US09682481B2
A control system may perform functions including (i) storing data indicating an association between an optical identifier and a first robot, (ii) sending, to the first robot, data encoding the optical identifier for display by the first robot, and (iii) after sending the data encoding the optical identifier, sending, to a second robot, the data indicating the association between the optical identifier and the first robot. In some examples, the first robot may receive, from the control system, data encoding a second optical identifier of the first robot so that the first robot may display the second optical identifier instead of the first optical identifier. In some examples, a first robot may capture an image of an indication of a priority status of a second robot and perform an action based on comparing a first priority status of the first robot to the second priority status of the second robot.
US09682466B2
A ring light is provided for rotary, spindle based machines such as mills and drills. The ring light is magnetically held to the machine about the spindle and may be moved along the spindle to any location thereon. The ring light may powered by a module containing batteries which may be replaceable or chargeable by a power supply or through induction. All three embodiments are disclosed. The construction is generally unitary with respect to the ring portion of the ring light and it may be constructed so that the power module is removable or as one piece with the ring portion.
US09682447B2
The present invention relates to organic acid- or latent organic acid-functionalized polymer-coated metal powders, such as metal powders used as appropriate in the formation of solder alloys, spheres and pastes.
US09682445B1
A method includes disposing ZrH2 nanoparticles on a first metallic material. The method includes performing a diffusion bonding operation to bond the first metallic material to a second metallic material. At least one of the first metallic material or the second metallic material includes a surface oxide layer. During the diffusion bonding operation, the ZrH2 nanoparticles chemically react with the surface oxide layer.
US09682439B2
A welding electrode for resistance spot welding includes a weld face comprising rings of ridges that project outwardly from a base surface of the weld face. The rings of ridges are positioned on the weld face to contact and impress into a sheet metal workpiece surface during resistance spot welding. If the welding electrode is used during resistance spot welding of light metal alloy workpieces, such as those of aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy, the rings of ridges on the weld face can contribute to improved welding performance.
US09682435B2
In one aspect, thread forming taps are described herein. In some embodiments a thread forming tap comprises a shank disposed at a first end adapted to engage a tool holder and an elongated working portion disposed at a second end. The working portion comprises at least one helical thread and a plurality of longitudinally-extending linear grooves. The longitudinally-extending linear grooves intersect the helical thread forming a plurality of lobes, wherein adjacent lobes differ from one another in relief type and/or relief rate.
US09682434B2
A milling cutter includes a shank portion and a cutting portion having a cylindrical outer surface. The milling cutter includes a plurality of major cutting edges extending from an end face toward the shank portion, and a plurality of minor cutting edges disposed at the end face of the cutting portion. A relief surface is formed in the cylindrical outer surface proximate a corner of the milling cutter such that the primary cutting edges forms an angle equal to 90° with respect to the end face of the milling cutter. As a result, the milling cutter is capable of cutting a perfect 90° shoulder in a workpiece.
US09682433B2
A cutting insert mountable in an insert pocket of a milling cutter and capable of effectively absorbing a radially outward force during high speed machining and high ramp machining. The cutting insert has a top surface, a bottom surface, peripheral surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a mounting hole extending through the top surface and the bottom surface, a protrusion portion protruding from the bottom surface, and a pair of lower inclined abutment surfaces formed at opposite edges of the bottom surface. The lower inclined abutment surfaces are inclined in opposite directions toward a pair of opposing peripheral surfaces, outwardly and upwardly relative to the protrusion portion. The protrusion portion extends across the mounting hole and has a lateral surface facing radially outwardly of the milling cutter. The lateral surface selectively contacts or does not contact the insert pocket depending on a revolution speed of the milling cutter.
US09682427B2
A holder and a cutting tool with the holder including an insertion hole at a front end part thereof, and a cutting insert that includes a cutting edge part and a shank part. The shank part has substantially a rod shape. A part of the shank part is immovably located in the insertion hole. The front end part of the holder includes a first curved surface part that becomes wider from a front end toward a back side when viewed from a side thereof. The first curved surface part includes: a curved line that extends from an edge of an opening of the insertion hole toward the back side; or a straight line that extends from the edge of the opening of the insertion hole and connects to a curved line that extends continuously from the straight line toward the back side without an angular part.
US09682425B2
A metallic powder is disclosed. The metallic powder includes a plurality of metallic powder particles. Each powder particle includes a particle core. The particle core includes a core material comprising Mg, Al, Zn or Mn, or a combination thereof, having a melting temperature (TP). Each powder particle also includes a metallic coating layer disposed on the particle core. The metallic coating layer includes a metallic coating material having a melting temperature (TC). The powder particles are configured for solid-state sintering to one another at a predetermined sintering temperature (TS), and TS is less than TP and TC.
US09682423B2
An electric die casting machine is provided with a screw shaft which is held rotatably, a nut body which is threadably mounted on the screw shaft so as to be able to move forward and backward, an injection plunger which moves forward and backward in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the nut body, an injection electric servo motor and an intensification electric servo motor which drive and rotate the screw shaft, and a one-way clutch which is disposed between the screw shaft and the intensification electric servo motor.
US09682416B2
The device comprises a base (12), a mobile support (14), a contact member (16), a lever (34) which comprises a blocking arm (38) pivotally mounted around an axis (36). The device comprises retention means (40, 42) capable of opposing the pivoting of the lever. The device also comprises a reaction member (48A) fixed with respect to the base (12) and capable of cooperating with a reaction zone of the blocking arm (38) by defining a reaction surface inclined with respect to the translation direction X of the support on the base. The pivoting of the lever allowed by the release of the retention means allows the displacement of the contact member.
US09682405B2
The invention relates to a method and system for the environmental remediation of materials that are contaminated with heavy minerals, such as heavy metals. The invention finds utility in removing heavy minerals from materials such as soils, sediments, mine tailings and ores. The invention provides a means for removing heavy minerals from contaminated materials without the use of water while reducing the generation of dust. Thus, the invention provides an environmentally friendly method for the remediation of sites that are contaminated with heavy minerals.
US09682403B2
A spot repair method of scratch-resistant paint film: (a) sanding a part to be repaired having a scratch-resistant clear paint film thereon, (b) sanding a part to be clear gradation painted outside the part to be repaired with an abrasive material, (c) painting the part to be repaired with a color base-paint, (d) applying a clear paint wet-on-wet without curing the color base-paint, (e) applying a clear paint diluted with a gradation agent to the part to be gradation painted, (f) drying the applied paints, and (g) polishing the dried parts, wherein (1) the clear paint is a two-liquid type having an isocyanate curing agent and (2) the gradation agent comprises from 5 to 50 mass % ethyl ethoxypropionate, from 1 to 5 mass % of an acrylic resin as solid fraction, a surfactant and a curing catalyst.
US09682399B2
A paint roller sleeve assembly and a method for washing it for reuse. The sleeve assembly includes a core of a size to fit a conventional paint roller handle. The core is compressible by hand radially, to allow a tubular flexible outer cover including a backing layer and a layer of paint-carrying fiber pile to be removed for washing and thereafter be replaced on the core for reuse.
US09682393B2
An improved system that protects a vent membrane from a liquid is provided. The system includes a container and a fitment seated in the opening of the container. A vent having a vent membrane is associated with the fitment. An elongated dip tube extends from of the fitment into the container. A splash guard is disposed within the container and may connect to the elongated dip tube. The splash guard may have a plurality of ridges extending radially from an aperture. The splash guard may alternatively comprise a tiered configuration. In operation, the splash guard permits gasses to enter the container while minimizing exposure of the vent membrane to the liquid.
US09682379B2
The invention relates to a wear-resistant roller for crushing of particulate material, such as crude ore for use in the cement or minerals industry comprising a roller body, a wear surface on the roller body. The wear surface comprises welding beads comprising a primary fraction of carbide material and a secondary fraction of material selected from the group consisting of Nickel, Nickel alloys, mixtures of Nickel and Nickel alloys and mixtures of Nickel containing refractory hard materials, Cobalt, Cobalt alloys, mixtures of Cobalt and Cobalt alloys and mixtures of Cobalt containing refractory hard materials. Furthermore, the welding beads are welded to the roller body in an overlapping manner such that two neighbouring welding beads comprise an overlapping volume and a non-overlapping volume, the overlapping volume being an intersection volume between the two neighbouring overlapping welding beads, and the fraction of carbide material being higher in the overlapping volume than in the non-overlapping volume such that the overlapping volume has a higher wear resistance compared to the non-overlapping volume having a lower wear-resistance. Also the invention relates to a method of forming such a wear surface on a roller body.
US09682378B1
A mating adaptor for use in assaying a specimen includes an adaptor body having a first receiving area for receiving a computing device and a second receiving area for receiving a specimen delivery cartridge. The mating adaptor further includes an actuator for transmitting a mechanical actuation signal to initiate a fluidic process of a specimen delivery cartridge. The first receiving area includes a first connector corresponding to a computing device connector and the second receiving area includes a second connector corresponding to a specimen delivery cartridge connector.
US09682358B2
A device consisting of antenna units and connected to a signal generator, capable of dissociating or breaking down molecules in solution, suspension or fluids in general, into their constituent elements, in order to recycle said compounds and eliminate contaminants which, if they remain chemically bound, would be dangerous or harmful to human, plant or animal health is provided.
US09682357B2
A method of controlling the temperature of autothermal microchannel reactors is disclosed. A hierarchical control structure employs a distributed temperature controller including a phase change material and a supervisory control system including the control of one or more inputs into the reactor. The phase change material acts as a fast, distributed controller, and the supervisory controller acts over a longer time horizon to mitigate persistent disturbances. A stochastic optimization method for selecting the phase change layer thickness is employed.
US09682355B2
Described herein are method for conducting sonochemical reactions and processes in a liquid. The liquid is passed through a device that generates a liquid jet containing cavitation bubbles and collides the liquid jet with an impact body or other liquid jet to force the collapse of the cavitation bubbles at a select compressive stagnation pressure. The compressive stagnation pressure of the liquid is between 50 and 99 percent of the static pressure of the liquid upon entry of a constriction that generates the liquid jet containing cavitation bubbles.
US09682351B2
A laboratory mixer for mixing a sample and a diluent in a bag. An enclosure defines a mixing chamber, and at least one movable mixing element is retained for mixing the sample and the diluent within the bag. At least one liquid detector is retained relative to the enclosure for detecting liquid leaked from the bag. The sensor can be a capacitive, inductive, or optical sensor. The sensor can be a conductivity sensor with two electrodes shaped like combs and a gap less than or equal to a diameter of a drip of diluent solution. A ledge with a low point can be retained by an access door. The sensor or sensors can be disposed adjacent to the access door, on a mixing element, in direct contact with the bag, or on a tank. An alarm and cessation of operation can be triggered upon a detection of leaked liquid.
US09682342B2
This invention concerns a method for recovering carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from Fischer-Tropsch off-gas by feeding Fischer-Tropsch off-gas through a column comprising an adsorbent bed, and discharging effluent, optionally rinsing the column and the adsorbent bed by feeding carbon dioxide and discharging effluent until at least 60% of the carbon monoxide that was present in the bed is discharged, pressurizing the column and adsorbent bed with carbon dioxide, rinsing the column and the adsorbent bed by feeding carbon dioxide, until at least 60% of the methane and optionally an amount equal to at least 50% of the carbon dioxide present at the commencement of this rinsing step is discharged, rinsing the column and adsorbent bed by feeding a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, pressurizing the column and adsorbent bed by feeding a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen. With this method a feed comprising at least 50 vol % carbon monoxide can be produced. Furthermore, methane and carbon dioxide at a high pressure can be recovered from the Fischer-Tropsch gas. This can be fed to a gasifier or a reformer. In a preferred embodiment a gas comprising at least 80 vol % hydrogen is produced as well.
US09682339B2
A collapsible filter having a collapsed position and an expanded position includes a filter media, a pair of end caps that are disposed at opposite ends of the filter media, and a support structure. The support structure extends generally the height of the filter between the end caps, where the support structure includes at least one leg that has a deployed position extending generally the height of the filter between the end caps when the collapsible filter is in the expanded position. The support structure further includes an engagement structure that is located at a first end and a second end of the leg, and is configured to engage the leg with the end caps along their longitudinal length.
US09682338B2
A filter apparatus is provided. The filter apparatus includes a filter element. The filter element includes filter media supported in a frame construction. The frame construction having opposed side panels and a rectangular border flange along a first end. The rectangular border flange projects outward from and extending around the opposed side panels. The first end is an inlet end or an outlet end of the filter element. The filter apparatus includes a filter frame adapter formed separately from the frame construction and secured to the frame construction to adapt the filter element for a different mounting interface. The filter frame adapter includes a pair of complimentary adapter flanges each projecting outward relative to one of the opposed side panels. The adapter flanges are at a second end that is opposite a first end. The second end is at the inlet end or the outlet end.
US09682336B2
An impact moisture separator for separating a liquid moisture from a compressed gas. The impact moisture separator includes a plurality of impact plates that are positioned within the inner region of the separator and may be downstream of at least one strut. The strut may be configured to disperse the flow of compressed gas. The impact plates each have a plurality of vanes that extend beyond a plate portion of the impact plates. The vanes are configured to provide a passage for the flow of compressed gases and are offset from the vanes of the adjacent, successive impact plate. Further, the impact plates and strut(s) are tilted toward the incoming flow of compressed gas so as to assist in influencing the downward flow of the compressed gas, and thereby facilitate the flow of separated liquid moisture toward a reservoir of the housing.
US09682332B2
Described is a device for inducing crystal nucleation in a crystallizer. The device comprises a vessel for fluid and a surface abrader, wherein the surface abrader is configured to abrade a surface within the vessel to induce crystal nucleation. The friction of the abrader against the surface within the vessel creates nano-sized particulates which induce crystal nucleation. Crystal growth can then take place in the crystallizer. Also described is a crystallization apparatus comprising the device and a crystallization process using the device or similar. The device is significantly cheaper and more reliable than known ultrasound devices and facilitates the separation of crystal nucleation and crystal growth. The device also enables the avoidance of the use of seeding as a source of secondary nucleation.
US09682331B2
A distillation key which functions as, or with, a stopper and extends into a distillation chamber with multiple rings extending out there-from is used to catch condensing vapors and prevent condensed vapors from re-condensing at a vacuum port at the bottom of the distillation chamber. The key has one or a plurality of rings which extend outwards from an elongated neck thereof, these rings situated and centered relative to vertical walls of the distillation chamber, in embodiments of the disclosed technology.
US09682325B2
An attachment that provides back support for a child on a swing, where the swing does not already have a back support, is disclosed, as well as a method of using the same.
US09682324B2
Players are enabled to participate in competitive challenges within a videogame. The challenges may provide for interactive play between players while the players play the videogame in an asynchronous manner. The challenges may be based on actual performances of one or more tasks by the players within the videogame. The tasks may include, for example, one or more of a race, a battle, a fight, a musical performance (or simulated music performance), a puzzle, and/or other objectives or tasks.
US09682323B2
An acquisition unit acquires image data in which game play is recorded or image data of a game currently being played. A display processing unit displays an image of game play using the acquired image data and displays an image for acquiring game software while the image of the game play is being displayed or after the completion of the display of the image of the game play. When a reception unit receives an input operation in the image for acquiring the game software, a request generation unit generates a request for downloading that indicates, as a destination of the game software, another information processing apparatus different from the information processing apparatus, and a transmission unit transmits the generated request for downloading.
US09682321B2
Techniques for multiple frame distributed rendering of interactive content are described. In implementations, interactive content includes various types of visual content, such as video games, interactive videos, interactive applications, and so forth. Interactive content includes scene objects, such as graphical renderings of visual scenery and background images. Interactive content also includes interactive objects, such as avatars and/or other visuals that can be displayed in the context of scene objects and that can be manipulated in response to user input. In at least some embodiments, scene objects can be rendered over multiple frames of interactive content prior to being displayed, and interactive objects can be rendered and displayed more frequently, e.g., with each frame.
US09682318B2
A method includes the following operations: (1) executing an application that that generates a series of video frames using a graphics processing unit (GPU); (2) determining that a first video frame in the series has been completely written to a back buffer; (3) determining whether a current scan line of a second video frame is outside of a specified region, where the second video frame is stored in a front buffer and is being read out line by line following receipt of a monitored synchronizing signal; (4) presenting the first video frame to the front buffer without frame transitions, if the current scan line is outside of the specified region and is in a vertical blanking interval (VBI); and (5) presenting the first video to the front buffer with frame transitions, if the current scan line is outside of the specified region and is not in the VBI.
US09682316B2
A hovering remote-control flying craft having a molded frame assembly includes a plurality of arms extending from a center body with an electric motor and corresponding propeller on each arm. In various embodiments, the motor and propeller are mounted downward-facing at a distal portion of each arm with a motor cover over the motor. The center body can be formed of a two-piece molded structure that sandwiches a circuit board to provide structural support for the frame. The circuit board can include a plurality of tabs that facilitate mounting of wire connectors, and can also provide antennas and emitters for both IR and RF communications. In some embodiments, a removable safety ring protects the propellers from lateral contact.
US09682309B2
Various powered wheeled board vehicles are disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle includes a deck having a forward portion and a rearward portion. At least one front wheel can be connected with the deck under the forward portion. The front wheel can be configured to swivel about a first axis and rotate about a second axis. A powered wheel can be connected with the rearward portion. In some configurations, the rear wheel comprises a hub motor.
US09682300B2
A sports practicing system includes: a lever arm including an aperture; at least one ball secured to the lever arm; a pivot about which the lever arm rotates; an upper member to which the pivot is connected, the upper member including first and second ends; a base for placement on a ground, the base supporting the upper member; and an elastic strap stretched from the first end of the upper member to the second end of the upper member, an inner portion of the strap intersecting the pivot so the strap deflects the lever arm and the ball when the lever arm rotates about the pivot due to the ball being struck.
US09682299B2
The present invention is directed to a golf club head comprising one or more center of gravity and bias adjustment features. In some embodiments, the golf club head comprises an elongated cartridge having one or more sockets or weight ports to receive weight plugs, the arrangement of which can be changed to adjust the mass properties of the golf club head. The orientation of the cartridge itself can also be reversed to adjust the mass properties. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises at least one semicircular weight ring that extends around the rear portion of the golf club head, and is removable and replaceable to adjust the mass properties of the golf club head. In still other embodiments, these features are combined on one head.
US09682296B1
A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises at least one rectangular weight bar disposed within a recessed region on the sole and adjustable within the recessed region. One end of the weight bar is reversibly fixed to the sole with a connection element, while the other end includes an engagement feature that engages a retention feature at the edge of the recessed region. The retention feature provides multiple locations at the edge of the recessed region to which the engagement feature can be fixed, and when the weight bar is in a configuration desired by a golfer, the weight bar can be reversibly secured to the sole and immobilized within the recessed region by tightening the connection element. The weight bar may also include a slidable weight assembly.
US09682293B2
A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency. A slot is included in a portion of the golf club head and works with the flexure to further tune performance.
US09682292B2
The club length of a golf club is 43 inches or greater and 48 inches or less. A club inertia moment Ix about a swing axis is equal to or less than 6.90×103 (kg·cm2). A ratio (Ihs/Ix) is equal to or greater than 0.88, if a head inertia moment about the swing axis is defined as Ihs (kg·cm2). The inertia moment Ix (kg·cm2) is calculated by Equation (1) below, and the inertia moment Ihs (kg·cm2) is calculated by Equation (2) below: Ix=Wc×(Lc+60)2+Ic (1) Ihs=Wh×(Lh+60)2+Ih (2).
US09682277B2
An exercise device with a pair of upper links coupled to the frame and a pair of lower links pivotally coupled to the upper links is provided. A pair of pedals is received on a distal end of each of the lower links. A transfer system between the pair of upper links may include a first and a second pushrod, each with a first end pivotally coupled to each upper link and a second end opposite to the first end. A first and a second pivot arm, each pivotally coupled to the frame, may be included, each pivot arm receiving a respective pushrod. A pliable connector may be coupled to the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm, thus providing compliant reciprocating movement of the upper links.
US09682276B2
A lateral deltoid exercise machine has a floor engaging main frame, a user support pivot, a user support assembly pivotally mounted on the main frame via the user support pivot, and a pivotally mounted user engagement device or exercise arm assembly having arm pads for engagement by the user's forearms while pushing the arm pads outward and upward from a start position. A connecting link translates movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support so that pivotal movement of the user engagement device results in a self-aligning, pivoting movement of the user support.
US09682275B2
Various weight racks, plate racks, jerk blocks, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the weight racks comprise one or more weight stands that can be connected and disconnected and that comprise rolling elements that allow free movement of the weight stands. In some embodiments, plate racks that allow weight plates to be rolled into and out of them are provided. In some embodiments, jerk blocks that are height adjustable without stacking are provided.
US09682266B2
Training devices, methods of using training devices and systems involving training devices are described. Training devices may include an attachment unit which includes a swivel, a plurality of support members, a first member and a second member. A training device may be configured to a first device, the first device may be moved with the training device configured to it in a desired motion and in as many repetitions as desired, and the training device may be removed from the first device. Training devices may be used in conjunction with hand units, strap units and other devices and/or appendages.
US09682261B1
A piercing nozzle may comprise a body having a first section, a second section substantially parallel the first section, and an offsetting section disposed so as to provide a distance between the first section and the second section, a piercing tip coupled to the second section, and a hose coupling coupled to the first section. An aperture may be formed in the second section, and a deflector may be pivotably coupled to the second section so as to substantially cover the aperture.
US09682258B2
An apparatus (10) for delivering a fire suppressant fluid into a vehicle (50), the apparatus (10) including a first funnel (12) in fluid communication with a delivery pipe (14), the funnel (12) being arranged to receive the fire suppressant fluid from a first location external to the vehicle (50) and the delivery pipe (14) extending from the first funnel (12) into the vehicle (50) so as to deliver the fire suppressant fluid within the vehicle (50).
US09682254B2
The invention comprises a charged particle cancer therapy system used to seal a periphery of a tumor, such as through use of a proton or carbon ion beam searing the outer edges of the tumor, which prevents/hinders nutrient delivery to the tumor resultant in stunted growth of the tumor, halted growth of the tumor, and/or starvation/necrosis of the tumor. Optionally, a tumor sealing layer is formed using multiple passes, of a treatment beam of the charged particle cancer therapy system, across a tumor/healthy tissue boundary layer or voxel.
US09682253B2
An integrated radiation therapy process comprises acquiring first objective target data related to a parameter of a target within a patient by periodically locating a marker positioned within the patient using a localization modality. This method continues with obtaining second objective target data related to the parameter of the target by periodically locating the marker. The first objective target data can be acquired in a first area that is apart from a second area which contains a radiation delivery device for producing an ionizing radiation beam for treating the patient. The localization modality can be the same in both the first and second areas. In other embodiments, the first objective target data can be acquired using a first localization modality that uses a first energy type to identify the marker and the second objective target data can be obtained using a second localization modality that uses a second energy type to identify the marker that is different than the first energy type.
US09682252B2
A stranded brachytherapy product and methods of forming a stranded brachytherapy product. The methods includes the step of applying an adhesive to a carrier containing at least one brachytherapy seed so as to, upon curing of the adhesive, impart substantial rigidity to the carrier. Alternatively, the adhesive may be selectively applied so as to provide a deflectable brachytherapy product.
US09682248B2
A deep brain magnetic stimulator is disclosed that is placed within a vessel of the body to provide targeted location specific application of a magnetic field within the brain. The deep brain magnetic stimulator has a stimulation coil affixed to an expandable device core where the device core has a lumen to allow the passage of blood. A source of electrical energy is provided as well as related control circuitry to govern the activation of the stimulation coil and also govern such parameters as magnetic field strength, duration, waveform, and the like.
US09682243B2
This disclosure describes techniques for a method of charging a battery. In an example, the method includes charging the battery during a first charging session until a first charging termination parameter value is reached. The method also includes determining, for a second charging session, a second charging termination parameter value based on a duration of the first charging session, wherein the second charging termination parameter value is different than the first charging termination parameter value. The method also includes charging the battery during the second charging session until the second charging termination parameter value is reached.
US09682237B2
A successive approximation ADC made of a low voltage configurable differential amplifier and low voltage logic circuits which can convert a high voltage analog input to a digital equivalent. The differential amplifier can be configured as either an op amp or a comparator depending upon the mode of operation. An input capacitor C1 is switchably coupled to an electrode selected for voltage sampling. A switched capacitor array C2 is coupled across the differential amplifier input and output. A SAR coupled to the switched capacitor array provides a digital output corresponding to the sampled analog voltage. During a sampling interval and a charge transfer interval, the differential amplifier is configured as an op amp. During the transfer interval, the voltage on the input capacitor multiplied by the ratio C1/C2 is transferred to the switched capacitor array. During an analog to digital conversion interval, the ADC converts the analog voltage to an equivalent digital output.
US09682232B2
Timed stimulation of both somatosensory system and auditory system is controlled, in such a manner, that an individual's brain activity is altered through spike-timing dependent plasticity, thereby reducing or removing tinnitus.
US09682229B2
An electrode of an implantable medical lead is coated with a polymeric composition that includes (i) a terpolymer formed from monomer subunits consisting essentially of vinyl acetate, alkyl methyl acrylate and n-vinyl pyrrolidone; (ii) a copolymer formed from monomer subunits consisting essentially of vinyl acetate and alkyl methacrylate; and (iii) polyvinyl pyrrolidone. The coating does not substantially adversely affect impedance properties of the electrode.
US09682223B2
Devices and methods for draining excess lymph fluid are disclosed. The device can be fixed to the blood vessel adjacent to the thoracic duct. The device can have a port for withdrawing lymph fluid exiting the thoracic duct. The device can have a cannula and/or subcutaneous port to draw the lymph fluid away from the thoracic duct and reduce hemostatic pressure in the lymphatic system.
US09682222B2
A microneedle injection apparatus (100) comprising an inverted actuator. The apparatus can include a housing (102) having a base and a cavity, and a microneedle array holder (106) configured to hold a microneedle array (107) within the cavity of the housing. The microneedle array holder can be movable between a retracted position, and an extended position. The apparatus can further include an actuator (104) movable with respect to the housing and the microneedle array holder between a first position and a second position to cause the microneedle array holder to move from the retracted position to the extended position. At least a portion of the actuator can be located on a skin-facing side of the apparatus (e.g., adjacent the base of the housing) and can be configured to be moved from the first position to the second position in response to the apparatus being pressed toward the skin surface.
US09682215B2
The application relates to a two-part overlapping dressing for securing a cannula during intravenous catheterization on the skin surface of a patient. The dressing comprises a first flexible adhesive sheet (10) provided with an opening (16) spaced from all its peripheral edges; and a second flexible adhesive sheet (12). The opening (16) in the first sheet comprises a slit (18), one end of which terminates in an enlarged aperture (20). The second sheet (12) is dimensioned such that, when it is aligned with and adhered against the first sheet (10) in use, it is capable of overlapping the full length of the slit (18) so as to reduce the opening (16) to the size of the enlarged aperture (20). The apparatus allows for a more secure fitting of the cannula while minimizing the risk of infection.
US09682209B2
A patient interface device (8) is includes a support frame (14) structured to be fluidly coupled to a pressure generating device, a cushion (12) structured to engage a portion of the face of a patient, and a headgear component (16) structured to secure the patient interface device to the head of the patient. The headgear component has a central interface portion (22), at least one strap member (24A, 24B) extending from the central interface portion, and a frame member (32) provided within central interface portion. The frame member is removeably secured in between the cushion and the support frame and is structured to provide an airtight seal between the cushion and the support frame.
US09682196B1
A protective cover for a syringe needle includes a sheath and a needle hub. The sheath preferably includes a cylindrical body terminated with a bullet shaped end. The needle hub includes a needle base and a hypodermic needle retained in the needle base. The need base slides in the cylindrical body. The needle base includes a bullet shape and a locking projection extending from an outer perimeter of the needle base. A lengthwise slot is formed through the cylindrical body. The lengthwise slot is sized to receive a button portion of the locking projection. A retracted locking notch is formed on one end of the extension slot. An extended locking notch is formed on an opposing end of the lengthwise slot. A storage notch is formed adjacent the retracted locking notch. The button portion is retained in the retracted locking notch, the extended locking notch or the storage notch.
US09682192B2
Methods and systems for dispensing a fluid using an automated fluid delivery system are disclosed. A pump may be configured to force an aliquot of fluid into a fluid delivery channel. A processor may receive values of a property for the aliquot and the source of the aliquot. The processor may use the values to determine the volume of the aliquot. The determined volume is compared by the processor against an expected volume to establish the amount of fluid being pumped by the pump per unit, such as time or revolutions. The processor controls operation of the pump to dispense a predetermined dose based on the amount of fluid being pumped by the pump per unit.
US09682189B2
A connector valve for use with an infusion set. The connector valve includes a body defining a chamber. The body includes a primary inlet, a secondary inlet, and an outlet. The connector valve includes a compressible member within the chamber that compresses from an uncompressed state to a compressed state. The connector valve includes a resilient member within the chamber that engages with the compressible member. The resilient member moves from an open configuration when the compressible member is in the uncompressed state to an occluding configuration when the compressible member is in the compressed state. The resilient member in the open configuration permits a bidirectional primary fluid flow between the primary inlet and the outlet, and the resilient member in the occluding configuration permits a bidirectional secondary fluid flow between the secondary inlet and the outlet, and unidirectional primary fluid flow from the primary inlet to the outlet.
US09682180B2
A ventricular assist system and a method of implanting the system are disclosed. The system can have a pump, an inflow conduit, an outflow conduit, attachment ring, ring clamp, and a valvular structure. The attachment ring can be attached to the apex of the heart. The valvular structure can have a flexible, one-way valve in a rigid housing. The inflow conduit can be passed through the valvular structure and the attachment ring into a beating heart with minimal loss of blood. Devices such as slitting tool, coring knife, and/or C-clamp and use of the devices can form part of the system and method for implanting the ventricular assist device.
US09682171B2
A bioremodelable encasement structure comprising a pouch formed from at least one sheet of bioremodelable material, the pouch including an internal region that is configured to receive a device therein, the bioremodelable material comprising mesothelial tissue.
