US09732024B2
Methods to purify ferulic acid and/or salts thereof, both in solid state as in solution, the methods include: dissolve the ferulic acid, with a selective organic solvent, recover and isolate the solution from the insoluble impurities with filters; recover the organic solvent evaporating the solution; mix the concentrated extract of ferulic acid with water to pre-crystallize the hydrosoluble impurities; evaporate the mixture to remove the remains of the organic solvent; concentrate the mixture free of solvent in an evaporator; cool the mixture down to 40° C.; let the concentrated mixture set for 1 h, to then isolate by sedimentation the water-insoluble impurities; re-heat the mixture free of impurities to 70° C.; purify the mixture through a synthetic resin, transfer the purified mixture to a crystallizing container to crystallize the ferulic acid; remove the mother liquor of crystallization of the precipitate of ferulic acid; dry the ferulic acid.
US09732019B1
A system and method for removing acetic acid and other short chain fatty acids described as organic acid from a rich mono-ethylene glycol (“MEG”) solution does so by stripping the organic acid from the rich MEG solution by contacting the solution with a gas, the gas being nitrogen or a fuel gas such as methane; and stripping the organic acid from the gas by contacting the gas with a caustic solution such as a dilute sodium hydroxide solution. The stripping takes place in respective stripping columns. A portion of the gas exiting the gas/organic acid stripping column can be recycled to the MEG/organic acid stripping column to reduce total gas usage. A portion of the waste stream exiting the gas/organic acid stripping column can be recycled back to the gas/organic acid stripping column to reduce the amount of caustic solution used as well as the amount of waste.
US09732011B2
The present invention provides an integrated process for the preparation of olefins, which process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting an oxygenate and/or olefinic feed in a reactor to form an effluent which comprises olefins; (b) fractionating at least part of the effluent into two olefinic product fractions; (c) subjecting a hydrocarbon feedstock in a reactor to a steam cracking process to form an effluent which comprises olefins including butadiene; (d) combining at least part of the first olefinic product fraction as obtained in step (b) and at least part of the second effluent which comprises olefins as obtained in step (c) to form a combined olefinic product stream comprising at least ethylene, propylene and butadiene; and (e) separating at least part of the combined olefinic product stream as obtained in step (d) to form a fraction comprising ethylene and/or propylene and a fraction that comprises butadiene.
US09732006B2
Coating composition for applying to monocot plant structures from which roots and shoots are capable of growing, wherein the said coating composition comprises one or more organic materials having a melting point of ≧50° Centigrade and one or more additives, methods of making such compositions and coated monocot plant structures such as seeds of monocot plants.
US09731998B2
Described herein are various antimicrobial glass articles that have improved strength and resistance to discoloration. The improved antimicrobial glass articles described herein generally include a glass substrate with a compressive stress layer and an antimicrobial silver-containing region that each extend inward from a surface of the glass substrate to a specific depth. In some embodiments, the compressive stress layer has a compressive stress at the surface of about 500 MPa or greater and the compressive stress decreases monotonically from the surface into the depth of the glass substrate. Methods of making and using the glass articles are also described and include forming a compressive stress layer and forming an antimicrobial silver-containing region by preferentially exchanging a plurality of silver cations in a silver-containing medium for a specific plurality of first cations ions in the glass substrate.
US09731990B2
Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems and methods include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and one or more submerged combustion burners mounted in the floor, roof, and/or wall structure discharging combustion products including water vapor under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The floor, roof, or wall structure may include fluid-cooled refractory material and an optional metallic external shell, or the metallic shell may include coolant passages. One or more conduits drain water condensed from the water vapor from regions of refractory material substantially saturated with the water, and/or from burner supports.
US09731982B2
A porous ceramic filter having one or more coatings of elemental or compounds of iron, manganese, aluminum, titanium, or mixtures thereof deposited on the surface of the pores.
US09731978B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing basic zinc chloride, comprising the following steps: A: preparing raw materials: preparing zinc chloride solution, ammonia water and an induction system; B: performing synthesis: adding the zinc chloride solution and the ammonia water into the induction system in a parallel flow manner, and controlling the temperature to be 60.0-90.0° C.; after the feeding is finished, continuing to react for 20.0-40.0 minutes; and C: performing filtration, washing and drying: after filtering and washing the synthesized basic zinc chloride, drying the basic zinc chloride for 4.0-8.0 hours at 80-105° C. to obtain the basic zinc chloride product. Compared with the prior art, the method for preparing basic zinc chloride has such advantages as simple process, low impurity content, easy-to-control product quality, and suitability for industrialization.
US09731976B2
The present invention relates to a method for generating ammonia from an ammonia precursor substance and to the use thereof for reducing nitrogen oxides in exhaust from industrial facilities, from combustion engines, from gas engines, from diesel engines or from petrol engines.
US09731967B1
A system for producing hydrogen gas, heat and an oxide component using a water splitting process is disclosed. The system involves a dry first chamber containing a passivating-oxide preventing reagent that receives a solid material feedstock and dissolves the solid material feedstock in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent. The passivating-oxide preventing reagent becomes saturated with the solid material in the first chamber and is then transferred to a second chamber without contact with water. In the second chamber, the solid material saturated in the passivating-oxide preventing reagent reacts with the water so as to generate hydrogen gas, an oxide component and heat. Following the reaction, the solid material depleted passivating-oxide preventing reagent and water is recycled to be re-used in the water splitting process.
US09731965B1
A method of forming semiconductor devices, such as capacitive type MEMS acoustic transducers, in a semiconductor includes forming a mask layer on a back surface of the semiconductor wafer and removing first etch portions of the mask layer and scribe trench portions of the mask layer. Each scribe trench portion is positioned in the mask layer to define a corresponding scribe boundary of a plurality of the semiconductor devices being formed in the semiconductor wafer. Etching the semiconductor wafer through the first etch portions and the scribe trench portions may be done simultaneously to form external back chambers and scribe trenches, respectively, in the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is then cut along cutting lines in the scribe trenches to singulate individual MEMS acoustic transducers. The etching through the first and second etch portions and the scribe trench portions are dry etching of the semiconductor substrate in one embodiment.
US09731962B2
MEMS devices and methods for forming the same are provided. A first metal interconnect structure is formed on a first semiconductor substrate to connect to a CMOS control circuit in the first semiconductor substrate. A bonding layer having a cavity is formed on the first metal interconnect structure, and then bonded with a second semiconductor substrate. A conductive plug passes through a first region of the second semiconductor substrate, through the bonding layer, and on the first metal interconnect structure. A second metal interconnect structure includes a first end formed on the first region of the second semiconductor substrate, and a second end connected to the conductive plug. Through-holes are disposed through a second region of the second semiconductor substrate and through a top portion of the bonded layer that is on the cavity to leave a movable electrode to form the MEMS device.
US09731927B2
Tension spikes in a running web slit to direct output webs to respective upper and lower cutoff knives are minimized by anticipating the increased tension in the web when the lead edge enters an outfeed nip and offsetting the tension spike with a decrease in the force imposed by the infeed pull roll nip, whereby the sum of the web tensions is substantially uniform through the cutting cycle and the sheets are cut to a consistent length.
US09731923B2
A medium transport method, which is performed by a medium transport device having a transport unit which includes rollers that can pinch a medium and which transports the medium, includes inserting the medium to a predetermined position, pressing a side end portion of the medium against a side surface guide, and pinching the medium with the rollers, and transports the medium.
US09731921B2
A web roll handling and loading system and methods employ hubs positioned on opposing sides of a roll of web material wound on a hollow tubular core. Hub faces have an annular shape configured to be seated in respective ends of the hollow tubular core. The hubs are pivotably supported for pivoting between an operational position and a deflected position. The roll of web material is loaded on the hubs by lifting it from beneath the hubs to deflect the hub faces arcuately upward, then lowering the roll to allow the hub faces to pivot downward and become seated in the ends of the hollow tubular core. Alternatively, the roll is loaded into a pick-up tool by lowering the pick-up tool downward to the roll so the hubs deflect arcuately upward, then raising the tool so the hubs pivot downward and become seated in the hollow tubular core.
US09731918B2
An image forming apparatus and roller separation device are provided. The image forming apparatus including a main body having a print unit, a first paper feeding unit containing print paper and insertable in or pullable from the main body, a feed roller in the main body feeding the print paper from the first paper feeding unit to the print unit and comprising a driven roller contacting a driving roller, an elastic member applying an elastic force to the driven roller in a direction to contact the driving roller, a handle member in the main body movable to a first position and a second position, and a separation member connected to the handle member and switched to a normal position separated from the driven roller and a separation position separating the driven roller from the driving roller.
US09731914B2
An pneumatic convey device that employs active vacuum pressure monitoring using either a pressure sensor or vacuum motor power consumption to maintain a constant velocity pickup point, reduce product damage, increase capacity per vacuum pressure when the system is running at less than designed vacuum and reduce energy consumption at the point where the material convey starts.
US09731896B2
Some embodiments provide a system for fully autonomous order fulfillment and inventory management within a distribution site or warehouse. The system operates by autonomous robots directly pulling customer order items from distribution site shelves or pulling individual bins from distribution site shelves and dispensing appropriate quantities of items from the bins until all items of a customer order are retrieved without human involvement. The system further involves the robots autonomously monitoring item quantities within the distribution site, identifying and autonomously responding to shortages, and organizing the items within the distribution site for most efficient order fulfillment.
US09731894B2
A pneumatic trash can having a built-in air blower system is provided. The air blower system facilitates ease of placement and removal of a flexible trash bag within the trash can. The blower system is designed to evacuate air from the interior of the trash can and to blow air into the interior of the trash can. The trash can additionally has a drainage system designed to drain any liquids that may leak from a trash bag in order to keep the liquids away from the blower system.
US09731893B2
In an oil storage tank having an interior oil storage chamber and a tank opening in one of the boundary walls, a heating assembly is supported to extend into the interior oil storage chamber from the tank opening. The assembly includes a casing of walls surrounding with a casing mounting flange mountable in sealing engagement relative to a tank mounting flange about the full perimeter of the tank opening such that the casing protrudes into the interior oil storage chamber of the oil storage tank. The heating chamber is suitable sized and configured to operably receive a catalytic heater therein. The heating chamber further accommodates entry of combustion air and combustion fuel into the heating chamber and exhaust of emissions therefrom.
US09731891B2
A packaged garment includes a garment and a sealed bag. The garment has a torso portion, a sleeve portion connected to the torso portion, and a leg portion connected to the torso portion. The garment has an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The sealed bag contains the garment with the sleeve portion folded onto the torso portion, a portion of the sleeve portion folded at least once underneath the sleeve portion between the sleeve portion and the torso portion, and the leg portion folded onto the torso portion. The garment is manipulated so that the inner surface of the torso portion faces outward and the torso portion forms an inner space containing the sleeve portion and the leg portion.
US09731884B2
A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis, and at least one substantially transversely-oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion. The pressure panel is movable between an outwardly-inclined position and an inwardly-inclined position to compensate for a change of pressure inside the container. The standing surface defines a standing plane, and the entire pressure panel is located between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the pressure panel is in the outwardly-inclined position.
US09731880B2
Provided is a cap structure for a vessel, which can be coupled with the vessel to open or close the vessel. The cap structure includes an inner cap coupled with an upper end portion of the vessel, an outer cap fitted around an outer-diameter surface of the inner cap, a component inserted into the outer and inner caps, at least one fixing groove extending downward from an upper end portion of the inner cap, an operating part inserted into the inner cap, a driving part formed by partially cutting an upper end portion of the operating part in a vertically downward direction, a rotational member allowing the driving part to reciprocate about the bending groove, and a detachable member to lock or release the component. The cap opens or closes the vessel by fixedly attaching the component to the cap disassembled from the vessel or separating the component from the cap.
US09731873B2
The present invention discloses a cover device used to cover the built-in valve mounting channel port of IBC and a container. The IBC comprises a side plate, a base and a channel located in the base and used to receive the built-in valve. The cover device comprises a cover and structures or components used to detachably connect the cover to the side plate over the channel. The cover can be installed on the base at the position adjacent to the side plate, and can be rotated around a rotational axis of the cover itself, so as to open or cover the channel port. The cover is further provided with a lock hole, and the base is provided with a locking slot, so that the cover can be locked to the base by a disposable lock. The cover device of the present invention has a simple structure and is easy to operate. Further, it can well achieve the effect of dust-proof and/or thief-evident.
US09731870B2
A closure includes a skirt defining an outer periphery of the closure and having an open bottom end configured to fit over the mouth of a receptacle, an end wall positioned atop the skirt to close a top end of the skirt and form a top face of the closure, one or more openings formed through the end wall, and a sealing rib formed on the top face and diametrically disposed outboard the one or more openings.
US09731866B2
The invention relates to a fuel tank (1) made from thermoplastic material, having a top (2) and a bottom (3), which are supported upon one another via at least one column-shaped supporting element (4), wherein the supporting element (4) is connected positively and/or materially to a wall (6) of the top (2), on the one hand, and to a wall (6) of the bottom (3), on the other hand, in such a way that it can absorb tensile forces caused by a pressure within the tank, wherein the supporting element (4) is designed as a one-piece solid profile which has a ribbed profile, at least in cross section.
