switching of the vacuum generator switch from its closed state to its open state couples the agitator switch with the vacuum generator switch.
US09629511B2

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and a suction motor. The surface cleaning apparatus may also comprise a cyclone chamber provided in the air flow passage. The cyclone chamber may comprise a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a dirt outlet. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a dirt collection chamber having a dirt inlet, a dirt collection chamber first end, an opposed dirt collection chamber second end and a longitudinally extending sidewall. Various design improvements are provided.
US09629508B2

Improvements on a portable pressurized solar shower which is mounted on the roof of a vehicle using roof rack mounting hardware. The vessel is an elongated elliptical shape (20), which is capped on both ends (32) with an endplate. It can be filled by removing a radiator cap (34) on top. Water can be sprayed out using an attached hose (60) and nozzle (70). The vessel is made from black painted or coated conductive metal which absorbs the sunlight and transfers the heat to the water on the inside. The vessel can be pressurized by an air pump via a valve stem (39) installed on the vessel. A mounting bolt slides within a T-slot which is integrated as part of the shower vessel.
US09629505B2

A compact food container organizer by which variously sized food containers and their lids are stored and sorted in a neat and orderly manner. The organizer has a plurality of upstanding pedestals attached to a flat support base. At least some of the pedestals have respective disk-shaped end caps detachably connected to and removable from the tops thereof. The lengths of the upstanding pedestals above the support base and the diameters of the disk-shaped end caps vary so that stacks of different food containers can first be inverted and then positioned over correspondingly sized pedestals so that the bottoms of the containers are seated on opposing end caps connected to the pedestals. A plurality of lid baskets having different sizes are attached to the support base to accommodate therewithin lids of different sizes that cover the food containers.
US09629503B2

A container includes a body including a lip portion, a base portion, and a wall structure extending between the lip portion and the base portion. The wall structure and the base portion define a cavity. The lip portion extends outwards from the wall structure. The body is configured to be received in a container receptacle defined within a container platform of a blending apparatus when the container platform is in a first position. The lip portion includes one or more engagement features to sealingly engage with a corresponding engagement feature of a blade assembly of the blending apparatus, restrict rotation of the container during rotation of blades of the blade assembly, and restrict translational motion of the lip portion relative to the surface of the container receptacle during rotation of the container platform from the first position to a second position or during rotation of the blades.
US09629502B2

A convection recirculating food product fryer with a fry tank with and inlet tube connected to a heat exchanger and an outlet connected to a magnetic pump with an outlet tube to the heat exchanger, the pump having a driving magnet assembly housing an impeller and a driven magnet, with a ceramic shaft extending through the impeller about which the impeller rotates when pumping oil; an electric motor magnetically coupled to the magnetic pump; a burner to heat the oil in the heat exchanger; a controller to control the ignition and running of the burner.
US09629497B2

The present invention provides a method, a device and a system for preparing a beverage from an extractable product, such as ground coffee. Said device is provided with a receptacle (2) having an inlet for the extractable product and an outlet (3) for the extracted beverage. The method includes the steps of: providing said extractable product into the receptacle (2); closing off completely the outlet of the receptacle (2); providing a pressurized fluid, such as water and/or water vapor, through the inlet on and/or in the extractable product, thereby pre-extracting the extractable product in the closed receptacle; and opening the outlet (3) when a predetermined threshold, such as a volume, pressure or time related threshold, is reached, thereby obtaining the extracted beverage.
US09629488B1

An ice-surrounded plate carrier including a bowl-shaped bottom drainage holder, a bowl-shaped middle ice holder, and a pair of upright dividers disposed within the middle ice holder. A plurality of compartments is disposed within the middle ice holder. Each of a plurality of drain holes is disposed through the middle ice holder. A plurality of ice cubes is disposed within the plurality of compartments, and a plate is removably disposed atop the pair of upright dividers. A flattened dome-shaped lid is removably disposed atop the bottom drainage holder.
US09629475B2

A smart crib is provided that includes a horizontal support platform and one or more vertical surfaces connected thereto that enclose a space above the horizontal support platform and/or define a space above the horizontal support platform. The horizontal support platform and/or the vertical surfaces may include one or more sensors that can be used to learn behavior of the crib occupant and/or determine conditions of the occupant and/or environment of the crib and/or the crib's surrounding area. The crib may receive responses from a client device and/or automatically act upon a detected condition in the crib or with the occupant.
US09629472B1

A rectangular, preferably wooden bed foundation, a plurality of mattress support slats extending between two opposing side sections wherein the end portions of said slats are inserted into pocket recesses formed laterally into the inner sides of the two opposing side sections, wherein a selected number of slat end portions are fastened into pocket recesses by means of bolt and nut combinations wherein the bolts are mounted through passages formed laterally through the side sections and extend horizontally into the pocket recesses, wherein the nuts are imbedded in the aperture wells, whereby upon tightening of the bolts the slat ends are drawn tightly into the pocket recesses to thereby strengthen and rigidify the bed foundation.
US09629471B2

An improved passenger vehicle with an adjustable seat is described. The seat is provided with a frame which includes a back subframe having a backrest cushion, a seat subframe with a seat cushion and a fastening subframe. The fastening subframe is suitable for mutually fastening the back subframe to the seat subframe, and/or is suitable for attaching one of the back subframe and seat subframe, or both, to a floor of the passenger vehicle. The frame can be adjusted between a seating position and a sleeping position. The upper side of the seat cushion in the sleeping position is situated below the upper side of the seat cushion in the seating position.
US09629467B2

A method for manufacturing a multi-layered support structure provides ergonomic, adaptable seating support. The method providing multiple cooperative layers to maximize global comfort and support while enhancing adaptation to localized variations in a load, such as in the load applied when a person sits in a chair. The cooperative layers each include elements such as pixels, springs, support rails, and other elements to provide this adaptable comfort and support. The method for manufacturing the multi-layered support structure uses aligned material to provide a flexible yet durable support structure. Accordingly, the method provides a multi-layered support structure, which provides maximum comfort for a wide range of body shapes and sizes.
US09629465B2

A lounge chair having a seat shell that defines a chair back and a seat is pivotally movable about a stationary base. The stationary base includes a concave support surface having a shape that generally corresponds with a convex outer surface of the seat shell. A swivel disc is positioned between the seat shell and the base to allow the seat shell to pivot about the stationary base. The interaction between a pivot post formed on the base and a pivot limiting guide formed in the seat shell defines the range of movement for the seat shell. A bias member connects the seat shell to the seat base and creates a bias force to urge the seat shell into an upright seating position. The base includes a series of glide buttons that support the swivel disc to allow the seat shell to pivot relative to the stationary base.
US09629464B2

A slipcover applied over a cushion or pillow for outdoor use using a durable textured fabric made of a combination of synthetic blend fibers engineered to stretch without using elastomeric or hyper-stretch yarns, each slip cover defining an envelope having an upper opening within which a cushion is inserted, the slip cover having a first and second closure flap which are applied over the upper opening, sealing the cushion within the envelope, the first and second enclosure pocket applied one over the other, or vice versa, providing the slipcover with two different selected smooth exposed outer surfaces.
US09629450B1

A retractable table apparatus that includes a table portion, the table portion with a flat planar member having a first end and a second end that defines a tabletop; at least one support member secured to the tabletop proximate the second end of the flat planar member; and a base portion having a lateral body with an outwardly oriented surface and a lateral slot defined in the outwardly oriented surface and projecting into the lateral body, the slot dimensioned to receive the second end of the tabletop. The second end of the tabletop is insertable in the slot to place the apparatus in a first condition where a user has access to the tabletop, and wherein when the second end of the tabletop is removed from the slot, the apparatus is placed in a second storage condition.
US09629442B2

A secured sports equipment backpack includes a top compartment having a wet storage section, a dry storage section, and a separator wall separating the wet storage section from the dry storage section. The dry storage section includes a first compartment having either a substantially spherical shape or an elongated sleeve. A bottom compartment of the back pack has a plurality of sub-compartments. The backpack includes a plurality of clips in the wet storage section. A plurality of extendible security cables are detachably connected to a respective clip at one end. A second end of the security cables is coupled to the separator wall. The security cables can be detached from the clips, wrapped around another bag or object, and then reattached to the clip to facilitate carrying one or more additional bags or objects together with the backpack.
US09629437B2

A cosmetic container includes a container body that has a receiving space with a top opening, the receiving space being adapt to receive a cosmetic product, a lid unit that is connected to the container body and that openably covers the top opening of the receiving space; and a press unit that includes a blocking member which is removably and pluggingly inserted into the receiving space for blocking the cosmetic product within the receiving space, and an abutment member which protrudes from the lid unit to abut against the blocking member. When the lid unit is released from the top opening of the receiving space, the abutment member is driven by and moves together with the lid unit away from, the receiving space.
US09629435B2

A headgear device having a hair wrap component for maintaining at least a portion of a user's hair in a desired position, an eye mask component for covering a user's eyes, the eye mask component being movable from a lowered position for covering a user's eyes to a raised position for not covering a user's eyes, and a light component.
US09629433B1

A travel luggage is disclosed that is made from a base portion and a lid portion pivotally attached to the base portion. An internal frame disposed within the base portion includes a length of canvas that is attached to a frame, with the canvas also being attached to a mounted support pipe which is in operational communication with a series of winch gears and a crank handle. Once various items have been placed within the travel luggage and more storage space is desired, an individual can rotate the crank handle, which forces the canvas to compress the items already placed in the travel luggage. Additional items, as needed, can then be placed into the travel luggage.
US09629430B1

A motorized luggage system includes an article of luggage. A platform is slidably coupled to the article of luggage. The platform is extendable outwardly from the article of luggage such that the platform may be ridden upon. A drive unit is coupled to the article of luggage and the drive unit engages a support surface. The drive unit urges the article of luggage such that the article of luggage provides transportation when the platform is ridden upon.
US09629424B2

A finding used with dangle jewelry with a decorative jewel element configured to attach to a flesh tunnel or an orifice formed in an earlobe. The finding includes a single, thin rigid wire with two longitudinally aligned posts formed on opposite ends configured for insertion into the opposite ends of the flesh tunnel or orifice. The sections of the wire adjacent to the posts form earlobe extending sections that extend downward over the opposite surfaces of the earlobe. Formed below the earlobe extending sections is a compression ring with two side elements on opposite sides of the finding's longitudinal axis. Each side element is integral with the earlobe extending section located on the opposite side of the earlobe. When the two side elements are forced inward the two posts located are forced apart allowing the finding to be easily attached or detached from the flesh tunnel or orifice.
US09629418B2