US09682162B2
Methods of sterilizing medical devices, including implantable medical devices like stents, chemically and with radiation are disclosed. Methods of preparing a sterile, packaged medical device, including a sterile, packaged implantable medical device or stent are disclosed.
US09682155B2
The present invention provides a diagnostic reagent or assay for assessing the activity of a protease in vivo or in vitro and methods of detecting the presence of a cancerous or precancerous cell. The assays are comprised of two particles linked via an oligopeptide linkage that comprises a consensus sequence specific for the target protease. Cleavage of the sequence by the target protease can be detected visually or using various sensors, and the diagnostic results can be correlated with cancer prognosis.
US09682148B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a testosterone derivative having a log p of at least 5 and a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a fat component in an amount sufficient to achieve lymphatic absorption in a mammal, wherein the fat component comprises a mono- or triglyceride of long chain fatty acids.
US09682146B2
Methods for the treatment of a cell proliferation disorder in a subject, involving: (1) administering to the subject at least one activatable pharmaceutical agent that is capable of effecting a predetermined cellular change when activated, either alone or in combination with at least one energy modulation agent; and (2) applying an initiation energy from an initiation energy source to the subject, wherein the applying activates the activatable agent in situ, thus causing the predetermined cellular change to occur, wherein the predetermined cellular change treats the cell proliferation disorder, preferably by causing an increase or decrease in rate of cell proliferation, and a kit for performing the method, a computer implemented system for performing the method, a pharmaceutical composition useful in the method and a method for causing an autovaccine effect in a subject using the method.
US09682144B2
The present invention relates to a composition or kit of parts comprising an inhibitor of IRS-1 and an inhibitor of the VEGF pathway and to the use thereof for treating an angiogenic disease.
US09682140B2
The present invention relates to the field of medicine, specifically, to the field of chemical and pharmaceutical industry and concerns ezrin-derived peptides, in particular, a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence of general formula (I) X1 EKKRRETVERE X2X3, wherein each X represents a non-polar amino acid residue. The use of the peptides as immunostimulatory agents, and more specifically, for use in treating and preventing antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal infections, and treatment of diseases of the GI tract, in particular ulcerative disorders of the GI tract. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the peptides. Further, the invention relates to methods of treatment of infection and ulcerative diseases of the GI tract comprising administering the peptides to patients in need thereof.
US09682139B2
The present invention provides lipids that are advantageously used in lipid particles for the in vivo delivery of therapeutic agents to cells. In particular, the invention provides lipids having the following structure wherein R1 and R2 are each independently for each occurrence optionally substituted C10-C30 alkyl, optionally substituted C10-C30 alkenyl, optionally substituted C10-C30 alkynyl, optionally substituted C10-C30 acyl, or -linker-ligand; R3 is H, optionally substituted C1-C10 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-C10 alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-C10 alkynyl, alkylhetrocycle, alkylphosphate, alkylphosphorothioate, alkylphosphorodithioate, alkylphosphonates, alkylamines, hydroxyalkyls, ω-aminoalkyls, ω-(substituted)aminoalkyls, ω-phosphoalkyls, ω-thiophosphoalkyls, optionally substituted polyethylene glycol (PEG, mw 100-40 K), optionally substituted mPEG (mw 120-40 K), heteroaryl, heterocycle, or linker-ligand; E is O, S, N(Q), C(O), N(Q)C(O), C(O)N(Q), (Q)N(CO)O, O(CO)N(Q), S(O), NS(O)2N(Q), S(O)2, N(Q)S(O)2, SS, O═N, aryl, heteroaryl, cyclic or heterocycle; and, Q is H, alkyl, ω-aminoalkyl, ω-(substituted)aminoalky, ω-phosphoalkyl or ω-thiophosphoalkyl.
US09682138B2
The present invention provides vectors that contain and express in vivo or in vitro FeLV antigens that elicit an immune response in animal or human against FeLV, compositions comprising said vectors and/or FeLV polypeptides, methods of vaccination against FeLV, and kits for use with such methods and compositions.
US09682122B2
The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of vascular dysfunction, reducing ischemic pain and/or treatment of a vascular disease comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of Annexin A5 or a functional analog or variant thereof to a patient in need of such treatment. The vascular dysfunction, ischemic pain and/or vascular disease may be associated with impaired endothelium mediated vasodilatation, a reduced eNOS activity, and/or a reduced NO bioavailability. The patient may be suffering from a disease selected from angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, systolic hypertension, migraine, type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction.
US09682113B2
Disclosed is a method for preventing, improving and/or treating cornea damage or a corneal disease, including administering an effective amount of an extract of a persimmon tree for preventing, improving or treating cornea damage to a subject in need thereof. The extract may be a persimmon leaf extract and the extract is effective in suppressing inflammation of the cornea and protecting corneal cells.
US09682111B2
Provided herein is a method for preventing or treating neurodegenerative disease in a subject, comprising administrating to the subject an effective amount of a composition which comprises a semen biotae extract. The neurodegenerative disease is associated with α-synuclein, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington disease, or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
US09682108B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions suitable for the treatment of chronic diseases associated with the presence of abnormal or an abnormal distribution of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract of a mammalian host, which compositions comprise viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Clostridia. The compositions further comprise one or more additional viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of Bacteroides, Eubacteria, Fusobacteria, Propionibacteria, Lactobacilli, anaerobic cocci, Ruminococcus, E. coli, Gemmiger, Desulfomonas, Peptostreptococcus, and fungi. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions suitable for the treatment of the same chronic diseases comprising viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Escherichia coli, at least one strain of viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic Bacteroides and at least one strain of viable non-pathogenic or attenuated pathogenic microorganism.
US09682106B2
A method of radiation-free hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation comprises administering to a mammalian subject one or two doses of 2 to 10 mg/kg body weight of a purine base analog, such as 6TG as a pre-conditioning step. The method further comprises engrafting into the subject hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT)-deficient donor HSCs within 48 to 72 hours of the pre-conditioning step; and administering to the subject about 1 to 5 mg/kg of the purine base analog every two to four days for two to eight weeks following the engrafting step. The method is performed in the absence of pre-conditioning via radiation. The subject is therefore not treated with myeloablative radiation in preparation for transplantation, and thus the subject is free of myeloablative radiation-induced toxicity.
US09682105B2
Disclosed are methods of polarizing macrophages to exhibit M2 phenotype, including introducing an effective amount of gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells to an environment comprising a population of macrophages such that the macrophages are in fluid communication with the gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Also disclosed are methods of promoting cutaneous wound healing including administering to a patient an effective amount of human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells, thereby resulting in at least one of accelerated wound closure, rapid re-epithelialization, improved angiogenesis and improved tissue remodeling relative to untreated controls. Also disclosed are methods for attenuating contact hypersensitivity in a patient, the methods including administering to a patient an effective amount of human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells at a time at least timeframe selected from the group consisting of before sensitization, after sensitization and before challenge and after challenge, thereby attenuating contact hypersensitivity.
US09682103B1
A method of treating a condition of a mammal, including a human individual and an animal, by intravenously administering a therapeutically effective amount of a poly -oxygenated metal hydroxide. In some embodiments, the poly-oxygenated metal hydroxide is an aluminum poly-oxygenated hydroxide, such as Ox66™. The poly-oxygenated metal hydroxide may have particles having a diameter of less than or equal to 1 um, and specifically having a diameter of less than or equal to 100 nm. The poly-oxygenated metal hydroxide may be 75-90% colloid or crystalline solution with 10-25% addition of poly-oxygenated metal hydroxide particles.
US09682082B2
The invention provides combinations comprising a) compound of formula I: (formula I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and another agent selected from GDC-0973, PD-0325901, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The combinations are particularly useful for treating hyperproliferative disorders, such as cancer.
US09682081B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical gastro-retentive solid oral dosage form comprising nilotinib as the active ingredient. The invention is further related to methods of preparing said dosage form.
US09682076B2
The presently described technology provides compositions comprising aryl carboxylic acids and, for example NSAIDs, chemically conjugated to oxymorphone (4,5-α-epoxy-3,14-dihydroxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one) to form novel prodrugs/compositions of oxymorphone, including benzoates, salicylates, propionates, fenamates, and acetates, which have a decreased potential for abuse of oxymorphone. The present technology also provides methods of treating patients, pharmaceutical kits and methods of synthesizing conjugates of the present technology.
US09682068B2
Transdermal therapeutic system for extended dosing of pramipexole in treating neurological disorders
This disclosure relates to a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) containing pramipexole or related compounds and methods of making the system as well as its use in administering such compounds as a single dose over an extended period, for example, one week. The system comprises an acrylic-based or silicone-based matrix layer containing pramipexole at concentrations of at least about 5 wt. % of the matrix, which is resistant to crystallizing and discoloration of the active ingredient even when stored over long periods.
US09682062B2
The disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting angiogenesis, including an effective amount of an extract of Juniperus chinensis or an effective amount of a lignan as an effective ingredient. The pharmaceutical composition may further include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or salt. The disclosure also provides a method for inhibiting angiogenesis, including administering an effective amount of an extract of Juniperus chinensis or an effective amount of a lignan as an effective ingredient for inhibiting angiogenesis to a subject in need thereof.
US09682052B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1-R6, a, b, and Z are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and processes and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US09682051B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a combination of a therapeutically-effective amount of the antiviral compound acyclovir and a therapeutically-effective amount of the COX-2 inhibitor meloxicam. The invention is further related to methods of treating functional somatic syndromes by administering a therapeutically-effective combination of acyclovir and meloxicam.
US09682050B2
Disclosed herein are methods for treating lactose intolerance, including compounds that may be specific or modulate PPARγ receptors.
US09682035B2
A bone implant primer is provided. A biodegradable hydrogel component is provided. A plurality of biomolecule release depots are dispersed within the biodegradable hydrogel component wherein the plurality of biomolecule release depots comprise biomolecules for aiding implant osseointegration or biomolecules for mitigation of foreign body response. Different biomolecules may be released by the microspheres at different times.
US09682029B2
A ceramide production enhancer and a moisturizer containing, as an active ingredient, an extract of at least one plant selected from the group consisting of Chenopodium hybridum, Melia toosendan, Indigofera tinctoria, Cirsium japonicum, Catalpa ovata, and Tagetes erecta, or a compound represented by the following Formula (1): wherein, R represents an acyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atom(s).
US09682028B2
A personal care photoprotective composition is provided having a UV-A and UV-B sunscreen in conjunction with a tricyclodecane amide. The tricyclodecane amide functions to boost UV-A, UV-B and SPF performance when the personal care composition is applied to skin or hair of the human body.
US09682023B2
A method for preventing oral diseases caused by dental biofilm and plaque accumulation, such as gingivitis and periodontitis by application of a single-phase stabilized chlorine dioxide composition at a concentration range of about 0.005% to about 0.800% (w/v) at a pH in the range of 6.0 to 7.4. The bactericidal properties of stabilized chlorine dioxide include reduction (kill) of anaerobic/aerobic/facultative gram-negative and gram-positive oral bacteria occurring in plaque or polymicrobial biofilms. The composition may be in the form of wash, rinse, soak, paste, gel, aerosol spray, or other suitable delivery system.
US09682017B2
A baby bottle includes a clear housing with a clear container within the housing. The container is comprised of five hollow spheres arranged axially one above the other and in fluid communication with each other. Each sphere holds approximately one ounce of liquid. An inverted funnel is in communication with the lowermost sphere and also holds about one ounce of liquid. A cap carrying a nipple is adapted to connect to the top of the uppermost sphere so that the nipple is in fluid communication with the interior of the plurality of spheres.
US09682014B2
Medical containers for use in blood collection and processing and medical systems, methods and apparatus for use in blood collection and processing are described. An example medical container to be used during blood collection and processing, the medical container includes an elongated body defining a compartment and a base coupled at a first end of the elongated body. Additionally, the medical container includes a divider extending through the compartment to separate the compartment into a first subcompartment and a second subcompartment, the divider comprising a first material and the elongated body comprising a second material, the first material being relatively more rigid than the second material, the first subcompartment and the subsecond compartment each to accommodate blood pack components.
US09682012B2
Various embodiments are described for a container for storage of a medicament, the container comprising a surface having at least a cavity configured to store at least one dose of the medicament; and a covering disposed over at least the cavity of the surface and comprising at least two adjacent edges and a set of perforations disposed on the covering and spaced apart from the at least two adjacent edges of the covering. A container comprising a sheet of separable units and methods for use are described.
US09682010B2
Systems and methods for nasal irrigation are provided in which a nasal irrigation device includes a source of saline, an effluent receptacle, a nasal interface, a vacuum source, a fluid passageway to communicate the source of saline with the effluent receptacle through the nasal interface and a nasal cavity of the user, and a switch and valve assembly for selectively controlling the vacuum source and flow of the saline through the fluid passageway. The saline source is disposed relative to the device to provide gravitational inducement of saline to the nasal interface in engagement to the device user's nostrils. A combination of the gravitational inducement and the relative vacuum from the effluent receptacle generates a fluid flow for irrigating, cleansing and massaging the nasal cavity and ostia of the user. The entire device is assembled as a hand-held device for convenient lifting and disposal against the user's nostrils.
US09682000B2
A body weight support system includes a trolley, a powered conductor operative coupled to a power supply, and a patient attachment mechanism. The trolley can include a drive system, a control system, and a patient support system. The drive system is movably coupled to a support rail. At least a portion of the control system is physically and electrically coupled to the powered conductor. The patient support mechanism is at least temporarily coupled to the patient attachment mechanism. The control system can control at least a portion of the patient support mechanism based at least in part on a force applied to the patient attachment mechanism.
US09681998B2
Provided is an underpants-type disposable diaper that is improved in a fit to a part from the intergluteal cleft to the crotch of a wearer and less prone to give a wearer a puffy and discomfort feeling at a crotch portion during wearing, provided is an underpants-type disposable diaper, wherein the back body part has at an intergluteal cleft facing portion a bending fit portion which is bent so as to enter into the intergluteal cleft of a wearer.
US09681997B2
A disposable diaper having fastening members with an advantageous folding configuration is disclosed. The fastening members may be imparted with two longitudinal folds to create a z-fold configuration that serves dual functions of consolidating the fastening members for purposes of protecting them in manufacturing and packaging processes downstream of the point at which the fastening members are included on the diaper, and providing the consumer with easy access and manipulability of the fastening member at the time the diaper is to be applied to a baby.
US09681995B2
An apparatus includes a rotary drum for disposing a workpiece on a web and a web position guiding mechanism for guiding a position of the web. The rotary drum includes a suction unit for sucking the workpiece. The suction unit is configured to change a disposition direction of the workpiece from a first disposition direction at the reception point to a second disposition direction at a delivery point. An external shape of the workpiece sucked by the suction unit is an external shape in which an outer edge portion of the workpiece is close to a rotary shaft side of the rotary drum. At an abutment point, a central portion of the workpiece and the web come into contact with each other. At the delivery point, the web is disposed so that an outer edge portion of the workpiece and the web come into contact with each other.
US09681988B2
A method is disclosed for clearing effusion from an ear. The method may include applying liquid to an ear canal, which is proximal to a perforated tympanic membrane, which is proximal to a middle ear containing effusion, applying an ear device to seal and pressurize the liquid inside the ear canal, the ear device regulating the amount of pressure inside the ear canal, and inducing a Eustachian tube, which is distal to the middle ear, to open, which causes the fluid to displace the effusion into the Eustachian tube.
US09681987B2
Anti-fog, interchangeable-lens goggle adapted for use with a battery comprising: a body with a flexible posterior portion for engaging a user's face and an anterior portion; a lens having a resistive anti-fog element thereon, the lens adapted for engaging the anterior portion of the body; an engagement mechanism for releasably interconnecting the lens and the body; an interconnection mechanism depending from the body adapted for detachably interconnecting the heating element of the lens and the battery, the interconnection means operable or integral with the engagement mechanism such that interconnecting the heating element of the lens with the battery also reinforces interconnecting of the lens with the semi-rigid anterior portion of the body; and a strap adapted for holding the goggle on one of a user's head and helmet.
US09681986B2
A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an auto-fixing actuation control, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, a first flexible housing tube portion having a first stiffness, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube. An actuation of the auto-fixing actuation control may gradually curve the flexible housing tube. A gradual curving of the flexible housing tube may gradually curve the optic fiber.
US09681972B2
A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes one or more balloon pressurization steps. The balloon pressurization steps are selected to enhance scaffold retention to the balloon and maintain a relatively uniform arrangement of balloon folds about the inner surface of the crimped scaffold so that the scaffold expands in a uniform manner when the balloon is inflated.
US09681971B2
A medical device-includes a polymer scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes inflating the delivery balloon during a diameter reduction to improve scaffold retention. A crimping temperature is maintained at about the onset of glass transition of the polymer material to facilitate more rapid stabilization of mechanical properties in the scaffold following crimping.
US09681967B2
Devices, systems, and methods for the prevention of stroke. Devices and systems hereof comprise stents configured to fit within at least part of an artery extending from an aortic arch, and at least one component comprising parallel convex struts for diverting emboli from entering an artery when the component is positioned at or near its ostium. The stents and the deflection component(s) are coupled in a linked configuration. Additionally, a retrieval system is provided, the retrieval system comprising a sleeve catheter and a retrieval device slidably disposed therein. The distal end of the retrieval device comprises an attachment portion configured to engage a device positioned within an artery extending from the aortic arch.
US09681965B2
An endoluminal prosthesis that includes a support structure having a plurality of struts and an anchor that is attachable to the support structure. The anchor includes an anchor body and one or more barbs extending outwardly from the anchor body. The anchor body includes a cannula having a first end, a second end, and a middle section. The middle section includes a plurality of open portions arranged in a plurality of arrays around the anchor body.
US09681951B2
A prosthesis can be configured to grasp intralumenal tissue when deployed within a body cavity and prevent axial flow of fluid around an exterior of the prosthesis. The prosthesis can include an expandable frame configured to radially expand and contract for deployment within the body cavity, and an outer skirt positioned annularly around an exterior of the expandable frame. In some embodiments, the outer skirt can extend outward from the frame and be secured to an outwardly extending anchor on the frame to create an axial barrier to fluid flow exterior to the frame when deployed within the body cavity.
US09681947B2
An intraocular lens delivery system has an injector body, a plunger, a nozzle portion, and a heater. The plunger is slidably movable within the injector body. The nozzle portion is located on a distal end of the injector body and has a hollow interior adapted for receiving the intraocular lens. The heater is integrated with the intraocular lens delivery system and is adapted to heat the intraocular lens.
US09681940B2
A system for an anatomical joint includes a first fastener, a second fastener, a prosthetic ligament member, and a biasing member associated with at least one of the first and second fasteners. The first fastener is operable to be connected to a first bone portion. The second fastener is operable to be connected to a second bone portion. The prosthetic ligament member is flexible and is directly coupled to both the first and second fasteners to support the first bone portion and the second bone portion for relative movement. A portion of the prosthetic ligament member extends from the first fastener to the second fastener and has an adjustable length. The biasing member is operable to bias the prosthetic ligament member to thereby maintain tension in the prosthetic ligament member.
US09681938B2
Provided are devices, systems and methods of selectively controlling air flow into one or more section of a patient's lungs. In particular, the devices may be valve devices having an inner lumen configured to transition between a first diameter and a second diameter smaller than the first diameter to control the airflow through the valve.
US09681936B2
A surgical implant includes at least two porous film layers each having a plurality of pores. The porous film layers are in a stacked configuration and are interconnected to one another at a plurality of attachment points to define at least one void between the porous film layers.
US09681933B2
The brush head of the toothbrush has filaments that are pointed at one end and led through clearances in the bristle carrier. These filaments have a length of about 10-20 mm. The tips of the pointed filaments produce a height profile other than that of a plane and the ends of the pointed filaments that are remote from the tips are melted.
US09681931B2
Molded member made of form-stabilized material, comprising at least one first component and one second component, characterized in that the second component has a different pigmentation than the first component and the second component is disposed inside the first element, forming a boundary surface, in such a way that the boundary surface represents a spatially curved surface.
US09681927B2
A dental tool having a handle with a first and second end, the first end having a cross sectional shape of a first side being half tetrahedral with rounded concave scoops terminating in a blade, the blade having an upturned point on the first side of said end and a brush on the first end. The brush may be extended from the end of said blade or positioned on the upper ridge of the tetrahedral side. The first end may have opposing tetrahedral sides with brushes along the central ridge defining the tetrahedral side. The opposite end of the tool may have a spoon shaped extension that is angled.
US09681917B2
Improved/efficient fiber laser systems are provided for medical/cosmetic applications, comprising at least one pump source, optically coupled with at least one fiber laser. The fiber laser comprises an irregularly-shaped single-, double- or multiple-clad fiber of unconventional structure and geometry, and means for partially/completely reflecting the pump radiation, such as Bragg gratings. The fiber laser system further comprises at least one fiber optic delivery device optically coupled with the pump source, with the irregularly-shaped single-, double- or multiple-clad fiber laser, or with both, to convey laser radiation to a treatment site. The fiber optic delivery device comprises one or more waveguides, preferably optical fibers. The irregularly-shaped fiber laser and waveguides of the fiber optic delivery device have the same or different tip configurations to perform the treatment according to therapeutic needs. In a preferred embodiment, the fiber laser treatment system operating at 915±30 nm, 975±30 nm and/or 1550±40, comprises control means to select delivery of one, two or three output laser beams, and regulates their respective output powers.
US09681893B2
Spine stabilization devices, systems and methods are provided in which a single resilient member or spring is disposed on an elongate element that spans two attachment members attached to different spinal vertebrae. The elongate element passes through at least one of the two attachment members, permitting relative motion therebetween, and terminates in a stop or abutment. A second resilient member is disposed on the elongate element on an opposite side of the sliding attachment member, e.g., in an overhanging orientation. The two resilient members are capable of applying mutually opposing urging forces, and a compressive preload can be applied to one or both of the resilient members.
US09681889B1
A target needle assembly can include a needle having a sharp tip, a cannula configured to receive the needle, and an outer sheath. The outer sheath is configured to receive the cannula. The target needle assembly includes a depth stop mechanism, and the outer sheath is configured to limit or inhibit further advancement of the needle into the bone once the needle has been advanced the desired distance to a target location.
US09681883B2
A forceps comprising: (a) a stylet comprising; (i) a hollow tube having a longitudinal axis; (ii) assemblies, that are extendable through the hollow tube, comprising; (1) support rods; (2) functional attachments at the end of the support rods; (b) a hand piece comprising; (i) housing structures defining a cavity that houses the stylet; (ii) actuating mechanisms, in communication with the stylet, comprising; (1) a bearing fitting located on the stylet; (2) a shuttle in communication with the bearing fitting, and constrained by a plurality of guide ridges so that the shuttle is movable along a longitudinal axis and restricted from rotational movement around the longitudinal axis; (3) a socket housed by the shuttle, the socket receiving the bearing fitting and being rotatable relative to the shuttle; and (4) levers in communication with the stylet that causes movement of the hollow tube and the assemblies are relative to each other.
US09681877B2
A clip applier of handle and cartridge for applying clips in surgical procedures with handle preferably a scissors type defined by a housing of shell members containing a cam operated linear translator actuated by handle levers, an anti-backup mechanism limiting handle lever movement to full pull and release strokes while preventing partial pull or release handle strokes, and with cartridge fitted with lockout mechanism to disable applier after last clip is used in surgery, with a puller bar lock to hold puller bar position in cartridge prior to assembly with handle, a detent spring mounted in cartridge cover member as part of clip handling mechanism, and a rapid-fire pawl as part of clip handling mechanism to prevent cartridge jamming when clips are applied in rapid succession.
US09681872B2
A surgical stapling apparatus having a vacuum device associated therewith is disclosed. The vacuum device may be removable, fixedly secured thereto, or incorporated into the surgical stapling apparatus. The vacuum device may include a resilient band and vacuum tube secured to the shell assembly or body portion of the surgical stapling apparatus. Alternately, a vacuum chamber may be secured about the shell assembly and/or body portion of the stapling apparatus. In addition, one or more vacuum tubes may be positioned in the vacuum chamber. The vacuum tubes, preferably, extend into the shell assembly and are movable between nondeployed and deployed positions such that a distal end of each tube can be selectively positioned at multiple positions 122 between the shell assembly and an anvil. The vacuum tubes can be formed of a shape-memory material such that the tubes point radially outwardly of the shell assembly when the tubes are in the deployed position.
US09681867B2
The invention concerns an implant for adjusting the position of at least one tissue holder (6) for soft tissue, whereby this implant can be fixed to bone tissue at a distance from said tissue holder (6) and has a guide (3) for an elongate pulling member (4), whereby this pulling member (4) is connected to said tissue holder (6), and whereby the implant includes a fixing element (10) which can be moved between a fixing position in which the pulling member (4) is clamped by the fixing element (10) and a free position in which said pulling member (4) can freely move through said guide (3), characterized in that said fixing element (10) cooperates with a control element (14) which makes it possible to move this fixing element (10) between said fixing position and said free position when the implant is attached to said bone tissue and when the implant is covered with soft tissue such as muscle tissue or skin tissue.
US09681863B2
A retractor having a pair of blades is disclosed. A ring having an opening is attached to one end of the blades. The blades define a channel therebetween. The blades may be pivotally coupled to the ring. The retractor may have at least two conditions. In a first condition, the retractor is insertable through an incision in a patient's skin to an operative site. In a second condition, the retractor may be manipulated for retracting tissue surrounding the operative site. Instruments, prostheses, or tissue may be inserted or removed through the channel of the retractor.
US09681856B2
A method for real-time fusion of a 2D cardiac ultrasound image with a 2D cardiac fluoroscopic image includes acquiring real time synchronized US and fluoroscopic images, detecting a surface contour of an aortic valve in the 2D cardiac ultrasound (US) image relative to an US probe, detecting a pose of the US probe in the 2D cardiac fluoroscopic image, and using pose parameters of the US probe to transform the surface contour of the aortic valve from the 2D cardiac US image to the 2D cardiac fluoroscopic image.
US09681852B2
The disclosure provides medical devices comprising improved coatings for ultrasound detection, which provide optimal ultrasound images. Methods for preparing such devices are also provided.
US09681847B2
There is provided a portable cadmium zinc telluride image identification system that uses an X-ray source with a novel sensing mitt that can be worn or held by the user. The sensing mitt is connected to a display that may be a stand-alone display, worn as glasses or otherwise integrated into the sensing mitt. The sensing mitt contains a detector array such as, but not limited to, a cadmium zinc telluride crystal or a plurality of crystals in a matrix. A collimator is placed in front of the sensing surface of the cadmium zinc telluride crystal and a processor is used to convert a representation of the electrical signals received from the cadmium zinc telluride crystal or similar detector array into display signals that are used by the display to provide an image of the subject of interest.
US09681837B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for performing objective examination of central sensitization, in particular, a system for objectively determining the presence or absence of central sensitization in a chronic pain patient. The present invention provides a device for diagnosing the presence or absence of central sensitization, the device including: stimulation output means for outputting thermal stimulation which can be perceived by a subject; first input means capable of inputting a measurement start signal; second input means capable of inputting a measurement end signal; and measurement control means for measuring time between an input signal from the first input means and an input signal from the second input means. The measurement control means determines that the central sensitization is present when the time between the input signal from the first input means and the input signal from the second input means is longer than t seconds (where t represents 30 seconds or more and less than 90 seconds).
US09681836B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for detecting seizure events are disclosed, having at least one accelerometer to be positioned on a patient and configured to collect acceleration data and a processor in communication with the at least one accelerometer and configured to receive acceleration data from the at least one accelerometer. The processor may apply at least one non-linear operator to the acceleration data to determine whether the acceleration data indicates an event, such application including calculation of a non-linear energy of the acceleration data and performance of at least one secondary analysis to determine whether the event is a seizure.
US09681832B2
A measurement apparatus includes a cooling device including two separated, different substances exhibiting an endothermic reaction when combined to decrease a temperature of the cooling device and a contacting mechanism to contact an assay surface with the cooling device. The apparatus includes a temperature measurement device to measure a temperature of the assay surface and an infrared radiation detector to measure infrared radiation emitted or absorbed. A data processor is configured to determine a concentration of a substance in the subject's body using the measured temperature and the infrared radiation. A measurement method includes using the cooling device and decreasing a temperature of the assay surface to a lower temperature, then measuring a temperature of the assay surface during an increase of the temperature. An infrared radiation detector measures infrared radiation emitted from or absorbed by the assay surface during the temperature increase from the lower temperature.
US09681820B2
The invention generally relates to systems for measuring impedance change in order to detect a condition. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems for monitoring tissue and detecting a condition that include at least one energy source, a transduction unit, and a pattern recognition component that compares impedance signatures recorded from the transduction unit with a database of impedance signatures associated with medical conditions.
US09681819B2
Method of determining atrial fibrillation including determining if a patient's pulse beats form an irregular pattern and only if so, indicating the presence of an irregular pulse to the patient and obtaining an electrocardiogram for determining atrial fibrillation. Initially, a pulse is detected at regular time intervals of a first appendage of the patient when motionless using a pulse detector secured to the first appendage and pulse rhythms from a succession of time intervals are detected each corresponding to a respective interval of time between successive pulse beats of a sequence of the pulse beats. Then, an electrically conductive unit is attached to a second appendage of the patient, or a wearable electrocardiogram is attached to the patient, and electrocardiograms signals are detected simultaneously with pulse rhythms while the first appendage is motionless and analyzed to determine whether, in combination, they are indicative of atrial fibrillation. If so, an indication of atrial fibrillation is provided at least to the patient.
US09681817B2
A method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, identifying at least one of the electrodes not in direct contact with the anatomical structure, and adjusting the activation signals sensed by each of the plurality of electrodes based on the activation signals sensed by the identified at least one of the electrodes not in direct contact with the anatomical structure.