US09731864B2
A safety catch for preventing a drop-down side door from separating from the sidewall of a shipping container in the case of a hinge failure and a shipping including at least one safety catch.
US09731862B2
The present disclosure includes a nestable containing for storing and dispensing wipes. The nestable container includes a container body comprising a bottom wall, side walls, and a corner region including an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface. The nestable container includes a first ledge and a second ledge. The first and second ledges each have a proximal end region and a distal end region. The proximal end region of the first ledge is connected with the exterior surface of the corner region. The proximal end region of the first ledge comprises a groove and the distal end region of the first ledge comprises a ridge. The proximal end region of the second ledge is connected with the interior surface of the corner region. The proximal end region of the second ledge comprises a groove and the distal end region of the second ledge comprises a ridge.
US09731861B2
A base assembly for supporting an item having internal components during shipment of the item is provided. The base assembly includes a base panel and two opposing end panel assemblies. The base panel includes two opposing end members, two opposing side members, and a plurality of support panels. Each end member and side member has an inner edge and an outer edge. Each support panel extends upwardly from one of the inner edges of the end members and the side members to support the internal components of the item. The end panel assemblies extend from the outer edges of the end members. Each end panel assembly includes an end panel vertically spaced a distance from an adjacent end member and a plurality of reinforcing panels positioned between the respective end panel and the adjacent end member.
US09731843B2
A joint for unfolding and locking a solar generator or a reflector, or other aerospace components that can be unfolded, includes two half joints, a joint axis, and a drive. A drive spring of the drive has a progressive characteristic curve over the unfolding angle of the two half joints, which increases over the unfolding, to compensate for a frictional torque that varies over the unfolding angle.
US09731823B2
The invention relates to an aircraft cockpit center pedestal for the attachment of control and instrumentation equipment for this aircraft, wherein the center pedestal includes an equipment module including controls connected to at least one first electrical connector, and a single-piece frame including an upper face provided with a recess including at least one second electrical connector installed at the bottom of the recess and connected to computers onboard this aircraft in which this equipment module is installed, the at least one first electrical connector of the equipment module being inserted into at least one second electrical connector so as to connect the controls of the equipment module and these onboard computers. The invention also relates to an aircraft including such a pedestal.
US09731822B1
A modular testable release mechanism for payloads incorporates a housing and a flyaway plate separably engaged to the housing. A plurality of symmetrically positioned ejection springs are compressed between the flyaway plate and housing in an engaged position. A bolt extends through a first bore in the flyaway plate and is releasably secured in an actuator mounted on the housing symmetrically surrounded by the ejection springs. The flyaway plate is held in the engaged position with the housing by the bolt.
US09731806B2
A moored balloon includes a balloon, a wire coupled to the balloon, an antenna, a cable coupled to the balloon, a rotating device hung below the balloon, and a fixing device. The rotating device comprises a rotating unit and a bracket. The rotating unit comprises a bearing seat mounted on the bracket, a bearing unit mounted on the bearing seat, and a shaft passing through the bearing unit and coupled to the balloon. The fixing device comprises a receiving tube for receiving the antenna. The receiving tube is located on the bracket. The shaft moves with the balloon to generate a twisting force, the bearing unit counterbalances the twisting force to prevent the cable being twisted with the wires.
US09731804B1
In one embodiment, an outboard marine engine comprises the internal combustion engine and a propulsor that is driven into rotation by the internal combustion engine so as to effect a thrust. The outboard marine engine further includes a transmission that shifts amongst a fourth gear wherein the thrust is forward thrust, a reverse gear wherein the thrust is a reverse thrust, and a neutral gear wherein the thrust is a zero thrust. The outboard marine engine further includes a shift rod that is rotatable about its own axis, wherein rotation of the shift rod about its own axis shifts the transmission amongst the forward gear, the reverse gear, and the neutral gear. An actuator operably connects to the internal combustion engine and causes rotation of a gear shaft. At least one gearset connects the gear shaft to the shift rod such that rotation of the gear shaft about its own axis rotates the shift rod about its own axis.
US09731801B2
The invention is directed to an airbag system and, more particularly, to such a system employed as a rescue or life-saving system to enable a person to survive an avalanche, for example. In a particular embodiment, the invention relates to an airbag system utilized with a backpack to be worn by a skier, snowboarder, hiker, or snowmobiler, for example. Instead of relying upon compressed gas cartridges or cylinders to inflate the airbag(s), the invention inflates the airbag(s) with ambient air only. In a particular embodiment, air is supplied to the airbag by means of a battery-powered electrical motor.
US09731790B2
A bicycle chainring includes a plurality of teeth extending from a periphery of the chainring wherein roots of the plurality of teeth are disposed adjacent the periphery of the chainring. The plurality of teeth include a first group of teeth and a second group of teeth, each of the first group of teeth wider than each of the second group of teeth, and at least some of the second group of teeth arranged alternatingly and adjacently between the first group of teeth, wherein the center of a top land of at least some of the first and second groups of teeth are offset from a plane in a direction toward one of the inboard and outboard sides of the chainring.
US09731789B2
A master cylinder for a hydraulic brake system or clutch system, in particular of a vehicle steered by handlebars, in particular of a bicycle, includes a housing containing a piston chamber. The housing accommodates a piston slidable therein and a pressure chamber. A compensating chamber communicates with the pressure chamber through at least one compensating bore. The housing has an attachment portion for attachment to a handlebar tube and the compensating chamber extends to the attachment portion and has a separating member for separating the hydraulic fluid from a compensating volume. The attachment portion has a clamping part made and arranged to attach the separating member to the attachment portion.
US09731788B2
A bicycle component fixing structure has a fixing nut that is configured to be coupled to a handlebar clamp and a fixing bolt. The fixing nut includes a threaded bore with an entrance opening and an exit opening. The threaded bore has a first axial length between the entrance and exit openings. The fixing nut defines a bolt shaft receiving space that is disposed adjacent the bolt exit opening. The fixing bolt includes a head and a shaft. The shaft has a non-threaded portion disposed between first and second threaded portions. The first threaded portion is disposed closer to the head of the fixing bolt than the second threaded portion. The first and second threaded portions threadedly engage the threaded bore of the fixing nut. The non-threaded portion has a second axial length that is greater than the first axial length of the threaded bore of the fixing nut.
US09731779B2
An all-terrain, load carrying cart to transport items comprising: a housing; a set of all-terrain wheels mounted beneath the housing, where the set of all-terrain wheels allow transport over a variety of terrain; a motor fastened to the housing and coupled to the set of all-terrain wheels, where the motor is rechargeable; and a handle attached to an end of the housing on a telescopic post, where the handle includes a set of control functions to operate the motor and drive the set of all-terrain wheels. The housing includes a set of pockets to comprise the walls therefore providing additional storage for the cart.
US09731778B2
A front straightening portion is formed at a front portion of a main body portion of a spat. In the front straightening portion, a front inclined surface is inclined backward with respect to a vehicle with decrease in distance to a lower side of the vehicle in a lateral view, and front lateral surfaces extend forward with respect to the vehicle from both end portions of the front inclined surface in a vehicle width direction, respectively. A traveling wind that hits the front lateral surfaces flows toward the front inclined surface side, and is caused to flow out downward with respect to the vehicle from the front straightening portion together with a traveling wind. The flow velocities of the traveling winds increase, the air resistance of the vehicle can be reduced, operation stability of the vehicle can be enhanced, and riding comfort performance of the vehicle can be enhanced.
US09731761B1
A vehicle includes a steering wheel and at least one road wheel. The steering wheel is rotatably connected to a steering-wheel actuator, and the at least one road wheel is movably connected to a steering system. A controller is in communication with the steering system and the steering-wheel actuator. The controller is programmed to determine a steering-wheel angle based on a road-wheel angle, an operation mode, and a steering-compensation type; and to instruct the steering-wheel actuator to rotate the steering wheel according to the steering-wheel angle.
US09731760B2
A traveling vehicle includes: a traveling machine body supported by a pair of left and right driving wheels; a pair of left motor and the right motor configured to independently drive the driving wheels; a riding part disposed behind the traveling machine body and connected to the traveling machine body, and configured to enable riding of a worker; a handle connected to the traveling machine body so as to be swingable left and right with respect to the traveling machine body; a plurality of load sensors for detecting a forward and backward weight shift of the worker who is riding on the riding part; a rotation angle sensor for detecting a leftward and rightward swinging operation amount of the handle; and a controller for controlling operation of the left and right motors based on detection values by the plurality of load sensors and the rotation angle sensor.
US09731753B2
A steering gear component for a vehicle, comprising: a worm, which is mounted so as to be rotatably and axially non-displace able, wherein the worm has a ball screw for receiving a row of balls, and a ball nut, which is drivingly connected to the worm by way of the row of balls, and wherein the ball nut acts as a piston of a cylinder for steering force assistance, wherein a signal transmitter for a sensing element is arranged on the steering spindle and the sensing element is arranged on the worm, or wherein the sensing element is arranged on the steering spindle and the signal transmitter for the sensing element is arranged on the worm.
US09731749B2
The present disclosure relates to a power steering apparatus of a vehicle that includes: a rack housing configured to surround a rack bar and having an opening portion formed at one side thereof through which a steering shaft passes; a torque sensor cover that has a torque sensor therein and has a communicating hole formed therein through which the steering shaft passes and a first penetration portion having a first through-hole formed therein through which the fastening member passes; and a cover connecting member that has an insertion portion and a second penetration portion in order to connect the rack housing and the torque sensor cover, the insertion portion having an insertion hole formed therein where the opening portion is inserted and coupled and the second penetration portion having a second through-hole that is formed therein to correspond to the fastening hole and through which the fastening member passes.
US09731730B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus, system, and method of using the same for connecting and spacing grating and the like. Specifically, the present invention relates to connecting and spacing wire gratings, for example wire gratings used as vehicle tire support material or for mounting wheel chocks thereon in the transportation of automobiles. Even more specifically, the present invention may be used to connect a plurality of wire gratings together and to space in a first direction the plurality of gratings apart from each other at multiple selectable distances in one configuration. In a second configuration, the present invention may be used to space in a second direction the plurality of gratings from other objects, such as a wall or guard rail. The second configuration may be used in multiple orientations in order to provide multiple different spacing distances.
US09731727B2
A method for detecting the alertness of a vehicle driver includes the detection of a potentially dangerous situation by a system of the vehicle; the estimation of a visual observation field of the vehicle driver; and the detection of the alertness of the vehicle driver by comparing an orientation or a position of the potentially dangerous situation to the visual observation field of the vehicle driver.
US09731725B2
A method for controlling a vehicle driveline includes determining, for current vehicle operating conditions, an initial engine output torque, at which the driveline meets predetermined structural criteria, establishing a factor that varies with torque converter slip, determining an engine torque limit by multiplying the factor corresponding to a current torque converter slip by the initial engine output torque, and limiting torque produced by an engine connected to the driveline to the engine torque limit.
US09731721B1
A line lock braking system includes a brake module configured to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against first wheels and second wheels of the vehicle, and a controller in signal communication with the brake module. The controller initiates, upon receipt of a request, a vehicle line lock mode and performs line lock braking of the vehicle where the brake module is controlled to selectively apply braking pressure against the first wheels and not the second wheels such that the second wheels are free to rotate based on a throttle applied by a driver; completes the line lock mode upon release of a button being depressed to enter and maintain activation of the line lock mode such that the braking pressure against the first wheels is released; and cancels the line lock mode upon determining a number of rotations of the second wheels exceeds a predetermined number of wheel rotations.
US09731715B2
A method for assisting with the parking of a motor vehicle includes detecting the position of a movement-control member able to indicate a transverse component and a longitudinal component, with respect to the motor vehicle, of a movement instruction, and analyzing the movement instruction. The method also includes classifying the movement instruction in two modes (mode 1, mode 2) according to the angle β about the transverse axis of the movement-control member with respect to its rest position and the comparison thereof with the angel βM that brings the steered wheels of the motor vehicle to the angle αM of maximum steering lock, and moving the vehicle in accordance with the movement instruction mode, with mode 2 corresponding to assisted parking mode and performing a semi-automatic parallel-parking maneuver.
US09731709B2
A driving system is provided for a vehicle that includes an engine, a driving motor connected to the engine and generating a driving force, and a transmission that receives a driving force generated from the driving motor and changes a direction of the driving force. Additionally, a clutch selectively connects between the driving motor and the transmission and a controller operates the driving motor and the transmission. The controller determines whether a direction inversion shifting condition is satisfied and performs a direction inversion shifting using the driving motor when the direction inversion shifting condition is satisfied.
US09731700B2
When a hybrid electric vehicle in which an automatic manual transmission (AMT) is equipped stops and then re-starts, when a starting stage of the AMT is not implemented, an RPM of a driving motor which is directly connected to an input shaft is changed so that a torque applied to an input shaft of the AMT is increased or decreased, and thus even though a blocking phenomenon occurs when an AMT-HEV stops and then re-starts after an engine re-starts, the torque transferred from the driving motor to the input shaft is appropriately increased and decreased and thus a gear restricted to the input shaft differently rotates from a synchronizer.