An article of footwear may include an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper including one or more elastic portions and one or more substantially inelastic portions. The footwear may further include a plurality of lace receiving members fixedly attached to an outer surface of the upper on the inelastic portions of the upper. Also, the footwear may include a sole structure fixedly attached to the upper. In addition, the footwear may include a motorized tensioning system including a motorized tightening device and a tensile member extending through the plurality of lace receiving members, the tightening device being configured to apply tension in the tensile member to adjust the size of an internal void defined by the article of footwear by drawing two or more of the plurality of lace receiving members closer to one another.
US09629412B2

The invention covers both the sole structure and its related production equipment and technology, especially in relation to a type of flocked shoe sole. Compared with the existing technology, the shoe sole can trap and retain fiber particles via electrostatic or electrostatic spraying, which is not only anti-slippery also with elegant looking and reduce the cost. This set of equipment for making flocked sole is highly automatic, easy to operate, save the labor and reduce the production cost. The production procedure consists of 1) applying prime coating; 2) applying adhesive; 3) natural flock retention or electrostatic flocking; 4) electrostatic separation, cleaning, pairing and packaging. The whole process has been shortened dramatically, simplify the procedure, and reduce the cost. Also the solvent and adhesive used are both environmental friendly, harmless, which helps increase the productivity and yield.
US09629402B2

A protective glove includes a glove body defining an interior space for, in use, receiving a hand of a user. The glove body can include a liner that is constructed from or includes a material that is compatible with a polymer or nitrile outer coating. A padding layer includes a closed cell foam material. A guard layer includes guard elements that cover at least a portion of a back-of-hand portion of the glove body and one or more finger portions of the glove body. The glove also includes a polymer or nitrile outer coating applied to the liner. Methods of making the disclosed protective gloves are also disclosed.
US09629401B2

A face mask system for effectively dispensing a medication and/or scented material to a user. The face mask system generally includes a face mask with a medication and/or scented material that is dispensed to a wearer of the face mask via the air breathed into the respiratory system. The medication is dispensed via a medicated cover that is removably attached to the face mask. Alternatively, medicated strips are attached to the face mask to dispense the medication to the wearer of the face mask. One or more deflectors are attached to an upper portion of the face mask to deflect the medication from contacting the eyes of the wearer when worn at daytime.
US09629400B2

An athletic garment generally includes a short member, a cup receiving pocket, and a strap. The short member may include a front panel, rear panel, two side panels, and a waistband. The pocket is dimensioned to receive an athletic protective cup and has an open end, a closed end and two side portions. The open end of the pocket is attached to the waistband or to the front panel of the short member. The strap is coupled to the closed end of the pocket and is attached along an axis of the rear panel of the short member. Alternatively, a protective cup may be attached to the athletic garment without the use of a pocket. The garment is also useable with replaceable incontinent pads and/or where the cup is formed from liquid absorbent material.
US09629398B2

A Front-Back Pack that provides the ability to easily and quickly transition a pack from a back position to a front position without the need to remove the pack from the body of a user. The Front-Back Pack includes a harness system with attached pack. The harness system may include a system of straps to keep a plurality of looped slide rail assemblies in position and to prevent the slide rail assemblies from moving. Alternatively, the harness system may include a half-vest or full-vest with slide rail assemblies fixedly attached. The slide rail assemblies are formed to receive trucks able to traverse the track assembly. The trucks are fixedly attached to packs which allow the packs to traverse the length of the track assembly from one position to another without the need to remove the pack from the body of a user.
US09629393B2

A smoking article is provided, including a combustible heat source with opposed front and rear faces and at least one airflow channel extending from the front face to the rear face of the combustible heat source, and an aerosol-forming substrate including at least one aerosol former downstream of the combustible heat source, wherein a non-metallic, non-combustible, gas-resistant, first barrier coating is provided on substantially all of the rear face of the combustible heat source.
US09629382B2

The present invention provides compositions and methods for treatment of abnormal conditions in a subject, wherein the abnormal condition affects the musculoskeletal joints of the subject.
US09629370B1

A herbicidal composition is provided, the composition comprising: (A) the crystalline modification I of 2-(4-mesyl-2-nitrobenzoyl)cyclohexane-1,3-dione (mesotrione); and (B) the crystalline modification I of methyl 3-chloro-5-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-ylcarbamoylsulfamoyl)-1-methylpyrazole-4-carboxylate (halosulfuron-methyl). A method of controlling plant growth at a locus comprises applying to the locus herbicidally effective amounts of both (A) the crystalline modification I of 2-(4-mesyl-2-nitrobenzoyl)cyclohexane-1,3-dione (mesotrione); and (B) the crystalline modification I of methyl 3-chloro-5-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-ylcarbamoylsulfamoyl)-1-methylpyrazole-4-carboxylate (halosulfuron-methyl).
US09629343B1

A salmon migration lift device including a lift cable loop between two bullwheel terminals and a plurality of gondola buckets suspended from the lift cable loop which are filled with water and fish at a loading station on a downstream side of a waterway obstacle and which are emptied at an unloading station into a fish exit chute connected to the upstream side of the waterway obstacle.
US09629338B2

An oral chew for toothed animals including at least one outer stabilizing structure and at least one inner stabilizing structure said inner stabilizing structure substantially supporting one or more mesh segments exposed through one or more openings through said outer stabilizing structure to chewing and/or grasping by an animal. The mesh supported within the interstice between the outer stabilizing structure and the inner stabilizing structure and rubbing against an animal's teeth and/or gums during chewing or grasping with oral surfaces.
US09629336B1

A dog boot is fabricated using a breathable substrate, preferably of durable material such as heavy nylon. Onto the substrate, various friction pads, wear pads, tensioning straps, and strategically located cushions are attached. Specially configured slits ensure that a wide range of leg sizes relative to paw sizes may be accommodated, while easing application of the boot and eliminating any risk of bunching.
US09629333B2

The invention provides seed and plants of spinach hybrid SV5777VA and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of spinach hybrid SV5777VA and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a spinach plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another spinach plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the leaf and gametes of such plants.
US09629331B1

A novel maize variety designated PH2DPT and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH2DPT with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2DPT through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby are provided. Hybrid maize seed, plants or plant parts are produced by crossing the variety PH2DPT or a locus conversion of PH2DPT with another maize variety.
US09629328B2

The invention relates to the wheat cultivar designated LA7W10-153. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the wheat cultivar LA7W10-153. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the wheat cultivar LA7W10-153 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing wheat plants by crossing the wheat cultivar LA7W10-153 with itself or another wheat cultivar and plants produced by such methods.
US09629321B2

The invention provides seed and plants of the bean line designated SV1893GH. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of bean line SV1893GH, and to methods for producing a bean plant produced by crossing a plant of bean line SV1893GH with itself or with another bean plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of bean line SV1893GH, including the pods and gametes of such plants.
US09629318B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV057074. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV057074, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV057074 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV057074 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV057074.
US09629316B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV048912. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV048912, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV048912 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV048912 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV048912.
US09629311B2

The present invention relates to an automatic injection syringe for plants, and in one aspect, the present invention provides an automatic injection syringe for plants, including: a main body which stores therein an injection solution; a needle which is inserted into a plant body and configured to allow the injection solution in the main body to flow out to the outside; an injection unit which is disposed in the main body and defines a storage space for storing the injection solution; an elastic member which is configured to move the injection unit inside the main body toward the needle when the elastic member is released from a compressed state; and a releasing unit which releases the elastic member from the compressed state.
US09635791B2

Provided is a carrier tape with improved tensile strength and flexural rigidity in a longitudinal direction of a base material, including recesses that can be provided at a narrow pitch in a first surface of the base material, and manufacturable at reduced cost, as well as to provide an apparatus and a method for manufacturing such a carrier tape. A carrier tape of the present invention is constituted by a strip-shaped base material, and includes a plurality of recesses provided in a first surface of the base material and for containing electronic components, a covering unit configured to seal openings of the recesses, and a projection provided on a second surface of the base material along a longitudinal direction of the base material. A length of the projection extends over at least two of the recesses.
US09635790B2

A deflectable gasket assembly for EMI shielding and environmental sealing is described. The gasket assembly is formed from an electrically-conductive mesh sheet positioned between adjacent conductive surfaces. A gasket is provided at the outer boundaries of the mesh sheet for environmental protection. The edge of the gasket has a branched sealing element extending above and below the gasket assembly for contacting the adjacent surfaces. The branched sealing element is deformable and can be used on external aircraft electronic components.
US09635782B2

Thermally actuated vents for electronic devices. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a vent having a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is an open position and the second position is a closed position; a muscle wire, a first end of the muscle wire being coupled with a connection to the vent and a second end of the muscle wire being coupled with an anchor point; and a tension element, a first end of the tension element being coupled with the vent at a connection point. The muscle wire is to apply a force to the vent to move the vent to the open position upon the muscle wire entering a contracted state, and the tension element pulling the vent to the closed position upon the muscle wire entering a relaxed state.
US09635780B2

An aisle containment system is disclosed. The aisle containment system includes a frame defined by wall beams, header frames, and a plurality of posts secured to the wall beams and header frames. The header frames extend the width of the frame and the wall beams extend the length of the frame. A plurality of blanking panels extend from the floor to one of the wall beams. The plurality of blanking panels have a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side. Vertical stiffeners are positioned along at least one of the first side and the second side of each blanking panel. The blanking panels overlap adjacent blanking panels along the length of the frame. The blanking panels are laterally adjusted to fill openings in the aisle containment system.
US09635773B1

A power supply system for powering multiple external electrical devices. The power supply system has a housing with at least one outlet for receiving an electrical plug, a weight disposed inside the housing, and a gripping component disposed on an outer surface of a base of the housing. A power cord may be operatively connected to the outlet for supplying electrical power to the outlet. The weight provides stability to the housing and the gripping component secures the housing to an external surface when the power supply system is placed upon the external surface. The housing may further have at least one universal serial bus (USB) port and an On/Off switch for controlling input of electrical power.
US09635768B2

Example embodiments are directed to circuit boards, connectors, cases, circuit board assemblies, case assemblies, devices arid methods of manufacturing the same, which are common to at least two different form factors. In an example embodiment, the SSD includes a circuit board that is smaller than a case, and the circuit board is secured to the bottom surface of the case by the securing element. The securing element is spaced apart from edges of the case to allow using a circuit board that is smaller than the case.
US09635767B2