US09681812B2
The invention relates to an optical device for measuring a heart rate of a user. Said optical device comprises: —two light sources (1,2) for emitting light into the skin of the user, —a sensor (3) for sensing the light signals emitted by each of the two light sources and reflected through the skin of the user so as to determine the heart rate of the user. The two light sources (1,2) are situated at different distances from the sensor such that the light signals received from each of the two light sources have a different penetration depth into the skin.
US09681807B2
Systems and methods for processing, transmitting and displaying data received from an analyte sensor, such as a glucose sensor, are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method for transmitting data between a first communication device associated with an analyte sensor and a second communication device configured to provide user access to sensor-related information comprises: activating a transceiver of a first communication device associated with an analyte sensor at a first time; and establishing a two-way communication channel with the second communication device; wherein the activating comprises waking the transceiver from a low power sleep mode using a forced wakeup from the second communication device.
US09681805B2
A new device, called Afferent Pupil Tester, designed for close up and magnified examination of both pupils at the same time, superimposed, as they react to direct and consensual light, comprises of high plus lenses, measuring grid, bright LED lights controlled with momentary switches, UV lights controlled by momentary switches, batteries, built-in camera and/or external camera, detachable facemask, and a sturdy casing.
US09681804B2
A hybrid optical system for a head wearable display includes a central vision lens and a peripheral vision lens. The central vision lens approximately aligns with a cornea of a user to provide lensing to a central vision of the user when the user is looking straight forward. The peripheral vision lens, different than the central vision lens, provides lensing to an extended field of view that extends angularly beyond the central vision lensed by the central vision lens when the user is looking straight forward. The peripheral vision lens is disposed around the central vision lens. The peripheral vision lens has a co-incident optical center with the central vision lens but the central vision lens is offset from a physical center of the peripheral vision lens.
US09681800B2
A phoropter having a line of sight for a viewer to see through comprises a lens system in the line of sight, wherein a shape or focal length of at least one lens in the lens system is controllable by means of an electrical signal, electrical field or current. Wavefront sensors of the phoropter detect local tilts of light wavefronts emerging from the eye and generate output signals that are used for controlling the shape or focal length of the at least one lens. Holographic or diffractive elements are used to collect light scattered from an eye of the viewer and image the scattered light to the wavefront sensors. Preferably one or more of the holographic or diffractive elements are away from the line of sight of the viewer. To use the phoropter, light is passed to the lens system, and light scattered by the eye is collected by the holographic or diffractive elements and imaged onto the wavefront sensors.
US09681797B2
A video endoscope including: a endoscope shaft; a hermetically enclosed video-optical unit arranged in the endoscope shaft, wherein the video-optical unit comprises an enclosure including a substantially cylindrical, hermetically sealed housing having a distally arranged entry window, an objective lens, an image sensor unit, and one or more signal lines, the housing being connected to an outer jacket tube in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the image sensor unit is mounted in the housing rotatably about a longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft and comprises at least one image sensor, wherein, in order to rotate the image sensor unit, a magnetic coupling with an outer magnet and an inner magnet operationally connected to the outer magnet in a magnetic manner, is arranged in the area of the distal tip of the endoscope shaft.
US09681796B2
A surgical device includes a plurality of cameras integrated therein. The view of each of the plurality of cameras can be integrated together to provide a composite image. A surgical tool that includes an integrated camera may be used in conjunction with the surgical device. The image produced by the camera integrated with the surgical tool may be associated with the composite image generated by the plurality of cameras integrated in the surgical device. The position and orientation of the cameras and/or the surgical tool can be tracked, and the surgical tool can be rendered as transparent on the composite image. A surgical device may be powered by a hydraulic system, thereby reducing electromagnetic interference with tracking devices.
US09681794B2
Embodiments of a system and method for processing and recognizing non-contact types of human input to prevent contamination are generally described herein. In example embodiments, human input is captured, recognized, and used to provide active input for control or data entry into a user interface. The human input may be provided in variety of forms detectable by recognition techniques such as speech recognition, gesture recognition, identification recognition, and facial recognition. In one example, the human input recognition techniques are used in connection with a device cleaning workflow used to obtain data and human input during cleaning procedures while minimizing cross-contamination between the contaminated device or person and other objects or persons. In another example, the human input recognition techniques are used in connection with a device tracking workflow used to obtain data and human input while tracking interactions with and locations of the contaminated or uncontaminated device.
US09681791B2
The invention proposes a domestic appliance having a drying apparatus, such as a dishwasher, a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, wherein the drying apparatus (8) has a contact space (8, 14) for establishing contact between drying air which originates from a working space (11) in the domestic appliance and a hygroscopic liquid (4) which is provided for drying purposes, in which domestic appliance effective drying is possible in a comparatively short time. According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least one nozzle (15, 16) for atomizing the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) and/or for sprinkling the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) is provided.
US09681786B2
A vacuum cleaner comprising a main body and a cyclonic separating apparatus. The separating apparatus comprises a dirt collection chamber and a baffle arrangement, and is mounted within the main body such that a first part of the dirt collection chamber is obscured and a second part of the dirt collection chamber is visible during normal use. The baffle arrangement is positioned within the dirt collection chamber such that, during use, an airflow moving within the dirt collection chamber is disrupted by the baffle arrangement causing dirt to collect preferentially in the second part.
US09681780B2
A fluid dispensing system, fluid reservoir, refill container for refilling the fluid reservoir, and method of refilling the fluid reservoir are provided. The fluid dispensing system includes a refill connection port or nozzle to which a refill container is connected when refilling the fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir includes a piston head and an actuator for moving the piston head in a first direction and in a second direction. When the piston head is moved in the first direction, the fluid within the fluid reservoir is pressurized, causing the fluid to be dispensed through an outlet of the fluid reservoir. When the piston head is moved in the second direction, a vacuum is created within the fluid reservoir that draws fluid, from the refill container, into the fluid reservoir. The fluid dispensing system includes a valve to enable multiple refill containers to be coupled to the nozzle and/or the refill connection port.
US09681779B2
A dispenser for dispensing a fluid. The dispenser includes a shank for penetrating a countertop opening and having a filling end. A reservoir is in communication with the shank and is coupled to the shank and extends below a lower end of the shank, such that when a fluid is provided at the filling end of the shank it will flow into the reservoir through the shank along a path. The dispenser also includes a pump and a spout coupled to the pump extending above the shank.
US09681775B2
An apparatus usable in a kettle- or kamado-style grill instead of a conventional cooking grate. The apparatus includes a cooking surface support configured for support in a base of the grill in lieu of the conventional grate, and a complementary cooking surface supportable on the cooking surface support. The cooking surface support defines open fuel ports providing access to the fuel chamber. The apparatus may include a secondary fuel basket positionable within an open fuel port. An alternative apparatus comprises a unitary body adapted to be supported in the bottom portion of the cooking grill. The unitary body comprises a structural support portion configured to abut a bottom portion of the grill, and a cooking support portion spanning more than 50% of the area of the unitary body. The unitary body defines at least one open fuel port permit admission of additional fuel to the bottom of the grill.
US09681765B2
An apparatus for encouraging children to eat meals through the use of interactive lights and audio is provided. In one embodiment is a bowl with lights embedded on its outer surface, capable of being illuminated by a controller in various lighting sequences. Also included is an audio speaker capable of reproducing audio stored in an internal controller. In other embodiments are a tray and dishes that use light and audio adapted for their specific application.
US09681763B2
A privacy screen apparatus can include an upper member having a first end and a second end, at least one first leg connected to the first end of the upper member, at least one second leg connected to the second end of the upper member, and a bendable body connected to the upper member adjacent to a first edge of the body and adjacent to a second edge of the body to define a pouch or channel below the upper member. Cords, cables, or wiring can be positioned in the pouch or channel. The bendable body may also hang from the upper member to provide a visible barrier to provide privacy.
US09681760B1
A hang tab can be configured into a plurality of different positions that allow the merchandise with which it is used to be display in different configurations. The hang tab can be configured in an extended position for hanging the merchandise and a collapsed position wherein the merchandise is going to be placed on a shelf. In one configuration, the hang tab includes a body defined by a hook portion and a base portion. The hook portion is pivotably mounted to the base portion. One of the hook and base portion includes at least one locking tab with the other of the hook and base portion defining at least one locking recess. When the locking tab is received in the locking recess, the position of the hang tab is fixed with the locking tab in the extended position that allows the hang tab to hang from a hook.
US09681757B2
The present invention is generally directed to systems related to sleeping, playing and provision of non-toxic environments, components related to those systems, and methods involving the systems or components. It is more particularly directed to systems, components and methods that aid early infant cognitive development, improve ventilation inside a crib, promote fresh and/or odor free air, promote thermoregulation and homeostasis, protect the person using the systems, components and methods from biological toxins, and create healthy sleeping environments for infants, toddlers, children and adults. One sleep system according to the present invention includes a cover, a core, and a bottom. The cover includes at least two raised areas. The raised areas have one or more heights ranging from 0.125 inch to 5.0 inches and diameters ranging of 0.25 to 10.0 inches.
US09681746B1
Disclosed is a platform on desktop with elevation function, including a primary desktop, a primary desktop, an elevation assembly securely mounted to the primary desktop, and a secondary desktop securely mounted to the elevation assembly. The elevation assembly includes opposite arranged first and elevation frames. A positioning assembly includes a positioning member having spaced positioning holes to selectively receive an end of an upper guide pin mounted to a bar of the elevation assembly. A pull handle assembly is rotatably coupled to the positioning member for selectively disengaging the upper guide pin from the positioning member so as to allow the elevation frame to raise or lower down.
US09681745B2
A portable detachable counter extension system uniquely mounts on top of an already existing surface including but not limited to a counter, bookshelf, radiator cover, bathroom vanity or any other suitable existing suitable surface.
US09681744B2
A toothbrush uses light to deliver an oral care benefit such as the detection of plaque or the whitening of teeth. In one embodiment, a toothpaste formulation contains ultraviolet brighteners as a whitening ingredient that has a whitening or bleaching effect when in contact with ultraviolet radiation. The activation of the brighteners may occur through the use of a toothbrush having a UV source. In yet another embodiment, a toothpaste formulation contains an oxidizing agent as a whitening ingredient, the activation of which occurs through the use of a toothbrush having a source of light energy which includes LEDs in the bristle field.
US09681742B2
A scrubber is formed with a plurality of bristles and can be inserted into a bottle or similar vessel for cleaning. Several such scrubbers can be inserted into a single bottle such that the bottle can be shaken to allow the scrubber balls to reach all of the surfaces on the interior of the bottle.
US09681738B1
A flexible carrying strap device for flexibly securing and carrying a flat, elongated object includes a pair of straps each forming a respective loop configured to extend around a flat, elongated object. The opposite ends of a front handle are coupled to the respective loops defining front junctions. The opposite ends of a back handle are coupled to the respective loops defining back junctions. The device also comprises a pair of bands each having opposing termini. The opposing termini of each the pair of bands are coupled to and extend between one of the front junctions and a respective one of the back junctions. One of each of a pair of connectors is coupled to a respective one of the pair of straps. Each of the pair of straps is couplable to a respective one of the connectors to form the respective loops.
US09681734B2
A mascara application system includes an applicator for mascara and a mascara container. The applicator may include two brushes, and have a reverse tweezers arrangement, by which the brushes may be spaced apart from one another when pressure is applied to a handle portion of the applicator, and the brushes may be positioned adjacent to one another when no pressure is applied to the handle portion. An optional applicator container may hold a handle portion of the applicator, while enabling its actuation to operate the applicator. The mascara container, which holds mascara and is configured to receive the brushes, may include a separate portal for each brush, as well as a squeegee or other element for removing excess mascara from each brush. Methods for applying mascara to lashes are also disclosed.
US09681719B2
A mobile device and wallet case having a continuous inelastic frame conforming to the shape of a mobile device and having one or more apertures. The frame includes a foot on one side to assist in the insertion of the mobile device. The case can include transverse structures integrally formed with the frame and configured to attach a 5 hollow-core door sized for storage. When open, the door functions as a stand for a mobile device in both the vertical position and horizontal position and bosses provide resistance to the door opening. The door can include a thumb slider aperture. The case can include a latch comprised of a frame coupled protuberance and a tooth having a female receiving recess configured to receive the protuberance. The frame 10 inside and top edge of the frame is lined with an elastomeric liner that can extend through the button apertures.
US09681706B2
An article of footwear may include various first strands and second strands. The cutting and second strands may extend from an area proximal to lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure. The first strands may have a substantially vertical orientation and the second strands may have a rearwardly-angled orientation. The first strands may be located in a midfoot region of the footwear and the second strands may be located in both the midfoot region and a heel region of the footwear. Angles between the first strands and the second strands may be at least 40 degrees. Additionally, the second strands may have at least fifty percent greater tensile strength than the first strands.
US09681693B1
A hair system includes a thin skin hair unit having adhesive pre-applied to the inside surface, a sheet of silicone is located on a dome shaped form, and the hair unit is located on the form and silicone layer for storage, shipping to the client, and removal and use by the client.
US09681691B1
A novel brassiere includes an outer fabric garment comprising a shoulder strap and a back strap and a monolithic and contiguous breast support that may comprise a molded polymer material. The monolithic and contiguous polymer breast support includes a décolletage region, two breast cups, and an inter-breast region. An inter-breast thickness of the molded polymer material is at least four times greater than the thickness in the décolletage region or in either of the breast cups. The outward surfaces of the inter-breast and décolletage regions are preferably not convex.
US09681689B2
A sleeve cuff is provided for a sleeve comprising an anterior patch affixed to the sleeve and covering at least a portion of a cutout in the sleeve, a distal strap affixed to the sleeve and spanning over at least a portion of a cutout in the sleeve, and the distal strap overlapping at least a portion of the anterior patch to form an aperture for receiving a thumb therethrough. The sleeve cuff has a plurality of configurations, including at least a closed configuration where the aperture is closed and minimizes the wearer's exposure to wind and air elements therethrough, and an opened configuration where the aperture is opened and minimizes the air penetration around the received thumb.
US09681688B1
An e-vaping device includes a battery section, an e-vaping tank capable of holding a liquid material, and an adapter connecting the battery section to the e-vaping tank. The adapter includes a heater capable of vaporizing the liquid material, and a wick capable of drawing the liquid material from the e-vaping tank to the heater. The adapter is connected to the e-vaping tank and the power source section via threaded connections. The threaded connections between the adapter and the battery section have threads with a non-standard pitch.
US09681685B1
A pipe that has a machined body that accepts a standard disposable type lighter. A mouthpiece fits in the bottom of the machined body. The mouthpiece has a tube that collects smoke from the bowl and also has a flared end so the smoker can extract the smoke. The end of the mouthpiece is also used to secure the lighter in place. Once assembled, the user fills the bowl of the pipe, pushes the lighter forward to ignite it and draws the flame into the bowl to light the pipe. Once lit, the user releases the lighter and can then smoke normally.
US09681683B2
A feeder device of products with reduced longitudinal dimensions in machines for the tobacco industry comprises a main feeder roller which rotates continuously and which has a plurality of active peripheral flutes acting to hold a respective product; the main roller is designed to pass the products on to respective flutes on corresponding handling rollers of a main line of feed of the products in the machine the device is associated with; the device comprises means for continuously filling the peripheral flutes of the main roller, the filling means comprising a plurality of feeding and passing-on means, in particular at least first means and second means for feeding and passing on corresponding groups of the products to corresponding groups of flutes located one after the other on the main roller.
US09681682B2
An apparatus for filling trays with rod-shaped smokers articles comprises a station for filling the trays, a conveying apparatus for directing the smokers' articles in bulk to the filling station, a first conveyor assembly for directing the empty trays in succession to the filling station, and a second conveyor assembly for removing the full trays in succession from the filling station; the conveying apparatus has an outlet in communication with the filling station, and the apparatus comprises a delivery device for delivering the smokers' articles, in communication with the outlet and insertable into each tray to be filled, and a movement device for reciprocally moving the delivery device and each tray while the tray is being filled.
US09681680B1
A food condiment slice, method of using, composition and method for making, and methods for manufacturing are described. The food condiment slices are used with sandwiches, other food products, and beverages. The food condiment slices may have different structures such as face-fused, side-fused, face-fused-side-fused, woven, and chopped. The food condiment slices are formed from condiments such as catsup, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, steak sauce, jellies, jam, preserves, butter, margarine, marinades, creamers, and syrups. More than one food condiment can be integrated into a single food condiment slice. The food condiment slices eliminate the need and inconvenience of using and carrying spreadable, squeezable, and pourable food condiments. Also included are beverage condiment slices or discs such as coffee or tea dairy and non-dairy creamers.
US09681679B2
A sorting table for separating fruits from foreign bodies has at least one set of rollers revolvingly mounted in a frame. Each roller has a shaft with an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the frame. The sorting table has adjustment means intended to adjust the distance between the axes of rotation of the rollers according to the dimensions of the fruits to be selected.
US09681676B2
Methods and systems for preparing soft or firm/semi-hard cheese are provided, as well as soft or firm/semi-hard cheese prepared by the methods. The methods typically involve the formation of a slurry that contains blended or molten cheese curd. A variety of ingredients can be introduced into the curd used to prepare the slurry, the slurry that is formed, or at other stages along the manufacturing process to tailor the performance and nutritional characteristics of the final cheese product. The slurry in some methods is directly processed to form a final cheese product. In other methods, the slurry undergoes various types of processing to achieve certain desired composition or performance requirements.
US09681673B1
A bolt tool system includes a tool housing, a bolt guide, a bolt, an activator, a pin casing, and a lock pin. The bolt guide is attached to the tool housing. The bolt is moveably received within the bolt guide for movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The activator is moveably received on the bolt guide for movement between a safe position and a fire position. In the fire position, the bolt is moveable from the retracted position to the extended position. The pin casing has a passage in communication with an aperture formed in the activator. The lock pin is slidably received within the pin casing. The lock pin is moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the lock pin retains the activator in the fire position.
US09681670B2
This invention relates to a precision weighing system for transporting or moving portions of dough with a dividing slider (2) in a device for portioning and processing dough, wherein the system has a rotatably mounted, in particular pivotally mounted, first pivoting lever (11), and a rotatably mounted, in particular pivotally mounted, second pivoting lever (12), wherein the second pivoting lever (12) carries an actuating projection (18) for the reciprocating motion of the dividing slider (2), and the first pivoting lever (11) can be pivoted about the pivot bearing thereof by a drive, wherein an air bellows (4) is disposed between the first pivoting lever (11) and the second pivoting lever (12), the volume and/or shape of said air bellows being variable by compressed air admission, and which specifies the distance between the opposing lever arms of the two pivoting levers (11, 12).
US09681661B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling parasitic weeds, comprising applying to the host plant, the weeds and/or their habitat herbicidal mixtures or compositions comprising one, two or three acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor(s) and one, two or three plant growth regulator(s) (PGR) which act as ethylene modulators. The present invention also relates to a method for improving the yield of the crop plant comprising applying to the host plant, and/or their habitat mixtures comprising components as defined herein. The present invention also relates to herbicidal mixtures comprising one, two or three acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor(s) selected from imazamox or tribenuron-methyl and one, two or three plant growth regulator(s) (PGR) selected from prohexadione, prohexadione-calcium, trinexapac or trinexapac-ethyl, compositions comprising said mixtures and their use for the control of parasitic weeds.
US09681660B2
Disclosed is a wood preservative composition comprising: an ester of boric acid; pentachlorophenol (PCP); and American Wood Preservative Association's (AWPA) P9 Type A solvent. The composition is useful for reducing insect and microbial decay in wood. Further disclosed are methods of making and using such compositions.
US09681657B2
A decoy comprising: (a) an anchor device comprising: (i) a crank; (ii) a spool connected to the crank; and (iii) a locking member located proximate to the spool, wherein a gap separates the spool and the locking member and the gap in a locked position is sufficiently small so that the spool is prevented from rotating and the gap in a deployment position is sufficiently large so that the spool free rotates; (b) an anchor; and (c) an anchor line connecting the anchor to the spool so that the spool in the locked position assists in retracting the anchor and in the deployment position allows the anchor to deploy.
US09681652B2
Disclosed herein is a clasp hanger for hanging. The clasp hanger includes a hanger hook comprised of an elongated part. The hanger hook has a hanger hook section and a neck section opposite the hook section. The neck section is expandable to allow the clasp hanger to be quickly hung on a support object such as a branch. The clasp hanger further includes an object attachment device attached to the neck section of the hanger hook. This object attachment device is configured for attaching an object to be hung. The object may be, for example, configured to dispense a chemical or formulation useful in agricultural pest management. The hanger hook, and object attachment device are disposed such that, after the support object is pushed through the neck, the hanger hook will automatically rotate such that the support object is disposed at an interior part of the hanger hook that is away from the neck section. This prevents the support object from passing back through the neck section.
US09681651B2
A fishing sinker consisting of a cloth bag which is open at the top. The bag is partially filled and then the upper part of the bag is gathered together and closed by means of an eye pin and rubber band attached to the eye of the eye pin. The eye pin is laid across the gathered fabric then the rubber band is pulled around the gathered fabric and over the end of the eye pin to provide closure. The bag can thus be emptied and retrieved by pulling firmly on the fishing line, which is also attached to the metal pin, which is tethered to the bottom of the bag.
US09681645B2
A structure for attracting and accumulating aquatic organisms that is a simple, inexpensive, non-degradable unit, easy to assemble and use, as well as easy to retrieve and move for use in a different location, formed of a central 4″ PVC pipe having cut outs through which are inserted bar slats made of solid, generally rigid, 100% PVC material. The bar installation is a compressed fit into the cut-out sections of pipe, forming a compress fit, self-expanding, spring-lock design. Holes may be drilled in each end of the central pipe so that a hook may be inserted in one end, allowing the habitat structure to be hung from a dock or tethered to another stationary object, or retrieved with a boat hook for ease in removal and relocation. Alternatively, the use of coupling connections permits joining one habitat structure to another in order to form a larger habitat structure.
US09681642B2
The invention relates to a chewable object for carnivorous pets. The inventive object (1) is provided with an elongated shape and comprises a chewable, edible and digestible substance. The invention is characterised in that the shape of the object (1) comprises at least two dihedrals (d1, d2) having edges (a1, a2) which essentially extend along the entire length of the object.
US09681637B2
A crowd gate control system includes a holding pen for dairy livestock, wherein the holding pen is adjacent to an entrance to a milking parlor. The system further includes a crowd gate positioned at a side of the holding pen. The crowd gate moves in relation to the entrance to the milking parlor. A controller is initiates a first mode of operation of the crowd gate prior to the crowd gate reaching the entrance to the milking parlor. The first mode of operation is a pre-forward reverse step. The crowd gate moves away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance.
US09681630B1
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV492277. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV492277, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV492277 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 CV492277 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 CV492277.
US09681626B1
Disclosed is the seed of a novel soybean variety, designated 36Y14Y1, a sample of which is deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-123694. Also disclosed are plants, or parts thereof, grown from the seed of the variety, plants having the morphological and physiological characteristics of the 36Y14Y1 variety, and methods of using the plant or parts thereof in a soybean breeding program.
US09681624B2
A soybean cultivar designated 36211415 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 36211415, to the plants of soybean cultivar 36211415, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 36211415, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 36211415. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 36211415. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 36211415, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 36211415 with another soybean cultivar.
US09681621B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1DG1 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1DG1 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1DG1 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1DG1 or a locus conversion of PH1DG1 with another maize variety.
US09681619B1
A wheat cultivar designated TW300-001 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds and plants of wheat cultivar TW300-001, and to methods for producing wheat seeds and plants by crossing wheat cultivar TW300-001 with itself or another wheat cultivar or wheat plant not designated a cultivar. The invention also relates to methods for producing seeds and plants of wheat cultivar TW300-001 containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic wheat plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to methods for producing seeds and plants by mutagenesis of wheat cultivar TW300-001. The invention also relates to hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing wheat cultivar TW300-001 with another wheat cultivar.
US09681618B2
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato line FDR-9Q09166 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato line FDR-9Q09166 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09681615B2
Various embodiments disclosed herein include systems, methods, compositions, and products by process for Rapid-breeding of plants. In certain embodiments, the systems and/or methods are at least partially automated.
US09681611B2
A pot for use with system for controlling soil moisture in a plurality of potted plants to perform water deficit experiments includes a body portion having an open top end and a bottom end, and a flange coupled to the body portion adjacent the top end. The flange is configured to engage a platform to hold the body portion within an opening of the platform. The pot also includes a fluid reservoir having a bottom portion located adjacent the bottom end of the body portion, a plurality of vertically extending fluid channels extending upwardly toward the top end of the body portion, a fill opening located at the bottom end of the body portion in communication with the bottom portion of the fluid reservoir, and a check valve coupled to the fill opening to permit fluid to be supplied to the fluid reservoir from the bottom end of the body portion through fill opening and the check valve.
US09681610B2
An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.
US09681607B2
A combine harvester including a frame and a twin rotor crop processor mounted to the frame. The processor comprises a pair of axial-flow crop processing rotors arranged side-by-side and each being mounted for rotation inside a generally cylindrical rotor housing. Each rotor housing includes a curved cover plate. Each cover plate has a structure that includes a flange along a longitudinal edge for securing the plate to a central frame member between the rotor housings. Both flanges intersect a hypothetical vertical plane aligned with the frame member.
US09681601B2
An agricultural row unit includes a gauge wheel that engages the soil to control the elevation of the row unit; a soil-engaging tool mounted to permit vertical movement of the tool relative to the row unit; a hydraulic cylinder having a movable rod and containing a pressurized hydraulic fluid for applying a down force to the the tool to urge the tool into the soil; an uplift accumulator housed within the rod and exposed to the hydraulic fluid to permit upward movement of the tool in response to increased resistance by the soil to downward movement of the tool, while applying a force resisting upward movement of the tool; and a down pressure accumulator coupled to the hydraulic cylinder to permit downward movement of the tool in response to decreased resistance by the soil to downward movement of the tool, while applying a force resisting downward movement of the tool.
US09686894B2
A size S1 of each of projections 32b provided on an outer perimeter of a sprocket 32 in a proceeding direction of a tape member 20 at a height where each of the projections 32b is engaged with each of feed holes 22 of the tape member 20 is larger than a diameter D of each of the feed holes 22 of the tape member 20, and a size S2 of each of the projections 32b in a direction perpendicular to the proceeding direction of the tape member 20 at a height where each of the projections 32b is engaged with each of the feed holes 22 of the tape member 20 is smaller than the diameter D of each of the feed holes 22 of the tape member 20.
US09686888B2
A heat dissipation lid that includes a plate having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and at least one sidewall extending from the plate second surface. The heat dissipation lid also includes at least one fluid delivery conduit and at least one fluid removal conduit, each extending between the plate first and second surface, and at least one spacing projection extending from the plate second surface to establish and maintain a desired distance between the plate second surface and a microelectronic device, when the heat dissipation lid is positioned to remove heat from the microelectronic device.
US09686887B2
The present disclosure further contemplates a system and method that cools metal core printed circuit boards by circulating a liquid coolant so that it contacts the base metal of the metal core printed circuit board. In one example the present disclosure contemplates a direct liquid cooled MCPCB system that may include a liquid cavity creating component coupled to the base plate of a MCPCB allowing a liquid coolant to come into contact with the base plate of the MCPCB for cooling of the MCPCB. The direct liquid cooled MCPCB system may minimize thermal bottlenecks between the electrical components and the cooling fluid while reducing the number of components required in previous liquid cooled electronics systems.
US09686883B2
Modular elements employing latches with flexure bearings are disclosed. A modular element may include a chassis body supporting electronic components. The body is in communication with a latch and a control member of the modular element. The modular element is removable from or secured to an enclosure using the latch. The latch may engage the enclosure and may remain engaged by being secured by interfacing with a catch of an arm of the control member. By connecting the arm to the control body with a flexure bearing, the flexure bearing may urge the catch into a detent of the latch to secure the latch and keep the modular element secured to the enclosure. The latch may be disengaged from the control member by removing the catch from the detent. In this manner, the modular element is efficiently secured and removed from the enclosure.
US09686882B2
A modular data center includes a first alignment component, and a second alignment component. The first alignment component is mounted at a first location on a floor of the modular data center, and is configured to align a cabinet rack within a rack slot of the modular data center. The second alignment component is mounted at a second location on the floor, and is configured be placed in physical communication with the cabinet rack in response to the cabinet rack being fully inserted in the rack slot.
US09686879B2
An electronic device and a glass sealing method used therefor, with which a sufficient joint strength can be acquired only with the use of a glass sealing material without using an activated brazing material is provided. A crystal device includes an element loading member, lid member, a crystal vibration element, and a glass sealing material. The glass sealing material is provided in a ring-like form between the fringe of the lid member on a main surface side and the fringe of the element loading member on a main surface side, and keeps a space in vacuum.
US09686876B2
A display for a construction machine includes: a metal case that is detachably supported on a construction machine frame via a universal joint (a joint member); a liquid crystal display (a display unit) that is attached to the metal case; and a control board that is attached to the metal case and is configured to perform a display control on the liquid crystal display.
US09686870B2
The present disclosure relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic device packages and, more particularly, to microelectronic device packages having bumpless build-up layer (BBUL) designs, wherein at least one secondary device is disposed within the thickness (i.e. the z-direction or z-height) of the microelectronic device of the microelectronic device package.
US09686862B2
A capacitor in a multilayer printed circuit board is described. The capacitor may include a via of a via-in-pad type and a dielectric mixture filled in the via of the via-in-pad type. The via may be disposed under an integrated circuit contact pad of the multilayer printed circuit board. The dielectric mixture may include a nanoparticle-sized dielectric powder mixed with an adhesive material.
US09686855B2
An embodiment of an multilayer ceramic capacitor with interposer includes: an interposer 20 having an insulated substrate 21, two first conductor pads 22, two second conductor pads 23 and two conductor vias 24 connecting the first conductor pads 22 and second conductor pads 23; and a multilayer ceramic capacitor 10 having external electrodes 12 that are each connected to each first conductor pad 22 of the interposer 20 via solder SOL. Each conductor via 24 of the interposer 20 has a through hole 24a inside, and a void GA not filled with the solder SOL is present in each through hole 24a on the second conductor pad 23 side. The multilayer ceramic capacitor with interposer is capable of suppressing noise due to electrostriction.