US09731697B2
A homogeneity detection circuit, a valve driving system, a vehicle, an integrated circuit and a method of homogeneity detection in a valve driving system are provided. The homogeneity detection circuit comprises a first input, a second input and a comparison circuit. The first input receives a first signal being related to a first driving signal for driving a first valve. The second input receives a second signal being related to a second driving signal for driving a second valve. The comparison circuit compares the first signal with the second signal and generates a warning signal if predetermined differences are detected between the first driving signal and the second driving signal.
US09731696B2
Method for producing a combined service brake cylinder and spring-loaded brake cylinder of a vehicle
To produce a combined service brake cylinder and spring-loaded brake cylinder for a vehicle brake system, force-actuation path characteristic curves of the brake system with the elements that can be actuated by a storage spring of the spring-loaded cylinder are measured/recorded under different operational conditions. Force-actuation characteristic curves of different storage springs for use in the spring-loaded cylinder are also measured/recorded. The minimum necessary actuation stroke of the piston of the spring-loaded cylinder and the minimum necessary spring force for a storage spring to effect a parking brake function are determined by the intersection of the force-actuation curves of the brake system with those of the storage springs. The storage spring that generates a sufficient actuation force under certain operating conditions and the dimensions resulting from the smallest possible piston actuation stroke are selected for producing the combined service brake cylinder and spring-loaded cylinder.
US09731688B2
A wiper system for clearing a surface of a dome includes a plurality of wiper blades that are configured to move around a circumference of the dome. Rotation of the wiper blades in a first direction around the circumference of the dome deploys the wiper blades into an upright position and rotation of the wiper blades in a second direction opposite the first direction stows the wiper blades into a collapsed position.
US09731687B2
A wiper apparatus having an integrally formed washer nozzle may include a retainer connected to a driving motor to be rotated, a wiper blade having a center spoiler and side spoilers, a washer module coupled to an upper surface of the center spoiler, a rubber coupled to a lower surface of the wiper blade, and a connector for detachably fastening the wiper blade and the retainer, wherein the connector may be inserted into a connector hole formed on an upper surface of the washer module and may be coupled into recesses of the center spoiler using bosses formed at an inner side thereof, and the retainer may be inserted into opposite insertion holes of the connector through a tip end thereof to be laid on an upper surface of the connector and to be caught by opposite hook coupling parts of the connector through hooks at lower portions thereof.
US09731686B2
A washer liquid heating apparatus integrated into a reservoir may include a plate-type heater that may be installed in a hole of the reservoir to heat a washer liquid within the reservoir, a protect cover that may be assembled into the reservoir to surround the heater, and a fastening device for fixing the heater and the protect cover to the reservoir, wherein the plate-type heater may be fixed to be exposed to an inside of the reservoir through the hole such that a heating surface where heating may be performed heats the washer liquid within the reservoir.
US09731685B2
A windshield wiper assembly adapted to be mounted to the attachment portion of a wiper arm including a coupler assembly mounted to a wiper blade and serving to interconnect the wiper blade to the wiper arm. The coupler assembly includes a coupler having a body with a pair of sidewalls, a channel defined between the sidewalls and extending substantially parallel thereto. The channel is adapted to cooperatively receive the attachment portion of the wiper arm. A latching mechanism is operatively mounted to the body and movable between an open position spaced from the channel and a closed position disposed over the channel to secure the attachment portion of the wiper arm between the latching mechanism and the body thereby securing the coupler to the attachment portion of the wiper arm.
US09731681B2
A steering lock locks a steering member with a lockbolt movable along an axis between locking and unlocking positions. A first member having a first cam surface is rotatable by an actuator in a first direction for locking the lockbolt. A second member having a second cam surface is engaged with the first cam surface. The second member is translatable along the axis in a locking direction by rotation of the first member. An unlocking spring is compressible through a range of movement of the second member in the first direction to store increasing potential energy. The cam surfaces are engaged such that unlocking of the lockbolt is carried out by the stored energy in the unlocking spring, which is released in a continuously increasing manner controlled by the actuator as the first member is rotated by the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction.
US09731676B2
A curtain airbag device of the present invention includes an airbag body including a bend-facilitating portion which is formed of a non-inflating portion of the airbag body in at least one chamber disposed at a lower end portion of the airbag body and which facilitates bending of the airbag body during inflation and deployment of the airbag body. In the curtain airbag device, the chamber including the bend-facilitating portion includes a passage for distributing the gas such that the gas comes around the bend-facilitating portion in one direction.
US09731674B2
An airbag assembly includes an airbag and an inflator in communication with the airbag. The airbag includes a top side and includes a front side and a rear side each extending from the top side. The front side and the rear side define two extensions spaced from each other along the top side and a recess disposed between the extensions along the top side. The airbag includes a depressed region extending from the recess. The front side and the rear side are connected to each other along the depressed region.
US09731666B2
An electrical junction box to be attached to a vehicle includes a heat dissipation member having a base plate portion that has a plate shape having a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of fins that protrude from the second surface, and a pedestal that is provided protruding from the second surface and that has a smaller protruding height from the second surface than the fins as well as a bracket having a pedestal attachment portion that is attached to the pedestal and a vehicle body attachment portion that is continuous with that attachment portion, extends in a direction away from the heat dissipation member, and is attachable to a vehicle body of the vehicle.
US09731659B2
The invention provides a vehicle rooftop-mounted cargo container of rigid design that has the capability of sliding forward or rearward in the direction of travel of the vehicle on semi permanent mounting points while remaining attached to the vehicle, and that has the means to selectively keep the container from sliding forward or rearward upon the mounting points, and that also has the capability of being assembled as a container into various lengths using only a few interchangeable component parts.
US09731657B1
A vehicle hanger assembly includes a deployable hanger supported by a structure on a vehicle. A first proximity sensor detects a user in close proximity to the hanger, and a second sensor detects deployment of the hanger. A light source is controlled to illuminate the object at a first intensity when the hanger is deployed and arranged to illuminate an object supported on the hanger at a second intensity when the user is detected in close proximity to the hanger.
US09731654B2
A tonneau cover assembly for a vehicle cargo area includes a tonneau retractor assembly and an actuator disposed to urge the tonneau retractor assembly against a vehicle seatback. A flexible tonneau panel deploys from and retracts into the tonneau retractor assembly. The actuator includes a bracket arrangement including a pair of opposed brackets each slidingly receiving a tonneau retractor pivot rod end therein. The actuator further includes a biasing element configured to urge each bracket towards the vehicle seatback. A support member carries the bracket arrangement. Each bracket slidingly translates over a fixed pivot point. The biasing element is operatively connected at a first end to a bracket and at a second, opposed end to the fixed pivot point to urge the tonneau retractor assembly against a vehicle seatback.
US09731648B2
An automotive electronic control unit (4) configured to control operation of automotive direction indicators (2) based on motor vehicle-related data and by receiving current steering wheel angle (α) and motor vehicle speed (v), determining an initial steering wheel angle (α0) when a direction indicator (2) is activated, determining minimum and maximum steering wheel angles (αmin, αmax) reached during the period that the direction indicator is active, computing a steering wheel release angle (αr) based on the current motor vehicle speed (v), the steering wheel release angle (αr) representing the steering wheel angle (α) beyond which the motor vehicle's steering wheel is to be turned in the direction indicated by the active direction indicator to cause, when the steering wheel is turned in the opposite direction at the end of steering manoeuvre, the automatic deactivation of the active direction indicator (2), and determining if and when to deactivate the active direction indicator (2) based on the current steering wheel angle (α), the initial steering wheel angle (α0), the minimum and maximum steering wheel angles (αmin, αmax) and the steering wheel release angle (αr).
US09731637B2
A seat assembly having a headrest and a method of assembly. The headrest may be pivotally disposed on a support post and may have a support plate. The support plate may have first and second walls that have first and second holes, respectively, that may be disposed along the axis and that may receive the support post.
US09731635B2
A vehicle safety device for reducing whiplash in a vehicle includes a curved guide configured to allow a seat to slide thereon, an impact sensor that can detect an impact on a rear end of the vehicle; and a locking mechanism that can allow the seat to slide on the curved guide when an impact is detected by the impact sensor. The locking mechanism can prevent the seat from moving relative to the curved guide when there is no impact detected by the impact sensor.
US09731634B2
The outer shape of an airbag is formed by an airbag main body. The airbag has an insertion opening, which extends along the periphery of the airbag. The gas generator includes bolts. The lower part of the airbag main body is configured by a lower fabric portion, which has first insertion holes in the periphery. The bolts are inserted into the first insertion holes and fastened to the seat portion. A harness, which is connected to the gas generator, is drawn out of the airbag main body through the insertion opening. Among the first insertion holes, the one that is farthest from the harness is a first specified insertion hole. The lower fabric portion has a first slit, which extends from the inner periphery of the first specified insertion hole in a direction away from the adjacent general insertion hole.
US09731632B2
A seat assembly having a seat back pivotally disposed on a seat bottom. The seat assembly may include an actuator member that may be configured to rotate about a first axis and a cam member that may be configured to rotate about a second axis that may be spaced apart from the first axis.
US09731631B2
A motor vehicle seat including a sitting part including a base panel bordered at least partially by a side panel, the sitting part configured to be mounted on the vehicle floor panel in two different positions of: a first accommodating position, in which the side panel extends in a first direction, at the rear of the base panel and forms a portion of the seatback of the seat, and a second reversed position, in which the side panel extends in front of the base panel, in a second direction opposite the first. The sitting part further includes an opening configured for passage of a base for securing a safety belt when the sitting part is in the accommodating position. A motor vehicle can include the seat.
US09731622B2
A multi-mode thermal management system is provided for use with the battery pack of an electric vehicle, the system utilizing the surface area of the battery pack to remove battery pack heat. The system includes two sets of coolant conduits separated by a thermal insulator, with one set of the coolant conduits thermally coupled to the batteries and the other set of coolant conduits coupled to at least one thermally conductive battery pack surface. A valve controller is used to optimize system performance by coupling the battery cooling conduits to the battery pack heat withdrawal conduits and/or a separate radiator and/or a heat exchanger coupled to a refrigeration subsystem.
US09731612B2
The energy conversion system comprises a primary and a secondary modules. The primary module includes input terminals, a primary winding, and a primary capacitor connected to the primary winding and the input terminals. The secondary module includes output terminals, a secondary winding and a secondary capacitor connected to the secondary winding and the output terminals. A current is induced in the secondary winding when the primary and secondary windings are magnetically coupled, the current received between the input terminals flowing through the primary winding.The secondary module comprises a secondary switch electrically connected to the secondary capacitor and the secondary winding, and means for controlling the secondary switch, between a first configuration wherein the current induced in the secondary winding flows up to the output terminals, and a second configuration wherein said induced current flows in a closed loop through the secondary winding and the secondary capacitor.
US09731610B2
Vehicle electric system, device for controlling a vehicle electric system, and vehicle with a device
A vehicle electric system for a vehicle may include a first vehicle electric system branch having a first energy store and a first dynamic electric load, a second vehicle electric system branch having a second sensitive electric load, and a first controllable switching device arranged between the first and second vehicle electric system branches and designed to assume (a) a first switch state in which a current is conducted unidirectionally from the first vehicle electric system branch to the second vehicle electric system branch only in a first current flow direction or (b) a second switch state in which a current is conducted bidirectionally between the second vehicle electric system branch and the first vehicle electric system branch both in the first current flow direction as well as in a second current flow direction.
US09731597B2
A disconnectable vehicle driveline having front and rear axle assemblies and a power take-off unit (PTU). The PTU includes a coupling, which is configured to selectively transmitting rotary power between an input shaft and a first gear, and a brake element. The coupling includes a first coupling portion, which is coupled to the input shaft for rotation therewith, and a second coupling portion that is coupled to the first gear for common rotation. The second coupling portion can be translated into and out of engagement with the first coupling portion. The brake element is configured to engage the second coupling portion when the second coupling portion is not engaged to the first coupling portion to thereby resist rotation of the first gear and elements of the vehicle driveline that are drivingly coupled to the first gear.
US09731596B1
A fuel filler adapter has a hollow body having a base end with a flange extending outwardly therefrom, and a forward end, and has a length of between 0.5 inch and 2.5 inches. A bore extends through the body at an angle of between 2.5° and 15° so that the adapter can be fitted onto a fuel nozzle. Fueling spitback is prevented by a helical fuel path which does not block air from venting from a fuel tank. Air venting from the fuel tank exits through the fuel filler adapter via one or more venting channels.
US09731593B2
A fuel storage vessel includes a valve operatively associated with the storage vessel, a conduit disposed within the vessel and in fluid communication with the valve for delivering a stream of pressurized fuel to the storage vessel and a detector adjacent the conduit for detecting a state of the pressurized fuel in the storage vessel. The detector is positioned outside of the stream of pressurized fuel.