A flat panel display device comprising a backboard and a display panel fitted therewith is provided. The edge of the backboard is structured as a barrier wall extending perpendicular to the body of the backboard. A stepped groove is arranged on the interior face of the barrier wall for supporting the display panel and forming accommodating space between the display panel and the body of the backboard. The stepped groove extends from an outer end of the barrier wall towards the body of the backboard, and the depth of the stepped groove is consistent with the thickness of the display panel. The backboard is made of plastic plate containing a enhancing element. The flat panel display device according to the present disclosure can be designed as a light and thin display device with no frame, and thus is suitable for making an all-in-one machine.
US09635753B2

A wiring board in the present invention includes an insulating layer, a via-hole penetrating from an upper surface to a lower surface of the insulating layer, a wiring formation layer, and a grounding or power supply conductor, in which the wiring formation layer is formed of a plurality of strip-shaped conductors, and an insulating resin portion filled in at least between the strip-shaped conductors, the grounding or power supply conductor is formed to partially face the strip-shaped conductors, and a relative permittivity of the insulating layer is higher than a relative permittivity of the insulating resin portion.
US09635752B2

The present disclosure relates to the field of circuits, and provides a printed circuit board (PCB) and an electronic device. The PCB includes a substrate and a wiring layer arranged at the substrate. The wiring layer includes a digital region and an analog region, and a gap region is defined between the digital region and the analog region. The substrate is provided with a hole in the gap region, and the digital region and the analog region of the wiring layer are connected through a magnetic bead.
US09635751B2

Provided is a highly reliable flexible circuit body in which a flexible wiring board is prevented from wear caused by rubbing, and a method for production of the flexible circuit body. A flexible circuit body includes a flexible wiring board having an insulating film, a wiring layer formed on the insulating film, and an insulating layer formed on the wiring layer. The flexible wiring board is coated with a thermoplastic elastomer.
US09635750B2

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to generators that can be used to sustain a plasma. In some embodiments, the generator comprises an oscillation circuit configured to electrically couple to an induction device and provide power to the induction device in an oscillation mode to sustain the inductively coupled plasma in a torch body, the circuit configured to provide harmonic emission control during sustaining of the inductively coupled plasma in the torch body in the oscillation mode of the generator.
US09635746B2

A detecting circuit and method thereof are configured to detect whether an LED array is open is described. The detecting circuit includes a resistance unit, a first switching unit, and an output unit. The resistance unit is operatively connected in series to the LED array. The switching unit is configured to be turned on when a voltage of the resistance unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined voltage level. The output unit is configured to produce an output indicative of whether the LED array is open, based whether the first switching unit is turned on.
US09635745B1

Disclosed is a wireless remote control circuit, comprising a control module, a drive circuit connected with control module, a signal receiving circuit and an operation circuit. When the signal receiving circuit receives an operation signal, a feedback electrical signal to the control module, and the drive circuit supplies power to the control module, signal receiving circuit and operation circuit. Meanwhile, the control module sends control signals to the operation circuit according to the electrical signal. The operation circuit comprises a buck-boost circuit that controls the motor running and a switching circuit that controls switching of the light switch.
US09635738B2

An illumination system which contains a mobile operating device, a plurality of lights, and a central control device. The control device is designed to control the lights. The operating device includes a position-sensing unit for determining the position of the operating device and additionally contains a display unit on which the positions of the lights and the position of the operating device can be displayed in combination. The operating device thus allows a user to select and operate the lights that are displayed. The lights are controlled using the central control device according to the user's input.
US09635727B2

An LED-based light includes one or more LEDs, a sensor arranged to detect a brightness level in an area resulting from the combination of light emitted by the LEDs with light from at least one ambient light source other than the LEDs, and operable to output a signal corresponding to the detected brightness level, a controller operable to regulate an amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to the signal, a light transmitting housing for the LEDs, the sensor and the controller and a connector shaped for connection with a light socket disposed at an end of the housing.
US09635725B2

The present disclosure provides a backlight module detection system and a backlight module detection method. The backlight module detection system includes a control unit and a drive unit, the control unit is used for outputting a control signal to the drive unit based on an input code; and the drive unit is used for generating a drive control signal corresponding to the code under the control of the control signal outputted from the control unit, and generating and outputting a drive signal corresponding to the code based on the drive control signal, the drive signal being used for driving a backlight module. The drive signal can be used to drive the backlight module so as to achieve the detection of the backlight module; the backlight module detection system can output the signal required for detecting the backlight module, and has a simple structure and low cost.
US09635724B2

A circuit may include a control loop to regulate an output of the circuit and a headroom sensing circuit to produce a headroom sensing signal indicative of a headroom voltage of the circuit. The control loop may have a response characteristic that is set based on the headroom signal received from the headroom sensing circuit.
US09635722B1

The string light contains three copper wires and a number of lighting units and each lighting unit contains at least two surface-mount-device (SMD) light emitting diodes (LEDs). A first wire and a second wire are connected to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of a power source, respectively. Within each lighting unit, a first SMD LED has its anode connected to the first wire, a second SMD LED has its cathode connected to the second wire, and the first and second SMD LEDs have their cathode and anode connected to a third wire, respectively. The string light is capable of withstanding stronger pull by employing three wires. The parallel-connected lighting units and the series-connected SMD LEDs within each lighting unit significantly reduce the effect of voltage drop.
US09635715B1

A radiant heater having a ferromagnetic element includes a high emissivity surface and an induction coil operatively coupled with the ferromagnetic element. The induction coil may be energized to create eddy currents heating the ferromagnetic element until the element reaches its Curie temperature. At the Curie temperature the ferromagnetic element becomes substantially nonmagnetic and the temperature of the element remains relatively constant. The high emissivity surface of the heater provides a substantially uniform radiant heat to an object in close proximity to the high emissivity surface. The object may be thermally coupled with the high emissivity surface of the radiant heater. The radiant heater having a high emissivity surface may be used to heat temperature sensitive objects such as thin films. Multiple radiant heaters having different Curie temperatures may be used to ramp up a temperature, ramp down a temperature, or provide different temperatures required during a process.
US09635714B2

An induction heating system for manufacturing a part including an induction coil and a smart susceptor positioned within an oscillating electromagnetic field from the induction coil. The smart susceptor includes a ferromagnetic material cold sprayed onto a tool. The tool may be a sheet metal component formed to a desired shape by incremental sheet forming. The smart susceptor may be heated up by eddy currents generated in the ferromagnetic material by the oscillating electromagnetic field. The smart susceptor may be designed to have a desired Curie temperature based on the composition of the ferromagnetic material. The smart susceptor is formed into a desired shape by cold spraying ferromagnetic material onto a tool already formed into the desired shape. The smart susceptor may be removed from the tool by thermally shocking the smart susceptor and the tool and may be used to heat a part to be formed.
US09635711B1

As the variety of client devices has increased and the demand for mobile broadband internet access has increased, a mobile Hotspot is commonly used. The mobile Hotspot device includes a modem for mobile broadband access and a Hotspot Access Point to distribute the internet to local devices. When accessing the internet through a mobile Hotspot, the client device may not have visibility on the status of the mobile network, the modem, and the USIM/UICC. A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a client device to connect the mobile Hotpot as a virtual mobile broadband device over a local connection when a client device uses AT commands. This may be used to present detailed information to the user about the status of mobile network connection, the modem, and the USIM/UICC. This enables the user to configure and control the modem device functionality which may lead to improved user experience.
US09635695B2

Devices and methods are provided for determining the proximity of client nodes within a wireless-enabled communication environment. A first client node comprises a database containing identification data associated with a plurality of wireless network access nodes and fingerprint data associated with the client node and a plurality of second client nodes. As the fingerprint information is updated, it is processed by the first client node to identify second client nodes that have matching, or similar, fingerprint information. Those that do are determined to be within a viable device-to-device (D2D) communication range.
US09635688B2

A communication system for carrying out data communication among a plurality of communication stations is disclosed in which a first communication station for transmitting to other communication stations a Request To Send (RTS) signal for requesting a transmission upon the start of the data transmission; and a plurality of second communication stations transmitting to other communication stations a Clear To Send (CTS) signal for notifying the completion of preparing the reception, wherein the first communication station transmits the RTS signal describing at least each of addresses the second communication stations that are desired to receive the data, and receives a plurality of CTS signals transmitted from each of the second communication stations in order to increase communication capacity.
US09635687B2

Disclosed are a method for transmitting and receiving a frame in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system and an apparatus for the same. A method for generating interference/non-interference station lists includes receiving a first frame from a second station, acquiring a receiver address of the first frame from the first frame, and setting, based on whether to receive a second frame that is a response to the first frame from a third station indicated by the receiver address within a preset time from a time when the first frame has been received, the third station as an interference station or a non-interference station. Therefore, the performance of a communication system may be improved.
US09635678B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described herein for allowing a user or a service provider to selectively prioritize voice communications over data communications. By selectively prioritizing voice communications over data communications, the number of dropped calls in the mobile telecommunications network can be significantly reduced.
US09635676B2

Systems and method for allocation and optimization of sub-carriers by a plurality of cells based, at least in part, on aspects of user equipment utilizing the wireless communication network. A wireless network management component classifies user equipment with at least a portion of the wireless communication network as cell edge user equipment or cell central user equipment. Based on the classification of the user equipment, the management component determines resource requirements for the cells. The resource requirements can include the designation of sub-carriers as primary sub-carriers and associated power levels based on the designation for the group of cells in the wireless network. Additionally, each cell within the wireless network can utilize the designation of sub-carriers and association of power levels in configuring communications with user equipment.
US09635673B2

A method of allocating radio resources for uplink transmissions in a wireless telecommunications system, including: a first terminal device communicating a request for an allocation of radio resources to a base station; the base station determining whether there is an association between the first terminal device and a second terminal device based on their having similar predicted traffic profiles for uplink data; and the base station establishing a radio resource allocation for the second terminal device based on the resources requested by the first terminal device, and consequently transmitting radio resource allocation messages to allocate radio resources to the first and the second terminal devices for respective uplink transmissions based on the request for an allocation of radio resources received from the first terminal device.
US09635672B2

According to an implementation of the present subject matter, systems and methods for scheduling and controlling device-to-device (D2D) communication are described. The method includes receiving device parameters and uplink parameters from a first communication device and at least one second communication device, respectively. Further, based on the device parameters and the uplink parameters, transmission format of a D2D communication link for allowing D2D communication between the first communication device and the at least one second communication device is determined. Further, an uplink transmit grant and an uplink listen grant are transmitted to the first communication device and the at least one second communication device, respectively, based on the determination, wherein the uplink transmit grant and the uplink listen grant indicate at least the transmission format and time of transmission on the D2D communication link to the first communication device and the at least one second communication device.
US09635670B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided for transmitting data in a mobile station of a wireless communication system. Hopping information including a number of sub-bands and a size of a sub-band is identified. Resource allocation information is identified. A resource index is determined for transmitting the data based on the resource allocation information, and determining a resource index change in a unit of a sub-band, a resource index change in a unit of a resource unit, the number of sub-bands, and the size of the sub-band. The data is transmitted using the determined resource index. Each sub-band includes at least one resource unit, and each resource unit includes a plurality of subcarriers.
US09635669B2