US09686838B2
A light fixture can include at least one light fixture component comprising at least one light source that emits a first level of fixture light. The light fixture can also include at least one sensor that measures a first total light amount at a first time of a first day, where the first total light amount includes the first level of fixture light and a first natural light amount. The light fixture can further include a controller coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one light fixture component, where the controller controls and communicates with at least one sensor. The controller can further control the at least one light fixture component based on the first total light amount measured by the at least one sensor at the first time of the first day.
US09686835B2
A fluorescent lamp-compatible LED lighting device which is used to a fluorescent lamp apparatus and includes a ballast stabilizer which applies a first discharge voltage when first and second coupling terminals of the fluorescent lamp are all connected to the fluorescent lamp apparatus and also applies second discharge voltage when first coupling terminal or second coupling terminal is connected to the fluorescent lamp apparatus, the fluorescent lamp-compatible LED light device comprising; first and second coupling members electrically connected to sockets of both sides of the fluorescent lamp apparatus, an electric shock protecting device selectively connected to the first coupling member or the second coupling member, a rectifying member for rectifying the outside alternating power source inputted through the first and second coupling members, an LED module having plural LEDs, and a driving member for driving the LED module based on the driving power source supplied from the rectifying member.
US09686829B2
A light emitting device current regulator circuit is disclosed. A light emitting device circuit has a first end for receiving light emitting device operation power, and a second end. The light emitting device current regulator circuit includes: an internal voltage generation circuit coupled to the second end, for generating an internal voltage according to a second end voltage to supply electrical power to the light emitting device current regulator circuit, wherein the supply voltage generation circuit includes a charge storage device for storing charges from the second end voltage to generate the supply voltage; and a current control circuit coupled to the second end, the current control circuit regulating the light emitting device current according to a control signal, wherein the control signal at least intermittently reduces the light emitting device current to zero or low current in order to raise the second end voltage.
US09686823B2
An electric heater for an automobile vehicle, with at least one heating element and with at least one circuit board, whereby the circuit board has at least one contact area through which an electrical connection between a heating element and a power supply can be realized. The heating element has at least one PTC-heating element, whereby the heating element can be clipped to the circuit board via a connector clip, and whereby the connector clip has two flexible extensions, which are arranged opposed to each other.
US09686819B2
A method for controlling access to a router is provided. The method includes: transmitting a first connection request for establishing a connection using a visitor identity to a router, wherein the first connection request comprises a user identification of a first terminal device; receiving indication information which is transmitted from a second terminal device, the indication information indicating that access to the router is permitted; and transmitting a second connection request for establishing a connection to the router, wherein the second connection request comprises the received indication information.
US09686818B2
In example embodiments disclosed herein, a primary wireless device infrequently sends a ping to a secondary device to determine if there are any communications from an access point intended for the primary wireless device. The secondary device, ideally connected to wall power, is wirelessly connected to the access point, acting as a connected proxy so that the primary wireless device, typically battery powered, does not always have to be connected. In a situation in which an incoming communication is intended for the primary device, the secondary device receives the notification and buffers whatever is sent from the access point intended for the primary wireless device and acknowledges the receipt. Then, when the primary wireless device pings the secondary device, the secondary device sends the buffered communication to the primary wireless device. As far as the access point is concerned, it thinks it is communicating directly with primary wireless device.
US09686810B2
A machine management system provides a system and method for communicating user data with a device connected to a network. The device may register for service by the network, causing the machine management system to establish a special communications path through the network when it is determined that the device is a machine device. Thereafter, user data transmitted by the machine device (or transmitted to the machine device) may be communicated using the special communications path. In certain embodiments, the special communications path may be established such that existing network elements are not involved in the transmission of communications with the machine devices, thereby minimizing the impact on implementing the system and method on existing network elements, alleviating the burden of serving these machine devices using existing network elements and permitting the implementation of device-specific services for machine devices.
US09686807B2
A device capability attribute regarding a setting on communication parameters, and provision attribute information indicative of whether or not a communication terminal is in a state that it can provide communication parameters to another communication terminal are stored in advance. The communication terminal, where the device capability attribute has at least a provision capability of the communication parameters, is selected as a provision device. In a case where there are plural communication terminals where the device capability attribute has a communication parameter provision capability, a communication terminal where the device capability attribute has the communication parameter provision capability only is preferentially selected. In a case where the device capability attributes of respective communication terminals are equal, a communication terminal storing the provision attribute information indicative of the state that it can provide the communication parameters is selected as a provision device.
US09686799B2
The embodiment of the present document provides a method for matching an interference channel codeword in an inter-cell multi-antenna coordinated system, including: a user equipment obtaining a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), or obtaining a SINR and a signal to noise ratio (SNR), and comparing the SINR, or the SINR and the SNR, with a preset threshold, generating coordinated multi-point transmission/reception (COMP) policy information according to a comparison result, and transmitting the COMP policy information to the base station. The present document further provides a user equipment.
US09686798B1
A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include ranking a plurality of downlink control information (DCI) messages according to a first rank criterion; ranking a plurality of allowable resource sets for each ranked DCI message according to a second rank criterion; and allocating resources for each ranked DCI message based, at least in part, on whether particular resources, which are to be allocated for a particular ranked DCI message, are collided, at least in part, with previously allocated resources for one or more other DCI messages.
US09686792B2
Techniques are described for automatically determining quasi-static per-link channel assignments for each radio in multiple-hop mesh networks having nodes with two or more radios and where only a small number of channels is available for use in the network. The method optimally assigns the channels to the radios of all of the nodes in the network so as to achieve the lowest interference among links and the highest possible bandwidth.
US09686787B2
Presented are methods and apparatus for decoupling transport and control (T&C) functions from a plurality of eNBs and collecting the T&C functions in a centralized entity for managing the T&C functions for a larger pool of eNBs. An enhanced interface and protocol is defined for allowing the new T&C pool entity to communicate with the eNBs over a shared IP based network. The redistributed functionality provides for optimizing both data compression capabilities and security by compressing data earlier in its transmission path and by encrypting data before it is sent to an eNB.
US09686783B1
Low latency wireless communication applications require highly dynamic allocation of resources. Providing allocation information on a highly dynamic basis increases the overhead of control signaling for allocation. A technique known as blind PDCCH decoding is used to reduce the control signaling overhead for allocation information. However, blind decoding occasionally may lead to invalid detection of allocation messages which in turn may lead to a number of problems such as wasted bandwidth, more power consumption, reduced throughput, etc. A method and apparatus are disclosed that may detect the invalid allocation messages and discard them which in turn may lead to detection of valid allocation messages for increased data throughput and reduced power consumption and improve the overall performance.
US09686765B2
A signal transmitted from a mobile device is received at a device. A change in angle-of-arrival (AoA) of the signal is computed as the mobile device moves from a first location to a second location. A first distance and a second distance of the mobile from the device corresponding to the first and second locations, respectively are computed. A displacement of the mobile device from the first location to the second location is computed based on mobility information provided by a sensor of the mobile device. A change in an angle of direct path (ANDP) of the signal is computed based on the first distance, the second distance, and the displacement. The ANDP is determined based on a comparison of the change in AoA to the change in ANDP.
US09686763B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for accessing a channel in a WLAN system. A method for synchronizing channels from a station (STA) in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving from an access point (AP) setting information with respect to an least one slot allowing channel access by the STA; receiving a synchronization frame from the AP from a slot boundary of the at least one slot; and synchronizing the channels on the basis of the synchronization frame, wherein the synchronization frame may be a null data packet (NDP) frame.
US09686761B2
Methods and apparatus for selecting samples for secondary synchronization signal (SSS) detection are described. Several alternatives are provided for efficient cell identifier detection. In a first alternative, multiple bursts of a signal received from a cell are sampled with non-uniform spacing between sampling intervals to determine a sequence for cell identification. In a second alternative, samples of a first and a second signal received from a stronger cell are cancelled, and a sequence for detecting a weaker cell is determined by reducing effects of the samples of a third signal received from the weaker cell which do not overlap with the primary synchronization signal (PSS) or SSS of the stronger cell. In a third alternative, a sequence for detecting a weaker cell is determined by reducing effects of any sampled bursts that correspond to a high transmission power portion of a signal from a stronger cell.
US09686759B2
A user equipment (UE) for performing uplink transmission power control is described. The UE includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. The UE determines that dual connectivity is configured with more than one cell group. The UE also determines if a total transmission power of the cell groups exceeds a maximum allowed transmission power of the UE. The UE further determines if the cell groups are asynchronized and whether look-ahead with processing time reduction is supported by the UE. The UE additionally determines an available transmission power in a subframe of a given cell group. The UE also transmits uplink (UL) channels in a subframe based on the available transmission power of the given cell group.
US09686756B2
There is provided a wireless communication apparatus which achieves high efficiency in power use in such a manner that transmission power is adequately distributed in simultaneous transmission to multiple base stations. The wireless communication apparatus provided by the present invention, at the same time, transmits a first data signal to a first base station apparatus by using a first CC and transmits a second data signal to a second base station apparatus by using a second CC. The wireless communication apparatus includes a transmission-power controller that scales transmission power by using different scaling factors for the first data signal and the second data signal, when the sum of transmission power of the first data signal and transmission power of the second data signal is larger than a predetermined value. The transmission power of the first data signal is calculated to obtain predetermined reception power in the first base station apparatus. The transmission power of the second data signal is calculated to obtain predetermined reception power in the second base station apparatus.
US09686747B1
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer-program products for charging a battery of a first mobile device from a battery of a second mobile device. In particular embodiments, a request is received identifying an amount of charge to provide from the battery of the second device to the battery of the first device. Accordingly, a determination is made as to whether the amount of charge requested is likely to result in a battery charge of the second device dropping below a threshold value before the battery of the device is recharged based on historical battery charge usage data of the device over a past period of time. If the amount of charge is not likely to result in the battery charge dropping below the threshold value, then the battery of the first device is charged with the amount of charge from the battery of the second device.
US09686746B2
A telematics terminal includes: a modem unit communicating with a telematics center; and a controller i) monitoring an amount of current consumption by the modem unit in a sleep mode in which the telematics terminal is operated at low power, ii) when the monitored amount of current consumption exceeds a designated current consumption amount and the modem unit is in danger of electrical discharge, transmitting a vehicle discharge danger message indicating a current position of the telematics terminal to the telematics center, and iii) when a vehicle control command corresponding to the vehicle discharge danger message is received from the telematics center, performing an operation corresponding to the vehicle control command.
US09686743B2
A method for a tracking device optimizing power to remain reachable for a desired period based on evaluated wide-area-network conditions. The tracking device may communicate via a power-intensive long-range transceiver and may continually measure service conditions related to network communications. The tracking device may periodically calculate statistical information describing the service conditions, such as a percentage of time in which the tracking device was out-of-network-service. Based on the statistics, the tracking device may operate in an optimization mode to conserve power when out-of-network-service. In an embodiment, the tracking device may calculate the statistics based on evaluation periods defined by predefined numbers of out-of-network-service occurrences, predefined time periods, and/or a hybrid of both. In an embodiment, the tracking device may conserve power in a power save state that alternates with another operating state in which the tracking device periodically evaluates criteria before either continuing to conserve power or utilize network resources.
US09686740B2
Systems and methods that enhance radio link performance in a multi-carrier environment. A method may be performed by a UE that includes scanning a plurality of carrier components for a primary cell, determining a first bandwidth of the primary cell, scanning for a secondary cell, determining a second bandwidth of the secondary cell, determining a maximum aggregated bandwidth by combining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth and when the maximum aggregated bandwidth exceeds a bandwidth capability of the UE, performing a cell selection procedure to select one of the primary cell or the secondary cell based on a higher of the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth.
US09686720B2
A method and system for a quality of service (QoS) point coordinator (PC) for a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is disclosed. For example, the PC includes a QoS management entity (QME) and an admission control entity (ACE). The QME receives at least one reservation request message that characterizes one of a QoS session and QoS application (session/application) that can be of a continuous/periodic flow type that is time sensitive, or can be of a discontinuous/bursty flow type that is time tolerant. The reservation request message contains at least one QoS parameter set and requests a resource of a communication channel in the BSS for the QoS session/application.
US09686719B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for a relay to indicate a transmission interval it wishes to be protected by a restricted access window (RAW) restricting transmission by other devices. An apparatus for wireless communications is provided herein. The apparatus generally includes a processing system that is configured to identify a transmission interval. The apparatus also includes a transmitter that is configured to transmit a request requesting a wireless node to establish a RAW for restricting network traffic during the transmission interval.
US09686708B2
A communication control method according to the present invention comprises: a step A of notifying, by UE 100 in a connected state, a MME/S-GW300 of RAT information on an MDT support RAT that is a radio access technology (RAT) on which the user terminal supports an MDT measurement; and a step B of setting to the UE 100, by network device, a PLMN (public land mobile network) list indicating a public land mobile network that permits MDT measurement, on the basis of RAT information.
US09686697B2
A device is configured to obtain base station information for base stations indicating whether data communicated via a respective base station should receive optimization processing. The device may obtain a base station identifier from a base station. The device may determine whether the data communicated via the base station should receive the optimization processing based on the base station information and the base station identifier. The device may receive non-optimized data to be sent to a client device via the base station. The device may selectively cause the optimization processing to be performed on the non-optimized data based on whether the data communicated via the base station should receive the optimization processing. The device may provide optimized data generated by the optimization processing or the non-optimized data to the client device via the base station based on selectively causing the optimization processing to be performed.
US09686688B2
A Long-Term Evolution-Unlicensed (LTE-U) access point (AP) is configured to operate wirelessly on any of multiple RF channels in an unlicensed frequency band. The AP detects other LTE-U APs and Wi-Fi APs operating on active ones of the multiple channels. The AP determines AP channel statistics for each detected AP. The AP determines, for each active channel, a per-channel metric based on the AP channel statistics. The AP ranks the active channels according to the corresponding per-channel metrics, and selects a best channel on which to transmit in the unlicensed frequency band from among the ranked active channels based on the rankings.
US09686687B2
A method and system for monitoring and processing a wireless signal are described. The method includes, if an authorized base station/Access Point (AP) receives a first abnormal signal from the terminal, which is identified as an unauthorized signal by a terminal, processing, by the authorized base station/AP, the first abnormal signal. If the authorized base station/Access Point (AP) receives a second abnormal signal from the terminal and the terminal cannot determine whether the second abnormal signal is the unauthorized signal or an authorized signal, identifying, by the authorized base station/AP, characteristics of the second signal and processing the second abnormal signal if the second abnormal signal is the unauthorized signal.
US09686685B2
Provided are a method of reinforcing the security of a beacon device and a system and apparatus thereof. In particular, the stability of security is increased by performing user authentication and encrypting data during communication with a beacon device, so that identification information of the beacon device may be changed by establishing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication after the beacon device and a terminal are connected. Also, a user can be exactly identified using a beacon signal and authenticated, thereby conveniently providing additional services. Also, the location of a terminal may be determined using a BLE beacon signal terminal to reduce resources consumed to measure the location of the terminal. A service device may simplify logic for extracting information to be applied to a service. That is, when various information is provided to a client's terminal that receives an identifier of a beacon device broadcast from the beacon device, information provided to the client's terminal may be prevented from being changed by an unauthorized person.
US09686683B2
Disclosed is a method for secure transmission of small data of a machine type communication (MTC) device group, comprising a process wherein an MTC device and an MTC-Interworking Function (MTC-IWF) generate a shared key KIWF on the basis of a GBA procedure, the MTC device and a bootstrapping server (BSF) performing AKA authentication: a home subscriber server (HSS) determines whether the MTC device belongs to the MTC device group and whether said device has small data transmission and reception capabilities; if said device belongs to said group and has said capabilities, an AKA authentication vector generated on the basis of the MTC device group key is sent to said BSF; the BSF carries out AKA authentication with the MTC device on the basis of the received AKA authentication vector. Also disclosed is a system for secure transmission of small data of an MTC device group.
US09686679B2
Methods and systems of transmitting a beacon message. Implementations of the present disclosure include determining, by a computing device based on a predetermined algorithm, an encryption method using a current time as a parameter. The computing device may encrypt a beacon message using the determined encryption method to obtain an encrypted beacon message. The computing device may further generate a radio frame including the encrypted beacon message and information associated with a decryption computing device, and transmit the radio frame to a mobile device. Implementations of this present disclosure avoid leaking users' sensitive information, and therefore protect users' privacy as well as improve safe uses of beacon transmission.
US09686677B2
Examples are disclosed for deploying small cells as secondary cells for user equipment (UE). The examples include an UE, one or more small cell evolved node B (eNBs) or a macro cell eNB gathering information and reporting the gathered information to a management entity for an evolved packet core. The gathered information may be associated with the one or more small cell eNBs serving as a secondary cell for the UE while the macro cell eNB may serve as a primary cell. In some examples, the gathered information may be reported in one or more minimization of drive tests (MDT) reports. The MDT reports may be sent to the management entity by the UE, small cell eNBs or macro cell eNBs for the management entity to manage deployment of the one or more small cell eNBs. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09686675B2
A network monitoring node receives one or more data messages regarding User Equipment (UE) from one or more network interfaces for a communication session in the communication network continuously in real-time, determines a subscriber identification (ID) associated with the UE from the one or more data messages regarding the UE, and determines an equipment identification (ID) associated with the UE from the one or more data messages regarding the UE. The network monitoring node further receives a base-key associated with the UE from the one or more data messages regarding the UE, derives a decryption key from the base-key, decrypts a temporary ID associated with the UE from the one or more data messages regarding the UE based on the decryption key, maps the temporary ID with the subscriber ID for the UE, and the subscriber ID with the equipment ID for the UE, and assigns data messages for all further communication sessions to the UE based on the mapping. The Subscriber ID and Equipment ID are preferably assigned to all further communication sessions for that UE. It updates the mapping when changes to the temporary ID or equipment ID occur.
US09686673B2
A wirelessly enabled content delivery apparatus includes a surface; a wireless data system and a data output interface. The surface has a front side and a back side. The wireless data system includes a wireless data module. The wireless data system is fixed to the back side of the surface. The wireless data module is configured to communicate with a user device and to receive a wireless stream of data from the user device. The data output interface is configured to receive data from the wireless data module, and the data is derived from the wireless stream of data.
US09686672B2
The embodiments of the present invention provide a method for prompting identification card information, a mobile terminal and an electronic device. The method for prompting information includes: determining a most appropriate identification card from the more than one identification card when an identification card is to be used; and displaying information of the more than one identification card on a display screen of the electronic device, wherein the most appropriate identification card and other identification cards are displayed discriminatively. In the embodiments of the present invention, an appropriate identification card may be recommended to the user, and the user can be prompted intuitively, so as to obtain better user experiences.
US09686669B2
A method of communication that includes sending a first message from user equipment to a server, requesting a home agent and/or a home address. The method also includes authenticating the user equipment and providing the home agent and/or home address only when the user equipment is authenticated. Also, a communication system, a server, and user equipment that are configured to implement the method.
US09686667B2
In a cellular telecommunication system having multiple cells and respectively associated base stations, a user equipment (UE) is paged by sending a paging request to the base station that most recently communicated with the UE. This base station pages the UE and upon failing to receive a response forwards the paging request to its the base stations of neighboring cells Each of these base stations pages the UE and upon failing to receive a response similarly forwards the paging request to further base stations of neighboring cells. This process is repeated to repeatedly expand the paging area until the UE is located or until a forwarding limit has been reached.
US09686664B1
An incident monitoring and response system may include observer communication devices that are located in an area where an incident is occurring within a monitored region. A monitoring station sends an incident mode message to observer communication devices within the area. Upon receiving the incident mode message, the observer communication devices enter an incident mode in which the functionality of the device is limited. This limited functionality includes limiting the types of communications that an observer may engage in and the types of applications that can be accessed.
US09686658B2
Modern mobile communication devices have a number of features that enable the users to stay connected with people in their contacts list. These mobile devices also keep users informed about various events such as email, text messages, etc. While these features are useful they can be intrusive or distracting under some conditions. To reduce disturbances and intrusions, various notifications that inform the user about the new events on the mobile device may be temporarily disabled. However, event notifications must be explicitly re-enabled by the user when it is free to receive the notifications. The user may forget to re-enable the event notification which may lead to missed calls, event notifications, etc. A method and apparatus are provided that disable and enable event notifications on mobile devices adaptively to allow the users to reduce the intrusiveness of the mobile device notification when not required while minimizing any missed event notifications.
US09686652B2
An approach for crowd congestion detection, the approach determines one or more selected locations. The approach determines a frequency spectrum history of one or more users within the one or more selected locations. The approach determines a location of the one or more users within the one or more selected locations. The approach determines a frequency spectrum of the one or more users within the one or more selected locations. The approach determines a crowding measure for the one or more selected locations based, at least in part, on the frequency spectrum history and the frequency spectrum of the one or more users within the one or more selected locations. The approach ranks the one or more selected locations based, at least in part, on the crowding measure.
US09686634B2
Disclosed are an M2M oriented service platform interface apparatus and method. The apparatus includes: a coordinated service management module, configured to forward service data and a service request, perform management, adaptation, and provision on service data, and perform coordinated management on a service according to a service request of an application server; a context management and provision module, configured to manage and provide context information; a stream transmission and service adaptation module, configured to perform a traffic distribution operation on a service according to a user service type and context information, adapt the service to different M2M terminal equipment and networks, provide service data that a user needs, and perform corresponding service adaptation upon different user demands; and a joint wireless resource management module, configured to perform scheduling and adaptation on a wireless resource carried by an M2M terminal equipment, and perform adaptation and scheduling on the wireless resource according to service context information, context information of the M2M terminal equipment, and a network load, so as to complete transmission and information interaction of a service stream.
US09686631B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying a configuration of a second end user device that includes device data and applications, generating a configuration template associated with the second end user device, providing a first end user device with access to the configuration template for enabling the first end user device to be configured, detecting an adjustment to the configuration of the second end user device, and transmitting a notification of a configuration change at the second end user device responsive to the detecting of the adjustment to enable the first end user device to be reconfigured according to the adjustment to the configuration of the second end user device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09686625B2
There is provided a system for delivery of personalized audio including a memory and a processor configures to receive a plurality of audio contents, receive a first playback request from a first user device for playing a first audio content of the plurality of audio contents using the plurality of speakers, obtain a first position of a first user of the first user device with respect to each of the plurality of speakers, and play, using the plurality of speakers and object-based audio, the first audio content of the plurality of audio contents based on the first position of the first user of the first user device with respect to each of the plurality of speakers.
US09686619B2
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone in one embodiment includes a backplate, a back cavity aligned with the backplate, at least one post extending from the backplate toward the back cavity, a membrane positioned between the backplate and the back cavity and including an inner portion and an outer portion, a gap defined by a planar portion of the inner portion and the backplate, a spring arm defined in the outer portion and supported by the at least one post, a first leak path between the back cavity and the gap defined between the inner portion and the spring arm, a second leak path between the back cavity and the gap defined between the spring arm and the back cavity, and a first leak path constriction configured to restrict leakage through at least one of the first leak path and the second leak path.
US09686618B2
Ultrasonic transducers that are capable of generating increased levels of ultrasound, as well as receiving ultrasonic waves with increased sensitivity. The ultrasonic transducers include a back cover, a protective front cover, a backplate, and a vibrator film layer disposed between the backplate and the protective front cover. The backplate includes a plurality of grooves formed on a surface thereof facing the vibrator film layer. Each groove includes upper edges having cross-sectional contours that gradually tend toward the deepest part of the groove to allow a larger area of the backplate to be closer to the vibrator film layer, thereby increasing the resulting electric field, and, consequently, increasing the output power and sensitivity of the ultrasonic transducer.
US09686617B2
Systems and methods for controlling parameters of a MEMS microphone. The microphone system includes a MEMS microphone and a controller. The MEMS microphone includes a movable electrode, a stationary electrode, and a driven electrode. The movable electrode has a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side. The movable electrode is configured such that acoustic pressures acting on the first side and the second of the movable electrode cause movement of the movable electrode. The stationary electrode is positioned on the first side of the movable electrode. The driven electrode is configured to receive a control signal and alter a parameter of the MEMS microphone based on the control signal. The controller is configured to determine a voltage difference between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode. The controller is also configured to generate the control signal based on the voltage difference.
US09686613B2
A method for audio signal processing and system thereof, the method includes the steps of: obtaining first audio signal information, obtaining second audio signal information, determining an audio parameter based on the first audio signal information and the second audio signal information, modulating the first audio signal information and the second audio signal information based on the audio parameter to generate a first outputting audio signal and a second outputting audio signal.
US09686594B2
A system, method, and apparatus to allow an operator of a broadcast communication system, such as a cable television or satellite television service to provide some examples, to diagnose performance of this communication system remotely. The operator of a first communication device, such as a cable modem termination system (CMTS) to provide an example, may remotely diagnosis performance problems, or potential performance problems, occurring at a second communication device, such as a cable modem (CM) to provide an example, or a group of second communication devices. For example, the operator of the first communication device may view a spectrum analysis of communication signals being routed to, processed by, and/or provided by the second communication device, or group of second communication devices, to diagnose the performance problems, or the potential performance problems, in real time.
US09686583B2
According to one embodiment, a genre classification unit is provided to classify a plurality of programs based on genres with reference to program information. Further, a day classification unit is provided to classify the classified programs based on broadcast days. A display form controller sorts program information description cells of the programs classified based on days into display areas based on days on a display device. When a program information description cell of a display area of a specified day is scrolled, the display form controller controls data so as to display program information description cells of display areas of days other than the specified day in a still state.
US09686581B2
A set top box can provide coordinated graphical user interfaces on a plurality of devices. The set top box can output first media content to a primary display (a television) and can output second media content to a second-screen device (a tablet). The primary display can display a video stream associated with the first media content. The second-screen device can display a video stream associated with the second media content. The video stream of the second media content can be displayed in a video display area on the second-screen device. The outputted video streams can be associated with the same content and can be substantially synchronized. The second application can receive user gestures on a touchscreen of the second-screen device to control the video stream displayed on the primary display. As a result, the second-screen device acts as a bridge to affect the displayed video stream on the primary display.
US09686576B2
A method to coordinate video stream timing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a request is received at a streaming platform coordinator (SPC) to create a plurality of synchronized media workflows for video sources. Using the plurality of video sources as input, the SPC transmits a request from the SPC to at least one video streaming platform to create the plurality of media workflows, which are assigned to a plurality of workers. The SPC causes the plurality of videos to be routed to the plurality of workers upon receiving the request to route them. The SPC then determines a set of timing offsets to synchronize the plurality of media workflows, and makes the set of timing offsets available to the plurality of workers so that the workers publish synchronized media outputs. A system to perform the method and a storage medium storing instructions to perform the method are disclosed too.
US09686565B2
A method for extracting low-resolution video from compressed high-resolution video is disclosed. First, a video, comprising high-resolution frames encoded with a predictive coding technique, is input. At least one of the high-resolution frames is a reference frame. The reference frame is down-sampled to produce a first low-resolution frame with a first DC coefficient. Frequency coefficients corresponding to the first low-resolution frame are generated. Then, a second low-resolution frame is generated according to the frequency coefficients and the first low-resolution frame, the second low-resolution frame having a second DC coefficient. A residual error corresponding to the second low-resolution frame is generated. Finally, a third low-resolution frame is generated according to the frequency coefficients, the first low-resolution frame, and the residual error. A third DC coefficient for the third low-resolution frame is determined according to a weighted average of at least the first DC coefficient and the second DC coefficient.
US09686561B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus configured to encode video information includes a memory unit and a processor. The memory unit is configured to store an inter-layer reference picture comprising video information. The processor is operationally coupled to the memory unit. In addition, the processor is configured to partition the inter-layer reference picture into a quadtree structure having a plurality of leafs; determine inter-component filter parameters specific to each individual leaf based upon the video information in each individual leaf and signal the inter-component filter parameters for each of the leafs.
US09686552B2
A moving picture coding method for coding a picture with switching between frame coding and field coding adaptively on a block-by-block basis includes: determining the maximum number of reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, using the maximum number of reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding; and assigning to fields the reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, within a range of the determined maximum number thereof, using the reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding.
US09686550B2
A merging motion information candidate list construction unit generates a merging motion information candidate list, which is a list of merging motion information candidates, using a spatial merging motion information candidate and a temporal merging motion information candidate. A second merging motion information candidate supplying unit generates a new merging motion information candidate including, if a reference index indicates an available reference picture, the reference index and, if the reference index does not indicate an available reference picture, a predetermined reference index along with a motion vector having a size and a direction that are preset and adds the new merging motion information candidate to the merging motion information candidate list. A merging motion information selection unit selects one merging motion information candidate from the merging motion information candidate list to which the new merging motion information candidate has been added.
US09686547B2
Mode-dependent coefficient scanning and directional transforms for different colour sampling formats
A method of coding 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 video data comprises predicting luminance and/or chrominance samples of an image from other respective reference samples derived from the same image according to a prediction mode associated with a sample to be predicted, the prediction mode being selected for each of a plurality of blocks of samples, from a set of two or more candidate prediction modes; detecting differences between the samples and the respective predicted samples; selecting a frequency-separation transform from two or more candidate frequency separation transforms according to the prediction mode associated with a current block of samples using a mapping between transform and prediction mode, the mapping between different, as between chrominance and luminance samples, for at least the 4:4:4: format; and encoding the detected differences by frequency-separating the differences, using the selected frequency-separation transform.
US09686545B2
An intra-prediction method is provided to predict a current block according to pixel values of an upper neighboring block and a left neighboring block. The method includes: acquiring, according to a prediction direction, mapped pixels in the left neighboring block for reference pixels in an upper neighboring block; calculating an average pixel value of pixel values of the reference pixels in the upper neighboring block and pixel values of their respective mapped pixels; and predicting, according to the prediction direction, a pixel value of a pixel in the current block by using the average pixel value. By using the method and apparatus for intra-prediction according to the present invention, a pixel value of a reference pixel used for prediction is acquired according to an average pixel value of reference pixels in an upper neighboring block and a left neighboring block of the current block.