US09731591B2
A system is provided for directing airflow through an engine compartment of an off-road agricultural vehicle. The system may include an air dam that, in conjunction with an engine face, provides flow-directing baffling in the engine compartment that directs heated air from a radiator out discharge openings through side walls of a hood that covers the engine compartment. The air dam facilitates forcing heated air from the radiator sideways out the discharge openings of the hood, significantly reducing or preventing a radiator fan from pushing hot air to flow across the components of the rear engine compartment area, including preventing flow across a majority of air inlet components and engine surfaces that are rearward of the front engine face.
US09731588B2
A hybrid drive of a motor vehicle has an internal combustion engine, an electric machine, and a transmission. The transmission is a multi-stage shifting transmission including two subtransmissions, each of which has a separate input shaft and a common output shaft. The first input shaft of a first subtransmission can be coupled to the internal combustion engine via a friction-locking clutch in such a way that when the clutch is engaged the internal combustion engine is coupled to the first input shaft and thus to the first subtransmission, and when the clutch is disengaged the internal combustion engine is decoupled from the first input shaft and thus decoupled from the first subtransmission. A second input shaft of a second subtransmission is rigidly coupled to the electric machine, and both input shafts can be coupled selectively to the common output shaft via form-locking shift elements of the subtransmissions.
US09731585B1
A quick release assembly for a side roll tarp has a roll-tube coupler connected to a roll-tube for rolling and unrolling the side roll tarp. A drive coupler is connected to a shaft of a motor, the drive coupler fitting within an opening in the roll-tube coupler. The drive coupler has a first groove and second groove circumferentially around an exterior of a circular shaft below a head portion of the driver coupler. A quick release pin traverses through a pair of tangential openings in the body of the roll-tube coupler to engage the first or second grooves of the drive coupler, wherein the driver coupler is engaged with the roll-tube coupler when in the first groove allowing the motor to drive the roll-tube and disengaged from the roll-tube coupler when in the second groove allowing the roll-tube to be rotated independently of the motor.
US09731582B2
Disclosed herein is a door module for a vehicle, which is mounted in a door panel of a vehicle door. The door module may include: a stiffened plate including base plates formed at positions where one or more hardware parts related to the vehicle door are mounted and a connection plate for connecting the base plates, wherein the base plates and the connection plate are integrally formed; and a resin panel covering an opening of the door panel, and formed by over-molding resin onto the stiffened plate, wherein the stiffened plate is formed of a material having higher stiffness than the resin.
US09731581B2
A vehicle door comprising an outer door panel an inner door panel and a door module. The inner door panel is joined to the outer door panel so as to define a door cavity between the inner and outer door panels. The inner door panel has an aperture providing access to the door cavity. The door module includes a plurality of carrier portions including a first carrier portion that holds at least one functional door hardware component and a second carrier portion that holds at least one other functional door hardware component. The plurality of carrier portions are mounted to the inner panel to seal the aperture thereby defining a wet side of the door module facing towards the door cavity and a dry side of the door module facing away from the door cavity.
US09731576B2
A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system is provided that allows efficient thermal communication between a refrigerant-based thermal control loop and three non-refrigerant-based thermal control loops, where one of the non-refrigerant-based loops provides temperature control over the vehicle's passenger cabin, a second of the non-refrigerant-based control loops is thermally coupled to the vehicle's battery system and the third of the non-refrigerant-based control circuits is thermally coupled to the vehicle's drive train. The refrigerant-based control loop may be operated either in a heating mode or a cooling mode and is coupled to the vehicle's HVAC system using a refrigerant-air heat exchanger, and to one or more of the non-refrigerant-based control loops using refrigerant-fluid heat exchangers. A valve assembly is used to couple and/or decouple the passenger cabin and battery thermal control loops, thereby allowing these two thermal control loops to operate either in parallel or in series.
US09731572B2
A suspension device for an in-wheel motor driven wheel ensures a lever ratio and stroke of a shock absorber without setting the upper end portion of the shock absorber at a high position. A wheel driven by an in-wheel motor unit is suspended on a vehicle body via a suspension structure member and a shock absorber, the suspension structure member including an upper suspension arm pivotally supported with respect to the vehicle body, and a third link. The third link pivotally connects the upper suspension arm to the wheel while having a shock absorber connecting portion to which the lower end of the shock absorber is connected. Further, the shock absorber connecting portion is disposed in the vehicle bottom position lower than an upper end surface of the in-wheel motor unit.
US09731571B2
A vehicle drive unit and land vehicle comprising the drive unit are disclosed. Each drive unit comprises a pair of longitudinally aligned and longitudinally spaced apart ground wheels. The land vehicle comprises a pair of drive units on opposite sides thereof. The drive units comprise an electric motor for powering the pair of wheels and a gear drive assembly comprising structure for disengaging the electric motor from the ground wheels. The drive units may be remotely controllable, may be water-tight and may be floatable. The vehicle comprising the drive unit may be amphibious.
US09731563B2
A tire pressure control arrangement for a vehicle having at least two tires connected to an air supply. Each tire is connected to the air supply via a supply line having a first valve connected to a second valve. The arrangement further includes a pressure sensor between the two valves. The first valve is closed while the supply line is connected to a pressure supply and the pressure in the supply line is monitored for a pre-determined period of time by a control system on the vehicle to detect whether there are any leaks in the arrangement.
US09731551B2
A fabricated drop axle is described. A pair of axle stub ends is oppositely retained within a saddle having a recess through which accessories can pass.
US09731537B2
A method for providing a stack of book covers for production of finished books includes supplying a task stack of book covers having identical cover formats and stacked one above another in an unknown or known sequence. Each book cover in the task stack includes an identifier comprising cover information. The book covers are separated out and conveyed from the task stack as separate book covers in a sequence that does not change until a completion signal is transmitted. The separated out book covers are counted, an identifier on each separated out book cover is detected, and cover information is read out of the respective identifier stored. The separated out book covers are deposited on top of one another in the sequence in which they were separated out for forming a detected stack. An identifier is stored that identifies the detected stack together with the temporarily stored cover information.
US09731535B2
A high gloss photo media that has a gloss at 20 degrees equal to or greater than 40% includes a photo media substrate that includes a gloss-enhancement film on a front side of a photo base material. A curl control material is on a back side of the photo base material opposite the front side. The gloss-enhancement film being a multilayer that includes an adherent layer and a layer of one of a polyester composition and a polypropylene composition. A thickness of the gloss-enhancement film is at least 20 microns. The high gloss photo media further includes an image receiving layer on the gloss-enhancement film.
US09731533B2
A method of forming an image on a substrate by applying energy, involves a substrate in or on which there are at least two different color-change agents, i.e. a first color-change agent capable of giving rise to at least two different colors; and a second color-change agent capable of giving rise to at least one different color than achievable with the first color change agent. A preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-layer laminate comprising, in order, a layer comprising the first agent, a barrier layer, and a layer comprising the second agent.
US09731529B2
A mounting apparatus for mounting a printing apparatus to a structure includes an attachment part, which is attachable to the structure, and a support member upon which a printing apparatus is supportable. The support member enables the printing apparatus to be located in a desired position along a first axis, which extends in a first direction relative to the structure, and wherein at least a part of a footprint of the support member defined in a first plane, which is substantially transverse to the first axis, overlaps at least a part of a footprint of the printing apparatus defined in a second plane, which is substantially transverse to the first axis.
US09731527B2
Each pass is configured such that liquid droplet discharging characteristics of each pass are not superimposed, and when an average number of pass operations which are necessary in formation of dot rows lined up in a main scanning direction is x, k
US09731526B2
In a printer that performs printing on a label of a continuous paper while feeding the continuous paper unwound from a paper sheet supply unit, a platen roller portion is configured to be attachable and detachable only by operating an operating lever portion of an attaching and detaching operation portion. The attaching and detaching operation portion has its shaft fixed in a rotatable state between a bearing ring and a platen main body on one side in an axial direction of the platen roller portion. Pulling the operating lever portion of the attaching and detaching operation portion releases a locked state of the attaching and detaching operation portion itself and a locked state in the axial direction of the platen roller portion.
US09731521B2
Detecting a continuous level of paper in a paper supply providing paper for a printing device. A length of the paper supply includes applied indicia, with the indicia extend contiguously across the length of the paper supply. When a paper section is dispensed, the position of the indicia on the dispensed portion of paper is determined, with the position reflecting a level pertaining to the paper supply remaining or dispensed.
US09731520B2
In a printing system, an attached-time remaining sheet amount at detecting attachment of a sheet feed tray to the printing system is detected. And current remaining sheet amount at end of image printing is detected. Then, it is determined whether the attached-time sheet remaining amount is greater than a first threshold value. In response to determination that an attached-time sheet remaining amount is greater than a threshold value and the current remaining sheet amount is less than or equal to the threshold value, a controller executes an alert process corresponding to controlling a display to display an alert. In response to determination that the attached-time sheet remaining amount and the current remaining sheet amount are equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller inhibits executing the alert process.
US09731507B2
A liquid ejecting head includes: a head main body for ejecting liquid from nozzle openings on a liquid ejecting surface provided with the plurality of nozzle openings; a maintaining member which is adhered to the head main body at a surface side opposite to the liquid ejecting surface side of the head main body in a direction perpendicular to the liquid ejecting surface; and a fixing board which is provided at a side opposite to the maintaining member with respect to the head main body. The fixing board includes a bending portion which is bent to the head main body side. The bending portion is adhered to a side surface of the maintaining member. The head main body is disposed in a space formed by adhering the maintaining member and the fixing board to each other.
US09731505B2
A piezoelectric element includes a plurality of individual electrodes, a piezoelectric layer formed on each of individual electrodes, and a common electrode which is formed on the piezoelectric layer and is an electrode common to the individual electrodes. Further, a protection film covering a region, which is not covered by the common electrode on the individual electrode, is provided.
US09731504B2
A liquid ejection head having at least one energy generation element for generating heat to be used for ejecting a liquid includes an insulating layer which is provided in contact with a substrate and supports the energy generation element; at least one heat transmitting layer which is composed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a material of the insulating layer and which is provided, in the insulating layer, between the energy generation element and the substrate; and a heat transmitting member which thermally connects the at least one heat transmitting layer and the substrate, wherein the heat transmitting member is connected to an area, on the heat transmitting layer, excluding an area directly below the energy generation element in a position interposed between the energy generation element and the substrate.
US09731501B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus according to the invention includes: a modulation unit that generates a modulated signal which is obtained by pulse-modulating an original signal; a transistor that generates an amplified and modulated signal which is obtained by amplifying the modulated signal; a switching circuit; a low pass filter that generates a drive signal by demodulating the amplified and modulated signal; a feedback circuit that generates a feedback signal and feeds back the feedback signal to the modulation unit; a feedback terminal that electrically connects the modulation unit to the feedback circuit; a piezoelectric element that is displaced by the drive signal; a cavity; and a nozzle, in which a distance between the feedback terminal and a closest point to the feedback terminal in the modulation unit is shorter than a distance between the feedback terminal and a closest point to the feedback terminal in the switching circuit.
US09731497B2
Printing paper is provided that is able to inhibit the occurrence of cockling and wrinkling during printing and inhibit the occurrence of curling after printing when cut into sheets in the case where inkjet printing is carried out in a rotary inkjet printing press while tension is applied from the time the printing paper is rolled out until it is taken up. The printing paper comprises a base paper and a coating layer containing a pigment and a binder on at least one side of the base paper, wherein an ash content of the base paper is 20% by weight to 30% by weight, and specific tensile strength of the printing paper in the CD direction is 9.0 N·m/g or less, and the ratio of (specific tensile strength in the MD direction)/(specific tensile strength in the CD direction) is 1.9 to 2.3, wherein the specific tensile strength is as determined basically in compliance with JIS P 8113:2006.
US09731496B2
The present invention describes a method for manufacturing rotogravure cylinders with a cylinder base made of aluminum and a single metallic layer on the cylinder surface. The method comprises the construction of the cylinder base, the deposition of the metallic layer on the cylinder surface, the thinning of the cylinder to achieve the required dimensions, the polishing of the cylinder surface and finally the etching of the cylinder with the desired printing pattern. The metallic layer can be any copper alloy that will produce a surface with a Vickers hardness of about 400 HV. The metallic layer is deposited onto the cylinder base using any thermal spraying method. The cylinder surface is then thinned and polished by using any conventional method. Finally, the cylinder is etched to provide a superb cylinder for the printing industry.
US09731494B2
A method of determining a value of density of a heat absorbing agent to be applied to a target pixel on a medium, wherein the medium is distended, when heated, the value of density of the heat absorbing agent is a density value of the heat absorbing agent that is applied to the medium before heated, and density values of the heat absorbing agent are set for plural pixels on the medium, the method comprising, calculating a first average density value of first plural pixels in the vicinity of the target pixel among the plural pixels, calculating a second average density value of second plural pixels in the vicinity of the target pixel, and determining a density value of the heat absorbing agent based on the calculated first average density value and second average density value, when a density value applied to the target pixel satisfies a first prescribed condition.