A method for scheduling wireless transmissions in a wireless communications network in the presence of pulsed interference includes receiving pulsed interference information, determining transmission opportunities based on the pulsed interference information, and when a transmission time interval (TTI) is less than a time of an opportunity of the transmission opportunities, transmitting a wireless signal during the opportunity.
US09635666B2

Disclosed is a method for transmitting channel status information at a user equipment in a wireless communication system, which more particularly comprises the following steps: receiving a reference signal from a base station; generating at least one channel status information based on the reference signal; mapping the at least one channel status information to available subframes, based on a priority of the at least one channel status information; and transmitting the at least one channel status information to the base station using the available subframes, wherein, if an uplink transmission using a first available subframe of the available subframes is blocked and a first channel status information that is mapped to the first available subframe has priority over a second channel status information that is mapped to a second available subframe, which is a next available subframe of the first available subframe, the first channel status information is shifted to be mapped to the second available subframe.
US09635660B2

Provided is a data receiving method in a wireless communication system and a wireless device using the same. A wireless device monitors a downlink control channel, and receives a downlink reference signal to be used in a demodulation of a downlink transmission block based on the resource to be used in the monitoring the downlink control channel.
US09635659B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus determines a first decoding candidate in a first search space and a second decoding candidate in a second search space, where the first decoding candidate and the second decoding candidate have a same size but different definitions of information fields, identifies a difference in the information fields, and determines one of the first decoding candidate and the second decoding candidate as a valid candidate based on the identified difference. The apparatus further generates first control information for transmitting in a first search space, codes the first control information, wherein the code applied to the first control information is specific to the first search space and different from code applied to second control information in a second search space, and transmits the coded first control information in the first search space.
US09635647B2

Response frame modulation coding set (MCS) selection within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. With respect to any exchange between communication devices in which there is a response frame, a first frame (e.g., an eliciting frame) is a first transmitted from the eliciting communication device to the responding communication device, and a second frame (e.g., a response frame) is transmitted from the responding communication device to the eliciting communities device. Appropriate selection of MCS to be used within the response frame may be determined explicitly or implicitly. One or more parameters (e.g., a limit parameter, a reduction parameter, etc.) may be used to determine the MCS of the response frame. The MCS employed for a response frame may be selected from a basic MCS set that ensures all response frames from any responding communication device may be properly received by the eliciting communication device.
US09635646B2

Methods and apparatuses relating to wireless communication of a user equipment (UE) are provided including receiving downlink wireless communications from multiple cells in an active set, receiving at least one of scheduling information for one or more downlink transmissions or one or more non-serving resource grants from a first cell in the active set, and receiving one or more serving resource grants for uplink communications from a second cell in the active set. In the wireless network, a second cell can be assigned as an uplink serving cell for uplink communications with the UE that is different from a first cell assigned as a downlink serving cell for downlink communications with the UE, and downlink transmissions can be scheduled from the downlink serving cell to the UE, and/or one or more serving resource grants can be transmitted from the uplink serving cell to the UE.
US09635641B2

The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: acquiring, by a base station, in at least one scenario of the following five scenarios, a broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) interest indication reported by a user equipment; and performing, by the base station, an MBMS handover on the user equipment according to the MBMS interest indication, where the five scenarios include: when the user equipment receives modified MBMS auxiliary information, in a process in which the user equipment is handed over from a source base station to the base station and after the handover is completed, when a radio resource control protocol RRC of the user equipment is re-established to the base station, when an MBMS service that interests the user equipment ends, and when a carrier configuration of the user equipment is modified.
US09635631B2

A method and a system for synchronizing time information in an ad-hoc network are disclosed. According to the present invention, provided is a method for synchronizing time information in an ad-hoc network as a method by which a plurality of nodes included in an ad-hoc network synchronize a time, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, by a first node, time information obtained by correcting an initial time using a first self-correcting value at an nth beacon interval, wherein the first self-correcting value is a self-correcting value or a local averaging value at an (n−1)th beacon interval; and correcting, by a second node which has received the time information from the first node at the nth beacon interval, time information by calculating a second self-correcting value and a local average value, wherein the first self-correcting value is either the self-correcting value or the local averaging value calculated at the (n−1)th beacon interval, and the local averaging value of the second node is an averaging value of time information of one or more neighboring nodes of the second node.
US09635617B1

An apparatus and method are provided for dynamically changing power distribution levels to sectors in a cell site. A device, such as an eNodeB, radio network controller, or base station controller, provides instructions to an RF power splitter to adjust the power output in ratios, which changes the power distribution levels at the sectors. The power splitter contains a transformer and motor that can dynamically change the power output ratios based on the instructions received from the device. The resulting power outputs are distributed to the sectors.
US09635616B2

A connection with a network that includes a base station (BS) may be established by a user device (UE) via a wireless connection, for conducting communications using semi persistent scheduling (SPS) in a connected discontinuous reception (C-DRX) mode. The SPS transmit periodicity may be adjusted with respect to the SPS activation command and the SPS interval UL (for uplink). Data may then be transmitted during the C-DRX On-Duration periods according to the determined SPS transmit periodicity. In some embodiments, the SPS transmit periodicity is adjusted such that following a first C-DRX On-Duration period when an SPS activation command is received, SPS data transmission occurs a specified number of subframes earlier during each subsequent C-DRX On-Duration period than in the first C-DRX On-Duration period. The SPS data transmission in each subsequent C-DRX On-Duration period may take place as soon as the UE device wakes up during the On-Duration period.
US09635610B2

Technology for providing uplink power control signaling for semi-persistent scheduling with carrier aggregation is disclosed. One method comprises receiving a transmitter power control (TPC) carrier aggregation (CA) physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) configuration information element (IE) identifying a location of information to adjust an uplink power control of a selected component carrier of the UE using semi-persistent scheduling. The TPC-CA-PDCCH configuration IE includes a carrier index value for the selected component carrier of the UE to allow a power level of the selected component carrier to be individually adjusted. A power level of a physical uplink shared channel and/or a physical uplink control channel can be adjusted for the selected component carrier.
US09635605B2

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).
US09635602B2

Devices and methods use an Extended PAN Identification (EPID) of a mesh network (e.g., ZigBee) to include in the EPID a network information, a network channel information (e.g., 802.15.4 channel), and/or other data. The devices and methods allows a node to use the EPID to identify a desired network to join and join the network on the predetermined channel for that network.
US09635596B2

A method for transitioning a video call is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device participating in a video call with a remote communication device via a first video call session established over a connection between the wireless communication device and a first cellular network. The video call can include a packet switched video stream carried over a first bearer and an audio stream carried over a second bearer. The method can further include the wireless communication device determining a degradation in a connection quality for the first cellular network; transitioning to a legacy cellular network having a circuit switched domain in response to the degradation in connection quality for the first cellular network; establishing a second video call session on the legacy cellular network; and using the second video call session to continue the video call on the legacy cellular network.
US09635595B2

Methods and network nodes (110, 112), serving a user equipment (120), for deciding if a handover request of the user equipment (120) is to be sent to a candidate target network node (130-1, 130-2, 130-3). The methods comprise acquire (603) data-rate performance of a wireless link between the network nodes (110, 112) and the user equipment (120). The data-rate performance is compared (606) with a data-rate performance threshold value. If the acquired data-rate performance is lower than the data-rate performance threshold value, it is decided (607) to send the handover request of the user equipment (120) to the candidate target network node (130-1, 130-2, 130-3).
US09635589B2

A method for seamless session mobility on wireless communication device including a first physical interface and a second physical interface is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device anchoring a data session for an application to a logical interface associated with the first physical interface. The method can further include the wireless communication device routing data for the data session sent to the logical interface by the application to the second physical interface for transmission via the second physical interface in an instance in which the wireless communication device has an active connection to a radio access network via the second physical interface.
US09635579B2

A personal wireless device is utilized to carry out measurements of one or more network-performance related metrics in response to a triggering event. The triggering event can be a message that is transmitted by a network element to the personal wireless device. The personal wireless device may be exemplified by a variety of personal devices such as, for example, a cellular phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The measurements may be used to derive network-performance related information such as cellular signal coverage areas, signal hole areas, and signal interference areas.
US09635578B2

Relay reporting in a wireless network is implemented by efficiently allocating radio resources based on the nature or criticality of the type of relay report. According to an embodiment, a method of communicating with a relay located in a wireless network includes instructing the relay when to transmit reports based on a mapping of different categories of relay reports to one or more different reporting schemes. Reports are received from the relay based on the relay report category and the corresponding reporting scheme. According to another embodiment, a method of reporting information from a relay to a network node of a wireless network includes generating different categories of reports at the relay for transmission to the network node. A reporting scheme associated with each report category is identified and each report is transmitted to the network node in accordance with the reporting scheme identified for the corresponding report category.
US09635572B2

Provided are an interference mitigation method and a base station device in a wireless communication system. The interference mitigation method to be performed by a base station comprises a step in which a serving base station measures interference from a terminal that belongs to a neighboring cell; a step of determining a beamforming vector of the neighboring cell on the basis of the measured interference; a step of transmitting the beamforming vector of the neighboring cell to a base station of the neighboring cell; and a step of feeding back, to a terminal that belongs to a serving cell, the beamforming vector of the serving base station determined on the basis of the beamforming vector of the neighboring cell.
US09635570B2

The present invention provides methods of and systems for predicting performance of a mobile application. A first mobile application is installed on a first plurality of wireless mobile devices. Operational data resulting from operating the first mobile application on the first plurality of mobile devices is collected. A second mobile application is installed on a second plurality of mobile devices. Test data resulting from operating the second the mobile application on the second plurality of mobile devices is collected. The performance of the second mobile application is predicted using the operational data and the test data for combinations of mobile device configuration and wireless network connection type not represented by the second plurality of mobile devices.
US09635549B2

A host processing apparatus (100) and a user removable memory (40) are disclosed. The host processing apparatus (100) and the user removable memory (40) are, in use, connected to one another by respective connectors. The user removable memory (40) is provided in the form of a secure digital (SD) memory card with an expanded subscriber identity module (SIM) function. The host processing apparatus (100) is configured to convert SIM-related request signals to file access signals which identify a location or locations on the user removable memory (40) and one or more file access functions. The file access signals are transferred to the user removable memory (40) via the connectors. The user removable memory (40) comprises a flash memory (59), a SIM (42) programmed with data associated with a communications system, and interface means (52) for receiving the file access signals from the host processing apparatus (100), and configured to identify from the location(s) therein whether a memory or SIM function is to be applied. If the latter, the received file access function(s) are converted to SIM function(s) which are applied to the SIM (42) for transferring results back to the host processing apparatus (100).
US09635539B2