US09686540B2
The present disclosure proposes a colorimetric method that couples sensor design with image processing to enable automated evaluation of test results obtained by paper-based sensors. The proposed method can match ink color and dye used in colorimetric reaction in terms of their absorption in spectral range (e.g., red, green, blue). A near-zero absorption channel can then be used to normalize absorption channels and construct a composite image.
US09686539B1
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for calibrating two cameras (image capture units) using a non-standard, and initially unknown, calibration object are described. More particularly, an iterative approach to determine the structure and pose of an target object in an unconstrained environment are disclosed. The target object may be any of a number of predetermined objects such as a specific three dimensional (3D) shape, a specific type of animal (e.g., dogs), or the face of an arbitrary human. Virtually any object whose structure may be expressed in terms of a relatively low dimensional parametrized model may be used as a target object. The identified object (i.e., its pose and shape) may be used as input to a bundle adjustment operation resulting in camera calibration.
US09686528B2
The present disclosure is directed to a method and a device for dealiasing borders in a 3D interpolated view, the interpolated view comprising at least foreground pixels with foreground video in formation and background pixels with background video information. The method comprises the step of detecting, in an interpolated disparity map, associated to the 3D interpolated view, an aliased border between the foreground pixels with a foreground disparity value and the background pixels with a background disparity value, the aliased border delimiting an inner aliased contour formed by foreground pixels and an outer aliased contour formed by background pixel, the aliased border having the form of a stair line; determining a weighting/dealiasing coefficient for each pixel of the outer contour said coefficient corresponding to the part of the pixel area included in the virtual right triangle defined by the two sides of each stair line to the area of the pixel; calculating video information for each pixel of the outer contour in combining the background video information and the foreground video information in a proportion defined by the determined weighting/dealiasing coefficient and replacing video information for each pixel of the outer contour by the calculated video information.
US09686522B2
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus. The display apparatus includes a screen having a reflective member formed in at least a portion thereof, a first scanner configured to output a first projection image to a first area of the screen by first-direction scanning and second-direction scanning, a second scanner configured to output a second projection image to a second area of the screen by first-direction scanning and second-direction scanning, a first light detector configured to detect light received from the first area of the screen, a second light detector configured to detect light received from the second area of the screen, and a processor configured to determine whether the first projection image and the second projection image projected onto the screen overlap or are separated based on the light received from the first area and the light received from the second area and to control the first projection image and the second projection image to be adjacent on the screen when the first projection image and the second projection image partially overlap or are separated. Accordingly, it is possible to seamlessly display a plurality of projection images.
US09686514B2
Systems and methods for setting up a cloud-based video surveillance system with at least one local computing device and at least one video camera in a local area network. The at least one local computing device has a dedicated application installed and is operable to identify the at least one video camera on the same local area network and connect the at least one video camera to a cloud platform. The video surveillance system is accessible via the at least one local computing device or other authorized computing device locally and/or remotely. The video surveillance system is still at work when the at least one local computing device is turned off.
US09686505B2
A method for flicker detection based on a plurality of images and associated circuit is provided. The method includes providing an integrated flicker signal for each image, including accumulating pixel data of a number of pixels along each row; performing a motion compensation including: comparing two integrated flicker signals of two images, and accordingly providing a flicker signal difference; performing a flicker feature extraction including: applying a frequency analysis on the flicker signal difference, and accordingly providing a normalized flicker feature value; and performing a flicker determination, including: calculating a likelihood according to the normalized flicker feature value, and, according to the likelihood, determining whether a flicker-free hypothesis should be rejected in favor of a flicker-suffered hypothesis.
US09686499B2
A smart camera includes a photo image capturing device, a biometric data retrieval device, a positioning signal receiver, and a tagging device. The photo image capturing device captures a digitized photograph that shows an image of a person. The biometric data retrieval device requests and receives biometric data for the person from a smart textile garment being worn by the person. The positioning signal receiver receives a positioning signal from a positioning device in the smart textile garment, in order to identify a location of the person within the field of view of the photo image capturing device. The tagging device associates the image of the person with the received biometric data for the person, thereby tagging the image of the person with the biometric data.
US09686487B1
Variable scan rate image generation is disclosed. A scanning device scans a scene with a detector array at a first constant scan rate. Photon accumulation values are iteratively transferred from each set of detector elements in the detector array to an adjacent set of detector elements at a first transfer rate based on the first constant scan rate. Photon accumulation values of one set of the plurality of sets are iteratively read out at the first transfer rate. The first constant scan rate is accelerated to a second constant scan rate, and photon accumulation values are iteratively transferred from each set to an adjacent set at a second transfer rate based on the second constant scan rate, and photon accumulation values of the at least one set of the plurality of sets are iteratively read out at the second transfer rate.
US09686484B2
Provided is an apparatus for acquiring and projecting a broadband image. The apparatus includes a probe unit provided with a white light source unit configured to emit white light for acquiring a visible light image to a subject, a fluorescence excitation light source unit configured to emit fluorescence excitation light for acquiring an invisible light fluorescence image, an image acquisition unit configured to receive an invisible light fluorescence image signal for the subject, and an image projection unit configured to project an image onto the subject; and an image processing unit configured to process an image received from the image acquisition unit. This apparatus may simultaneously acquire and display the visible light image and the invisible light fluorescence image.
US09686481B1
Radiographic imaging, or X-ray imaging, may be used to identify information regarding the contents of a container or other sealed object without having to open the container or the sealed object. One or more visual analyses of radiographic images may identify items within a container, or a condition of such items, as well as the portions or amounts of the contents of the container that correspond to air or dunnage. Additionally, a radiographic image may be projected onto an external surface of a container, or rendered within an augmented reality device or wearable computer device, thereby providing information regarding the contents of the container to a worker or other personnel within a vicinity of the container.
US09686472B2
Provided is a compound-eye image pickup apparatus in which a plurality of imaging units, each of which configured to photoelectrically convert an optical image focused by a single focal lens with different focal length so as to output a signal, are arranged in the form of a matrix. An image processing unit performs an electronic zoom process for changing a cut-out area of an image and a filtering process for an image signal. A system controller obtains information relating a change in zoom magnification from a zoom changing unit and data relating to a zoom control method from a zoom control method storage unit so as to instruct a zoom controller to perform zoom control. Upon change of an angle of view by controlling the electronic zoom process and the switching of the single focal lens, the zoom controller controls the filtering process performed by the image processing unit so as to equalize the resolution before and after the switching of the single focal lens.
US09686470B2
Techniques to detect subject and camera motion in a set of consecutively captured image frames are disclosed. More particularly, techniques disclosed herein temporally track two sets of downscaled images to detect motion. One set may contain higher resolution and the other set lower resolution of the same images. For each set, a coefficient of variation may be computed across the set of images for each sample in the downscaled image to detect motion and generate a change mask. The information in the change mask can be used for various applications, including determining how to capture a next image in the sequence.
US09686467B2
A direction of a sound source located in the surrounding of a detector of a panoramic video is established. A preset view of the panoramic video is determined based on the established direction. Playback of the panoramic video is based on the determined preset view.
US09686466B1
Embodiments described herein may help to provide methods for sharing and viewing part of an environment of a computing device, such as a head-mountable device (HMD). An example method involves: (a) determining a still photo panorama of an environment, (b) receiving a video stream of a first portion of the environment from a video camera on a sharing device, (c) determining a registration data stream, where the registration data stream indicates a location and an orientation of the video stream within the still photo panorama of the environment; and (d) transmitting the video stream and the registration data stream to one or more viewing devices.
US09686460B2
The present disclosure provides techniques for enabling a metadata storage subsystem. A directory of available metadata is created, and the metadata is stored in various system data stores. The metadata is retrieved as requested by a host device, and the metadata is transferred to the host device. Additionally, the metadata is executed.
US09686451B2
The disclosure includes a system and method for determine a real time driving difficulty category. The method may include determining image feature vector data based on one or more features depicted in a real time image of a road scene. The image feature vector data may describe an image feature vector for an edited version of the real time image. The method may include determining offline road map data for the road scene, which includes a static label for a road included in the road scene and offline road information describing a regulatory speed limit for the road. The method may include selecting, based on the static label, a classifier for analyzing the image feature vector. The method may include executing the selected classifier to determine a real time driving difficulty category describing the difficulty for a user of the client device to drive in the road scene.
US09686450B2
An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and being capable of outputting a plurality of image signals read out using different methods for individually reading out the signals of the plurality of pixels and correction signals for correcting the plurality of image signals, a processing unit for processing the correction signals so as to handle the reading methods for the plurality of image signals, and a correction unit for correcting the plurality of image signals using the correction signals processed by the processing unit.
US09686446B2
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit with a reduction mode using a reduced consumption of the color material. The reduction rule includes a rule of conversion configured to, in a constant hue plane of the input color value, move all color values on a straight line passing through a lowest brightness color value and the input color value in a direction from a highest saturation color value to a highest brightness color value, so as to convert into color values on a straight line passing through the lowest brightness color value and a converted input color value where the input color value is converted, the lowest brightness color value being indicative of a color value of lowest brightness, the highest saturation color value being indicative of a color value of highest saturation, the highest brightness color value being indicative of a color value of highest brightness.
US09686442B2
A multifunction printer captures an image, extracts face data of each person from the captured image, verifies whether each person has been authenticated based on the extracted face data, transmits face data of a person that cannot be verified to have been authenticated to an external apparatus, requests authentication of that person, temporarily stores face data of each authenticated person, collates extracted face data of each person with stored face data, and verifies whether each person has been authenticated.
US09686440B2
Techniques related to rendering scanned images are discussed. Such techniques may include selectively processing segments of a scanned input image based on a neutral edge tag signal such that segments are color suppressed and edge enhanced when the neutral edge tag signal is asserted and error diffusion processed when the neutral edge tag signal is not asserted.
US09686431B2
A communication system includes a cloud server, a management server, a gateway-enabled device, and a printing apparatus, and these are connected to each other. The gateway-enabled device includes a mode switch that wakes up the device from power saving mode when a HTTP tunneling request is received from the cloud server via a second requesting portion of the management server, a tunneling portion that accesses the cloud server by HTTP tunneling if the request is received via a first requesting portion of the management server during normal operation mode or that does the same after back to normal operation mode if the request is received via the second requesting portion by a method allowing waking up from power saving mode, a receiver that receives a print job from the cloud server having being accessed by HTTP tunneling, and a transfer portion that transfers the print job to the printing apparatus.
US09686428B2
In image-checking equipment, a detector reads a line-shaped check image formed on a sheet and acquires image data on the check image. A controller calculates an edge blur in a rising edge and a falling edge of the image data, calculates a line width of the check image. The controller refers to a correction table with the measured values of the edge blur and the line width of the check image, and acquires a corrected line width value based on the correction table to obtain the real line width of the check image.
US09686424B2
The CPU of a personal computer displays a list of one-click icons, each representing one or a plurality of printing functions, in the icon display area, and selects one one-click icon from the list of the one-click icons displayed in the icon display area, to automatically set a plurality of printing functions corresponding to the selected one-click icons.
US09686423B2
Embodiments described herein provide the capability to offload a data entry activity from a Multi-Function Printer (MFP) to a remote computing device, such as a user's computer, tablet, smartphone, etc. In one embodiment, the MFP generates a scan of a document for a user, and holds the scanned document pending a data entry activity that assigns metadata to the scanned document. The MFP identifies a remote computing device for performing the data entry activity by the user, provides a notification to the remote computing device requesting the metadata for the scanned document, and receives the metadata from the remote computing device. The MFP assigns the metadata to the scanned document, and to release the scanned document to a scan destination.
US09686415B2
A method includes generating a request at an electronic device associated with a plurality of data usage accounts. The method also includes selectively encapsulating, by the electronic device, the request to generate an encapsulated request that identifies a destination endpoint provisioned for a first data usage account of the plurality of data usage accounts. The method further includes transmitting the encapsulated request from the electronic device to a network element.
US09686414B1
Systems and methods that can be utilized to convert a voice communication received over a telecommunication network to text are described. In an illustrative embodiment, a call processing system coupled to a telecommunications network receives a call from a caller intended for a first party, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. At least a portion of the call signaling information is stored in a computer readable medium. A greeting is played the caller, and a voice communication from the caller is recorded. At least a portion of the voice communication is converted to text, which is analyzed to identify portions that are inferred to be relatively more important to communicate to the first party. A text communication is generated including at least some of the identified portions and including fewer words than the recorded voice communication. At least a portion of the text communication is made available to the first party over a data network.
US09686413B1
Examples of associating user information from social network sites with a conference call application may include a series of operations. One example operation may provide receiving a command to share at least one social networking application with a scheduled conference call and accessing an application programming interface (API) of the social networking application, and sharing user profile information with a graphical user interface (GUI) application of the scheduled conference call corresponding to the command to share the social networking application.
US09686411B2
Method, system and program product, comprising obtaining agent performance data; ranking, agents based the agent performance data; dividing agents into agent performance ranges; partitioning callers based on criteria into a set of partitions; determining for each partition an outcome value for a first agent performance range and a second agent performance range; calculating for the partitions a respective outcome value difference indicator based on the outcome value for the first agent performance range and the outcome value for the second agent performance range for the partition; matching a respective agent to a respective caller in one of the partitions, based on the outcome value difference indicators for the partitions.
US09686408B2
A telephone subnet crawler is used to access automated telephone response systems and index the information, contents and structure contained therein. A database of the information, contents and structure of a plurality of automated telephone response systems is created by the telephone subnet crawler. A user interface provides callers with direct access to the information, contents and structure of the automated telephone response systems contained in the database. Where an automated telephone response system requires user input, the user interface calls the automated telephone response system and navigates to the node requiring user input, provides the user input and displays the results to the user. Where an automated telephone response system connects to an operator, the user interface calls the automated telephone response system, navigates to the node for an operator, and when an operator is detected, calls the user at a user provided callback number.
US09686405B2
Telephone call routing in a hunt group is based upon monitoring computer activities of the members (devices, people) of the hunt group. For example, a hunt group's member activity score may be based upon how many incoming hunt group calls that member handles. This high activity score is then used to control that member's place in the call routing order.
US09686400B2
A system and method for driver-aware notification that collects and analyzes contextual information about the driving environment to free a device owner from having to decide whether or not to answer an incoming message.
US09686395B2
A system, methods, and apparatus for biomolecular measurements, monitoring, and tracking uses a smartphone-based system. A biological sample, including, but not limited to blood, saliva, biopsy, or sweat, is collected on a modular diagnostic test platform, which is then inserted into a smartphone accessory. Optical, electrical, mechanical, or other means are used to transduce a biomolecular binding event, including antibody, aptamer, enzymatic, base-pair matching, or other biological recognition reaction and communicate the results with the smartphone. Some specific examples of targets include 25-hydroxyvitamin D, folic acid, DNA, or proteins from infectious agents, and zinc. The result can then be presented quantitatively or turned into a more consumer-friendly measurement (positive, negative, above average, etc.), displayed to the user, stored for later comparison, and communicated to a central hub location where medical professionals can provide additional review. Additionally, social media integration can allow for device results to be broadcast to specific audiences, to compare healthy living with friends, to compete in health based games, create mappings, and other applications.
US09686383B2
Synchronization of traffic multiplexing in link aggregation is described. In an embodiment, a first link aggregator and a second link aggregator are associated with a plurality of links. The first link aggregator maintains an identifier for each link indicating at least a state of enabled or disabled. A synchronized clock is established between the first link aggregator and the second link aggregator. A particular link of the plurality of links is transitioned. Wherein, the transitioning is performed by the first link aggregator sending, to the second link aggregator, a first message identifying a particular time to transition the particular link. The first link aggregator receives, from the second link aggregator, a second message indicating that the particular time is acceptable. In response to a determination that the second message indicates that the particular time is acceptable and that the synchronized clock has reached the particular time, transitioning the link.
US09686379B2
An antenna unit includes a transport Layer 1 processor configured to receive a downlink transport Layer 1 data stream from an upstream device and to convert the downlink transport Layer 1 data stream into downlink transport Layer 2 protocol data units in a downlink transport Layer 2; a Layer 2 processor configured to convert the downlink transport Layer 2 protocol data units in the downlink transport Layer 2 into downlink radio access technology Layer 2 protocol data units in a radio access technology Layer 2; a radio access technology Layer 1 processor configured to generate a downlink radio access technology Layer 1 signal from the downlink radio access technology Layer 2 protocol data units in the radio access technology Layer 2; and a radio frequency conversion module configured to convert the downlink radio access technology Layer 1 signal into radio frequency signals for communication using an antenna.
US09686375B2
A device may receive an indication to determine status information associated with a media content delivery of media content. The media content may be delivered via a content delivery system. The device may determine, based on information provided by devices included in the content delivery system, progress information associated with the media content delivery. The progress information may identify progress, associated with the media content delivery, with respect to one or more steps, associated with delivering the media content, performed by the devices included in the content delivery system. The device may determine the status information, associated with the media content delivery, based on the progress information. The status information may indicate the status of the media content delivery. The device may provide the status information such that the status information may be displayed as a visual indication of the status of the media content delivery.
US09686372B1
Systems and methods for rewriting code related to a network page are described herein. The systems and methods can determine whether the network page includes cacheable resources. Responsive to the determination, the systems and methods can rewrite the code for the network page to cause a user system to access the cacheable resource from a content distribution network. Further, the systems and methods can determine whether access to the cacheable resource should be provided via the content distribution network or a proxy server based at least partially on a relative location of the proxy server and the content distribution network to the user system requesting access to the network page.
US09686369B2
Systems and methods for multi-hop service discovery within a mobile device cluster are disclosed. A seeker station may be seeking or may have found a desired service available from a provider station. The seeker station may receive the service announcement from the provider station, and become a proxy station, expanding the service area of the provider station. The proxy station may selectively transmit services and advertisements for services on behalf of the provider station based on restrictions placed on selection as a proxy station. Restrictions or conditions may be placed on the proxy station limiting the number of stations that may become proxy stations, limiting traffic within the cluster. Some restrictions may require a proxy station to be a member of the cluster or a member of a group within the cluster. Selection as a proxy station and frequency of transmission of service announcements by proxy stations may also be conditioned on various specific parameters or combinations of parameters as specified by the provider station.
US09686366B2
Managing a co-browsing session of multiple users where there are multiple roles that each user may have, and each respective user has a role. Software manages a computer system to: (i) monitor the co-browsing session to detect a condition; and (ii) responsive to detection of the condition, change the role(s) of at least one user. The change of role(s) is made automatically and without human intervention.
US09686363B2
An aircraft communication system for performing communication between each of a plurality of devices installed in an aircraft, wherein the communication system is provided with a plurality of communication processing units provided corresponding to the plurality of devices and a plurality of communication lines for connecting between the communication processing units, the plurality of communication processing units being capable of bidirectional communication via the plurality of communication lines. Upon receiving a plurality of communication data from the plurality of communication lines, one of the communication processing units determines, on the basis of identification information included in the received plurality of communication data, whether the received plurality of communication data needs to be acquired and acquires the communication data determined to need to be acquired.
US09686343B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for redirecting a user from a metasearch website to a service provider website. A first uniform resource locator (URL) may be received from a client device at a redirection system. The first URL may have a first format including a plurality of fields containing information related to a product distributed at the website of the service provider. A second uniform resource locator (URL) may be generated from the fields of the first URL. The second URL may have a second format that is predetermined by the service provider. The client device may be provided access to the website of the service provider using the second URL.
US09686341B1
Disclosed are various embodiments of a system. The system comprises a server, a memory accessible to the server, and a review trend generator configured to receive a request for a review trend corresponding to at least one item. The review trend generator is further configured to generate a review trend based at least in part upon a plurality of reviews of an item. The system further comprises a review trend encoder configured to encode the generated review trend for rendering on a network page.
US09686340B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with data stream classification are described. One example method includes identifying packets associated with the data stream. The example method may also include updating a set of characterization data associated with the data stream based on information associated with a packet. The example method may also include assigning a data stream classifier to the data stream by comparing characterization data to identification data upon determining that the set of characterization data indicates that the data stream is able to be classified. The example method may also include providing a signal associated with the data stream classifier.
US09686338B1
A streaming source sends streaming content to a display device. A camera captures images of the display device playing the streaming content and/or a user's interaction with the display device along with the displayed response to the user's interaction. The captured content is analyzed to determine, for example, image quality characteristics of the displayed content, a user experience associated with the displayed content or whether the displayed content matches an expected outcome associated with testing input. Information determined from the analysis of the captured content may be used to adjust characteristics of the streaming content, such as streaming parameters at the streaming source or configuration of the display device. A testing system may analyze the captured content to evaluate performance of the streaming system. Results of the testing may be sent to a data store and/or used to mitigate a poor user experience such as poor image quality.
US09686328B2
An online address book is configured to include a multi-user input bar to receive search terms intended to match contacts existing in a user's contact list. If a search term does not match any entry in the current contact list the search is extended by the multi-user input bar to include further candidate contacts. Candidate contacts are acquired through social profiles available from a set of networking sites linked-to over the Internet. A candidate contact that does match the search term is added to the contact list with a public profile whose contents are populated with contact data acquired from social profiles available through the networking sites. This practice of profile bookmarking may be applied iteratively across candidate contacts from various networking sites to build an extensive public profile.
US09686310B2
The present disclosure describes a method for repairing a file. A user device searches for a defect file corrupted by a virus file, obtains a virus file name of the virus file and transmits the virus file name to a server. The user device receives an indication transmitted by the server and generates first characteristic information according to the indication; wherein the indication includes information of positions of the defect file that will not be modified by the virus file. The user device transmits the first characteristic information to the server, such that the server obtains a repairing file corresponding to the first characteristic information. The user device replaces the defect file with the repairing file.
US09686307B2
Client-less methods and systems destroy/break the predictive layout of, for example, a client computer memory. The methods and systems operate by injecting a library that manipulates the client computer memory during exploitation attempts.
US09686306B2
Methods and systems for securing remotely-operable devices are provided. A remotely-operable device can receive a command related to a component of the remotely-operable device operating in an environment. The remotely-operable device can include a reality-rules database (RRDB) that is configured to store a plurality of reality rules with each reality rule relating to a constraint on the remotely-operable device. The remotely-operable device can determine a reasonableness value for the command based on a constraint, where the constraint is determined based on a constraint related to at least one reality rule of the plurality of reality rules stored in the RRDB. The remotely-operable device can encode the reasonableness value for the command in a feedback message. The remotely-operable device can send the encoded feedback message from the remotely-operable device.
US09686304B1
A computer-implemented method for healing infected document files may include (1) receiving an electronic message directed to a target client computing system, the electronic message including a document file, (2) in response to receiving the electronic message, discovering, by a security program, that the document file is infected with potentially malicious content by, parsing the document file into separate objects and detecting that one of the separate objects is infected with potentially malicious content, (3) healing, by the security program, the infected object by removing the potentially malicious content from the object, (4) reconstructing, by the security program, the document file by reuniting the healed separate object with a remainder of the separate objects in a manner that preserves readability of the document, and (5) providing access to the readable reconstructed document file at the target client computing system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09686300B1
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations. The operations include collecting, by a processing device, raw data regarding a user action. The operations also include converting, by the processing device, the raw data to characteristic test data (CTD), wherein the CTD represents behavior characteristics of a current user. The operations also include identifying, by the processing device, a characteristic model corresponding to the behavior characteristics represented by the CTD. The operations also include generating, by the processing device, a predictor from a comparison of the CTD against the corresponding characteristic model, wherein the predictor comprises a score indicating a probability that the user action came from an authenticated user.
US09686292B2
A system and method for monitoring, modeling and assessing networked devices. A continuous device profiling (CDP) system builds and maintains device-specific and network-specific behavioral models based on observation of network traffic. The behavioral models may be used for network management, detecting misconfigured or malware infected devices, performing network asset inventory, network access control, network discovery in support of network integration, and information security incident response management. CDP models and monitors the active roles that devices assume on the network based on a set of matching profiles, monitors transitions between roles, and triggers corrective action when role transitions violate the policies of the network.
US09686286B2
To prevent a transfer of an authority from being useless as much as possible, an authority transfer unit includes a decision unit for making a decision that an authority of a user with respect to a management unit is transferred to a processing request unit.
US09686285B2
A device receives a request from a terminal device to start a session to authenticate a person associated with an account. The device creates the session. The session is associated with the terminal device. The device receives session information and authentication information from a user device operated by the person. The device determines the session based on the session information and generates an authentication message based on the authentication information. The device transmits the authentication message to the terminal device associated with the session to authenticate that the person is associated with the account.
US09686273B2
Techniques are described in which to access a user's web applications, the user registers and signs on to an aggregator system using any supported login identity provider username and password. When the user registers for the first time, the system collects additional information to verify the user for a subsequent access to the system. The system also automatically creates a system secret username and secret, highly securely generated password, both of which are unknown and inaccessible to the user. The secret username and password are stored in an lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server or database or in a distributed cloud database system. The system also maps the login identity provider user name to the secret user name and password for subsequent usage.
US09686272B2
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for a first and second client computer configured to receive and transmit an authentication credential and at least one additional authentication credential respectively. The authentication credentials may be selected from authentication credentials known only to a user, identifying a client computer and/or identifying a characteristic unique to the user. A server computer communicatively coupled to the network may be configured to receive the authentication credentials and verify the identity of the user via a match, in a database, of a first authentication credential, a second authentication credential and a third authentication credential.
US09686264B2
A service providing apparatus configured to acquire a resource request from a terminal apparatus, specify destination information, which is associated with authentication information stored in a storage and coinciding with authentication information included in the acquired resource request, from the storage, determine whether domain information included in the acquired resource request and the specified destination information coincide with each other, and transmit a first response including information indicating that authentication is required and the domain information to the terminal apparatus when the domain information and the destination information coincide with each other, and transmit a second response not including the domain information to the terminal apparatus when the domain information and the destination information do not coincide with each other.
US09686263B2
Techniques include receiving a search query from a user device, determining native applications that are installed on the user device and associated with user accounts, and identifying app state records based on the search query and the applications. Each app state record includes an application access mechanism (AAM) and application state information (ASI). The AAM references a native application and indicates operations for the application to perform. The ASI describes a state of the native application after the application has performed the operations. Identifying the app state records based on the native applications includes determining that each record includes an AAM that references one of the applications. The techniques also include selecting AAMs from the identified app state records and transmitting the AAMs to the user device. Other techniques include generating result scores for app state records identified based on the search query using the native applications.
US09686261B2
Systems and methods are described for delegating permissions to enable account access. The systems utilize a delegation profile that can be created within a secured account of at least one user. The delegation profile includes a name, a validation policy that specifies principals which may be external to the account and which are permitted to assume the delegation profile, and an authorization policy that indicates the permitted actions within the account for those principals which are acting within the delegation profile. Once the delegation profile is created, it can be provided to external principals or services. These external principals or services can use the delegation profile to obtain credentials for performing various actions in the account using the credentials of the delegation profile.
US09686260B2
The user of any one portable terminal sends a content information request including a user ID to a distribution server. In response, the distribution server distributes a stream data of content that can be used on the user's terminal. If the user of first portable terminal intends to let a second portable terminal try out a certain content, the user sends to the distribution server the trial permission information including the user's own user ID, a content ID of the content of interest, and a digital signature. The distribution server authenticates the received information before distributing a streaming data of a trial-oriented content with the content ID and user ID attached to it as search keys. This allows the content that can be used on a given user terminal to be tried out on another user terminal without the latter user having recourse to the steps of searching for the content in question.
US09686256B2
A method and system for accessing a network over a public device are provided in the present invention. The method includes: a user inputting an Access Identifier (AID) and authentication information over the public device, and initiating a network access request; after receiving the network access request, an Access Service Node (ASN) transmitting the received network access request to an Authentication Center (AC) to authenticate validity of the User's AID information, and forwarding a network access response returned by the AC to the public device; and after the public device receives the network access response, if the User's AID information is authenticated by the AC to be valid, the public device using the User's AID as a virtual AID, and using the virtual AID to transmit/receive messages of the user.
US09686252B2
A system and method implemented at a server system, for securely wiping a remote mobile device after the device registration has been removed from the server system. Prior to removal of the device registration from the server system, a “pre-packaged” command is created and stored at the server system. In the event that it is determined, after removal of the registration, that the device should be wiped or disabled, means are provided for an administrator to issue the previously stored command to the target mobile device.
US09686236B2
Methods, systems, and software for mediating SMS messages, and especially type 0 SMS messages, in a wireless mobile communications device configured to send and receive data using a GSM protocol and including a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) including electronic hardware and computer software executed by the hardware such that the SIM is configured to send, receive, and process messages using a Short Message System (“SMS”) between the wireless mobile communications device and a communications network. One aspect includes a method for mediating SMS messages comprising: configuring electronic hardware on the wireless mobile communications device to implement a firewall on the wireless mobile communications device, the firewall configured to identify and optionally mediate infrastructure SMS messages.
US09686221B2
In a conversation between a first computing device and a second computing device over a communication channel, each computing device keeps a transcript of the messages that have been sent and received by that computing device. After a threshold number of messages have been sent and received by the devices, each device transmits a summary of the messages sent and received by that device to the other device. If the summaries match, then the messages were sent and received successfully by each device, and the devices can continue to exchange messages until the threshold number of messages is reached again. If the summaries do not match, the devices can roll-back a part of the conversation and the transcript and continue covered by the summaries and continue from there.
US09686220B2
Non-automated read-and-reply console messages may be automated. These messages may be classified into impact groups in which the messages may be removed from the database or sent to an automation analyzer for analysis. As more messages become automated, a debugging mode may be enabled to allow an operator to respond to a message with a proposed action. If the proposed action is aligned with an action predetermined in response to the automation analysis, the operator may be allowed to respond to future actions.