US09731491B2
Provided is a melamine decorative board having a milky-white core layer and less warpage. When the melamine decorative board is bonded onto a base plate such as a plywood, a particle board, and a steel board, a color tone of the base plate does not appear through to a decorative layer. Stacked and thermal-pressure-formed are: a resin-impregnated patterned paper as the decorative layer; multiple sheets of a resin-impregnated core paper, as the core layer, produced by impregnating a whitish fibrous base material with a resin liquid including: a condensate of melamine and formaldehyde, and a divalent polyalkylene glycol or a derivative thereof, or a tri- or more valent polyalkylene glycol polyvalent ether, and drying the whitish fibrous base material; and a resin-impregnated backside paper, as a backside layer, produced by impregnating a fibrous base material with a condensate of melamine and formaldehyde and drying the fibrous base material.
US09731486B2
A heat exchange device for heating liquid adhesive material to an application temperature suitable for an adhesive bonding application includes a body having an inlet configured to receive a flow of liquid adhesive material and an outlet configured to provide the liquid adhesive material to a dispensing device for the adhesive bonding application. A fluid passageway in the body connects the inlet and the outlet. The fluid passageway includes a thin slit section in the form of an elongated ring shape, having a length along a fluid flow direction between the inlet and the outlet, the thin slit section further having a first dimension and a second dimension transverse to the fluid flow direction. The first dimension and the length are substantially greater than the second dimension. The heat exchange device further includes a heating element for heating the liquid adhesive material flowing through the thin slit section.
US09731485B2
A process for manufacturing a hollow body including a thermoplastic wall and a fibrous reinforcement welded on at least one portion of the surface of the wall, or its outer surface, the fibrous reinforcement including a thermoplastic similar to or compatible with that of the wall of the hollow body, having a thickness of at least 1 mm and from 30 to 60% in weight of fibers, the method including heating a portion of the outer surface of the hollow body where the reinforcement will be welded; heating the fibrous reinforcement to soften or melt the thermoplastic of the reinforcement; and moving the reinforcement and applying the reinforcement to the portion of the outer surface of the hollow body. The applying the reinforcement includes: applying an initial pressure on at least one portion of the reinforcement; and applying pressure for a final welding using robotized pressure applying mechanism.
US09731480B2
The present disclosure provides a polyester film based laminate comprising: an outer polyethylene layer; a core layer of a printed polyester film; and an inner polyethylene layer; an article made of said laminate. The printing on the said polyester film based laminate can be a reverse printing. The present disclosure further provides a method for producing a polyester film based laminate.
US09731479B2
A display device includes a transparent laminated body 6 formed of transparent substrates 1 that are arranged in layers; an image display body 2 that faces the transparent laminated body 6; and a resin layer 3 that is disposed between the transparent laminated body 6 and the image display body 2 and is made of a photo-curable resin. The transparent substrates 1 are bonded with a thermal adhesive film 5. The thermal adhesive film 5 has optical transmittance of 50% or more at wavelength of 395 nm and optical transmittance of 10% or less at wavelength of 365 nm.
US09731478B2
An evaporative element for use in a humidifier. In order to reduce the amount of chloride species evaporated into the air with the water, the evaporate element includes a dechlorination agent, such as sulfur compounds, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, or combinations thereof. The dechlorination agent can be applied to the water retaining elements of the evaporate element or to the rigid members used to support the water retaining elements.
US09731474B2
Method and panel with increased strength. The panel includes a base layer configured to have plural first protuberances; a core layer located on the base layer and configured to have plural second protuberances and to accommodate the plural first protuberances of the base layer; and a top layer in direct contact with the plural first protuberances and the plural second protuberances.
US09731468B2
A package includes a box and a window member. The box includes a primary panel, internal panels collectively defining a chamber therebetween and adjacent the primary panel, and a face panel extending across the chamber spaced from the primary panel. The at least one of the internal panels defines a slot facing the chamber. The face panel includes a tab extending outwardly from a remainder of the face panel, and the tab is received within the slot to at least partially maintain the face panel within the chamber. The window member includes a first wall covering the chamber and a second wall extending from the first wall and positioned within the chamber. The second wall defines a free edge and a cutout extending from the free edge into the second wall. The cutout is slidably receives the tab of the face panel securely coupling the window member to the box.
US09731467B2
A food processor includes a tubular member, and a spindle inserted into the tubular member and including a guide entry section, a crushing section, a grinding section, an extension section, a guide exit section, a guide thread helically wound around the guide entry section, a crushing thread helically wound around the crushing section, and a plurality of spaced-apart grinding threads helically extending from the grinding section to the guide exit section. The guide thread has first and second ring segments each helically extending one revolution around the guide entry section. The first ring segment has a thread depth smaller than that of the second ring segment.
US09731462B2
Tire vulcanizing mold able to cooperate with a curing press, said mold comprising two shells each one molding a sidewall of the tire and a ring of sectors for molding the tread of the tire, each sector comprising a support and a molding lining situated radially on the inside of the support, in which ring the sectors, when the mold is in the closed position, are all in circumferential contact one with the next via the molding linings and in radial contact on the shells via the front ends of the linings each of which forms a face for contact with the shell, said supports and linings being produced in such a way that each support is able to take up the clamping force applied to the lining coming into contact with the shell when the mold is in the closed position when said clamping force at said contact face exceeds a given threshold that is lower than the plastic threshold of the lining.A predetermined clearance (j) is provided between the lower front face of the shell and the lower front end of the support, and in that this clearance (j) is cancelled out when the mold is in the closed position.
US09731457B2
A wrinkle mitigation system may include at least one tooling rod disposed against a tool surface at a location on the tool where a composite ply is configured to overlap the tooling rod. The tooling rod may have an elongated shape and may be generally oriented along a direction of wrinkle formation in the composite ply. The tooling rod may have a rod width that results in the composite ply assuming a corrugated shape when compaction pressure is applied to the composite ply.
US09731449B2
A method for applying a thermoreactive seam tape to a seam is provided. The thermoreactive seam tape may be positioned adjacent to the seam, which may include a first fabric surface and an adjacent second fabric surface. The thermoreactive seam tape may include an interior planar surface that engages both the first fabric surface and the second fabric surface of the seam. The thermoreactive seam tape may further include an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, where the exterior surface is substantially non-planar with respect to the interior planar surface along a length of the thermoreactive seam tape. Heat and pressure may be applied to the thermoreactive seam tape, wherein the heat and the pressure facilitate adhesion of the thermoreactive seam tape to the first fabric surface and the second fabric surface of the seam.
US09731437B2
The present invention provides methods for forming an ophthalmic lens that can include a media insert and/or electronic components. In particular, the present disclosure provides for adhesion promoting functionalization steps for a biocompatible coating to bind a hydrogel material to a plastic surface or electronic component prior to the polymerization of the hydrogel. In some aspects, the media insert can be used to contain energy sources and/or functional electronic components which may be, for example, in a stacked integrated component configuration to permit a generally arcuate shape that can conform to the anterior surface of an eye.
US09731435B2
The invention relates to an integral irradiation unit for hardening light-hardening polymer compositions, a method for producing hardened polymer molded bodies or bodies coated with hardened polymers using the integral irradiation unit, and to the use of the integral irradiation unit for producing molded polymer bodies or bodies coated with polymers.
US09731434B2
Plastic sheet elements (19) having a size and deformation suitable for use as a filling material in pillows, duvets and the like are manufactured by feeding one or more plastic sheets to a shredding apparatus (6) which has a rotating drum (9). Loosely hanging knives (12) are mounted (11) near an outermost edge of the drum (9), and are pivoted outwards during rotation to thereby cut, deform and twist the sheet to form “curly” elements (19), which are sucked out through openings (14) in a screen (8) located below the drum (9). By adjusting the feeding of the sheet (4), the rotation of the drum (9) and the magnitude of the negative pressure, various sizes and configurations of cut individual sheet elements (19) are produced.
US09731431B2
A motor chain saw has a first driven sprocket wheel driving a saw chain lubricated via a supply pump driven by first and second drive wheel, wherein the second drive wheel is connected to the first sprocket wheel. A drive element with coupling section is connected to the first sprocket wheel and the second drive wheel is formed on the drive element. A second sprocket wheel can be used in place of the first sprocket wheel. The first and second sprocket wheels have different geometries. The coupling section has first and second followers correlated with follower surfaces of the first and second sprocket wheels. The coupling section contacts with first followers the follower surfaces of the first sprocket wheel or with second followers the follower surfaces of the second sprocket wheel when used in place of the first sprocket wheel.
US09731428B2
A slicing apparatus and methods of using a slicing apparatus are provided. The apparatus can include a base configured to rest on a horizontal surface, a vertically extending cutting area generally perpendicular to the horizontal surface, and a food carriage for laterally moving and rotating a food item engaged with the food carriage. The cutting area can include blades angled relative to each other, and a multi-blade tool that allows adjustment and selection of different blades.
US09731427B2
A razor handle that includes an elongated body extending in a longitudinal direction (C), the elongated body having an outer surface and being provided with a first hole and a second hole, the first and second holes opening on the outer surface of the elongated body, the razor handle that includes a first insert and a second insert, the first and second inserts being respectively partially encapsulated within the first and second holes.
US09731424B1
A flex clipper provides a feature to help the cutting blade set float more effortlessly by adjusting automatically to the contours of a client's head to prevent getting stuck and causing cuts and irritation to the scalp. The hair clippers preferably also uses a self-contained motor-driven adjustment mechanism to adjust the relative position of the stationary and reciprocating blades of a common type of blade set. Two momentary switches operable by the thumb of the hand holding the clipper afford a barber total automatic adjustment with the clipper itself in an on or off condition.
US09731423B2
Disclosed is a flow blocking valve, a vacuum lifting device have such valve, a vacuum lifting arrangements, and methods for operating the same, the valve including a valve housing part forming a flow duct between a flow inlet arranged at an inlet end of the duct and a flow outlet arranged at an outlet end of the duct, where a seat is arranged at the flow outlet, the valve further including a displaceable valve blocking device arranged to move inside the flow duct, where said blocking device is arranged to block the flow through said valve when being forced against said seat, the valve also including obstruction means being displaceable in a direction substantially transverse in relation to a longitudinal direction of the flow duct, where the obstruction means is arranged to controllably obstruct the passage of the displaceable valve blocking device without completely disabling flow through the flow duct.
US09731420B1
Described are techniques for storing and retrieving items using a robotic manipulator. Images depicting a human interacting with an item, sensor data from sensors instrumenting the human or item, data regarding physical characteristics of the item, and constraint data relating to the robotic manipulator or the item may be used to generate one or more configurations for the robotic manipulator. The configurations may include points of contact and force vectors for contacting the item using the robotic manipulator.
US09731405B2
A automatic truss jig setting system is disclosed that includes a table including a plurality of segments with a side edge of adjacent segments defining a slot. At least one pin assembly, and optionally a pair of pin assemblies, is movable independently of each other along the slot. Movement apparatus is provided for independently moving the pin assemblies along the slot. Each of the side edges of the segments associated with the slot defines a substantially vertical plane with a zone being defined between the substantially vertical planes of the side edges, and the movement apparatus is located substantially outside of the zone of the slot. The invention may optionally include a system for handling the obstruction of pin assembly movement, and a system for keeping track of the position of the pin assembly when the pin assembly has encountered an obstruction.
US09731396B2
A synthetic quartz glass substrate is prepared by immersing a starting substrate in an aqueous solution of a nonionic surfactant and precision polishing the substrate with a colloidal silica water dispersion. A synthetic quartz glass substrate having a few defects and low surface roughness is obtained while the polishing rate is improved and the polishing time is reduced.
US09731392B2
Alignment modules attached to a robotic tool changer assist spatial orientation and alignment of a robot arm relative to a robotic tool for location training. A three-axis spatial orientation sensor is first attached to an alignment module affixed to a tool unit. The sensor is “zeroed,” or calibrated to the spatial orientation of the tool unit. The sensor is transferred to a corresponding surface of an alignment module affixed to a master unit. The orientation of the robot arm is adjusted to eliminate sensor error signals indicating deviations from the zeroed orientation of the tool unit. An optical signal, such as a cross line laser beam, is then projected between the alignment modules. The x- and y-axis position of the robot arm is adjusted to align the optical signal with alignment markings. When the master and tool units are aligned, the robot arm is advanced in the z-axis direction until the master unit abuts the tool unit.
US09731379B2
Aluminum alloy workpieces and/or magnesium alloy workpieces are joined in a solid state weld by use of a reactive material placed, in a suitable form, at the joining surfaces. Joining surfaces of the workpieces are pressed against the interposed reactive material and heated. The reactive material alloys or reacts with the workpiece surfaces consuming some of the surface material in forming a reaction product comprising a low melting liquid that removes oxide films and other surface impediments to a welded bond across the interface. Further pressure is applied to expel the reaction product and to join the workpiece surfaces in a solid state weld bond.
US09731374B2
A cooled welding torch (1) having a cooling circuit, which cooling circuit extends via a nozzle fitting receiver (3) into a gas nozzle (9), and the gas nozzle (9) is attachable to the welding torch (1) by a defined turn, wherein the cooling circuit is routed through a redirecting element (5), which redirecting element (5) is positioned above the nozzle fitting receiver (3) and may be turned together with the gas nozzle (9), wherein a path of the cooling circuit is switchable by the position of the gas nozzle (9).