The invention relates to a method for discovering a home agent serving a mobile node upon the mobile node changing its mobility management scheme in a packet-switched network and the implementation of such method in a mobile node or home agent. In order to propose a home agent discover scheme that maintains session continuity in a seamless manner upon a mobile node changing its mobility management scheme, a mobile node comprises information on its location prior to changing the mobility management scheme to one of the first signaling messages transmitted upon changing the mobility management scheme (home agent discovery message). The receiving node uses this information to identify the home agent serving the mobile node or to provide a hint to the home agent where the mobile node is registered in a response message to the mobile node.
US09635537B2

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for generating and analyzing mobility vectors to determine subscriber behavior. A processor can execute an analysis engine. The analysis engine can obtain a log from a data collection device associated with a cellular network. The log can include subscriber data, cell identifier data, and time data. The analysis engine can identify a subscriber represented by the subscriber data and determine a vector associated with the subscriber. The vector can represent a movement of the subscriber within the cellular network. The analysis engine can store vector data that corresponds to the vector determined.
US09635532B2

A method is proposed for switching a radiocommunications terminal from a first radiocommunications network, with which the terminal is synchronized and registered, to a second radiocommunications network. The terminal has first and second connection profiles associated respectively with the first and second radiocommunications networks. According to the method, the terminal performs the following steps: for the second connection profile, a preliminary and at least partial synchronization of the terminal with the second radiocommunications network; and upon a switching request: a complete synchronization, based on said preliminary and at least partial synchronization, of the terminal with the second radiocommunications network; and registration of the terminal with the second radiocommunications network.
US09635527B1

Sending short message service (SMS) messages and receiving a response report based at least in part on the sent SMS message, even if a communicative connection with the mobile communications network had been severed, so that duplication of the SMS message is avoided is disclosed. In this case, a communicative connection may be re-established and used to receive an acknowledgment from the mobile communications network and subsequently send another acknowledgement to the mobile communications network. The UE may also be configured to send an information element to the one or more elements of the mobile communications network to indicate that a communicative connection with the network is to remain established so that acknowledgements may be reconciled between the UE and the network. Additionally, the mobile communications network may be configured to transmit the SMS message only after receiving the acknowledgement from the UE, to avoid sending duplicate SMS messages.
US09635521B2

Provided is a network re-entry method and apparatus in a mobile communication system. The network re-entry method includes sending, by a group delegate Mobile Station (MS) among MSs of a group, a ranging code based on a group Identifier (ID) to a Base Station (BS) and receiving, by the MSs, a Ranging-Response (RNG-RSP) message comprising a ranging status for the group from the BS.
US09635516B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to making a localization map for a network. A fixed location for a plurality of wireless devices is received and a bisecting line is determined in a plane for each straight line that joins a pair of the plurality of wireless devices. An initial wireless device access sequence is assigned to each of a plurality of regions created on the localization map by the bisecting lines based on the Euclidean distance of the wireless device to the each of the plurality of regions, wherein the wireless device access sequence is the sequence of the wireless devices that provide the strongest to weakest signal to the region. Receiving from a user computing device a received signal strength (RSS) value for each signal received by the user computing device from each of the plurality of wireless devices and updating the localization map based on RSS values.
US09635510B1

A database of Wi-Fi access point location data is built from (a) provisioning data; (b) GPS location estimates; and (c) inferred location estimates.
US09635508B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate cognitive radar and RF technologies, and more particularly, to spectrum sensing processing for rapidly monitoring the RF spectrum for channel availability and activity. The goal is to find and use unoccupied RF channels to broadcast and receive information. According to one embodiment, a method for analyzing a received RF signal to determine unused channels, or frequencies, therein, comprises: analyzing a received RF signal to determine anchor points that represent high energy frequency locations; calculating distances between the determined anchor points; identifying and eliminating clusters or isolated anchor points defined as a high energy region of interference based on the calculated distances; and selecting at least one remaining unoccupied frequency for transmitting or receiving a RF signal. The method may further include performing an optional quality or risk assessment on remaining frequencies of the waveform, and eliminating high risk frequencies from consideration in some instances.
US09635507B2

A computing device generates profiles based on mobile device data. The computing device receives a plurality of mobile device records of a plurality of mobile devices in a region, that each include a timestamp, a location data, and an activity data, and assigns each of the plurality of mobile device records to one of a plurality of space-time boxes. The computing device performs analytics on the mobile device records assigned to the plurality of space-time boxes to yield a resulting plurality of profiles, which can include a mobility profile indicating the number of locations in the region that each mobile device occupies during a span, a hangout profile indicating the number of mobile devices that occupy each location in the region during a span, and a buddy profile indicating the mobile devices that occupy the same location in the region as a given mobile device.
US09635504B2

A method includes receiving, at a fraud management device, at least one BSID associated with communication data from at least one MTC device. The fraud management device determines a location associated with the at least one BSID. Relevant data elements are selected from the communication data. The fraud management device applies known domain rules to the communication data and identifies a connectivity pattern for the at least one MTC device based on the communication data. An anomaly detection model is applied to particular communication data associated with a particular MTC device based on the connectivity pattern, and at least one anomaly from the identified connection pattern is detected based on the anomaly detection model.
US09635501B2

With the increasing usage of mobile devices for communication, the need for wireless base-stations deployed in strategic locations is becoming increasingly important. The increased bandwidths being transmitted between the base-station and the mobile device has mandated that enhanced transmission formats and techniques be deployed, and, in order to operate correctly, these techniques require a tight synchronization in both time/phase, and in frequency, between the various base-stations serving a general area. Due to the need to establish the geographic location of the mobile device with a high degree of accuracy, it is also necessary to establish the location of the serving base-stations with a high degree of accuracy. The invention disclosed herein provides robust and practical methods for synchronizing base-stations, as well as providing for accurate location, by leveraging the usage of global navigation satellite systems receivers in conjunction with network based schemes for packet-based (time/phase/frequency) synchronization.
US09635493B2

The described embodiments include a system for communicating between electronic devices. During operation, a receiving electronic device receives a data channel protocol data unit (PDU) in a link layer of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) protocol stack. The receiving electronic device then reads a field in a header of the data channel PDU to determine if the header indicates that a payload of the data channel PDU contains audio data. When the header indicates that the payload of the data channel PDU contains audio data, the receiving electronic device is configured to send the audio data from the payload to an audio layer in the BTLE protocol stack for processing.
US09635482B2

A wireless audio transmission system which has at least one wireless transmitter for the wireless transmission of a detected audio signal as a first audio signal by way of a first wireless transmission path. The wireless audio transmission system further has at least one in-ear monitor unit for directly receiving the first audio signal and for receiving a second audio signal. The first and second audio signals are mixed in the in-ear monitor unit and output as an output signal. The wireless audio transmission system has a mixing desk for mixing the first audio signal and further received audio signals to give an output signal which can be output to the public or recorded.
US09635481B2

A failure detection system includes an omnidirectional microphone array device having a plurality of microphone elements and a directivity control device that calculates a delay time of a voice propagated from a sound source to each microphone element and forms a directivity of the voice using the delay time and the voice collected by the omnidirectional microphone array device, and detects a failure of the microphone element. A smoothing unit calculates an average power of one microphone element. An average calculator calculates a total average power of a plurality of usable microphone elements included in the omnidirectional microphone array device. A comparison unit compares whether or not a difference between the average power and the total average power exceeds a range of ±6 dB, and determines whether the microphone element is in failure based on the comparison result.
US09635475B2

A hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid, includes an antenna connected to a communication circuit through a feed-line for wireless communication. The antenna and the feed-line are configured and placed such that capacitance between their conductors is approximately minimized. In one embodiment, the feed-line includes feed-line conductors each including a major portion approximately perpendicular to an antenna conductor. In another embodiment, the feed-line includes a feed-line conductor crossing the antenna conductor, and at least one of the antenna conductor and the feed-line conductor includes a notch in the crossing area to reduce the crossing area.
US09635474B2

A method of processing a signal in a hearing instrument includes calculating a coherence between two microphone signals or microphone combination signals having different directional characteristics, determining an attenuation from the coherence, and applying the attenuation to the signal.
US09635472B2

An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes.
US09635468B2

A suspended nanotube film (or films) producing sound by means of the thermoacoustic (TA) effect is encapsulated between two plates, at least one of which vibrates, to enhance sound generation efficiency and protect the film. To avoid the oxidation of carbon nanotubes at elevated temperatures and reduce the thermal inertia of surrounding medium the enclosure is filled with inert gas (preferably with high heat capacity ratio, γ=Cp/Cv, and low heat capacity, Cp). To generate sound directly as the first harmonic of applied audio signal without use of an energy consuming dc biasing, an audio signal modulated carrier frequency at much higher frequency is used to provide power input. Various other inventive means are described to provide enhanced projected sound intensity, increased projector efficiency, and lengthened projector life, like the use of infrared reflecting coatings and particles on the projector plates, non-parallel sheet alignment in sheet stacks, and cooling means on one projector side.
US09635462B2

A method performed by an audio decoder for reconstructing N audio channels from an audio signal containing M audio channels is disclosed. The method includes receiving a bitstream containing an encoded audio signal having M audio channels and a set of spatial parameters, the set of spatial parameters including an inter-channel intensity difference parameter and an inter-channel coherence parameter. The encoded audio bitstream is then decoded to obtain a decoded frequency domain representation of the M audio channels, and at least a portion of the frequency domain representation is decorrelated with an all-pass filter having a fractional delay. The all-pass filter is attenuated at locations of a transient. A matrixed version of the decorrelated signals are summed with a matrixed version of the decoded frequency domain representation to obtain N audio signals that collectively having N audio channels where M is less than N.
US09635457B2

An audio processing unit having a first and second input for receiving output signals of a microphone with a first and a second physically symmetrically structured microphone capsule. The audio processing unit further has a first filter unit and a first delay unit which is coupled to the first input, and a second filter unit and a second delay unit which is coupled to the second input. The audio processing unit further has an adding unit for adding signals from the first and second filter units and a control unit for influencing the filter parameters of the first and second filters and/or the delay times of the first and second delay units depending on an amplitude of an audio signal received via the first and/or second input. A directivity factor of the output signal of the microphone is controlled depending on the amplitude of the output signal of the microphone.
US09635455B2