US09686217B2
A method to stop cyber-bullying before it occurs by alerting the user (potential bully) to pause, review and rethink before posting a hurtful messages to the recipient (potential victim(s)) is the essence of this patent. ReThink is designed to be setup as an optional software installed as an extension, plugin or add-on on web browsers and as a customized keyboard or add-on app on mobile platforms (smart phones, cell phones, tablets, phablets, mobile devices) that detects hurtfulness on all text, image or videos posted or shared on the internet in all languages by a user. Upon detection, ReThink alerts the user to rethink the decision before posting message and provides a chance for the user to edit message to make it non-hurtful to recipients. ReThink is backed by a sound scientific research that has found that the ReThink method prevents cyber-bullying over 93% of the time in adolescent users.
US09686216B2
A method for prohibiting email content propagation that receives, at a server, an email message. At the server, at least one email address associated with the email message which is designated not to receive a content of the email message is identified. At the server, the email message is modified by selectively removing a content of the email message to be conveyed to the at least one email address. The server conveys the modified email message to the at least one email address. The server conveys the email message to one or more recipient email addresses except the at least one email address. Consequently, the server has sent a submitted message to multiple email addresses, while modifying the content sent to a subset of the addresses that received the email message.
US09686201B2
Predictive management of a network buffer is contemplated. The network buffer maybe predictively managed to control packet drop based at least in part on predicted sojourn time. The predicted sojourn time may be determined to predict time needed from an arriving packet to travel through a queue of the network buffer.
US09686196B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method to transmit multicast data over a communication network includes: determining an upstream hop of a multicast transmission based on a received hierarchical ingress replication route; storing a downstream hop and the upstream hop of the multicast transmission in a multicast routing table; monitoring the multicast transmission occurring via an area border router; in response to detecting at least one of a) a threshold fan-out of the multicast transmission or b) a threshold data rate from a source of the multicast transmission, converting a logical topology of the multicast transmission; and in response to receiving a multicast data packet of the multicast transmission, replicating the multicast data packet with the processor based on the downstream hop.
US09686191B2
Systems and methods to be used by a processing element from among multiple computing resources of a computing system, where communication between the computing resources is carried out based on network on a chip architecture, to send first data from memory registers of the processing element and second data from memory of the computing system to a destination processing element from among the multiple computing resources, by sending the first data to a memory controller of the memory along with a single appended-read command.
US09686180B2
Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for managing routing information in overlay networks. A first tunnel endpoint in an overlay network may receive an encapsulated packet from a second tunnel endpoint. The encapsulated packet may have been encapsulated at the second tunnel endpoint based on another packet originating from a source host that is associated with the second tunnel endpoint. The encapsulated packet can include a source host address for the source host and a source tunnel endpoint address for the second tunnel endpoint. The first tunnel endpoint can then update a lookup table based on an association between the source host address and the source tunnel endpoint address.
US09686164B1
Methods and systems that facilitate allocating a transmission of data over multiple wireless links using an allocation server is provided. An indication of a first and second endpoint is received. An indication of a plurality of wireless links between the first and second endpoints is also received. The plurality of wireless links transmit data via an information network that includes an allocation server that monitors the packets of data transmitted via the plurality of wireless links. Such monitoring reveals whether one or more of the wireless links satisfies a threshold based on one or more of an amount of latency, jitter, and dropped packets between the first and second endpoints. Based on satisfying a threshold, one or more packets of data are allocated by the allocation server.
US09686158B1
Systems and methods directing requests to a particular node in a multi-tiered middleware environment are provided. In one embodiment, traffic requests can be dynamically routed to a desired server, and not be load balanced, based on an identification of the client generating the traffic requests.
US09686145B2
A mufti-source client-host system that maintains a uniform look & feel user interface, including a host device including a central processing unit, a storage memory for storing look & feel parameters for a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a plurality of graphic images for user interaction, and a display for displaying the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, a client device that can be attached to and detached from the host device, including a central processing unit, and a configuration program for generating at least one of the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, the at least one of the graphic images conforming to the look & feel parameters, and a communication channel between the host transceiver and the client transceiver, for data transmission.
US09686144B2
A technique for improving system administration involves implementing system administration agent programs on a plurality of devices in an administered network. A deployment agent deploys the system administration agent program or a portion thereof to suitable devices when they are detected. System monitoring agents monitor the administered network to generate data. A reporting engine sends agent reports including the generated data to a system administration server. The system administration server facilitates administration of the administered network in real time.
US09686138B2
Configuration information to configure an information handling system is obtained by sending an identifier for the information handling system to a portable information handling system, such as a mobile telephone, with a first NFC communication. The mobile telephone retrieves the configuration information, such as through a network interface, and sends the configuration information to the information handling system with a second NFC communication. Configuration information includes a variety of information, such as IP and MAC address, BIOS settings, software applications, firmware versions and end user specific settings.
US09686122B2
Methods for orientation and tilt identification of photovoltaic systems and solar irradiance sensors
The present invention relates to methods and systems for identifying PV system and solar irradiance sensor orientation and tilt based on energy production, energy received, simulated energy production, estimated energy received, production skew, and energy received skew. The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting orientation and tilt of a PV system based on energy production and simulated energy production; for detecting the orientation and tilt of a solar irradiance sensor based on solar irradiance observation and simulated solar irradiance observation; for detecting orientation of a PV system based on energy production and energy production skew; and for detecting orientation of a solar irradiance sensor based on solar irradiance observation and solar irradiance observation skew.
US09686116B2
A method and an apparatus for providing an access network element in a communication network system with information are disclosed, the information enabling the access network element to perform service based processing on data belonging to an application session.
US09686115B1
Disclosed are a method and a circuit for detecting a TMCC signal. Using this method and circuit, as long as there is a synchronizing signal of the TMCC signal found in the ISDB-T signal received by the receiving device, the TMCC information can be collected from then on. Thereby, the delay time generated each time when the receiving device switches channels can be effectively decreased.
US09686110B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for transmitting an uplink signal. The method for transmitting an uplink signal from a terminal in a wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving configuration information about candidates in a parameter set for a reference signal for physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) modulation; receiving information indicating a specific set among the candidates in the parameter set; and generating a sequence of the reference signal using the specific set and transmitting the generated reference signal to a base station, wherein the information indicating the specific set may have a maximum value of the minimum distance between a circular shift index of the reference signal generated by a terminal using the specific set and a circular shift index of a reference signal generated by another terminal using the specific set.
US09686108B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for generating a hybrid waveform for data transmission between a transmitting device and a receiving device. The transmitting device may employ an OFDM processing technique to periodically transmit known first pilot symbols mapped from a signal constellation where each signal has equal energy during a first time period and a cyclic prefix based single-carrier (CP-SC) processing technique to transmit data packets and second known pilot symbols during a second time period. Channel estimation is based on first pilot symbols, which are inserted into all subcarriers of OFDM symbol blocks within a specific period. Channel estimation tracking is based on the second pilot symbols interleaved within data packets. The receiving device may be configured to estimate CSI based in part on first pilot symbols and to track the channel estimation based in part on the second pilot symbols in order to provide reliable data detection.
US09686106B2
Vector signaling codes providing guaranteed numbers of transitions per unit transmission interval are described, along with methods and systems for their generation and use. The described architecture may include multiple communications sub-systems, each having its own communications wire group or sub-channel, clock-embedded signaling code, pre- and post-processing stages to guarantee the desired code transition density, and global encoding and decoding stages to first distribute data elements among the sub-systems, and then to reconstitute the received data from its received sub-system elements.
US09686102B2
Data can be received characterizing a first signal transmitted in an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system by a transmitter with one or more transmit antennas through a wireless channel and received by a receiver with a plurality of receive antennas, the first signal including a plurality of pilot pulses. A final estimated channel impulse response of the wireless channel can be determined for each pair of transmitter and receiver antennas by iteratively finding one or more significant delay taps of an intermediate channel impulse response estimate and adding the one or more significant delay taps to an error of the intermediate channel impulse response estimate. Data characterizing the final estimated channel impulse response can be provided. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.
US09686099B2
A switch determines a path, not included in a first set of virtual networks associated with the switch. It is determined if the path can be added to an existing virtual network in the first set of virtual networks. If the path cannot be added, a new virtual network is created to include the path.
US09686098B2
In general, techniques are described for efficient management of ring networks with a system of two network devices. The first network device of the ring network is designated as an adjacent selective forwarding (ASF) device, and the second network device is designated as a master device. The master device monitors the ring network to determine whether a fault has occurred in the ring network and transmits via a secondary port of the master device a network status message to the ASF device based on the determination of whether the fault has occurred. The ASF device determines a status of the ring network based on the network status message and selectively forwards data traffic to the master network device based on the determination of the status. As a result, the master device more efficiently utilizes network resources by not consuming processor or memory resources to prevent traffic loops.
US09686097B2
A machine, program product, and method for enabling interoperable and low-latency networking among service devices. The machine, program product and methods perform the tasks of automatically matching, upon the receipt of the incoming data transmission, the data transmission to a plurality of analog device protocols to determine the necessary instructions and transmission media to command and control the plurality of analog service devices according to the data transmission or a plurality of digital device protocols to determine the necessary instructions and transmission media to command and control the plurality of digital service devices according to the data transmission, determining an outgoing transmission media for the incoming data transmission, constructing outgoing data transmissions between any of the analog service devices and any of the digital service devices responsive to the matching of the analog and digital device protocols and the identification of the outgoing transmission media, and dynamically allocating frequency spectrum for data transmissions between any of the analog service devices and any of the digital service devices, the dynamic allocation being responsive to any of a service type, service demand, and quality of service threshold for the outgoing transmission media and digital and analog device protocols.
US09686096B2
A method for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid is disclosed. The method includes flowing the mixture through an acoustophoretic device comprising an acoustic chamber, an ultrasonic transducer, and a reflector. The transducer includes a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber. A voltage signal is sent to drive the ultrasonic transducer in a displacement profile that is a superposition of a combination of different mode shapes that are the same order of magnitude to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber such that the second fluid or particulate is continuously trapped in the standing wave, and then agglomerates, aggregates, clumps, or coalesces together, and subsequently rises or settles out of the host fluid due to buoyancy or gravity forces, and exits the acoustic chamber.
US09686086B1
A data analysis system stores in-memory representation of a distributed data structure across a plurality of processors of a parallel or distributed system. Client applications interact with the in-memory distributed data structure to process queries using the in-memory distributed data structure and to modify the in-memory distributed data structure. The data analysis system creates uniform resource identifier (URI) to identify each in-memory distributed data structure. The URI can be communicated from one client application to another application using communication mechanisms outside the data analysis system, for example, by email, thereby allowing other client devices to interact with a particular in-memory distributed data structure. The in-memory distributed data structure can be a machine learning model that is trained by one client device and executed by another client device. A client application can interact with the in-memory distributed data structure using different programming languages.
US09686083B2
Methods and systems for generating or validating compact certificates include receiving a first format of the certificate. Moreover, obtain a signature for the certificate in the first format. For each field of the certificate decode the field to obtain a value for the field from the first format and encoding the value for the field into a second format. Decoding and encoding for each field is done incrementally in the same order of the fields as the first format. In other words, a next field is not decoded from the first format until the field is encoded in the second format. Furthermore, a security envelope is encoded using the signature in the first format and the fields.
US09686079B2
A server receives a package of data including: a document designated for notarization, identification information including a photograph, photograph of a user, and a signature of the user. The server compares the photograph of the user to the photograph included with the identification information. Next, the server verifies an identity of the user based on the identification information and the photograph by comparing the photograph of the signer to the photograph included with the identification information. The server then applies the signature and an indication of notarization to the document designated for notarization to create a notarized version of the document. The server stores the notarized version of the document, the photograph, and the identification document in a secure data package, and provides the notarized version of the document to the user.
US09686074B2
A method of encrypting information using a computational tag may include, by a mobile electronic device, detecting a computational tag within a near field communication range of the mobile electronic device, identifying a document to be encrypted by the mobile electronic device, transmitting the document to the computational tag by the mobile electronic device, receiving, from the computational tag, an encrypted document, wherein the encrypted document comprises an encrypted version of the document that was to be encrypted, and storing the encrypted document in a memory of the mobile electronic device.
US09686071B2
Techniques for presenting communication between two or more stations in a WLAN environment are provided. Specifically, methods are presented, that when taken alone or together, provide a device or group of devices with an efficient way to adaptively switch between full duplex and half duplex communications. The present disclosure includes a method that provides increased system throughput through opportunistic full duplex transmission.
US09686070B2
A method for sending a data from an electromagnetic radiator by polarization modulation of an electromagnetic wave includes radiating from the radiator first and second electromagnetic waves including first and second polarizations respectively, the first polarization being different than the second polarization. The first and second electromagnetic waves form a third electromagnetic wave having a third polarization different from the first or second polarization. The method includes modulating the third polarization responsive to the data by modulating one or more parts of the third electromagnetic wave. The data is sent in the third polarization. A system for sending a data includes an oscillator adapted to generate an oscillating signal, and a phase shifter coupled to the oscillator and adapted to generate a first phase-shifted oscillating signal having a first phase. The phase shifter is adapted to vary the phase difference across a predefined range in response to the data.
US09686062B2
Method and apparatus for aggregating spectrum in which multiple disjoint blocks of spectrum may be configured as one virtual contiguous block of spectrum by modulating onto each disjoint blocks of spectrum a respective portion of a data stream in which the data rate associated with the modulated portion is compatible with the available bandwidth of the disjoint spectrum block upon which is modulated.
US09686060B2
A transmitting device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a baseband processor and a network management engine. Data streams are generated at baseband by the baseband processor. Diversity coding such as space-time coding may be performed over the generated data streams in the baseband. The transmitting device concurrently transmits each of the coded streams in a same radio frequency (RF) band to a receiving device over the entire distributed transceivers through associated antennas. When needed, the network management engine may identify one or more auxiliary devices providing available transceivers and antenna beamformers to the transmitting device for sharing. Beam patterns and antenna orientations may be determined for associated antennas of the available transceivers for the transmitting device. Each of the coded data streams in the same radio frequency band may be transmitted to the receiving device over the entire available transceivers for the transmitting device through the associated antennas.
US09686057B2
The present disclosure relates to base station and method for content synchronization when broadcasting data in a communications network. The base station comprises a receiver receiving data sequences and a transmitter for transmitting data sequences. Each data sequence has a data size and comprises a sequence number (SN). The base station further comprises a processing arrangement configured to add byte numbered sequence numbers to said data sequences passed between layers in a protocol stack for transmission to a transceiver station.
US09686050B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for mitigating cross-link interference. The method is implemented by a base station of a wireless communication system, the base station serving user terminals in a first cell. The method comprises selecting (610) a primary time division duplex, TDD, configuration designating uplink and downlink subframes for communication with the user terminals in the first cell, and determining (620) uplink subframes of the primary TDD configuration that are overlapping in time with downlink subframes of a TDD configuration used in a second cell. The method also comprises transmitting (630), to a user terminal in the first cell, a request to use a supplemental TDD configuration for transmitting uplink control information, wherein uplink subframes of the supplemental TDD configuration are not overlapping in time with downlink subframes of the TDD configuration used in the second cell.
US09686046B2
Systems, devices, and methods for wireless condition based multi radio access based wireless communication are provided. In one aspect, a device configured to communicate via a wireless communication link is provided. The device includes a controller configured to provide an acknowledgement indicator, when the channel is configured for such operation. The controller may be configured to adjust or alter the mechanism of the acknowledgement indicator in the packets transmitted based in part on a condition of the wireless communication link and a type of wireless communication that is being transmitted by the device.
US09686045B2
A method transmits data. The method includes transmitting a series of data unit, receiving a retransmission request indicating a plurality of corrupt data units in the transmitted data units which were not received correctly, and retransmitting the corrupted data units.
US09686041B2
An apparatus for detecting the end of a communication is disclosed. The apparatus includes an interface circuit for receiving an encoded signal and a carrier signal recovery circuit coupled to an output of the interface circuit. The carrier signal recovery circuit is configured to output a carrier signal of the encoded signal and a second signal that is out of phase with the carrier signal. The apparatus also includes a decoding circuit configured to decode the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the carrier signal output by the carrier signal recovery circuit. The apparatus also includes a detection circuit configured to detect an indication of an end of a communication in the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the second signal.
US09686037B2
A user apparatus in a radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, including: a reception unit configured to receive, from a connecting base station, control information to be used for reducing an interference signal sent from an interference base station for the user apparatus; and an interference reducing unit configured to reduce the interference signal by using the control information to obtain a desired signal sent from the connecting base station, wherein the reception unit receives a part of the control information as a part of downlink control information that is transmitted by a downlink physical layer signaling channel from the connecting base station, and receives the other part of the control information by RRC signaling.
US09686035B2
Presented are systems and methods for spectrum management and timing optimization of communication networks have multiple distribution points, multiple remote transceivers, and a shared communication binder. In some embodiments, distribution points and communication lines are added to an active network by the allocation of unused time slots. In some embodiments, transmission collisions, near-end cross-talk, and far-end cross-talk, are predicted upon the addition of added distribution points and communication lines, and techniques are applied to reduce or cancel such phenomena.
US09686034B2
A method of providing a path delay asymmetry for time synchronization between a master clock at a first client node and a slave clock at a second client node. The method comprises: mapping a first time protocol signal (TPS) carrying master clock time protocol data (TPD) onto a first signal; determining a forward mapping delay (dmf); mapping a second TPS carrying slave clock TPD onto a second signal; determining a reverse mapping delay (dmr); applying FEC to the first signal, determining a forward FEC delay (dfecf); applying FEC to the second signal; determining a reverse FEC delay (dfecr); providing dmf, dmr, dfecf and dfecr to a calculation element; calculating a path delay asymmetry in dependence on dmf, dmr, dfecf and dfecr; and providing it to a time protocol client at the second client node.
US09686014B2
An active receiver structure that combines a large number of detectors without bandwidth penalty may provide a better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than conventional Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG) networks. A transmission line receiver is used to combine a large number of optical detectors into a single radio frequency (RF) signal without a bandwidth penalty and a modest penalty in noise performance that results in an SNR that is much better than traditional optical combining techniques that are followed by a single detector. An optical multiplexer structure may be designed around the active splitter such that passive optical network (PON) operation is not impeded.
US09686011B2
The invention relates to an illumination device for embedding data symbols of a data signal into a luminance output of the illumination device. The device includes a LED comprising at least two segments which have a common electrode and are individually controllable. The LED is configured to generate the luminance output in response to a drive signal. The device further includes a controller configured for switching one of the segments on or off in response to the data signal to embed data symbols of the data signal into the light output of the device. One advantage of such an approach is that the proposed device is compatible with conventional LED drivers since no additional electronics for modulating the drive signal are necessary, which enables simple implementation and reduced costs.
US09685996B1
Disclosed is an integrated circuit for a near-field radio, including an oscillator configured to output a carrier frequency, an inductor capacitor (LC) tank antenna circuit configured to resonate at a resonance frequency, a frequency measuring circuit configured to measure the resonance frequency of the LC tank antenna circuit and compare the resonance frequency to the carrier frequency, and a controller to adjust the frequency of the LC tank antenna circuit to the carrier frequency.
US09685991B2
Methods and systems for fast recovery from serious differential interferences. An exemplary method includes the following steps: transmitting, by a transmitter to a transceiver, at a fixed data rate above 100 Mbps; receiving, by a receiver from the transceiver, an indication indicating that the transceiver is experiencing a serious interference; responsive to the indication, reducing the data rate at which the transmitter transmits; storing excess data that could not be sent during the period of the reduced data rate; and increasing, within less than 1 millisecond, the data rate at which the transmitter transmits to a level that enables it to transmit both the stored excess data and the ongoing data at the fixed data rate.
US09685990B2
Methods and devices are described for overcoming insertion loss notches in RF systems. In one case programmable impedances are used to move an insertion loss notch outside a frequency band of interest.
US09685989B1
Electronically scanned array antenna radiating elements include a phase comparator. The phase comparator connects the transmission circuitry to the receiving circuitry via a shunt switch to compare the intended phase with the actual phase. The phase of a signal received via the shunt switch is sensitive to the performance of power amplifiers in the transmission circuitry, transmitter/receiver switch, and load impedance. Distributed attenuators between the shunt switch and a phase comparator reduce crosstalk. Phase comparison circuitry is useful for detecting faults in the ESA radiating element.
US09685987B2
A housing assembly for a mobile device includes a cover formed from optically transmissive material, and opaque material formed over a portion of the cover. The opaque material is arranged to define a display portion which is optically transmissive. The housing assembly further includes a frame sized to receive the cover, and a first housing structured to couple with the frame, such that the cover, the frame, and the first housing are structured to define an enclosure sized to contain electrical components for the mobile device.
US09685980B2
The transmitting apparatus includes: an encoder configured to generate a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codeword by LDPC encoding based on a parity check matrix; an interleaver configured to interleave the LDPC codeword; and a modulator configured to map the interleaved LDPC codeword onto a plurality of modulation symbols, wherein the modulator is configured to map bits included in a predetermined bit group from among a plurality of bit groups constituting the LDPC codeword onto a predetermined bit of each of the modulation symbols.
US09685971B2
A successive comparison A/D conversion circuit includes: an comparison circuit including a differential amplification circuit which includes a pair of differential input terminals, amplifies a pair of first differential signals input into the pair of differential input terminals, and outputs a pair of second differential signals, and a latch circuit which compares voltages of the second differential signals output from the differential amplification circuit, retains an comparison result, and outputs the retained comparison result; a digital circuit which generates a digital signal corresponding to the first differential signal, based on the comparison result; an arithmetic circuit which generates a reference signal based on the digital signal, generates the first differential signal by subtracting the reference signal from a third differential signal or adding the reference signal to the third differential signal, and outputs the generated first differential signal to the pair of differential input terminals; and a control circuit.
US09685969B1
A time-interleaved digital-to-analog converter (DAC) architecture is provided. The DAC architecture includes a multiplexer/encoder configured to receive a data signal and to generate a plurality of data streams based on the data signal. First and second DAC circuits receive respective first and second data streams of the plurality of data streams and selectively process the respective first and second data streams to generate a respective DAC output signal. The respective DAC output signals of the first and second DAC circuits are coupled together to provide an output signal of the DAC architecture.
US09685966B2
A fractional dividing module includes an output clock generating circuit, for receiving an input clock signal and generating an output clock signal according to a first control signal, comprising a first delay unit, for delaying the input clock signal to generate a delayed input clock signal; and a selecting unit, for selecting one of the input clock signal and the delayed input clock signal to generate the output clock signal according to the first control signal; and a control circuit, for dividing the output clock signal to generate the first control signal according to a dividing control signal, wherein the dividing control is adjusted to control a frequency ratio between the output clock signal and the input clock signal.
US09685961B2
A high resolution timing device is provided. The high resolution timing device includes a first and a second clock delay circuits. The first clock delay circuit receives an input reference clock signal to generate a first multiple frequency output clock signal, divide the first multiple frequency output clock signal to generate a first original frequency output clock signal and perform a clock-delaying process thereon according to the first multiple frequency output clock signal to generate first clock-delayed signals. The second clock delay circuit receives one of the first clock-delayed signals to generate a second multiple frequency output clock signal, divide the second multiple frequency output clock signal to generate a second original frequency output clock signal and perform the clock-delaying process thereon according to the second multiple frequency output clock signal to generate second clock-delayed signals.
US09685957B2
An integrated circuit device comprises a system reset controller. The system reset controller includes a clock signal input, a reset signal input, a clock signal output, and a reset signal output. The system reset controller is arranged to receive distributed clock and reset signal inputs and output modified clock and reset signal outputs such that asynchronous reset inputs in downstream system components can be replaced by logic elements not requiring asynchronous reset inputs with no change in externally-visible behavior except the length of reset sequences as measured by clock pulses.
US09685954B2
According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a device and method. The device may include a pure memristive logic gate, wherein the pure memristive logic gate consists essentially of at least one input memristive device and an output memristive device that is coupled to and differs from the at least one memristive device; wherein the pure memristive device is controlled by a single control voltage.
US09685952B2
A transmitter operates by receiving a first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage, and includes a driving circuit that generates an output signal according to a driving control signal, a swing adjustment block that adjusts a swing width of the output signal to be lower than a difference between the first power supply voltage and the second power supply voltage in response to a swing control signal, and a swing control signal generation circuit that generates the swing control signal based on the output signal.
US09685928B2
RF communications circuitry includes an RF filter structure, which includes a group of resonators, a group of cross-coupling capacitive structures, and a group of egress/ingress capacitive structures, is disclosed. Each of the group of cross-coupling capacitive structures is coupled between two of the group of resonators. A first portion of the group of egress/ingress capacitive structures is coupled between a first connection node and the group of resonators. A second portion of the group of egress/ingress capacitive structures is coupled between a second connection node and the group of resonators.
US09685927B2
A method of adjusting an audio signal equalizer setting. A first and a second equalizer setting are selected from a population of equalizer settings for undergoing a binary comparing decision. The two equalizer settings are presented to a user by consecutively replaying an audio signal filtered by an equalizing unit according to the first or to the second equalizer setting respectively. The user's binary comparing decision between the first and the second equalizer setting according to his preferences is acquired. Further binary comparing decisions are performed until all members of the settings population have been part of a binary comparing decision. A score for the each presented equalizer settings is adapted based on the user's binary comparing decisions results. A weighted averaging is performed, based on the scores, in the frequency domain between the equalizer settings that received a high score, to obtain the result of the equalizer adjustment method.
US09685926B2
An audio output device may include one or more audio sensors configured to detect ambient sound and noises around the audio output device. The audio output device may include a controller configured to analyze the detected sound and noises and may adjust audio settings of the audio output device accordingly. In an embodiment, the controller may analyze and recognize that the detected noise is another person's attempt to get the user's attention or to talk to the user, such as audio sound of the user's name. In response, the controller may stop the audio output or lower the volume of the audio output.
US09685899B2
An inverter which supplies a load-adaptive boost voltage and drives an induction motor includes a reference voltage determining unit configured to determine a reference voltage according to a reference frequency on the basis of a predetermined a relationship between a voltage and a frequency, an inverter unit configured to drive the induction motor according to the reference voltage, and an automatic torque boost voltage calculation unit configured to determine an automatic torque boost voltage value according to a magnitude of an output current from the inverter to the induction motor, wherein the reference voltage determining unit adds a preset manual boost voltage value and an automatic torque boost voltage value to the reference voltage and outputs the resultant voltage value as a final reference voltage.
US09685890B2
The present invention is directed to methods for harnessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in a tubular length and using this energy to power electrical devices (e.g., flowmeters, electrically-actuated valves, etc.). The present invention is also directed to corresponding systems through which such methods are implemented.
US09685887B2
Methods and systems for controlling power conversion systems. In one aspect, a power management system includes a first power conversion system coupled to a first energy source and a second power conversion system coupled to a second energy source, and a control system. The control system causes, while the first power conversion system is operating in an active mode and the second power conversion system is operating in a standby mode, the second power conversion system to exit the standby mode, the second power conversion system providing a reactive power flow upon exiting the standby mode. The control system causes the first power conversion system to provide a compensatory reactive power flow to compensate for at least a portion of the reactive power flow from the second power conversion system.
US09685878B2
An electric power transmission system and method that provides a power electronic interface system for connecting a plurality of alternating current transmission lines by one or more direct current transmission lines. The system includes dc-link converters, frequency transformers connected to the converters, and multilevel converters are connected to a direct current transmission line.
US09685877B2
A power conversion apparatus includes a transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil; a primary full-bridge circuit comprising the primary coil disposed at a first bridge part; a secondary full-bridge circuit comprising the secondary coil disposed at a second bridge part; and a control unit configured to control a phase difference between switching at the primary full-bridge circuit, and switching at the secondary full-bridge circuit, to adjust transmission power transmitted between the primary full-bridge circuit and the secondary full-bridge circuit. When an absolute value of the phase difference is less than or equal to a first predetermined value, the control unit inverts a positive and a negative of the phase difference, to switch a power transmission direction between the primary full-bridge circuit and the secondary full-bridge circuit.
US09685876B2
A method of capacitive mode detection is used in a resonant converter. The resonant converter has a square wave generator having a first switch and a second switch, a resonant network, an isolated transformer having a primary winding and a second winding, and a rectifier network providing an output DC voltage for a load. The method of capacitive mode detection includes: detecting a voltage of the secondary winding and generating a voltage detection signal; detecting an output DC voltage of the rectifier network and generating a voltage detecting threshold; comparing the voltage detection signal with the voltage detection threshold when either of the first and the second switches is turned OFF; generating a flag signal indicating whether the resonant converter enters into a capacitive mode based on the comparison result.
US09685872B2
A single-stage switched-mode power supply comprises: a dual-source ac rectifying unit (501), for converting an alternating current input by an alternating current power source into at least two direct current sources, namely, a first direct current source (606) and a second direct current source (607); a combination switch unit, at least comprising a first switch circuit (603) and a second switch circuit (605), used for respectively performing power conversion on the first direct current source (606) and the second direct current source (607), to output a direct current, wherein the first direct current source (606) is connected to the first switch circuit (603) through an energy-storage capacitor (604), the first switch circuit (603) is any circuit capable of functioning as a switch circuit, and the second switch circuit (605) is a circuit capable of functioning as a flyback switch circuit. The single-stage switch power supply has complete power factor correction and output hold-up time, and further improves power source conversion efficiency.
US09685862B2
A semiconductor device includes: a voltage-dividing resistor circuit including first and second resistors connected in series between a power supply potential and a reference potential and outputting a potential at a point of connection between the first and second resistors; a transient response detection circuit including a third resistor having a first end connected to the power supply potential and a capacitor connected between a second end of the third resistor and the reference potential, and outputting a potential at a point of connection between the third resistor and the capacitor; an AND circuit ANDing an output signal of the voltage-dividing resistor circuit and an output signal of the transient response detection circuit; and an output circuit, wherein switching of the output circuit is controlled by an output signal of the AND circuit.
US09685858B2
A control circuit of a DC/DC converter is disclosed. The control circuit includes a pulse modulator generating a comparison pulse, which is transitioned to an on level when a feedback voltage depending on an output voltage of the converter is lowered to a threshold voltage and then transitioned to an off level; a peak current detector asserting a detection signal when a coil current of the converter reaches a predetermined peak current; a logic part generating a control pulse which is transitioned to an on level when the comparison pulse is transitioned to the on level, and is transitioned to an off level at a time which is later among the time when the comparison pulse is transitioned to the off level and the time when the peak current detection signal is asserted; and a driver switching a switching transistor of the converter based on the control pulse.