US09731370B2
A semiconductor module includes a substrate having a metallized first side and a metallized second side opposing the metallized first side. A semiconductor die is attached to the metallized first side of the substrate. A plurality of cooling structures are welded to the metallized second side of the substrate. Each of the cooling structures includes a plurality of distinct weld beads disposed in a stacked arrangement extending away from the substrate. The substrate can be electrically conductive or insulating. Corresponding methods of manufacturing such semiconductor modules and substrates with such welded cooling structures are also provided.
US09731368B2
Apparatuses and processes for recycling printed wire boards, wherein electronic components, precious metals and base metals may be collected for reuse and recycling. The apparatuses generally include a mechanical solder removal module and/or a thermal module, a chemical solder removal module, and a precious metal leaching module, wherein the modules are attached for continuous passage of the e-waste from module to module.
US09731366B2
A saw blade includes a first edge having teeth and a second edge principally opposed to the first edge, which second edge extends in a first principal direction of extension along a first part of its principal extension and in a second principal direction of extension along a second part of its principal extension, neither said first nor said second principal direction of extension being parallel to a principal direction of extension of said first edge, but said first principal direction of extension forming a first and positive angle (A) with said principal direction of extension of said first edge and said second principal direction of extension forming a second and negative angle (B) with said principal direction of extension of said first edge.
US09731364B2
A table saw is provided with a table assembly including an upper cutting surface having a front edge and a rear edge; a slide assembly including, at each of the front edge and the rear edge, an inner slide member, an intermediate slide member slidably journalled in the inner slide member, and an outer slide member slidably journalled in the intermediate slide member wherein the intermediate slide member includes a pin moveably disposed in an elongated slot of the outer slide member; and a lock assembly under the upper cutting surface and including a lever, a cam at a distal end of the lever, and a spring biased two part rod wherein the cam is pivotably disposed between two parts of the rod. In response to a clockwise turning of the lever and the cam the biasing member expands to unlock the slide assembly.
US09731362B2
A table saw has a base assembly, a table assembly supported by the base assembly, the table assembly, and a saw assembly supported by at least one of the table assembly and the base assembly. The saw assembly has a saw blade extending through the table assembly. The base assembly has at least one foot having a substantially horizontal surface, a substantially vertical surface, and a curved surface disposed between the substantially horizontal surface and the substantially vertical surface. The substantially vertical surface is substantially coplanar with a surface of the table assembly so that the table saw can be disposed on the substantially vertical surface and the surface of the table assembly.
US09731359B2
An indexable cutting insert is suitable for vertical and oblique machining. The cutting insert has top and bottom surfaces, first to fourth side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, and a screw hole passing through the top and bottom surfaces. The top surface has a mounting surface of a flat surface. The top and bottom surfaces are rotationally symmetric with each other. A cutting edge is formed at a junction between the top surface and the adjacent first and second side surfaces. A non-cutting edge is formed at a junction between the top surface and the adjacent third and fourth side surfaces. The first and second side surfaces form an acute angle with a plane extending from the mounting surface of the top surface. The third and fourth side surfaces form an obtuse angle with the plane extending from the mounting surface of the top surface.
US09731353B2
A bar material supplying device includes a feed rod having a leading end provided with a finger chuck, a feed rod servomotor and an air cylinder device that move the feed rod in a longitudinal direction to insert and pull the bar material into and from the finger chuck, and an NC device that controls driving of the feed rod servomotor and driving of the air cylinder device. The NC device controls the driving of the feed rod servomotor and the driving of the air cylinder device to move the feed rod in an operation of inserting and pulling the bar material into and from the finger chuck, and operates as an error allowable device that allows an error of an operation amount of the feed rod servomotor motor in the operation of inserting and pulling the bar material into and from the finger chuck.
US09731352B2
The invention discloses an improved wheel alignment device which comprises a rack, a cylinder, a servo motor, a hollow shaft and the like. When the improved wheel alignment device is used, a stopper on a roller table centers a wheel, air enters at the lower end of a large piston and causes a long cylinder rod, a flange end cover, an expanding sleeve and the like to rise; the flange end cover is in contact with a wheel flange plate, and after the expanding sleeve is in contact with a central hole, air enters at the upper end of a small piston of a small cylinder, a short cylinder rod pulls an expanding core downwards, and the expanding sleeve clamps the central hole of the wheel; the servo motor causes the hollow shaft and the wheel to rotate by a belt pulley I and a belt pulley II, and the hollow shaft and the wheel stop rotating after a sensor finds the position of a valve hole of the wheel; at the moment, lifting cylinders cause a supporting plate to rise to a certain height through guide pillars, and a large cylinder causes the wheel to descend and the lower end surface of the wheel to fall above the supporting plate. The improved wheel alignment device can realize the alignment function before the automatic machining of wheel finish turning in use, and when the wheels with different wheel widths and different offset distances are automatically produced, programs do not need to be switched.
US09731348B1
An improved shot sleeve for high pressure die casting of low-iron aluminum silicon alloys and a method of making the shot sleeve, the shot sleeve includes a top portion including a pouring hole and a bottom portion including an impingement site on an inner surface of the bottom portion opposite the pouring hole. The impingement site is constructed of an erosion resistant material. The erosion resistant material is selected from: titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, boron or a secondary, tertiary or quaternary alloy formed from combination thereof. An erosion resistant insert located at an impingement site of a shot sleeve may accomplish the construction. The insert may be introduced into an internal surface of a conventional shot sleeve or replace a bottom portion of a conventional shot sleeve.
US09731347B2
A core pin is provided that prevents a molten metal from flowing into a pipe and a casting device using the same is also provided. The core pin specifically contacts a first end of the pipe inserted into a mold to close the end of the pipe, to thus prevent the molten metal from flowing into the pipe.
US09731345B2
Provided is a martensitic stainless steel having excellent productivity and high corrosion resistance, which comprises, as percentages by weight, 0.45 to 0.60% carbon, 0.02 to 0.08% nitrogen, 0.2 to 0.4% silicon, 0.3 to 0.6% manganese, 12 to 15% chromium, one or more kinds of 0.1 to 1.5% molybdenum or 0.1 to 1.5% tungsten and Fe and other unavoidable impurities as remnants.
US09731344B2
A computer implemented system for optimization of sand for reducing casting rejections in a foundry utilizing the existing foundry components or machinery. The system is accessible online via a computer network. The system is enabled to provide a predicted or prescribed solution for the optimization of sand using at least a parameter relating to the aforementioned sand. Further, the system is enabled to determine the parameters contributing to casting rejections and provide a corresponding solution for reducing the rejections in the next casting batches for the particular foundry. The system includes a user interface module for enabling users to upload foundry related data into the system, a reporting module enabling the user to generate and understand current statistics of the foundry, and a processing engine which enables the system to perform mathematical computation of user queries and provide the desired predicted or prescribed solution to the user for the foundry.
US09731336B2
The invention relates to a method for producing seamless pipes of heated massive metal blocks, by means of a mandrel (4), which is fastened on a rolling rod (5), in the case of which a coating material is applied onto the inner side of the hollow block (3) during the forming process by means of the influence of the rolling rod (5) from the massive metal block to a hollow block (3), which is created during the forming.
US09731331B2
The demulsifying cleaning of metallic surfaces which may be contaminated with oil(s) with at least one further nonpolar organic compound, with fat(s), with soap(s), with particulate dirt or with at least one anionic organic compound using an aqueous, alkaline, surfactant-containing bath solutions.
US09731326B2
A screen device for sorting screening material into one or more fine grain fractions and one or more oversize grain fractions. The screen device includes a frame and a roller screen including screen rollers which are arranged, such that they can be rotary-driven about a roller axis each, next to each other and which are supported on the frame and which each comprise a roller body and one or more screen structures which protrude radially relative to the roller body. There is a fine grain screen gap between the roller bodies of respectively adjacent screen rollers, through which a fine grain fraction falls, while an oversize grain fraction is conveyed on the roller screen in the axial direction of the rollers when the screen rollers are rotary-driven. The roller body of at least one of the screen rollers widens radially in the axial direction of the rollers in an axial widening portion and the width of the fine grain screen gap which the widening roller body forms with the roller body of an adjacent screen roller decreases in the axial direction of the rollers along the widening portion.
US09731315B2
There is provided a dip coating apparatus that includes a sealed case assembly for containing at least one workpiece to be coated. The dip coating apparatus also includes an air pump communicated with the sealed case assembly, for pumping air from the sealed case assembly and injecting air into the sealed case assembly. Further, the dip coating apparatus includes a fresh coating solution container containing a coating solution, which is communicated with the sealed case assembly, for injecting the coating solution to the sealed case assembly and a recycle coating solution container, which is communicated with the sealed case assembly, for retrieving the coating solution from the sealed case assembly.
US09731306B2
The invention related to a device (1) for spraying charged droplets of a liquid towards a target along a spraying direction, comprising: a reservoir (10) for storing the liquid (L), a first electrode (100) being arranged at an outlet (11) of said reservoir (10), a second electrode (200) forming a counter electrode to the first electrode (100) for accelerating said droplets (D) along the spraying direction (S), and a housing (30) holding the reservoir (10) as well as said electrodes (100, 200).
US09731304B2
An injector head for delivering particulate material from a feeder source to a receiver is fitted with a plurality of splitter bars extending generally laterally from the sidewalls thereof into the space through which particulate material is fed as it flows into a receiver. Spray nozzles mounted to said sidewalls below said splitter bars spray coating material generally laterally relative to said sidewalls and generally laterally relative to the length of said splitter bars so as to coat particulate material as it passes over and to the sides and ends of said splitter bars.
US09731302B2
Methods are provided for identifying a disposable flow circuit in a blood processing system. At least a portion of the disposable flow circuit is positioned within a centrifuge that is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a high-G outer wall with a window facing radially away from the rotational axis. The disposable flow circuit is monitored through the window to detect the presence of an expected identification feature and/or an expected alignment feature. If the expected feature is detected, a blood separation procedure is initiated, with the procedure including monitoring the disposable flow circuit through the window to detect characteristics of a fluid within the disposable flow circuit. If the expected feature is not detected, an alarm condition is generated and initiation of the blood separation procedure is prevented.
US09731293B2
The combined value of integrating optical forces and electrokinetics allows for the pooled separation vectors of each to be applied, providing for separation based on combinations of features such as size, shape, refractive index, charge, charge distribution, charge mobility, permittivity, and deformability. The interplay of these separation vectors allow for the selective manipulation of analytes with a finer degree of variation. Embodiments include methods of method of separating particles in a microfluidic channel using a device comprising a microfluidic channel, a source of laser light focused by an optic into the microfluidic channel, and a source of electrical field operationally connected to the microfluidic channel via electrodes so that the laser light and the electrical field to act jointly on the particles in the microfluidic channel. Other devices and methods are disclosed.
US09731291B2
The specification generally discloses systems and methods for mixing and delivering fluids in microfluidic systems. The fluids can contain, in some embodiments reagents that can participate in one or more chemical or biological reactions.
US09731289B2
The present invention relates to the automation of incubation, processing, harvesting and analysis of samples in a multi-cell plate. In particular, a multi-cell plate including a body with a plurality of cells is presented. Furthermore, an automated crystal harvesting and processing system with a cutting unit, a fluid unit and a removing device is presented. The multi-cell plate further includes a sealing film for sealing the cells on a first side of the body and a sample film for sealing the cells on a second side of the body. The sample film is adapted for accommodating a biological material for crystallization. Furthermore, the sample film is of a thickness and composition that makes it compatible with x-rays and also with laser ablation. The design of the multi-cell plate and the automated crystal harvesting and processing system allows for several steps of incubation, processing, harvesting and analysis of the samples to be automated.
US09731284B1
A process for use of composite catalysts for oxidation of amines during synthesis of energetic compounds. This method overcomes the safety concerns associated with dangerous reaction conditions for these energetic materials. The process requires exposing phthalocyanine conjugated to an inorganic substrate to the precursor reactant and activating the composite material to light and oxygen to covert amine groups into oxidized nitrogen species.
US09731281B2
A catalyst for hydrocarbon catalytic cracking of the invention contains: a catalyst (a) containing faujasite-type zeolite (A) having a unit cell size in a range of 2.435 nm to 2.455 nm, a matrix component, and rare earths; and a catalyst (b) containing faujasite-type zeolite (B) having a unit cell size in a range of 2.445 nm to 2.462 nm, a matrix component, phosphorus, and magnesium.
US09731279B2
Effect of the type of ZPGM material composition to improve thermal stability of ZPGM catalyst systems for TWC application is disclosed. ZPGM catalyst system samples are prepared and configured with washcoat on ceramic substrate, overcoat including doped Zirconia support oxide, and impregnation layer including either Cu1Mn2O4 spinel or Cu1Co1Mn1O4 spinel. Testing of ZPGM catalyst samples including variations of aging temperatures and different impregnation layer materials are developed under isothermal steady state sweep test condition for ZPGM catalyst systems to evaluate performance especially NOx conversions and level of thermal stability. As a result disclosed ZPGM catalyst systems with most suitable spinel that includes Cu1Co1Mn1O4 in impregnation layer exhibit high NOx conversion and significant improved thermal stability compare to Cu1Mn2O4 spinel, which is suitable for under floor and close coupled TWC application. The effect of adding Co to Cu—Mn spinel composition to improve thermal stability confirmed by TPR measurement.