An audio system that comprises an electro-acoustic transducer mounted onto a housing that forms a resonance volume which is at least partially filled with sound absorbing material, wherein the housing is realized with a deep-drawn foil at least partially filled with grains of the sound absorbing material.
US09635444B2

A flat panel sound system (400) includes an acoustic backing (410) and stand-offs (412) on its back side. The stand-offs (412) are interposed between a frame (406) or housing (408) and the wall on which the sound system (400) is mounted. The sound system (400) further includes an electronic housing (414) and exciters (404) mounted on the frame (406). The electronics within the electronic housing (414) receive wireless inputs from a user interface and drive the exciters (404) to produce an audio output. The stand-offs (412) inhibit transmission of vibrations to the wall and allow acoustic waves to emanate the back side of the flat panel system.
US09635441B2

Information in a data store may be efficiently accessed by querying the data store for batches of information. In one example, configuration data associated with service point channels of processing trees may be retrieved from the data store with a single query to the data store. Readings for the processing trees may also be retrieved from the data store with a single query to the data store.
US09635440B2

A multi-device system includes at least one media server system, a primary viewing device including a display screen, and a secondary device including a haptic output device. The at least one media server system includes a source of audio-video content and haptic content and is configured to transfer the audio-video content and the haptic content. The haptic content is associated with the audio-video content. The primary viewing device is configured to output the audio-video content received from the at least one media server system. The secondary device is configured to output the haptic content received from the at least one media server system as a haptic effect via the haptic output device.
US09635426B2

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for allocating and committing votes in a variety of voting paradigms is described. In one embodiment, the method describes a system applicable in a plurality of time zones and comprises determining if an allocation of at least a portion of N1 votes among one or more candidates is received from a first user via a first device during a first period, accepting and storing the allocation of votes, only if the allocation is received during the first period, receiving a user command committing the stored allocation of the N1 votes among the plurality of candidates, determining if the command is received during a second period, and committing the stored first user allocation of N1 votes among the one or more candidates only if the command is received during the second period.
US09635420B2

A system includes a satellite receiver and a set top box. The set top box is configured to receive signals from the satellite receiver and output a signal to a display device. The set top box detects whether at least one mobile device is near the set top box and enables a standby mode when no mobile devices are detected.
US09635419B2

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving a packet indicative of a request for a number of video content items. The video content items are identified based on a network traffic flow characteristic associated with the packet and a popularity level is determined associated with each video content item of the number of video content items. The popularity level for each of the video content items is compared to a popularity threshold, and a portion of a video content item is displayed responsive to the popularity level exceeding the popularity threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09635417B2

A media fingerprint archive system generates and archives media fingerprints from second media content portions such as commercials. A downstream media measurement system can extract/derive query fingerprints from an incoming signal, and query the media fingerprint archive system whether any of the query fingerprints matches any archived fingerprints. If so, the media measurement system can perform media measurements on a specific secondary media content portion from which the matched query fingerprint is derived. If not, the media measurement system can analyze media characteristics of a media content portion to determine whether the media content portion is a secondary media content portion and perform media measurement if needed to. The media measurement system may send fingerprints from an identified secondary media content portion to the media fingerprint archive system for storage.
US09635416B2

A client device with one or more processors, memory, and a display displays a first video stream that corresponds to a first channel in a sequence. While displaying the first video stream and before receiving a request to display a second video stream corresponding to a second channel in the sequence, the client device preloads, from a remote content source, video content of one or more intervening channels. In response to receiving the request, the client device transitions from displaying the first video stream to displaying the second video stream: a portion of the first video stream is concurrently displayed with at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels, and at least a portion of the preloaded video content of one or more intervening channels is displayed concurrently with at least a portion of the second video stream.
US09635415B2

Methods, systems, and products control external devices during presentation of multimedia content. When a description of the multimedia content is received, the description may include control data for controlling a device. The control data may thus be executed to alter a presentation of the multimedia content.
US09635413B2

Various arrangements are presented for reducing channel change times. A first tuner of a television receiver may tune to a decryption key transponder stream. The decryption key transponder stream may include a plurality of decryption keys for a plurality of television channels that are transmitted to the television receiver via a plurality of transponder streams. Such keys may be buffered. A second tuner of the television receiver may be tuned to a media transponder stream to receive a television channel. A buffered decryption key may be used in decoding the television channel.
US09635412B2

A dongle is configured to connect to a set top box. The dongle includes a memory for storing data, such as callback data files, and a wireless communication module for forwarding the stored data to an access point, for delivery to a television service provider head end. The dongle can also receive information to be provided to the set top box. Authentication and authorization of the dongle ensure only authenticated and authorized devices can access the system. A communication technology is used that allows for a large coverage area and simultaneous communication with many set top boxes.
US09635410B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing companion services to customer premises equipment (CPE) using an IP-based service infrastructure. The infrastructure allows IP-enabled devices such as tablet PCs, smart phones, PDAs, and laptop computers to provide supplementary services to target systems and devices located at customer premises. Target systems and devices (CPE) may be TVs, PCs, set-top boxes, digital video recorders, or other electronics. An embodiment is disclosed which allows a mobile device to provide companion services to a television through a link with a set-top box in a cable TV network using the Internet.
US09635408B2

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide an electronic marketplace that matches units of content from secondary content providers with suitable vacancies from primary content providers. Vacancies may constitute, or be included in, any digital transmission containers, such as a television or radio programming, web pages, and the like. Specifically, the electronic marketplace automatically matches content offered by secondary content providers with vacancies offered by primary content providers thus filling the vacancies in these containers through a real-time content trading, placement, and distribution system. To do so, attributes associated with the vacancies and with units of secondary content are used to trade and match suitable vacancies with suitable content. This invention enables both secondary content owners and vacancy owners (primary content providers) to obtain the full commercial benefit of their secondary content and containers.
US09635398B2

Methods and systems for tracking events associated with use of video content are disclosed. A method collects events associated with use of video content at a computing device. In response to determining that a tracking interval has elapsed, the method optimizes the collected events by grouping similar events together, serializes the optimized events by structuring the optimized events in a defined format, and creates a tracking call to send the serialized events to a remote computing device. A system determines setup parameters for tracking collection on a client computing device, the setup parameters comprising an error tracking parameter, and setup check and tracking intervals. The system periodically receives serialized event data from a client device in accordance with the tracking interval, the event data having been collected in response to occurrences of tracked events associated with use of video content at the client device, the video content including an advertisement.
US09635389B1

Various examples are directed to methods and systems for compressing a binary mask. A computer device may determine that a frequency of a less frequent pixel value state of the binary mask is less than a threshold frequency and may select a block size corresponding to the threshold frequency. The computing device may determine a first run length number of pixel value blocks of the block size that are positioned consecutively in the binary mask sequence and that comprise a first pattern of pixel values and write the first run length number to a first compression sequence.
US09635382B2

A prediction unit is identified within a picture of a video sequence. The prediction unit is bordered by neighboring prediction units within the picture. The neighboring prediction units include first and second neighboring prediction units that are separated from one another by at least a third neighboring prediction unit. A subset of the neighboring prediction units is scanned to identify an MVP candidate. The subset includes at least the first and second neighboring prediction units and excludes at least the third neighboring prediction unit. An encoder calculates a difference between a motion vector of the MVP candidate and a motion vector of the prediction unit, and encodes the difference and an index to identify the MVP candidate. A decoder decodes the difference, and calculates the motion vector of the prediction unit by adding the difference to the motion vector of the MVP candidate.
US09635375B2

A method of decoding an encoded video including determining at least one coding unit by using split information extracted from a bitstream,obtaining first pattern information indicating whether residual samples of a coding unit among the at least one coding unit are equal to 0, when the first pattern information indicates the residual samples are not equal to 0, extracting from the bitstream transformation index information indicating whether a transformation unit of a current level included in the coding unit from among the at least one coding unit is split, when the transformation index information indicates a split of the transformation unit of the current level, splitting the transformation unit of the current level into square transformation units of a lower level, and when the transformation index information indicates a non-split of the transformation unit of the current level, obtaining second pattern information for the transformation unit of the current level, wherein the second pattern information indicates whether the transformation unit of the current level contains one or more transform coefficients not equal to 0, wherein a height of each of the square transformation units of the lower level is half a height of the transformation unit of the current level.
US09635374B2

A system and method for switching between multiple encoders or decoders may be implemented to quickly and seamlessly transfer coding operations between two encoders. Before switching from a first encoder to a second encoder, the second encoder is initialized and updated with a copy of the necessary information from the first encoder. Similarly when switching from a first decoder to a second decoder, the second decoder is initialized and the necessary information from the first decoder is passed to the second decoder. A controller may monitor the system to identify a condition that would trigger an encoder switch and identify the encoder that best suits the system conditions. A shared memory unit accessible by either encoder may store the initialization information. A shared decode unit accessible by either encoder may transmit decoded frames between encoders.
US09635369B2

A video coder can be configured to receive in a video parameter set, one or more syntax elements that include information related to hypothetical reference decoder (HRD) parameters; receive in the video data a first sequence parameter set that includes a first syntax element identifying the video parameter set; receive in the video data a second sequence parameter set that includes a second syntax element identifying the video parameter set; and, code, based on the one or more syntax elements, a first set of video blocks associated with the first parameter set and second set of video blocks associated with the second parameter set.
US09635368B2

The present invention relates to a method for decoding a video signal, comprising the steps of: acquiring a transform size flag of the current macroblock from a video signal; checking the number of non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in a first transform block which corresponds to the transform size flag; changing a scan order of the first transform block by prioritizing the position of the pixel having the greatest number of the non-zero transform coefficients in the first transform block; determining the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in a second transform block, and setting the changed scan order of the first transform block as an initialized scan order of the second transform block; adding the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in the first transform block and the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in the second transform block, and changing the scan order of the second transform block by prioritizing the position of the pixel having the greatest number of the non-zero transform coefficients; and decoding the transform coefficients arranged in the scan order changed in the previous step, wherein the first transform block and the second transform block have sizes corresponding to the transform size flag, and are contained in the current macroblock.
US09635366B2

A quantization method includes: performing, by a computer, scaling on transform coefficients of a target block; quantizing scaled transform coefficients to obtain a plurality of quantization coefficients; calculating, when calculating, based on a quantization error and a first code amount of a coded target block obtained by coding the target block, a cost of coding the target block by using a coefficient absolute value candidate of a plurality of coefficient absolute value candidates of one of the plurality of quantization coefficients, the first code amount according to a second code amount of a coded element for the one of the plurality of quantization coefficients, the second code amount being obtained by binarizing the coded element under one of a first condition and a second condition.
US09635357B2