US09685848B2
A vibrating device includes a motor housing, an electromagnetic coil coupled to the motor housing and a motor elastically coupled to the motor housing. The motor includes a pole plate, a magnet and a yoke, the pole plate bonded to the magnet and the magnet set within the yoke. The electromagnetic coil is disposed within an annular space defined between the magnet and the yoke.
US09685841B2
An electrical generating system for an aircraft may include a first shaft connected with an engine gearbox, a second shaft connected with a generator of the aircraft, and a connection unit in which the first and second shafts are selectively engageable with one another. The connection unit may include a solenoid coil, an armature co-axial with the first and the second shafts, a plurality of balls positioned around the armature. The armature may include a first cylindrical segment and a second cylindrical segment. The armature may be selectively movable between a first axial position and a second axial position. When the armature is in a first axial position, the balls are positioned to transmit torque forces between the first shaft and the second shaft. When the armature is in a second axial position, the first shaft and the second shaft are free to rotate independently.
US09685838B2
An electromechanical actuator is provided whose structure is simplified and made small, and with which an output portion can be driven even if a jammed state occurs in a screw mechanism. An electromechanical actuator is configured that includes an electric motor having a first rotor portion and a second rotor portion capable of relative rotation with respect to each other, and a jam relief mechanism having a first conversion portion having a first screw mechanism capable of converting rotational force of the first rotor portion into thrust force and moving an output portion back and forth, a sliding support mechanism which can transmit the rotational force of the first rotor portion to the first conversion portion, and a second conversion portion having a second screw mechanism which moves the output portion back and forth together with the first conversion portion.
US09685833B2
A rotor for a rotating electrical machine may include a number of pole teeth which carry a field winding, slots formed between the pole teeth, slot wedges provided in the slots, and separators arranged in the slots, the separators extending, starting from the slot wedges, between the windings in a direction toward a slot base.
US09685829B2
A rotor core includes magnet insertion holes embedding permanent magnets and arranged in a substantially U-shape, facing an outer circumferential surface of a rotor, and includes hollow portions formed at both side surface portions in a direction orthogonal to a magnetization direction of the permanent magnets embedded in the magnet insertion holes. A permanent magnet group for each pole having the plurality of permanent magnets includes vent holes passing through the rotor core in a direction of a rotating shaft, between one of the magnet insertion holes in which the permanent magnets are embedded and adjacent one of the magnet insertion holes or between the one of the magnet insertion holes and outer circumferential portions of the rotor core. The vent holes are arranged at positions to form the substantially U-shape together with the magnet insertion holes.
US09685827B2
A polyphasic multi-coil generator includes a drive shaft, at least first and second rotors rigidly mounted on the drive shaft so as to simultaneously synchronously rotate with rotation of the drive shaft, and at least one stator sandwiched between the first and second rotors. A stator array on the stator has an array of electrically conductive coils mounted to the stator in a first angular orientation about the drive shaft. The rotors each have an array of magnets which are circumferentially equally spaced around the rotor and located at the same radially spacing with respect to the centre of the rotor and the drive shaft at a first angular orientation relative to the drive shaft. The arrays of magnets on adjacent rotors are off-set by an angular offset relative to one another.
US09685823B2
A system that includes a controller configured to receive data corresponding to at least a portion of a power system and one or more sensor measurements from one or more sensors in the power system. The controller may then generate a model of the power system based on at least a portion of the data and at least a portion of the sensor measurements such that the model may include one or more model measurements that correspond to the sensor measurements. After generating the model of the power system, the controller may determine one or more correction factors for the sensor measurements based on at least a portion of the sensor measurements and the model measurements, apply the correction factors to the sensor measurements to generate corrected sensor measurements, and determine one or more properties of the power system based on the corrected sensor measurements.
US09685815B2
A method for performing wireless charging control and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method may include: performing current detection and voltage detection to monitor a driving current and a driving voltage within the wireless charging transmitter, respectively, wherein the driving current and the driving voltage are utilized for driving a power output coil of the wireless charging transmitter; generating a set of indexes at least according to the driving current and the driving voltage, wherein the set of indexes may include a power loss index indicating power loss of a wireless charging operation performed by the wireless charging transmitter, and may further include an admittance-related index corresponding to any of a ratio of the driving current to the driving voltage or a reciprocal of the ratio of the driving current to the driving voltage; and performing wireless charging foreign object detection (FOD) according to the set of indexes.
US09685811B2
Disclosed is a method for controlling a wireless power receiver including a charging unit. The method includes receiving wireless power, rectifying the received wireless power and outputting Direct Current (DC) wireless power, and determining whether the voltage of the rectified wireless power is greater than or equal to the allowable voltage of the charging unit.
US09685807B2
Provided is a battery control device that can accurately detect a state of charge even if characteristics relating to the state of charge change as a result of battery degradation. This battery control device is provided with map data describing the correspondence relationship between an open-circuit voltage and a state of charge of the battery and outputs different state-of-charge values for the same open-circuit voltage according to the amount of elapsed time.
US09685801B2
Disclosed is a circuit board for a secondary battery, which ensures an improved safety according to a temperature of the secondary battery, and a battery pack including the circuit board. The circuit board for a secondary battery, which is connected to at least one of a cathode tab and an anode tab of the secondary battery, includes a tab coupling portion connected to the cathode tab or the anode tab, a charging/discharging path connected to the tab coupling portion to give a path through which a charging current or a discharging current of the secondary battery flows, the charging/discharging path having at least one path cutting portion formed therein, one pair of conductive plates respectively attached to both ends of the path cutting portion, the conductive plates being at least partially bent, and a current interruption module having both ends respectively connected to the one pair of conductive plates, the current interruption module sensing a temperature of the secondary battery and interrupting a current according to the sensed temperature.
US09685798B2
A power management system can smartly allocate the available power at a location to support more electric vehicles than would otherwise be possible. Power managers can intelligently allocate that power based on the real-time needs of vehicles. A smart energy distribution system can estimate each vehicle's current charge level and use such information to efficiently provide electric vehicle charging. The system can respond dynamically to vehicle charge levels, current readings, and/or electrical mains readings, allocating more current where it is needed. The charger profiles can include historic charge cycle information, which can be analyzed under a set of heuristics to predict future charging needs. A local electric vehicle charging mesh network can be provided, which transmits data packets among short-range transceivers of multiple power managers. The local electric vehicle charging mesh network can be connected to a remote server via a cellular connection. The power managers and the local electric vehicle charging mesh network can intelligently allocate power to multiple electric vehicles.
US09685793B2
Methods and systems for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor wireless power receiver may include a receiver chip with an inductor, a configurable capacitance, and a rectifier. The method may include receiving an RF signal utilizing the inductor, extracting a clock signal from the received RF signal, generating a DC voltage utilizing a rectifier circuit, sampling the DC voltage, and adjusting the configurable capacitance based on the sampled DC voltage. The rectifier circuit may include CMOS transistors and T-gate switches for coupling to the inductor. The T-gate switches may be controlled by the generated DC voltage. A signed based gradient-descent algorithm may be utilized to maximize the DC voltage. The DC voltage may be sampled utilizing a comparator powered by the DC voltage, which may adaptively configure the capacitance. The inductor may be shielded utilizing a floating shield. The DC voltage may be increased utilizing a voltage-boosting rectifier.
US09685792B2
Techniques of magnetic field distribution are described herein. The techniques may include forming a wireless charging component including a driving coil to receive a driven current generating a magnetic field. An outer turn of a parasitic coil may be formed, wherein the outer turn is adjacent to the driving coil. An inner turn of the parasitic coil may be formed, wherein an inductive coupling between the driving coil and the parasitic coil generates a redistribution of a portion of the magnetic field at the inner turn.
US09685787B2
The present disclosure is directed to providing voltage via a power distribution system. A computing device receives delivered voltage information from metering devices metering power distributed to sites by a controller. The computing device determines a number of metering devices to use to generate a control signal to control operation of the controller. The number can be determined based on the delivered voltage information for each site. The computing device selects, based on the delivered voltage information, at least the determined number of metering devices to form a subset of metering devices for a subset of sites. The computing device uses the delivered voltage information of the subset of metering devices to generate the control signal. The control signal can control operation of the at least one controller distributing power to the plurality of sites.
US09685780B2
The disclosure provides an ESD protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit comprises: a clamping unit, a driving unit, a resistance unit, a switch unit, and a capacitance unit. The clamping device is coupled between a first power source and a second power source. The driving unit is coupled between the clamping device and a reference node. The resistance unit is coupled between the first power source and the reference node. The switch unit is coupled to the driving unit via the reference node. The capacitance unit is coupled between the switch unit and the second power source. Under a normal operation condition, the driving unit controls the switch unit to be in an un-conducting status. Under an ESD condition, the driving unit controls the switch unit to be in a conducting status.
US09685766B2
Disclosed is a method of forming a laser source capable of producing mid-IR laser radiation comprises growing a first core structure on a substrate, etching away the first core structure in one or more locations, and growing a second core structure on the substrate. At least one of the core structures comprises a quantum cascade gain medium emitting at a frequency within the range from 3-14 μm. Also disclosed is a laser source capable of producing mid-IR laser radiation comprising a quantum-cascade core positioned on a substrate for emitting within the range from 3-14 μm and a second core on the substrate positioned in-plane relative to the first core. The second core is one of a) a passive waveguide core b) a second quantum-cascade core and c) a semiconductor active core region.
US09685741B2
A cable connector assembly comprises a cable, a connector connected with the cable. The connector comprises a plurality of contacts electrically connecting the cable, an insulative housing retaining the contacts, a metal shell having a top shell and a bottom shell assembled with each other around the insulative housing, and a fixing member fixing the cable. The bottom shell includes a rear wall having a opening for the cable to be inserted into. The top shell includes a top wall and a tongue piece extending from the top wall to the cable. The fixing member includes a main body fastening the cable and a soldering portion extending from the main body and soldering with the rear wall of the bottom shell.
US09685737B2
A standing-type electrical receptacle connector includes a metallic shell, an insulated housing, and an outer shell. The metallic shell defines a receiving cavity therein. The insulated housing is received in the receiving cavity and includes a base portion and a tongue portion extending from one side of the base portion. The outer shell includes a sleeve enclosing the metallic shell, two or more extending sheets respectively extending from two sides of the sleeve, and two or more positioning portions at the extending sheets. The extending sheets are abutted against a circuit board. The circuit board defines positioning holes positioned with the positioning portions.
US09685736B2
A modular electrical connector with separately shielded signal conductor pairs. In some embodiments, the connector is assembled from modules, each containing a pair of signal conductors with surrounding partially or fully conductive material. In some embodiments, the modules have projecting portions, of conductive and/or dielectric material, that are shaped and positioned to reduce changes in impedance along the signal paths as a function of separation of conductive elements, when the connectors are separated by less than the functional mating range.
US09685734B1
A power line disconnect apparatus includes a housing; an electrical connector that projects from a surface of a connector plate coupled to the housing, the electrical connector configured to receive a plug of a power cable; an ejector pin configured to project through a first aperture in the connector plate and eject the plug from the electrical connector; a microswitch configured to activate and deactivate a power circuit associated with the power cable; and a sensor pin configured to project through a second aperture in the connector plate, the sensor pin having a sensor pin extension, the sensor pin extension configured to control the microswitch.
US09685733B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative seat, a plurality of terminals fixed to the insulative seat and at least one magnetic element retained in the insulative seat. The insulative seat defines a vertical first mating surface and a mating portion extending forwardly from the first mating surface, the mating portion defines an inclined second mating surface. Each terminal defines a contacting portion disposed in the mating portion and a soldering portion extending outside of the insulative seat. The mating portion defines a shallow recess recessed from the second mating surface, and the contacting portion defines a free end exposed on the shallow recess and locating behind the second mating surface.
US09685729B2
A connector drip-proof member includes a cylinder part configured to be attached to a cable whose end is connected to a connector so as to cover a part of the cable, and a barb portion linked to the cylinder part and configured to prevent droplets on the cable from reaching the connector. The barb portion includes an upper surface configured to face to a back end side of the cable, and an under surface configured to face to an end side of the cable. The cylinder part penetrates the barb portion from the upper surface to the under surface. The upper surface is concave. A connector drip-proof member and cable structure is provided which can be applied to a narrow space, reduce workload for attaching, and be manufactured at low costs.
US09685719B2
A press-fit terminal (10) made of a wire material (11) of a predetermined length, the press-fit terminal includes: a distal section (12) formed at one end thereof to be inserted into a substrate (29); a connecting section (13) formed at the other end thereof to be connected to a complementary terminal; and a press-fit section (14) formed at a distal section side thereof to be press-fitted into a through-hole (30) of the substrate; wherein the press-fit section is formed at the central part thereof a hole (15) vertically elongated along an axis direction of the wire material; the hole is formed with an extending section (14b) extendedly formed toward the inside of the hole along the inner circumferential surface (15a) of the hole; and the extending section is formed at the end thereof with an erected section (14c) in an intersecting direction about the axis direction of the wire material.
US09685718B1
A connector structure includes a first connecting component, a rigid circuit board and a second connecting component. The first connecting component includes a first main body whereon a slot is formed, and a plurality of first terminals disposed on the first main body. Each first terminal includes a contacting portion extending into the slot, and a welding portion protruding out of the first main body. The rigid circuit board is assembled into the slot and contacts the contacting portions of the plurality of first terminals. The second connecting component is installed on the rigid circuit board and electrically connected to the plurality of first terminals. The second connecting component includes a second main body, a shielding plate, a plurality of second terminals and a metal shell. The second connecting component, the rigid circuit board and the first connecting component are cooperatively formed in a reverse L-shaped structure.
US09685710B1
An antenna reflector includes a laminated structure including a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer has an electrically conductive and electrically reflective front surface and includes a nonwoven metallized fiber matte and the second layer includes an open weave fabric. The laminated structure is acoustically permeable. In some implementations, a laminated structure is formed by co-curing the first layer and the second layer.
US09685699B2
Antennas, antenna systems, and components used in antenna systems are provided herein. In various examples, an integrated antenna for receiving signals for a plurality of functional modules in a computing device may include a first plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at wireless communication frequencies and a second plurality of antenna elements for receiving signals at wireless charging frequencies. The first and the second pluralities of antenna elements may have at least one common antenna element, which may be coupled to one or more of the second plurality of antenna elements using at least one low-pass filter. The at least one common antenna element is de-coupled from one or more of the plurality of functional modules operating at the wireless communication frequencies using at least one high-pass filter.
US09685690B2
An electronic device may have a display. A display cover layer and a transparent inner display member may overlap a display pixel layer. The display pixel layer may have an array of display pixels for displaying images for a user. A touch sensor layer may be interposed between the display pixel layer and the transparent display member. A ferromagnetic shielding layer may be mounted below the display pixel layer. A flexible printed circuit containing coils of metal signal lines that form a near-field communications loop antenna may be interposed between the ferromagnetic shielding layer and the display pixel layer. A non-near-field antenna such as an inverted-F antenna may have a resonating element mounted on an inner surface of the display cover layer. The resonating element may be interposed between the transparent display member and the display cover layer.
US09685689B1
A method may involve: forming a first bio-compatible layer; forming a conductive pattern on the first bio-compatible layer, wherein the conductive pattern defines an antenna, sensor electrodes, electrical contacts, and one or more electrical interconnects; forming a protective layer over the sensor electrodes, such that the sensor electrodes are covered by the protective layer; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contacts; forming a second bio-compatible layer over the first bio-compatible layer, the electronic component, the antenna, the protective layer, the electrical contacts, and the one or more electrical interconnects; removing a portion of the second bio-compatible layer to form an opening in the second bio-compatible layer; and removing the protective layer through the opening in the second bio-compatible layer to thereby expose the sensor electrodes.
US09685683B2
A power storage apparatus includes a plurality of spacers. The plurality of spacers is alternately stacked with the power storage devices. Each of the spacers defines a space through which cooling air flows. The spacers include first spacer and second spacer. The first spacer is a spacer disposed between the end plate and one of the plural power storage devices that is located adjacent to the end plate. The first spacer includes guide member. The guide member is arranged in a circumference of the opening of at least one of the inflow port and the outflow port so as to narrow the opening.
US09685682B2
A secondary battery module 1 of the present invention stores cell blocks 40 in a module case 2, and cools battery cells 101 in the cell blocks 40 by circulating coolant to the inside of the cell blocks by introduction of the coolant into the module case 2. The secondary battery module has a structure of communicating coolant circulation ports 22 that open to a case wall section 21 of the module case 2 and coolant circulation ports 62a that open to the cell blocks 40 with each other by a communication member 71, and passing wiring through a space region 80 formed outside the communication member 71 and between the case wall section 21 and the cell blocks 40. Thus, wiring can be executed without interfering flow of the coolant, and the total secondary battery module 1 can be miniaturized.
US09685681B2
A battery pack including a battery cell including an electrode assembly arranged within a can and an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the can having an opening sealed by a cap plate, a top case attached to the battery cell at a top portion of the battery cell, the top case having an inner space and a protective circuit module including a protection circuit board arranged within said inner space of said top case and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, wherein the top case includes a top portion opposite from the electrode assembly and first and second pairs of opposed sides, the first pair of opposed sides having an edge, a portion of the edge has a recessed interference preventing portion, the recessed interference preventing portion corresponds to a location of a weld connecting an electrode tap to the electrode terminal.
US09685679B2
There is provided an electrode assembly having steps including: a first electrode stair including at least one first electrode unit; and a second electrode stair including at least one second electrode unit having an area different from that of the first electrode unit, wherein the first electrode stair and the second electrode stair are stacked to be adjacent, separated by at least one separator as a boundary therebetween and including one or more electrode laminates having steps formed by a difference between areas of the first electrode stair and the second electrode stair, and shapes of the corners of the first electrode stair and the second electrode stair having steps are different. There is also provided a secondary battery including the electrode assembly. Secondary batteries having various designs without restriction in shapes of corners of electrode units can be provided.
US09685678B2
A material suitable for use in an electrode, preferably an anode, and processes of its formation are provided. The material includes an electrode base material and an organic artificial solid electrolyte interface material including a water soluble organic polymer coating the electrode base material. The polymer is polymerized with a crosslinker to form the organic artificial solid electrolyte interface material. The resulting artificial SEI coated electrode material demonstrates superior discharge rate capacity and cycle stability.
US09685676B2
Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) having configurations with spiral wound structures and with frame-and-plate structures are provided. Systems may allow for production of an electrical current that is at least partially generated by microorganisms connected directly or indirectly to an electrode. A spiral wound or frame-and-plate type bioelectrochemical system that may be used for energy or chemical production, and/or desalination may include an anolyte influent point, a catholyte influent point, electrodes, ion selective membranes, mesh separators, gas collection devices, an exterior containment vessel, and one or more external electrical devices.
US09685672B2
A hydrogen generation apparatus according to the present invention includes: a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction; a combustor configured to heat the reformer; an air supply device configured to supply air to the combustor; a fuel supply device configured to supply a fuel to the combustor; a CO detector configured to detect a carbon monoxide concentration in a flue gas discharged from the combustor; and a controller configured to control at least one of the air supply device and the fuel supply device to increase an air ratio in the combustor such that the CO concentration in the flue gas increases, and then test the CO detector for abnormality.
US09685669B2
A power generation characteristic estimation device for fuel cell includes a reference characteristic setting unit for setting a reference power generation characteristic of a fuel cell, a current detection unit for detecting an actual current of the fuel cell, a voltage detection unit for detecting an actual voltage of the fuel cell, and a characteristic estimation unit for estimating an actual power generation characteristic of the fuel cell based on a voltage difference between a voltage on the reference power generation characteristic and an actual voltage at the actual current. The characteristic estimation unit estimates the power generation characteristic during a warm-up operation of the fuel cell when a pressure of a gas supplied to the fuel cell is not lower than a predetermined value.
US09685668B2
A flow battery comprising a first tank for an anode electrolyte, a second tank for a cathode electrolyte, respective hydraulic circuits provided with corresponding pumps for supplying electrolytes to specific planar cells, provided with channels on the two mutually opposite faces for the independent conveyance of the electrolytes, mutually separated by electrolytic membranes and electrodes, the planar cells constituting a laminar pack, on at least one front of the laminar pack there being an end plate provided, on a first face, with at least one channel for the access of the electrolytes that arrive from the laminar pack, with at least one discharge channel for the conveyance of the electrolytes that originate from the access channel to at least one outlet that is connected to a respective tank, and at least one mixing channel.
US09685664B2
A fuel cell stack includes fuel cells, a reactant gas channel, a reactant gas inlet manifold, a reactant gas outlet manifold, an inlet buffer portion, and an outlet buffer portion. A reactant gas flows through the reactant gas channel along a surface of a separator. The reactant gas flows through the reactant gas inlet manifold and the reactant gas outlet manifold in a stacking direction. The inlet buffer portion connects an inlet of the reactant gas channel to the reactant gas inlet manifold. The inlet buffer portion includes linear inlet guide protrusions. Inlet guide channels are provided between the linear inlet guide protrusions and connect the reactant gas inlet manifold to the reactant gas channel. A pitch between the linear inlet guide protrusions increases in accordance with an increase in a distance from the reactant gas inlet manifold to the linear inlet guide protrusions.
US09685657B2
A composite precursor represented by Formula 1, a composite prepared therefrom represented by Formula 2, a method of preparing a composite precursor and a composite, a positive electrode for lithium secondary battery including the same, and a lithium secondary battery employing the same. aMn3O4-bM(OH)2 Formula 1 wherein in Formula 1, 0
US09685656B2
Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency.When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.6, after which, while keeping the amount of slurry constant and continuously removing only the liquid component, the crystallization reaction is continued until the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of the nickel composite hydroxide becomes 8.0 μm to 50.0 μm.
US09685650B2
An electric storage device comprises the current interruption device which includes a deformable plate electrically connected to a first conductive member and a second conductive member to constitute part of a conductive path. The deformable plate deforms to interrupt the conductive path, when a pressure inside the casing rises. The first conductive member, the second conductive member, and the current interruption device are disposed between the terminal attachment wall and the electrode assembly. The first conductive member extends along the terminal attachment wall to connect the tab and the current interruption device. The second conductive member is connected to the current interruption device at a location that is farther from the terminal attachment wall than a connection between the first conductive member and the current interruption device, and extends along the terminal attachment wall to connect the current interruption device and the electrode terminal.
US09685647B2
A separator includes a polyolefin base film and a coating layer, the coating layer containing inorganic particles having an average particle size of about 1 nm to about 700 nm and an organic binder of a polyvinylidene fluoride homopolymer, the coating layer having a density of about 1.2 g/cm3 to about 2 g/cm3, the coating layer being disposed on one or both sides of the base film.
US09685641B2
A solution-providing apparatus and method of manufacturing organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display using the apparatus are disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a storage unit, a spraying unit, a pipe, an emission-inducing unit, and a spectrometer. The storage unit is configured to store the solution that includes a light emissive material. The spraying unit is configured to spray the solution toward the substrate. The pipe interconnects the storage unit and the spraying unit. The emission-inducing unit is configured to excite the light emissive material of the solution that flows through the pipe so as to emit light from the solution. The spectrometer is configured to measure the wavelength and intensity of the light.
US09685640B2
A manufacturing method of a display substrate, including preparing a carrier substrate; preparing a mixture of an organic material, an inorganic particle, and solvent; coating the mixture on the carrier substrate; forming a sacrificial layer including the inorganic particle in the organic material by curing the mixture; forming a barrier layer on the sacrificial layer; forming a display substrate on the barrier layer; and separating the barrier layer and the display substrate from the carrier substrate by applying a laser to the sacrificial layer.
US09685634B2
A pixel structure, a display device having the pixel structure and a manufacturing method of the pixel structure are disclosed. The pixel structure comprises: a first insulation layer; a luminescent unit disposed on the first insulation layer and comprising a first electrode layer, a luminescent layer and a second electrode layer; a pixel defining layer configured for defining a pixel aperture, in which the luminescent unit is disposed; and a reflective assembly disposed around the pixel defining layer so as to reflect light entering the pixel defining layer from the luminescent layer to exit from an exit surface of the pixel structure. The reflective assembly is provided to reflect the light entering the pixel defining layer from the luminescent layer, so as to exit from the exit surface of the pixel structure. As a result, the light beams entering the pixel defining layer may be converted into effective beams for the pixel structure, thereby improving the display effect and reducing light dissipation.
US09685633B2
An organic light-emitting component includes a substrate on which a functional layer stack is applied, the stack including a first electrode, an organic functional layer stack thereover including an organic light-emitting layer and a translucent second electrode thereover, and a translucent halogen-containing thin-film encapsulation arrangement over the translucent second electrode, wherein a translucent protective layer having a refractive index of more than 1.6 is arranged directly on a translucent second electrode between the translucent second electrode and the thin-film encapsulation arrangement, and the thin-film encapsulation arrangement is arranged directly on the translucent protective layer.
US09685627B2
A novel functional panel is provided. The functional panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first layer, a second layer, a sealing portion, and a first adhesive layer. The sealing portion is between the first layer and the second layer. The first adhesive layer is between the first layer and the first substrate. The second substrate is in contact with the second layer. When a surface of the first layer which faces the first substrate is referred to as a first surface and a surface of the second layer which is in contact with the second substrate is referred to as a second surface, the functional panel has a plurality of regions having different distances between the first surface and the second surface.
US09685620B2
An organic light emitting device including a first region and a second region, the organic light emitting device including a flexible substrate; a driving circuit on the flexible substrate, the driving circuit including a thin film transistor; an organic light emitting element on the flexible substrate, the organic light emitting element connected to the driving circuit; an encapsulating thin film on the flexible substrate, the encapsulating thin film covering the organic light emitting element and the driving circuit; a first protection film facing the encapsulating thin film; a second protection film facing the flexible substrate in the first region; and a third protection film facing the flexible substrate in the second region, the third protection film having an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the second protection film.
US09685619B2
A logic circuit for performing a logic operation comprising a plurality of predetermined solid-state molecular chips, each molecular chip having multiple states obtained after application of a corresponding input. After applying predetermined inputs on the molecular chips, reading the states of the molecular chips produces a logical output according to the logic operation.
US09685615B2
A compound represented by the following general formula is useful as a light emitting material. X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom. R1 to R8 represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent, provided that at least one of R1 to R8 is a carbazolyl group, etc.
US09685613B2
There is disclosed a compound having Formula I In Formula I: Ar1 through Ar4 are the same or different and are aryl groups; L is a spiro group, an adamantyl group, bicyclic cyclohexyl, deuterated analogs thereof, or substituted derivatives thereof; R1 is the same or different at each occurrence and is D, F, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, silyl, or a crosslinkable group, where adjacent R1 groups can be joined together to form an aromatic ring; R2 is the same or different at each occurrence and is H, D, or halogen; a is the same or different at each occurrence and is an integer from 0-4; and n is an integer greater than 0.
US09685610B2
A method for producing a resistive random access memory includes preparing a first metal layer and sputtering a resistive switching layer on the first metal layer. Surface treatment is conducted on the resistive switching layer by using a plasma containing mobile ions to dope the mobile ions into the resistive switching layer. The polarity of the mobile ions is opposite to the polarity of oxygen ions. Then, a second metal layer is sputtered on the resistive switching layer.
US09685609B2
A variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of first conductive lines, each of the first conductive lines extends in a first direction, a plurality of second conductive lines are above the first conductive lines, and each of the second conductive lines extend in a second direction transverse to the first direction. A plurality of first memory cells are at intersections where the first and second conductive lines overlap each other, each of the first memory cells including a first variable resistance structure having a first variable resistance pattern, a first sacrificial pattern and a second variable resistance pattern sequentially stacked in the first direction on a first plane. A plurality of third conductive lines are above the second conductive lines, each of the third conductive lines extend in the first direction, and a plurality of second memory cells are at intersections where the second and the third conductive lines overlap each other. Each of the second memory cells includes a second variable resistance structure having a third variable resistance pattern, a second sacrificial pattern and a fourth variable resistance pattern sequentially stacked in the first direction on second plane.
US09685604B2
A magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) cell includes a free layer having a variable magnetic polarity, wherein the free layer has a first width; a pin layer having a fixed magnetic polarity, wherein the pin layer has the first width; a barrier layer located between the pin layer and the free layer, wherein the barrier layer has a second width that is less than the first width; a top electrode layer located above the free layer, the pin layer, and the barrier layer; a bottom electrode layer located beneath the free layer, the pin layer, and the barrier layer; and a capping layer encapsulating a sidewall of the barrier layer.
US09685601B2
A method for controlling a piezoelectric device including a piezoelectric element attached to a substrate, with the substrate and the piezoelectric element being made of materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion includes the step of subjecting the piezoelectric element to a predetermined electric voltage in order to cause a predetermined set deformation of the piezoelectric element. The predetermined electric voltage comprises a compensation portion determined according to ambient temperature to cancel a stress generated on the piezoelectric element due to a differential thermal expansion between the piezoelectric element and the substrate.
US09685599B2
According to some embodiments, a thermoelectric system includes a thermoelectric device having a first surface and a second surface and a power source configured to deliver a voltage across the thermoelectric device to selectively activate or deactivate the thermoelectric device, wherein the first surface is configured to heat and the second surface is configured to cool when the thermoelectric device is activated. The system further includes a processor configured to determine a potential between the first surface and the second surface when the thermoelectric device is deactivated, correlate the potential to a temperature of the first surface and adjust the correlated temperature of the first surface based on an ambient temperature.
US09685597B2
A curable composition according to the present invention for sealing optical semiconductor includes components (A), (B), and (C). Another curable composition according to the present invention for sealing optical semiconductor further includes a component (D) in addition to the components (A), (B) and (C). The component (A) is a compound containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of epoxy groups, oxetanyl groups, vinyl ether groups, and (meth)acryloyl groups. The component (B) is a cycloaliphatic epoxy compound. The component (C) is a curing catalyst including a cationic component and an anionic component and generating an acid upon application of light or heat, where the cationic component contains an aromatic ring, and the anionic component contains a central element selected from boron and phosphorus. The component (D) is conductive fiber-bearing particles each including a particulate substance and a fibrous conductive substance lying on or over the particulate substance.