US09731277B2
The present invention relates to a catalytic composition for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes, comprising an active catalyst and a catalytic support, the active catalyst comprising a mixture of iron and cobalt in any oxidation form and the catalytic support comprising exfoliated vermiculite.
US09731264B2
A method and an apparatus for preparing aerogel by drying under reduced pressure. The gel to be dried is placed into a sealed drying apparatus which can be depressurized by air extraction or/and can be heated to raise the temperature. The methods of reducing pressure by air extraction or/and raising temperature are acted upon the water and solvents within the aerogel to be dried, and an outward force is thus generated for the water and solvents to be volatilized outwards. By controlling the rates of reducing pressure by air extraction or/and raising temperature, the outward force is allowed to be equal to or close to the inward capillary force, such that the pores of the gel may not be collapsed or cracked. At the same time, drying is carried out continuously, and finally the interior water and solvents are removed completely.
US09731256B2
An impeller blade formed of a central base portion having a center axis. At least a pair of impeller blades is extended outwardly from the central base portion, with each impeller blade further including an extension. A leading edge is formed on each of the impeller blades, with each leading edge being defined by an outer periphery of the central base portion, and each leading edge having at least a portion that forms a continuous curve with a radius decreasing outwardly toward a radial tip of the corresponding impeller blade, wherein the continuous decreasing radius curve of each leading edge is formed by a portion of an ellipse centered on the center axis, a short axis of the ellipse being equal to a long axis thereof divided by approximately three and one-half. Each blade extension is projected from the corresponding impeller blade opposite of the leading edge.
US09731255B2
Techniques or processes for efficiently producing concrete using dynamic feedback are disclosed. A concrete plant can use a control system to manage concrete production based on the dynamic feedback. The dynamic feedback can control mixing of concrete ingredients so as to yield uniform particle distribution for the concrete ingredients. The dynamic feedback can also avoid overflow situations as well as yield improved loading of the resulting concrete into a concrete transport vehicle (e.g., concrete truck).
US09731248B2
A composite membrane comprising: a) a porous support; b) a gutter layer; and c) a discriminating layer; wherein at least 10% of the discriminating layer is intermixed with the gutter layer.
US09731244B2
The present invention provides a carbon dioxide recovery apparatus capable of recovering heat energy of carbon-dioxide-containing gas which includes an absorbing tower to generate and discharge a rich liquid absorbing carbon dioxide as carbon-dioxide-containing gas is introduced and contacted to an absorbing liquid to absorb carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide release devices to discharge semi-lean liquids which have steam containing a part of carbon dioxide released by heating the rich liquid discharged from the absorbing tower, and a regeneration tower to generate a lean liquid which has steam containing remaining carbon dioxide released and separated by heating the semi-lean liquids discharged from the carbon dioxide release devices and to return the lean liquid to the absorbing tower.
US09731243B2
A low pressure re-absorber is integrated with a sulfur-rich solvent flash drum or a sulfur-rich solvent stripping column in a solvent acid gas removal process that provides for sufficient sulfur concentration for the downstream sulfur recovery unit. In another aspect of the invention, carbon dioxide containing or carbon dioxide rich gas streams that are at a lower temperature relative to a lean solvent stream are used to cool those lean solvent streams and then optionally to cool other process streams, to save energy consumption.
US09731235B2
A filter appliance may include a filter housing and a ring filter element having an axis and being mountable in the filter housing. The filter element may include a first axial end disc having a protruding pin configured to engage into a channel of the filter housing. The filter housing may have an interior including a first region and the ring filter element may include a second region associated with the first region. A guide contour may be arranged on one of the first region and the second region, and a first guide element and a second guide element may be disposed on the other of the first region and the second region. The guide contour may include a first axial groove and a second axial groove configured to receive the first guide element and the second guide element to define a key and lock interaction.
US09731227B2
The present invention relates to a filter element for disinfecting, cleaning and purifying household water, by removing pollutants such as heavy metals, bacteria, VOCs, and even radioactive substance. The present filter element comprises activated carbon, ion exchange resins (cationic and anionic), biopolymer and transitional metal oxide. Said biopolymer and transitional metal oxide are both in particle form and said transitional metal oxide particle can be either incorporated into the biopolymer particle or directly incorporated into the present filter element as individual particle. Maximum capacity of the present filter element can reach up to 150 L of household water. Some of the pollutants can be removed by up to 99% by the present filter element. A method of preparing the present filter element is also disclosed herein.
US09731225B2
A system for deaeration of a liquid comprises a heater for heating the liquid to a well-defined temperature, means for pressurizing the liquid, a first piping for guiding the heated liquid to a separation vessel, a vacuum pump for evacuating deaerated gases from the separation vessel, and a second piping for guiding the deaerated liquid from the separation vessel. The system further comprises an inert-gas supply and a mixer for supplying and mixing in inert gas into the liquid in the first piping. The vacuum pump is controllable to maintain a separation pressure in the separation vessel corresponding to a pressure at or slightly above the saturation pressure.
US09731209B1
A wall climbing toy includes a frame body, a drive shaft, a plurality of spring-loaded release valves, a cam shaft, a drive unit, a left gear train, a shaft extension, a plurality of primary crank arms, a plurality of connecting rods, a plurality of suction cups, and a plurality of air tube units. When each of the spring-loaded release valves is displaced from a seal position to an open position, an air seal formed between a corresponding one of the suction cups and a flat surface is broken. When the drive shaft is driven concurrently with the cam shaft to rotate, the air seals formed between the suction cups and the flat surface are broken alternately so as to permit the connecting rods to be alternately pulled away from a flat surface.
US09731197B2
A computer game mode module provides a navigable image on a display, the navigable image comprising a set of location icons each representing a location associated with a game mode object of multiple game mode objects of different types selectable at the location icon. A first game mode generates a first marker when a first game objective is attained. A second game mode generates a successful task signal which causes an electronic assistance message to be provide. A third game mode receives remote user input game data generated at other user devices.
US09731190B2
A card shuffler that moves cards one at a time from the bottom of a group that may be a deck in a deck-crib, to randomly designated single-card receptacles in a receiving or dealing rack, and methods for shuffling and for dealing cards. Either the deck-crib or the receiving rack is moved by a motor to align a single-card receptacle, randomly selected from among remaining empty single-card receptacles, with an outfeed slot of the deck-crib to receive each card to be moved from the deck-crib. A single card is moved from the deck-crib by a card mover mechanism that may include an auxiliary card pusher to ensure that the card is placed fully into the selected single-card receptacle. A controller can cause the dealing rack to move so as to allow a selected number of cards to be removed by the dealer for dealing as a player hand or a dealer hand. A card presentation pusher may make a group of the cards in the dealing rack available to be grasped by the dealer for removal. A card reader may be included, and positions in the receiving or dealing rack of cards identified by the card reader can be stored in memory in the controller.
US09731185B2
A protective frame of a mask includes: a first frame unit integrally formed as one piece, and including a first protective part for protecting a portion of a face of a user, and a first connecting part integrally connected to the first protective part; and a second frame unit integrally formed as one piece, and including a second protective part for protecting another portion of the face of the user, and a second connecting part integrally connected to the second protective part. The first connecting part is connected to the second connecting part, and the first frame unit and the second frame unit are connected together to constitute the protective frame.
US09731177B2
A golf club head has a main body including a top portion, a bottom portion opposite the top portion, a striking face, a rear portion opposite the striking face. The striking face has a striking face plane and a striking face outer periphery that is coplanar with the striking face plane. The striking face outer periphery has an outer periphery heel portion, an outer periphery toe portion opposite the outer periphery heel portion, an outer periphery top portion, and an outer periphery bottom portion opposite the outer periphery top portion. The striking face also has a recess extending rearward from the striking face plane, and the recess includes a recess periphery coplanar with the striking face plane. The striking face further has an insert disposed within the recess. The striking face additionally has a minimum periphery width separating the striking face outer periphery and the recess periphery. The periphery width is no greater than 1.25 mm.
US09731162B2
A free-motion dynamic resistance trainer to be used to train the muscular coordination, dynamic stability and gait mechanics of athletes and physical therapy patients. Adjustable tension shock cords or bungee cords and resistance tubing are used in conjunction with a spinal support harness and jib in order to allow for the adjustment of progressive resistance and to create a heightened sense of proprioceptive awareness in those muscles and joints that are meant to be targeted depending upon the particular movement pattern being exercised. While providing resistance to improve strength and stamina, the shock cords or bungee cords and resistance tubing simultaneously guide and assist the trainee through certain aspects of each movement in order to train muscle memory of the proper kinetic sequence and body positioning. The apparatus, which is meant to be worn, can be used during sport specific movements other than running, in order to train and improve performance in myriad sports and activities.
US09731156B2
The present invention provides a fixing bracket of a sprinkler for safely fixing and easily mounting and separating a reducer of a sprinkler. The fixing bracket has a body having holes for mounting the reducer, and a pressing lever pressing the bar to bring the bar in contact with the reducer in a space inside the body, in which the body has a pair of walls facing each other and having the holes, respectively, and a bridge connecting the walls, and the pressing lever is turned around a hinge shaft at a first side of the body and presses the bar through an opening formed through the bridge when being turned.
US09731149B2
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for real-time control of a charged particle pencil beam system during therapeutic treatment of a patient. In an aspect, the present disclosure is directed to measuring an actual shape, an actual intensity distribution, and an actual location at isocenter of the charged particle pencil beam. The actual data is compared to model treatment data in real time to determine if a statistically significant variance occurs in which case the charged particle pencil beam can be stopped mid-treatment for correction and/or analysis.
US09731148B2
A system and method of delivering a radiation therapy treatment plan to a patient. The treatment plan is delivered using a radiation therapy system including a moveable support for supporting a patient, a gantry moveable relative to the support and supporting a radiation source and multi-leaf collimator for modulating the radiation source. The support and gantry are moved during delivery of the treatment plan.
US09731146B2
A method for determining an irradiation plan includes specifying a target volume to be irradiated and a condition to be fulfilled, and implementing a first optimization. Implementing the first optimization includes providing a first data record, in which the target volume is mapped, and determining a first parameter set for the irradiation planning by implementing a first optimization algorithm. The first parameter set is optimized with respect to the condition to be fulfilled by using the first data record. The method also includes implementing a second optimization that includes providing a second data record that has a higher resolution than the first data record, determining a second parameter set by implementing a second optimization algorithm. The second parameter set is optimized with respect to the condition to be fulfilled by using the second data record and using the first parameter set. The method also includes generating an irradiation planning data record from the second parameter set.
US09731140B1
Some computer-assisted methods include: presenting configuration options to a user of the implanted stimulator device, the configuration options comprising stimulation parameters for the implanted stimulator; receiving a user specification of the configuration options in response to the presented configuration options; receiving user feedback when the user specified configuration options are implemented at the implanted stimulator device, the user feedback comprising a quantitative index of pain resulting from implementing the user specified configuration options on the implanted stimulator device; building a user profile for the user based on the user specified configuration options and the user feedback, the user profile including the user specified configuration options as well as the corresponding quantitative index of pain; and selecting at least one configuration option based on the user profile when the configuration options are subsequently presented to the user for a later treatment.
US09731136B2
A method and apparatus for treatment of hypertension and heart failure by increasing secretion of endogenous atrial hormones by pacing of the heart. Pacing is done during the ventricular refractory period resulting in premature atrial contraction that does not result in ventricular contraction. Pacing results in the atrial wall stress, peripheral vasodilation, ANP secretion. Concomitant reduction of the heart rate is monitored and controlled as needed with backup pacing.
US09731132B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. It is expected that renal neuromodulation (e.g., denervation) may, among other things, reduce expansion of an acute myocardial infarction, reduce or prevent the onset of morphological changes that are affiliated with congestive heart failure, and/or be efficacious in the treatment of end stage renal disease. Embodiments of the present invention are configured for extravascular delivery of pulsed electric fields to achieve such neuromodulation.
US09731130B2
An implant apparatus comprising a plurality of photo sensors, a plurality of micro electrodes, a plurality of guard rings surrounding the micro electrodes and circuitry coupled to the photo sensors and the micro electrodes are described. The photo sensors may receive incoming light. The circuit may drive the micro electrodes to stimulate neuron cells for enabling perception of a vision of the light captured by the photo sensors. The guard rings may confine electric flows from the micro electrodes to the targeted neuron cells. The apparatus may be implemented in a flexible material to conform to a shape of a human eyeball to allow the micro electrodes aligned with the neuron cells for the stimulation.
US09731128B2
A malleable implantable medical device for implanting in a recipient comprising a flexible region of the medical device, one or more structures proximate to the flexible region, wherein the one or more structures is configured to provide a bending force to the flexible region, and one or more hermetically sealed medical components coupled to the flexible region, wherein the one or more medical components is configured to provide a therapeutic effect on the recipient.
US09731120B2
Some embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for treating insufficient uterine contractions after labor and delivery. The system includes a control module and a current source controlled by the control module to produce stimulating current at a frequency greater than or equal to about 5.0 Hertz. The system also includes one or more stimulation electrodes to provide the stimulating current to the patient in order for the patient to produce tonic uterine contractions.