In one example of the disclosure, a method of coding video data comprises coding video data using texture-first coding, and performing an NBDV derivation process for a block of the video data using a plurality of neighboring blocks. The NBDV derivation process comprises designating a motion vector associated with a neighboring block of the plurality of neighboring blocks coded with a block-based view synthesis prediction (BVSP) mode as an available disparity motion.
US09635355B2

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of coding video data. In an example, the method includes obtaining, from an encoded bitstream, one or more network abstraction layer (NAL) units for each view component of a plurality of view components of encoded video data, where each view component of the plurality of view components corresponds to a common temporal location, and where the one or more NAL units encapsulate at least a portion of the encoded video data for the respective view components and include information indicative of a decoding order of the respective view components. The method also includes obtaining information, separate from the NAL units, indicating relationships between view identifiers for the views and the decoding order of the view components. The method also includes decoding the encoded video data of the plurality of view components in the decoding order based on the received information.
US09635351B2

Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide dynamic calibration for imaging devices and systems. A reference pixel is arranged to receive an electrical reference signal and to output a calibration signal. The reference signal may be based on imaging illumination.
US09635344B2

The present invention relates to a method for making 3D stereo digital broadcast service compatible in an MPEG-2-TS format which is used for transmitting and receiving digital TV. To this end, suggested is a method for transmitting detailed information which supports both TS-level multiplexing and ES-level multiplexing when left and right compressed bitstreams are multiplexed, when service compatibility is enabled.
US09635342B2

A technique for encoding and decoding data pertaining to multiple video views is presented. A method embodiment of the encoding technique comprises the steps of providing first picture stream belonging to a first view and performing a first encoding operation to encode a picture of the first picture stream. The first encoding operation is based on a single-view video codec and provides encoder state information relevant for the encoding of another picture of the first picture stream. Also provided is a second picture stream belonging to a second video view. A second encoding operation is performed to encode a picture of the second picture stream based on the single-view video codec, wherein the second encoding operation is based on the encoder state information provided by the first encoding operation. On the basis of the encoded picture of the first picture stream and encoded picture of the second picture stream, dedicated video streams are generated.
US09635338B2

An encoder and method of encoding are provided for encoding at least one integral image representing at least one object in perspective in a scene and including a plurality of elemental images. The method of encoding includes generating a plurality of K sub-images on the basis of the plurality of basic images; arrangement of the sub-images in a predetermined pattern such as to form a multi-view image of the object, the views corresponding respectively to the sub-images; and adaptive compression of the multi-view image formed, as a function of the motion type of the object in the scene.
US09635334B2

Disclosed are various embodiments directed to transcoding a bit stream comprising audio and video frames that contains discontinuities. The video and/or audio portion of the bit stream may be divided into segments, where some of the segments are transcoded in parallel using a plurality of transcoder devices. In some embodiments, a discontinuity is detected in the bit stream before encoding, where the discontinuity is associated with a shift in a set of time stamps associated with the bit stream. A magnitude of the discontinuity is determined. The transcoding system aligns at least a portion of the audio frames to the series of video frames according to at least the discontinuity and the magnitude of the discontinuity. In other embodiments, the discontinuity is detected after encoding by analyzing time stamps that have been established during the transcoding process.
US09635333B2

A white balancing device and a method of driving the same are provided. The white balancing device includes a map generator and an automatic white balancing (AWB) block. The map generator is configured to generate an indoor-outdoor map comparing a first image and a second image generated by performing a wide dynamic range (WDR) algorithm on the first image. The AWB block is configured to generate a first white point with respect to an outdoor region and a second white point with respect to an indoor region using the indoor-outdoor map.
US09635331B2

An image processing apparatus which enables natural edge enchantment suited to a frequency band of a subject even when performing local contrast correction in combination with edge enhancement. A local contrast correction unit multiplies a signal of a target pixel in image data by a gain based on values obtained by reflecting signals of pixels around the target pixels. For signals of the target pixel output from the local contrast correction unit, a gamma conversion unit performs gamma conversion based on the signal of the target pixel. An edge signal is extracted from the image data and multiplied by a gain based on a signal output from the local contrast correction unit. The edge signal is added to a signal output from the gamma conversion unit.
US09635326B2

In an aspect of a discharge lamp driving device, a control unit performs first discharge lamp driving in which a first control and a second control are performed, and a second discharge lamp driving in which a third control and a fourth control are performed, a ratio of a DC current in the second control is higher than a ratio of the DC current in the first control, a ratio of the DC current in the fourth control is higher than a ratio of the DC current in the third control and is higher than the ratio of the DC current in the second control, and the control unit performs a transition from the second discharge lamp driving to the first discharge lamp driving in a case where an inter-electrode voltage is lower than a first reverse transition voltage.
US09635324B2

The present invention provides for eliminating the requirement for cable modems and routers to be installed in CATV system subscriber homes, and/or establishments, by instead including the cable modems and routers in a CATV provider's main distribution line, for sharing amongst a plurality of subscriber homes and/or establishments.
US09635323B2

An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module.
US09635313B2

An information processing system and a method for operating same are provided. The information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus. The first information processing apparatus is configured to display a first synchronous image in a first window, the first window having an operation right. The second information processing apparatus has a synchronous state or an asynchronous state. The second information processing apparatus is configured to: display a second synchronous image; in response to a first request, switch from the synchronous state to the asynchronous state; and in response to a second request, switch from the asynchronous state to the synchronous state.
US09635312B2

A desktop application and supporting web site for capturing audio and video recordings is introduced, wherein multiple participants in a collaborative session may be in separate remote locations. The application includes providing a high quality data format for transferring recordings, audiovisual data and the like to a remote network location or computer and a real-time data format for intercommunicating comments and instructions that are not recorded. Peer-to-peer and server-client implementations may be optimized regarding delivery time versus take quality. The desktop application also provides mechanisms for playing back sound and video for participants' reference during a recording, along with synchronized presentations of textual, audio and visual material corresponding to the session.
US09635311B2

Disclosed is an image processing device including a face information detection unit that detects face position information and face size information of a subject from an inputted image, a line-of-sight information calculation unit that calculates line-of-sight information of the subject, a face model generation unit that generates a face model of the subject using the face position information, the face size information, and three-dimensional facial shape template information representing a three-dimensional shape of a face, and an image generation unit that generates an image by correcting a line-of-sight direction of the subject to be directed to an imaging unit on the basis of the line-of-sight information and the face model. The line-of-sight information calculation unit calculates the line-of-sight information of the subject from the face position information and the face size information.
US09635302B2

An active pixel sensor device and the method thereof include an active pixel sensing array and a synchronous reading circuit. The active pixel sensing array is formed by a plurality of sensing pixels disposed in a form of an array. Each sensing pixel has a power terminal. The synchronous reading circuit connects to the power terminals of all sensing pixels, detects a summation of currents flowing through all sensing pixels, converts the summation of currents to an output signal, and outputs the output signal that represents the optical sensing information. In addition to reading each sensing pixel, the active pixel sensor device further controls the synchronous reading circuit to read the output signal corresponding to the summation of currents of all sensing pixels. The active pixel sensor device using the same active pixel sensing array can be applied to large-area sensing.
US09635298B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a comparator which has an input voltage range larger than the case where a conventional offset cancel technique is used, while reducing an offset voltage. A comparator circuit includes: a comparator having an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal and an output terminal; a first switch having one terminal connected to the inverting input terminal and having the other terminal connected to the output terminal; a first capacitor which has one end connected with the inverting input terminal; a first signal input terminal which is another end of the first capacitor; and a second signal input terminal which selectively inputs either one of a fixed voltage and a comparing signal into the non-inverting input terminal.
US09635293B2

A solid-state imaging device includes photoelectric converting sections transfer sections first buffer sections second buffer sections first output sections, and second output sections. The photoelectric converting sections generate electric charges in response to incidence of light. The transfer sections transfer the generated electric charges in a first direction or in a second direction opposite thereto in response to three-phase or four-phase drive signals. The first buffer sections and the second buffer sections acquire the electric charges transferred in the first and second directions, respectively, by the transfer sections and transfer the acquired electric charges in the first and second directions, respectively, in response to two-phase drive signals. The first output sections and the second output sections acquire the electric charges transferred from the first buffer sections and from the second buffer sections respectively, and output signals according to the acquired electric charges.
US09635291B2

There is provided an image capturing apparatus capable of controlling focus detecting pixels independently of the remaining image capturing pixels while maintaining the sensitivity of an image sensor and obtaining high image quality. The image capturing apparatus includes a first semiconductor chip, and a second semiconductor chip stacked on the first semiconductor chip. On the first semiconductor chip, the light receiving sections of a first pixel group and second pixel group, and a first pixel driving circuit configured to drive the pixels of the first pixel group are arranged. On the second semiconductor chip, a second pixel driving circuit configured to drive the pixels of the second pixel group is arranged.
US09635290B2

The present invention provides a technique for achieving higher picture quality of a captured image by reducing noise which occurs at the time of resetting in a solid-state image sensing device and the like. A pixel array in a solid-state image sensing device includes a plurality of pixels and includes an OB pixel region and an effective pixel region. The solid-state image sensing device has a signal processing unit outputting a pixel signal of each of the pixels in the effective pixel region on the basis of the signal level of a signal output from each of the pixels. The solid-state image sensing device obtains a signal without applying a reset signal to each of the pixels in the OB pixel region, obtains the difference between the signal and a signal of a pixel in the effective pixel region, and outputs an image signal.
US09635287B2

Methods and apparatus to provide, from data from a single sensor, high-resolution imagery at a first frame rate, such as typical video frame rate, and lower-resolution imagery at a second frame rate, which is higher than the first rate. In one embodiment, the first frame rate data can be viewed by a user and the second frame rate data can be processed to identify an event of interest, such as pulsed light.
US09635276B2

An apparatus for adjusting an exposure time for an image frame is presented. The apparatus comprises at least one processing unit and at least one memory. The at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to process at least one image frame, select at least one region of interest from the at least one image frame, process at least two consecutive image frames to determine a motion field, segment the motion field into at least one motion cluster, select based on the at least one region of interest and the at least one motion cluster, the most relevant motion cluster, and adjust the exposure time based on motion information of the selected most relevant motion cluster.
US09635275B2

A method and a system for forming an image of a scene are provided. The method includes capturing an image of the scene by exposing an image sensor to radiation from one part of the EM spectrum using one aperture and to radiation from another part of the EM spectrum using another aperture having a different size than the first aperture. Simultaneously with capturing the image, the scene is illuminated with radiation from the second part of the EM spectrum. The image is then formed on the basis of image data generated by the radiation from the first part of the EM spectrum and image data generated by radiation from the second part of the EM spectrum.
US09635273B2