US09685591B2
A method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor component having a plurality of image points and an optoelectronic component are disclosed. In an embodiment the method includes providing a semiconductor layer sequence including an n-conducting semiconductor layer, an active zone, and a p-conducting semiconductor layer; applying a first layer sequence, wherein the first layer sequence is divided into a plurality of regions which are arranged laterally spaced with respect to each other on a top surface of the p-conducting semiconductor layer; c) applying a second insulating layer; partially removing the p-conducting semiconductor layer and the active zone, in such a way that the n-conducting semiconductor layer is exposed at points and the p-conducting semiconductor layer is divided into individual regions which are laterally spaced with respect to each other, wherein each of the regions comprises a part of the p-conducting semiconductor layer and a part of the active zone.
US09685587B2
A superlattice and method for forming that superlattice are disclosed. In particular, an engineered layered single crystal structure forming a superlattice is disclosed. The superlattice provides p-type or n-type conductivity, and comprises alternating host layers and impurity layers, wherein: the host layers consist essentially of a semiconductor material; and the impurity layers consist essentially of a corresponding donor or acceptor material.
US09685584B2
A radiation-emitting semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body with a semiconductor layer sequence, wherein the semiconductor layer sequence has an active region that generates radiation having a peak wavelength in the near-infrared spectral range and an absorptive region, and the absorption region at least partially absorbs a shortwave radiation component having a cut-off wavelength shorter than the peak wavelength.
US09685582B2
A method of fabricating a light-emitting device, the method including forming a first resin comprising a phosphor inside a cavity of a package body on which a light-emitting diode chip is mounted, measuring color coordinates of light emitted by combination of the light-emitting diode chip and the phosphor, and correcting the color coordinates by forming a second resin on the first resin. The first resin is not fully cured before measuring and correcting the color coordinates.
US09685575B2
A photodiode structure is based on the use of a double junction sensitive to different wavelength bands based on a magnitude of a reverse bias applied to the photodiode. The monolithic integration of a sensor with double functionality in a single chip allows realization of a low cost ultra-compact sensing element in a single packaging useful in many applications which require simultaneous or spatially synchronized detection of optical photons in different spectral regions.
US09685572B2
A solar cell rear surface protection sheet having two or more substrates laminated together by means of an adhesive, the adhesive includes a urethane resin obtained by mixing an acrylic polyol, an isocyanate compound, 3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane, and tin octylate. The acrylic polyol is obtained by polymerizing polymerizable monomers, which include a hydroxyl group-containing monomer and other monomers. The other monomers include acrylonitrile. The isocyanate compound includes both a xylylene diisocyanate monomer and hexamethylene diisocyanate isocyanurate, and the xylylene diisocyanate monomer is present in an amount of 20 to 40 wt %, and the hexamethylene diisocyanate isocyanurate is present in an amount of 80 to 60 wt %. The equivalent ratio of isocyanate groups of the xylylene diisocyanate monomer and the hexamethylene diisocyanate isocyanurate to hydroxyl groups of the acrylic polyol is 1.0 to 3.0.
US09685567B2
A photodetector includes an anode that is transparent or partially transparent to light, a cathode and an active layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The active layer includes a nanocomposite material that has a polymer blended with nanoparticles or organic electron trapping particles. The photodetector has a low dark current when not illuminated by light and has a high conductivity when illuminated by light, in which the light passes the anode and is absorbed by the active layer.
US09685559B2
A vertically stacked heterostructure device includes: (1) a substrate; and (2) vertically stacked layers disposed over the substrate and including (a) a source electrode including a layer of graphene; (b) a drain electrode; and (c) a semiconducting channel disposed between the source electrode and the drain electrode. During operation of the device, a current is configured to flow between the source electrode and the drain electrode through the semiconducting channel.
US09685557B2
A method is provided for fabricating thin-film transistors (TFTs) for an LCD having an array of pixels. The method includes depositing a first photoresist layer over a portion of a TFT stack. The TFT stack includes a conductive gate layer, and a semiconductor layer. The method also includes doping the exposed semiconductor layer with a first doping dose. The method further includes etching a portion of the conductive gate layer to expose a portion of the semiconductor layer, and doping the exposed portion of the semiconductor layer with a second doping dose. The method also includes removing the first photoresist layer, and depositing a second photoresist layer over a first portion of the doped semiconductor layer in an active area of the pixels to expose a second portion of the doped semiconductor layer in an area surrounding the active area. The method further includes doping the second portion of the doped semiconductor layer with a third doping dose, the first dose being higher than the second dose and the third dose.
US09685555B2
Tapered source and drain contacts for use in an epitaxial FinFET prevent short circuits and damage to parts of the FinFET during contact processing, thus improving device reliability. The inventive contacts feature tapered sidewalls and a pedestal where electrical contact is made to fins in the source and drain regions. The pedestal also provides greater contact area to the fins, which are augmented by extensions. Raised isolation regions define a valley around the fins. During source/drain contact formation, the valley is lined with a conformal barrier that also covers the fins themselves. The barrier protects underlying local oxide and adjacent isolation regions against gouging while forming the contact. The valley is filled with an amorphous silicon layer that protects the epitaxial fin material from damage during contact formation. A simple tapered structure is used for the gate contact.
US09685552B2
A silicon carbide field effect transistor includes a silicon carbide substrate, an n-type drift layer, a p-type epitaxy layer, a source region, a trench gate, at least one p-type doped region, a source, a dielectric layer and a drain. The p-type doped region is disposed at the n-type drift layer to be adjacent to one lateral side of the trench gate, and includes a first doped block and a plurality of second doped blocks arranged at an interval from the first doped block towards the silicon carbide substrate. Further, a thickness of the second doped blocks does not exceed 2 um. Accordingly, not only the issue of limitations posed by the energy of ion implantation is solved, but also an electric field at a bottom and a corner of the trench gate is effectively reduced, thereby enhancing the reliability of the silicon carbide field effect transistor.
US09685549B2
A nitride semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first nitride semiconductor layer (1) located over the substrate; a second nitride semiconductor layer (2) located over the first nitride semiconductor layer (1), having a larger band gap than the first nitride semiconductor layer (1), and having a recess (11) penetrating into the first nitride semiconductor layer (1); and a third nitride semiconductor layer (12) continuously covering the second nitride semiconductor layer (2) and the recess (11), and having a larger band gap than the first nitride semiconductor layer (1); a gate electrode (5) located above a portion of the third nitride semiconductor layer (12) over the recess (11); and a first ohmic electrode (4a) and a second ohmic electrode (4b) located on opposite sides of the gate electrode (5).
US09685544B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, a second conductive-type base region that is arranged in the front surface portion of the semiconductor layer, a plurality of trenches that extend from a front surface of the semiconductor layer beyond a bottom portion of the base region with an active region being defined therebetween, a plurality of first conductive-type emitter regions that are arranged in the active region, each connecting the trenches adjacent to each other, a gate electrode that is embedded in the trench, an embedding insulating film that is embedded in the trench on the gate electrode and that has an upper surface in the same height position as the front surface of the semiconductor layer or in a height position lower than the front surface and an emitter electrode that covers the active region and the embedding insulating film and that is electrically connected to the base region and the emitter region.
US09685541B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor structure, including a substrate, having a fin structure disposed thereon, a gate structure, crossing over parts of the fin structure. The top surface of the fin structure which is covered by the gate structure is defined as a first top surface, and the top surface of the fin structure which is not covered by the gate structure is defined as a second top surface. The first top surface is higher than the second top surface, and a spacer covers the sidewalls of the gate structure. The spacer includes an inner spacer and an outer spacer, and the outer pacer further contacts the second top surface of the fin structure directly.
US09685537B1
A method of fabricating a vertical transistor is provided, the method including providing a starting semiconductor structure, the starting semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate, an impurity layer of n-type or p-type over the semiconductor substrate, a first hard mask layer over the semiconductor layer, a first dielectric layer over the first hard mask layer, a second hard mask layer over the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer over the second hard mask layer and a protective layer over the second dielectric layer. The method further includes patterning the second dielectric layer and protective layer, the patterning forming an opening therein, forming a wrap-around spacer on an inner sidewall of the opening, the forming leaving a smaller opening, forming a vertical channel, and setting a gate length of a wrap-around gate by removing an outer portion of the structure.
US09685535B1
A semiconductor device includes a gate stack arranged on a channel region of a semiconductor layer and a semiconductor layer arranged on an insulator layer. A crystalline source/drain region is arranged in a cavity in the insulator layer, and a spacer is arranged adjacent to the gate stack, the spacer arranged over the source/drain region. A second insulator layer is arranged on the spacer and the gate stack, and a conductive contact is arranged in the source/drain region.
US09685533B1
A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided in the present invention. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, agate structure on the substrate and two spacers on both sidewalls of the gate structure. Each spacer comprises an inner first spacer portion made of SiCN and an outer second spacer portion made of SiOCN.
US09685528B2
A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a semiconductor fin is provided. In an embodiment the fin is formed from a substrate, a middle section of the fin is covered, and then portions of the fin on either side of the middle section are removed. A series of implants is then performed and a gate dielectric and a gate electrode are formed to form a tunneling field effect transistor from the fin.
US09685527B2
A method of forming a metal silicide layer can include implanting dopants to a first depth below a surface of a semiconductor substrate including an active area. A metal-silicon composite layer can be formed on the semiconductor substrate and the metal-silicon composite layer can be silicided to form the metal silicide layer on the active area.
US09685523B2
This invention discloses a semiconductor device disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type on a first major surface. The semiconductor device further includes a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type on a second major surface opposite the first major surface. The semiconductor device further includes an injection efficiency controlling buffer layer of a first conductivity type disposed immediately below the second semiconductor layer to control the injection efficiency of the second semiconductor layer.
US09685519B2
A semiconductor device includes a field regions in a substrate to define active regions, gate trenches including active trenches disposed across the active region and field trenches in the field regions, and word lines that fill the gate trenches and extend in a first direction. The word lines include active gate electrodes occupying the active trenches, and field gate electrodes occupying the field trenches. The bottom surface of each field gate electrode, which is disposed between active regions that are adjacent to each other and have one word line therebetween, is disposed at a higher level than the bottom surfaces of the active gate electrodes.
US09685517B2
A silicon substrate is restrained from being warped. A substrate is formed by use of a silicon substrate. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. A metal film is formed over the first surface. An interconnection layer is formed over the second surface. The metal film has a face centered cubic lattice structure. When the metal film is measured by XRD (X-ray diffraction), the [111] orientation intensity A(111), the [220] orientation intensity A(220) and the [311] orientation intensity A(311) of the metal film satisfy the following: A(111)/{A(220)+A(311)}≧10.
US09685515B2
A crystal laminate structure includes an epitaxial growth substrate including a β-Ga2O3-based single crystal and a (010) plane or a plane inclined at an angle not more than 37.5° with respect to the (010) plane as a main surface thereof and a high electrical resistance, and an epitaxial crystal formed on the main surface of the epitaxial growth substrate. The epitaxial crystal includes a Ga-containing oxide.
US09685512B2
A semiconductor device includes a diode region and an IGBT region. The diode region includes a front side anode region, an n-type diode barrier region, an n-type diode pillar region reaching the diode barrier region through the front side anode region, and a p-type back side anode region separated from the front side anode region by the diode barrier region. The IGBT region includes a front side body region, an n-type IGBT barrier region, and a back side body region separated from the front side body region by the IGBT barrier region. When a gate-off voltage is applied to a gate electrode, a resistance between the IGBT barrier region and the emitter electrode is higher than a resistance between the diode barrier region and the anode electrode.
US09685509B2
A finFET device can include a high mobility semiconductor material in a fin structure that can provide a channel region for the finFET device. A source/drain recess can be adjacent to the fin structure and a graded composition epi-grown semiconductor alloy material, that includes a component of the high mobility semiconductor material, can be located in the source/drain recess.
US09685504B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region having first charge carriers of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having second charge carriers. The first semiconductor region includes a transition region in contact with the second semiconductor region, the transition region having a first concentration of the first charge carriers, a contact region having a second concentration of the first charge carriers, wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration, and a damage region between the contact region and the transition region. The damage region is configured for reducing lifetime and/or mobility of the first charge carriers of the damage region as compared to the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the contact region and the transition region.
US09685502B2
We disclose a bi-directional bipolar junction transistor (BJT) structure, comprising: a base region of a first conductivity type, wherein said base region constitutes a drift region of said structure; first and second collector/emitter (CE) regions, each of a second conductivity type adjacent opposite ends of said base region; wherein said base region is lightly doped relative to said collector/emitter regions; the structure further comprising: a base connection to said base region, wherein said base connection is within or adjacent to said first collector/emitter region.
US09685500B2
A semiconductor device with a transistor having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device has a memory circuit and a circuit that are over the same substrate. The memory circuit includes a capacitor, a first transistor, and a second transistor. A gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the capacitor and one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The circuit includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor that are electrically connected to each other in series. The first transistor and the third transistor each include an active layer including silicon, and the second transistor and the fourth transistor each include an active layer including an oxide semiconductor.
US09685498B2
To form a dielectric layer, an organometallic precursor is adsorbed on a substrate loaded into a process chamber. The organometallic precursor includes a central metal and ligands bound to the central metal. An inactive oxidant is provided onto the substrate. The inactive oxidant is reactive with the organometallic precursor. An active oxidant is also provided onto the substrate. The active oxidant has a higher reactivity than that of the inactive oxidant.
US09685495B2
A semiconductor device is made by depositing an encapsulant material between first and second plates of a chase mold to form a molded substrate. A first conductive layer is formed over the molded substrate. A resistive layer is formed over the first conductive layer. A first insulating layer is formed over the resistive layer. A second insulating layer is formed over the first insulating layer, resistive layer, first conductive layer, and molded substrate. A second conductive layer is formed over the first insulating layer, resistive layer, and first conductive layer. A third insulating layer is formed over the second insulating layer and second conductive layer. A bump is formed over the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer, resistive layer, first insulating layer, and second conductive layer constitute a MIM capacitor. The second conductive layer is wound to exhibit inductive properties.
US09685490B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a first electrode around a center point of a virtual tetragon, e.g., a virtual square; second electrodes around a first vertex and a second vertex diagonal to the first vertex of the virtual square, the second electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; third electrodes around a third vertex and a fourth vertex of the virtual square, the third electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; a pixel defining layer partially on the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes, and partially exposing the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes; and four spacers disposed as islands on the pixel defining layer and corresponding to four sides of the virtual square.
US09685489B2
The present invention belongs to the technical field of display, and specifically relates to an OLED pixel structure and an OLED display device. The OLED pixel structure comprises a thin film transistor and an OLED device, the thin film transistor being provided with a driving electrode for controlling whether the OLED device emits light or not, wherein the pixel structure comprises a transmission region and a reflection region in which a reflection layer formed by extending the driving electrode is provided. The beneficial advantages are that the OLED pixel structure can effectively improve the utilization of the light source and the utilization of the display panel.
US09685487B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate, a display pixel unit that displays an image, the display pixel unit being on the substrate, and a dummy pixel unit near the display pixel unit on the substrate. The display pixel unit includes a first electrode on the substrate, an organic emission layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the organic emission layer. The dummy pixel unit includes a second electrode formed on the substrate and does not include an organic emission layer.
US09685483B2
A circuit operable as a non-volatile memory cell, formed in part from a volatile selection device, is provided. The circuit can be fabricated utilizing Integrated Circuit (IC)-Foundry compatible processes to simplify manufacturing, reduce cost and improve yield. For instance, the circuit can comprise a set of transistors fabricated at least in part with front-end-of-line IC processes, and can comprise the volatile selection device and a set of interconnects fabricated at least in part with back-end-of-line IC processes. In further embodiments, the volatile selection device can be a two-terminal, volatile resistive-switching device connected at one end to a gate of an n-well transistor, and connected at a second end to a gate of a p-well transistor.
US09685480B2
The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device that can reduce the number of steps and enhance mechanical strength, a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus. The solid-state imaging device includes a laminate including a first semiconductor substrate having a pixel region and at least one second semiconductor substrate having a logic circuit, the at least one second semiconductor substrate being bonded to the first semiconductor substrate such that the first semiconductor substrate becomes an uppermost layer, and a penetration connecting portion that penetrates from the first semiconductor substrate into the second semiconductor substrate and connects a first wiring layer formed in the first semiconductor substrate to a second wiring layer formed in the second semiconductor substrate. The first wiring layer is formed with Al or Cu. The present technology is applicable, for example, to a back-surface irradiation type CMOS image sensor.
US09685478B2
An electrode of an electronic component element (1) is bonded to an electrode (5) of a substrate (4) via a bump (2) by: after applying, to the bump (2), only a first pressure which is not less than a yield stress of a bulk material of which the bump (2) is made, reducing or stopping the application of the first pressure; and while applying a given ultrasonic vibration to the bump (2), gradually applying a pressure to the bump (2) until the pressure reaches a second pressure which is not less than the yield stress of the bulk material of which the bump (2) is made.
US09685477B2
A two-terminal detector has a back-to-back p/n/p SWIR/MWIR stack structure, which includes P-SWIR absorber, N-SWIR, wide bandgap bather, N-MWIR absorber, and P-MWIR layers, with contacts on the P-MWIR and P-SWIR layers. The junction between the SWIR layers and the junction between the MWIR layers are preferably passivated. The detector stack is preferably arranged such that a negative bias applied to the top of the stack reverse-biases the MWIR junction and forward-biases the SWIR junction, such that the detector collects photocurrent from MWIR radiation. A positive bias forward-biases the MWIR junction and reverse-biases the SWIR junction, such that photocurrent from SWIR radiation is collected. A larger positive bias induces electron avalanche at the SWIR junction, thereby providing detector sensitivity sufficient to provide low light level passive amplified imaging. Detector sensitivity in this mode is preferably sufficient to provide high resolution 3-D eye-safe LADAR imaging.
US09685472B2
An integrated image sensor may include adjacent pixels, with each pixel including an active semiconductor region including a photodiode, an antireflection layer above the photodiode, a dielectric region above the antireflection layer and an optical filter to pass incident luminous radiation having a given wavelength. The antireflection layer may include an array of pads mutually separated by a dielectric material of the dielectric region. The array may be configured to allow simultaneous transmission of the incident luminous radiation and a diffraction of the incident luminous radiation producing diffracted radiations which have wavelengths below that of the incident radiation, and are attenuated with respect to the incident radiation.
US09685471B2
The present invention provides a manufacture method of a thin film transistor substrate. In the same photolithographic process, the via deposing process is implemented to the gate isolation layer and the etching stopper layer is patterned. That is, the photolithographic process is not implemented but the oxide semiconducting pattern is formed directly after the gate isolation layer is formed. After the etching stopper layer is formed, the gate isolation layer and the etching stopper layer are patterned in the same photolithographic process. Comparing with the manufacture method of prior art, one photolithographic process can be eliminated. Meanwhile, the aperture ratio is raised by forming an open at the transparent conducting layer.
US09685467B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a display device, which relates to the display field, and can increase transmittance of the product, and also has improvement effect to defects such as crosstalk, flicker, etc. An embodiment of the present invention provides an array substrate, comprising: a substrate, a data line, a gate line, a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode formed on the substrate, the thin film transistor comprises a gate insulating layer, a part of the gate insulating layer corresponding to a light-transmissive area of a pixel is removed.
US09685465B2
The present invention provides a TFT array substrate, including a display zone having a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, and sub-pixels arranged in an array. For the sub-pixels of the same row, a sub-pixel of an even column and a sub-pixel of an odd column that are respectively located at left and right sides of each of the data lines are collectively and electrically connected to the data line each by a TFT. For the sub-pixels of the same row, each of the sub-pixels of the even columns is electrically connected with the scan line above the row of the sub-pixels and each of the sub-pixels of the odd columns is electrically connected with the scan line below the row of the sub-pixels. The non-display zone includes a plurality of fan-out lines. Each of the fan-out lines corresponds to and is connected with one of the scan lines. Each of the fan-out lines includes a horizontal line segment and a slanted line segment. For a skip of every two or four successively arranged scan lines, the slanted line segments of the two fan-out lines respectively corresponding to and connected with two adjacent, upper and lower scan lines are arranged to intersect each other in a mutually isolated manner so as to change the sequence of driving the two adjacent, upper and lower scan lines.
US09685460B2
The present disclosure provides an array substrate, its manufacturing method and a display device. The method includes forming a source electrode and a drain electrode of a thin film transistor, an active layer and a first transparent electrode in the array substrate by a masking step. The active layer and the first transparent electrode are formed by an identical metal oxide layer, and the source electrode and the drain electrode are arranged above the active layer. The first transparent electrode corresponds to a first semi-transparent region of a mask, a channel region of the thin film transistor corresponds to a second semi-transparent region of the mask, the source electrode and drain electrode of the thin film transistor correspond to a non-transparent region of the mask, and the first semi-transparent region of the mask is of transmittance greater than that of the second semi-transparent region of the mask.
US09685448B2
Disclosed herein is a method includes: forming first and second cavities, the first cavity having a first width, each of the second cavities having a second width narrower than the first width; forming a first conductive layer buried in the second cavities and formed on bottom and side surface of the semiconductor substrate defined by the first cavity so that a third cavity is defined by the first conductive layer formed on the bottom and side surface of the semiconductor substrate; subjecting an etch back process to the first conductive layer so that a first conductive portion is formed at a bottom corner of the first cavity, further a fourth cavity is formed on the semiconductor substrate uncovered with the first conductive portion in the first cavity; and forming a first insulating layer in the fourth cavity and in the second cavity.
US09685444B2
A semiconductor device including a first gate structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The first gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer, an etch stop layer, a first work function metal, a second work function metal, and a fill metal. A second gate structure is also disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The second gate structure includes the gate dielectric layer, a second work function metal, and the fill metal. In an embodiment, the second gate structure also includes an etch stop layer.
US09685436B2
Monolithic 3D ICs employing one or more local inter-level interconnect integrated intimately with at least one structure of at least one transistor on at least one transistor level within the 3D IC. In certain embodiments the local inter-level interconnect intersects a gate electrode or a source/drain region of at least one transistor and extends through at least one inter-level dielectric layer disposed between a first and second transistor level in the 3D IC. Local inter-level interconnects may advantageously make a direct vertical connection between transistors in different levels of the 3D IC without being routed laterally around the footprint (i.e., lateral, or planar, area) of either the overlying or underlying transistor level that is interconnected.
US09685434B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention include a method of fabricating a semiconductor device including forming a first dummy gate in an active area on a first portion of a semiconductor device, wherein the first dummy gate includes undoped amorphous silicon. A second dummy gate and a third dummy gate are formed on a second portion of the semiconductor device, wherein the second dummy gate and the third dummy gate include undoped amorphous silicon. A filling material is deposited on the semiconductor device, where the filling material is doped amorphous silicon, and a chemical-mechanical polishing process is performed on the filling material.
US09685419B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device suppressed in decrease of reliability. The semiconductor device comprises an electrode pad portion (2) formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate (1), a passivation layer (3) so formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate (1) as to overlap a part of the electrode pad portion (2) and having a first opening portion (3a) where the upper surface of the electrode pad portion (2) is exposed, a barrier metal layer (5) formed on the electrode pad portion (2), and a solder bump (6) formed on the barrier metal layer (5). The barrier metal layer (5) is formed such that an outer peripheral end (5b) lies within the first opening portion (3a) of the passivation layer (3) when viewed in plan.
US09685414B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a package assembly for embedded die and associated techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a package assembly comprising a die attach layer, a die coupled with the die attach layer, the die having an active side including active devices of the die and an inactive side disposed opposite to the active side, a reinforced plate coupled with the die attach layer, the reinforced plate having a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side and a cavity disposed in the reinforced plate and one or more build-up layers coupled with the second side of the reinforced plate, the one or more build-up layers including an insulator and conductive features disposed in the insulator, the conductive features being electrically coupled with the die, wherein the inactive side of the die is in direct contact with the die attach layer, the first side of the reinforced plate is in direct contact with the die attach layer and the die is disposed in the cavity. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09685408B1
A contact pad structure includes alternately stacked N insulating layers (N≧6) and N conductive layers, and has N regions arranged in a 2D array exposing the respective conductive layers. When the conductive layers are numbered as first to N-th from bottom to top, the number (Ln) of exposed conductive layer decreases in a column direction in the regions of any row, the difference in Ln is fixed between two neighboring rows of regions, Ln decreases from the two ends toward the center in the regions of any column, and the difference in Ln is fixed between two neighboring columns of regions.
US09685397B2
A semiconductor package comprise a downset has a first end coupled to a connection portion and a second opposite end electrically coupled to a lead of a lead frame; and an adhesion layer disposed between the lead and the second end of the downset to allow adhesion therebeween; wherein the downset is bent in a non-right angle at the first end thereof such that a bottom face of the second end of the downset is tilted toward a top face of the lead and thus a first side of both sides of the bottom face is closer to the top face of the lead than a second side opposite the first side, wherein a first trap region is defined between a side face of the second end at the first side and the top face of the lead to trap therein an adhesion material of the adhesion layer, wherein a second trap region is defined between the bottom face of the second end and the top face of the lead to trap therein an adhesion material of the adhesion layer.
US09685388B2
A microelectronic package may be formed with a picture frame stiffener surrounding a microelectronic die for reducing warpage of the microelectronic package. An embodiment for fabricating such a microelectronic package may include forming a microelectronic die having an active surface and an opposing back surface, wherein the microelectronic die active surface may be attached to a microelectronic substrate. A picture frame stiffener having an opening therethrough may be formed and placed on a release film, wherein a mold material may be deposited over the picture frame stiffener and the release film. The microelectronic die may be inserted into the mold material, wherein at least a portion of the microelectronic die extends into the picture frame opening. The release film may be removed and a portion of the mold material extending over the microelectronic die back surface may then be removed to form the microelectronic package.
US09685387B1
A test key and a method for checking the window of a doped region using the test key are provided in the present invention. The test key includes a P-type first well region on a substrate, a P-type substrate region adjacent to the first well region, a N-type first doped region partially overlapping the first well region, two P-type second doped regions at two opposite sides of the first well region, a N-type second well region surrounding the first doped region, the substrate region and the two second doped regions, and a plurality of test pads above the above-identified region.
US09685384B1
Devices and methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices for forming epi for aggressive gate pitch are provided. One method includes: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device having a substrate, a fin structure, a plurality of stacks; etching the spacer between the plurality of stacks; growing, epitaxially, undoped silicon on a top surface of the fin structure between the plurality of stacks; depositing a liner over the undoped silicon and the plurality of stacks; etching to remove the liner and narrow the spacers, wherein the etching forms a wider portion of the spacer at the base of the stacks; etching between the plurality of stacks to remove the undoped silicon and form recesses in the fin structure; and growing, epitaxially, doped silicon between the plurality of stacks and in the fin structure. Also disclosed is an intermediate device formed by the method.
US09685383B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes following steps. First of all, a first work function layer is formed on a substrate. Next, a first patterned photoresist layer is formed on the first work function layer. Then, the first work function layer is partially removed by using the first patterned photoresist layer as a mask to form a patterned first work function layer. Subsequently, the first patterned photoresist layer is removed by providing radical oxygen.
US09685380B2
A method for co-integrating finFETs of two semiconductor material types, e.g., Si and SiGe, on a bulk substrate is described. Fins for finFETs may be formed in an epitaxial layer of a first semiconductor type, and covered with an insulator. A portion of the fins may be removed to form voids in the insulator, and the voids may be filled by epitaxially growing a semiconductor material of a second type in the voids. The co-integrated finFETs may be formed at a same device level.
US09685373B2
A method of forming a conductive plug is disclosed. A material layer having at least one opening is provided on a substrate. A first conductive layer is deposited in the opening, wherein the first conductive layer does not completely fill up the opening. A second conductive layer is deposited on the first conductive layer. A surface treatment is performed after the step of depositing the first conductive layer and before the step of depositing the second conductive layer, so that the first deposition rate of the second conductive layer at the lower portion of the opening is greater the second deposition rate of the second conductive layer at the upper portion of the opening. A void-free conductive plug can be easily formed with the method of the invention.
US09685367B2
The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a mask for a lithography exposure process. The mask includes a mask substrate; a first mask material layer patterned to have a first plurality of openings that define a first layer pattern; and a second mask material layer patterned to have a second plurality of openings that define a second layer pattern.
US09685357B2
A substrate treating apparatus according to the present invention includes: an index unit having an index robot and a port on which a container containing a substrate is placed; a process treating unit having a development treating unit in which a first development treating chamber and a second development treating chamber for performing a substrate development process are arranged in divided layers; and a first path unit arranged between the development treating unit and the index unit, wherein the first development treating chamber includes a development module, a first heating module, and a first main transport robot arranged in a movement passage accessible to the development module and the first heating module, wherein the first path unit includes a second heating module, a first buffer module, a cooling module, a second buffer module, and a first buffer transport robot arranged in a movement passage accessible to the second heating module, the first buffer module, the cooling module and the second buffer module.
US09685353B2
Chemical etching methods and associated modules for performing the removal of metal from the edge bevel region of a semiconductor wafer are described. The methods and systems provide the thin layer of pre-rinsing liquid before applying etchant at the edge bevel region of the wafer. The etchant is less diluted and diffuses faster through a thinned layer of rinsing liquid. An edge bevel removal embodiment involving that is particularly effective at reducing process time, narrowing the metal taper and allowing for subsequent chemical mechanical polishing, is disclosed.
US09685351B2
A method and apparatus are described for fabricating a microchip structure (70) which protects interior electrical integrated circuits and components (120) attached to a lead frame die flag (104) using a molding compound (124) that mechanically interlocks with one or more positive mold lock structures formed as dummy wire loops (114) or stud bumps (214) that are attached to the lead frame (100) and/or die flag (104).