One embodiment relates to a method of outputting multiple views from a networked camera. Each imager of an array of imagers in the camera captures image frames and transmits the captured image frames to an associated image flow processor. Each image flow processor processes the captured image frames and transmits the processed image frames to a multi-imager video processor. An updating of parameters for said processing by each image flow processor is performed on a frame-by-frame basis. Another embodiment relates to a video camera including a plurality of imagers, a plurality of image flow processors, a multi-imager video processor, and a plurality of update queues. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US09635270B2

A method for performing image control in an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method may include the steps of: obtaining a specific image from a camera module of the electronic device, and obtaining a specific focus-related parameter corresponding to the specific image, wherein the specific focus-related parameter is related to focus control of the camera module; determining a specific resize parameter corresponding to the specific image according to a relationship between the specific resize parameter and the specific focus-related parameter; and performing a resize operation on the specific image according to the specific resize parameter, to control the specific image to be displayed in a quasi-scale-invariant manner.
US09635269B2

A method of controlling a photographing apparatus including a main processor and an image processor is provided. The method includes transmitting, by the image processor to the main processor, transmission data that includes preview image data of an image photographed through a photographing module and, if image data that is parallel-processed with the preview image data exists, the image data; extracting, by the main processor, the preview image data from the transmission data; displaying the extracted preview image data on a display portion of the photographing apparatus; and if the image data is included in the transmission data, storing, by the main processor, the image data in a memory.
US09635263B2

A control apparatus includes an estimator configured to estimate a position of a blur correcting lens based on a control amount in accordance with a difference between a target position and a current position, and a numerical model, and to output a first position signal, a first extractor configured to extract a first frequency band of the first position signal, a second extractor configured to extract a second frequency band of a second position signal that is output from a detector configured to detect the position of the blur correcting lens, a combiner configured to combine a signal extracted by the first extractor and a signal extracted by the second extractor, and a controller configured to control driving of the blur correcting lens to move to the target position based on a third position signal combined by the combiner.
US09635251B2

A mobile platform maps and tracks the orientation of the mobile platform in real-time as the mobile platform rotates. The mobile platform captures a plurality of camera images as the camera rotates and projects the plurality of camera images consecutively to a panoramic cylindrical map. The map is extended by projecting areas of any camera image that correspond to unmapped portions of the panoramic cylindrical map. Keypoints are extracted from mapped portions of the map and using the keypoints the orientation of the camera is determined. Accumulated error is removed when closing the panoramic cylindrical map by extending the map horizontally beyond 360 degrees to produce overlapping regions and extracting and matching keypoints from the overlapping regions. Additionally, an incorrect estimate of the initial orientation of the map may be corrected by determining the correct orientation and re-projecting the map onto a map with the correct orientation.
US09635248B2

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling therefor are disclosed. The mobile terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a touch interface module configured to receive a touch input, a communication module configured to establish communication with at least one or more drones and a controller configured to control the communication module and the touch interface module. The controller transmits location information of the mobile terminal to the drone with which the communication is established, designates a position of the drone based on the transmitted location information, receives a preview image obtained by a camera of the drone, displays the received preview image on a predetermined first area and if the touch input is recognized, captures the preview image displayed on the first area.
US09635244B2

An image pickup apparatus includes: a lens holding frame; a fixed frame; driving magnets arranged at the fixed frame such that magnetic poles are alternately reversed along an optical axis; driving coils arranged at the lens holding frame so as to be opposed respectively to the driving magnets; first detection portions that detect a position of the lens holding frame by detecting a change of a magnetic force of the respective driving magnets; a second detection portion, wherein when it is detected that the lens holding frame has reached a predetermined position, an output signal from the second detection portion at the time of the detection is set as a reference position, and position detection of the lens holding frame after the detection is performed based on the output signal from the second detection portion.
US09635237B2

The present invention relates to a method and a camera for determining an image adjustment parameter. The method includes receiving a plurality of images representing an image view, detecting from the plurality of images events of a specific event type, identifying a location within the image view where the event of the specific type is present, determining a presence value of each of the identified locations, and determining an image adjustment parameter based on data from an adjustment location within the image view. The adjustment location is determined based on the presence value in each location of a plurality of locations within the image view.
US09635233B2

A wireless communication device for connection to an external port of a camera that provides access to a power supply of the camera and at least one of a photographic synchronization signal and trigger release signal. A system including such a wireless communication device, a camera to which the wireless communication device is configured to be connected, and a remote device to receive wireless information from the camera via the wireless communication device. A method of wireless communication between a camera and a remote device using a wireless communication device for connecting to an external port of the camera that provides access to a power supply of the camera and at least one of a photographic synchronization signal and trigger release signal.
US09635225B2

A imaging device includes: a case having bottom and top plate portions with an accommodation space interposed therebetween; a dome cover protruding outward from the case through an opening formed in the top plate portion; an annular support member allowing a circumferential edge portion of the dome cover to be interposed between the support member and the top plate portion; a lens unit; and an elastic member disposed between the bottom plate portion and the lens unit and allows the lens unit to be biased in a direction toward the dome cover. The lens unit includes an outer circumferential portion disposed on outside of a lens in a direction along the bottom plate portion and engaged with an inside opening of the support member, and a stepped portion provided in the outer circumferential portion and restricts movement in the direction approaching the dome cover by abutting the support member.
US09635221B2

An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes image pickup means; holding means for holding a coordinate system used to represent an image capturing direction of the image pickup means or a region in an image capturing range of the image pickup means; reception means for receiving a first command for rotating a captured image obtained by the image pickup means or a captured image cut out from the region in the image capturing range by a certain angle, a second command for rotating the coordinate system held in the holding means about the origin by the certain angle, and specification information for specifying the image capturing direction in the coordinate system; and change control means for executing control to change the image capturing direction of the image pickup means to the image capturing direction specified by the specification information.
US09635197B2

A method of executing an application installed in an outside server at an image forming apparatus includes receiving, at the image forming apparatus, an input of an install uniform resource locator (URL), accessing, by the image forming apparatus, the outside server through the install URL and receiving from the outside server metadata of the application installed in the outside server, verifying a reliability of the received metadata, creating an icon corresponding to the application on a user interface of the image forming apparatus when the reliability is verified, and executing the application installed in the outside server at the image forming apparatus.
US09635186B2

The present disclosure discloses a conferencing apparatus that combines a beamforming microphone array (BMA) with an acoustic echo canceller where the BMA further comprises a plurality of microphones that are oriented to develop a corresponding plurality of microphone signals. The apparatus further includes a processor, memory, and storage where the processor is configured to execute program instructions. The processor performs a beamforming operation to create a plurality of combined signals. In addition, the processor performs an acoustic echo cancellation operation to generate a plurality of combined echo cancelled signals. Further, the processor selects one of the combined echo cancelled signals for transmission to the far end where the signal selection module uses the far end signal as information to inhibit the signal selection module from changing the selection of the combined echo cancelled signals while only the far end signal is active.
US09635179B1

An apparatus, a method, and a computer program are disclosed. According to one example the apparatus may be configured to receive via the receiver a message from a mobile device to connect with an agent. The apparatus may also be configured to determine and select an available agent via the processor in order for the mobile device to communicate with the available agent, and transmit via the transmitter an agent availability message to the mobile device, wherein the agent availability message requires an acknowledgement from the mobile device prior to connecting the mobile device with the available agent.
US09635164B2

A remote control for an electronic device includes a memory for storing a first digitized voice file and a second digitized voice file and a wireless communication module for establishing wireless communication with the electronic device. The remote control also includes first and second user accessible buttons associated with the first and second user accessible buttons, respectively. The remote control also includes a computer processor configured to execute non-transitory instructions to detect a user actuation of one of the first and the second user accessible buttons, retrieve a one of the first and second digitized voice files that is associated with the actuated user accessible button, and transmit the retrieved digitized voice file for delivery to the smartphone in order to remotely trigger a verbally invokable action on the smartphone without verbally speaking a command.
US09635163B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a prescribed function can be performed using a more intuitive gesture. The present invention includes a touchscreen; a wireless communication device configured to communicate with an external terminal; a band configured to be worn on a user; a sensing device configured to sense movement of a physical object having the mobile terminal provided thereon; and a controller to detect a gesture based on the sensed movement, and to perform a prescribed function with respect to the external terminal based on the detected gesture.
US09635157B2

In some implementations, features of a character represented by a second item may be provided at a first item to augment the second item. In an implementation, a connection between the first item and the second item may be detected. The second item may comprise one or more physical components that represent a set of features of the character. First information associated with the character may be obtained in response to the detection of the connection. A presentation of one or more features of the character may be provided at the first item based on the first information.
US09635139B2

A user terminal includes an inputter which receives a user command, a display, a communicator configured to communicate with an external server, and a controller configured to create a first rule in which the user terminal performs a first action when a first condition is met in another first user terminal, control the communicator to transmit the created first rule to the external server, and perform the first action according to an event command when the event command to perform the first action is received from the external server upon the first condition being met in the first user terminal.
US09635132B1

Methods, apparatus, and computer-accessible storage media for providing a volume-based block storage service and application programming interfaces (APIs) to the service. A block storage service and block storage service APIs may allow processes (applications or appliances) on the service client network to leverage remote, volume-based block storage provided by the service provider. The APIs may provide a standard interface to volume-based block storage operations on a remote data store. The service provider, the service clients, and/or third parties may develop various applications and/or appliances that may, for example, be instantiated in service clients' local networks and that leverage the block storage service via the APIs to create and manage volumes and snapshots on the remote data store and to upload and download data from the volumes and snapshots on the remote data store.
US09635128B2

A system and method for providing a communication between users of a computer network are provided, the method including the steps of storing, in a database, received geo-location information, object information, brand information or other information, from a user; providing to the user a subset of previously stored digital media templates from the database for user selection; combining a user-selected digital media template with a user-selected media data object file received from the user; and tagging the geo-location information, object information, brand information or other information, to the combined user-selected digital media template and user-selected media data object file for communicating between users of the computer network.
US09635125B2

A role-based social network follow request that identifies a specified user role to follow within a social network is received from a social network user. A social network role-based query, derived from the specified user role identified within the role-based social network follow request, is executed. In response to executing the social network role-based query, role-based information of social network users within the social network is retrieved. Another social network user that matches the specified user role is identified based upon the retrieved role-based information of the social network users. Role-based social network following of the matching other social network user is configured for the requesting social network user.
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