US09731117B2
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to lead assemblies for stimulating tissue. The lead assemblies can include lead bodies that are slid ably coupled to each other and include one or more contacts that are movably disposed within the slits of the lead bodies. The positions of the one or more contacts can be adjusted to change the direction of stimulation. For example, the positions of the one or more contacts can be adjusted based on theoretically-optimal positions determined from a patient-specific computer model. Parameters of the stimulation applied by the one or more contacts can also be optimized based on the patient-specific computer model.
US09731113B2
A device for extending a lead according to some embodiments includes a body, a coil element coupled to the body, the body configured to cover the coil element during use, the coil element comprising an inner lumen sized to receive an outer surface of a lead, the coil element is movable between a first configuration in which the coil element slides over the lead, and a second configuration in which at least some coils grip the outer surface of the lead; an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the coil element, the actuation mechanism configured to move the coil element between the first and second configurations; and a tether coupled to the lead via the body, the coil element, and/or actuation mechanism, the tether configured to extend further proximally than a proximal-most end of the lead and configured to transfer tension force applied to the tether to the lead.
US09731112B2
An implantable electrode assembly configured to deliver electrical stimulation signals to tissue of a patient includes an implantable mesh comprising a plurality of electrically conductive wires. A plurality of electrodes are fastened to the electrically conductive wires. The electrodes include a stimulation surface and an electrically conductive path between the stimulation surface and the wire, to which the electrode is attached. In one embodiment, the plurality of electrodes each comprise first and second members that are fastened together around one of the electrically conductive wires.
US09731107B2
Methods and devices are described for preventing diastolic flow reversal and/or reducing peripheral vascular resistance in a patient. Also described are methods of cosmetic treatment, and methods of promoting delivery of therapeutic agents or contrast agents to bones and related tissues.
US09731106B2
A method, programmer for a neurostimulator, and neurostimulation kit are provided. The kit comprises a neurostimulator, and a plurality of elongated lead bodies configured for being coupled to the neurostimulator, each having a plurality of proximal contacts and a plurality of distal electrodes respectively electrically coupled to the proximal contacts, wherein an in-line connectivity between the electrodes and proximal contacts carried by the different lead bodies differs from each other. Electrical energy is conveyed between the electrodes of the selected lead body and the tissue, an electrical fingerprint is measured at the proximal contacts of the selected lead body in response to the conveyed electrical energy, and the selected lead body is identified based on the measured electrical fingerprint. These steps can be performed by the programmer.
US09731105B2
A device introduced small volumes of fluid for delivery to a patient through a fluid line. The device includes a first arm adapted to receive a syringe and a second arm fluidly connected to an upstream reservoir that defines an internal volume adapted to receive a volume of fluid. The device includes a fluid obstruction mechanism configured to selectably block flow of fluid from the reservoir toward the patient, wherein the fluid obstruction mechanism transitions between a first state that permits fluid flow from the reservoir toward the patient and a second state that directs fluid flow from the syringe into the reservoir while blocking fluid flow from the reservoir toward the patient.
US09731098B2
The present disclosure is directed, in one embodiment, to a wire centering sheath system in which wires outwardly extend from a sheath to brace against a vessel wall. The wire centering sheath system may be used to center endovascular devices.
US09731092B2
A light treatment apparatus for simulating a psychophysical borderline experience comprises a light emitting apparatus for emitting light perceivable by the human eye as well as a control apparatus for controlling the light emission apparatus. Said light emission apparatus has at least one permanent light source as well as at least one flickering light source whose flickering light can be superimposed on the permanent light of the permanent light source in the region of a treatment area, with the control apparatus having a frequency control circuit which increases or reduces the frequency of the flickering light source from a starting frequency to a target frequency in at least one acceleration or deceleration passage.
US09731086B2
A device for detecting moisture for an arrangement for monitoring an access to a patient for a system by which, via a flexible line, a liquid is fed to a patient and/or a liquid is fed out from the patient, and in particular for monitoring the vascular access in extra-corporeal blood treatment and particularly for monitoring a central venous catheter for acute dialysis includes at least a portion which can be deformed into a sleeve and placed around the circumference of the flexible line or of a connecting system. The portion in sleeve form has fastening means for fixing it in place in the position in which it surrounds the flexible line or the connecting system. The portion in sleeve form allows the device to be fastened quickly and securely to a flexible line or a connecting system.
US09731077B2
A plunger for a syringe, in which a plunger rod can be prevented by a simple structure from unavoidably falling out of place.The plunger for a syringe includes the plunger rod and a gasket. The gasket is closed at its upper end and has an inner space, and an opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the inner space is provided in the lower end of the gasket. The plunger rod has a collar installed at the tip of the plunger rod. When the collar is positioned in the inner space of the gasket, the plunger rod and the gasket are freely movably fitted together without intimate contact between them.
US09731075B2
A drug delivery device for administering a predefined dose of a medicament comprising a housing is presented where the housing includes a body to accommodate a drive mechanism, a cartridge holder to accommodate a cartridge having a piston slidably disposed therein in an axial direction (z), and an interconnection between cartridge holder and body. The interconnection has, at least one displaceable or resiliently deformable latch element to mate with a corresponding bearing, and the latch element is displaceable or deformable in a direction (z, w) extending substantially parallel to a circumferential side wall of the body or cartridge holder.
US09731073B2
The invention relates to a dispense interface for an ejection device comprising a first part and a second part, at least a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, a fluidic channel and a connection element for each of the openings, wherein the first part is joined to the second part to form at least a part of the fluidic channel connecting the openings with each other and wherein at least one connection element is configured to accept a needle assembly for a fluid tight connection with the corresponding opening and wherein at least one connection element is configured to provide a releasable push fit connection for a fluid tight connection with an ejection device in order to reduce the complexity and provide an easy usage of the dispense interface and at the same time overcome the problems of material compatibility and cross contamination. The invention also relates to a system with a dispense interface according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method for preparing a dispense interface according to the invention.
US09731068B2
The invention concerns a connection device for connecting a first reservoir with a second reservoir, having a first section (11) for arranging the first reservoir (5) closed with a seal (51); a second section (12) for arranging the second reservoir; and a piercing element (2) which penetrates with a piercing end (21) the seal (51) of the first reservoir (5) when the first reservoir (5) is arranged at the first section (11). According to the invention, the piercing element (2) can be moved from a first position into a second position, wherein it blocks in the first position a flow connection between the first and the second section (11, 12), while in the second position it allows for a flow connection between the first and the second section (11, 12).
US09731067B2
A mechanical injection pump wearable by a user to deliver a first fluid and a second fluid, including: a pump body having a first fluid chamber to hold the first fluid and a second fluid chamber to hold the second fluid; a common connector having a first inlet, a second inlet, and a common outlet; a first fluid system including the first fluid chamber, a first button drive connected to the first fluid chamber, and first fluid delivery path between the first fluid chamber and the first inlet; and a second fluid system including the second fluid chamber, a second button drive connected to the second fluid chamber, and second fluid delivery path between the second fluid chamber and the second inlet. Force by the user on the button drive increases pressure within the fluid chamber to drive a predetermined volume of the fluid from the fluid chamber.
US09731057B2
The heart pump includes: a rotary impeller inserted in the systemic ventricle, the rotary impeller being provided with: a sealing membrane sutured onto the outer wall of the heart so as to secure the rotary impeller to the wall of the heart; a casing arranged inside the systemic ventricle such as to be able to suction and then discharge the blood; a preferably brushless motor connected to the casing and arranged inside the systemic ventricle and/or in the body of the ventricle, so as to facilitate maintenance; a managing unit installed in the epigastric region and including a preferably rechargeable power source and a unit for controlling the rotary impeller; a wired link between the managing unit and the rotary impeller; and a system for transmitting haemodynamic and rhythmic data measured by the heat pump via telemedicine.
US09731051B2
An implantable medical device for electrical stimulation or sensing includes a body supporting at least one flexible elongate conductor element. The body includes an insulating structure that protects the flexible conductor element(s). The insulating structure is realized from multiple polymer layers wherein at least one of the polymer layers is formed from a polymer blend of a thermoplastic polyurethane material and an isobutylene block copolymer. In one particular embodiment, the insulating structure of the body includes at least a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer and a third polymer layer, where the second polymer layer covers and interfaces to the first polymer layer, and the third polymer layer covers and interfaces to the second polymer layer. The first polymer layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material. The third polymer layer is formed from an isobutylene block copolymer. The intermediate second polymer layer is compatible with the particular polymers of the first and third polymer layers and is formed from a polymer blend of a thermoplastic polyurethane material and an isobutylene block copolymer.
US09731047B2
The present invention relates to methods for making wear and oxidation resistant polymeric materials by high temperature melting. The invention also provides methods of making medical implants containing cross-linked antioxidant-containing tough and ductile polymers and materials used therewith also are provided.
US09731045B2
A polymer is composed of a linear chain acrylate and a multi-functional acrylate cross-linker. The polymerized composition exhibits a transition at a temperature between about 34° C. and about 50° C. The polymerized composition exhibits shape memory effects. In one embodiment, the linear chain is tert-butyl acrylate and the crosslinker is polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The resultant shape memory polymers may be used in medical devices to provide devices with different shapes for pre and post implantation.
US09731043B2
A sclerosing embolizing hydrogel comprising from about 0.1% by weight to about 4.0% by weight of chitosan; from about 0.01M to about 1M of hydrochloric acid; from 0% by volume to about 40% by volume of iopamidol; from 0.5% by weight to about 25% by weight of β-glycerophosphate disodium salt; and from about 0.05% by weight to about 4% by weight of sodium tetradecyl sulphate. Also a kit for synthesizing the hydrogel and a method using the hydrogel to treat a vascular defect in a subject.
US09731040B2
Sanitization apparatuses, kits, and methods, such as, for example, for pens, styluses, handles, remote controls, and pagers.
US09731037B2
The invention provides a scanning suspension comprising a particle which is capable of at least in part disturbing a magnetic field, wherein said particle comprises a diameter of at least 1 μm, and use thereof for obtaining a scanning image. Preferably, said particle comprises holmium and a composition capable of essentially maintaining its structure during irradiation. A particle of the invention is suitable for preparing a kit of parts, comprising a diagnostic and a therapeutic composition which both comprise particles of the invention with essentially the same chemical structure, wherein said therapeutic composition is more radioactive than said diagnostic composition. Said kit of parts is especially suitable for treatment of a tumor. First, the distribution of a particle of the invention within an individual can be determined with a scanning image obtained with said scanning composition. Subsequently, a radioactive therapeutic composition can be administered, wherein a suitable dose of said therapeutic composition is derived from said scanning image.
US09731031B2
The present invention relates to a conjugate comprising oxyntomodulin, an immunoglobulin Fc region, and non-peptidyl polymer wherein the conjugate being obtainable by covalently linking oxyntomodulin to immunoglobulin Fc region via non-peptidyl polymer, and a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of obesity comprising the conjugates. The conjugate comprising oxyntomodulin and the immunoglobulin Fc of the present invention reduces food intake, suppresses gastric emptying, and facilitates lipolysis without side-effects, unlike native oxyntomodulin, and also shows excellent receptor-activating effects and long-term sustainability, compared to native oxyntomodulin. Thus, it can be widely used in the treatment of obesity with safety and efficacy.
US09731027B2
The present invention relates to novel somatostatin-dopamine chimeric analogs and their therapeutic uses for the inhibition, prevention, and/or treatment of neoplasia, neuroendocrine tumors, Cushing's disease/syndrome, and other conditions.
US09731024B2
The invention relates to materials and methods of conjugating a water soluble polymer to an oxidized carbohydrate moiety of a therapeutic protein comprising contacting the oxidized carbohydrate moiety with an activated water soluble polymer under conditions that allow conjugation. More specifically, the present invention relates to the aforementioned materials and methods wherein the water soluble polymer contains an active aminooxy group and wherein an oxime or hydrazone linkage is formed between the oxidized carbohydrate moiety and the active aminooxy group on the water soluble polymer, and wherein the conjugation is carried out in the presence of a nucleophilic catalyst.
US09731023B2
Methods and composition for cell-based therapy as well as somatostatin receptor-based therapy are described. For example, in certain aspects methods for administering an anti-tumor therapy using a signaling defective somatostatin receptor mutant are described. Furthermore, the invention provides compositions and methods involve a somatostatin constitutively active somatostatin receptor mutant.
US09731013B2
Devices for thermally induced transformations controlled by irradiation of functionalized fullerenes
An electromagnetic radiation activated device comprises a property changing material and at least one functionalized fullerene that upon irradiation of the functionalized fullerenes with electromagnetic radiation of one or more frequencies a thermally activated chemical or physical transformation occurs in the property changing material. The thermal activated transformation of the property changing material is triggered by the heating or combustion of the functionalized fullerenes upon their irradiation. The device can include a chemical agent that is embedded in the property changing material and is released when the material is heated by the functionalized fullerenes upon irradiation.
US09731011B2
Compositions and methods are provided for cancer treatments. The methodology entails, for instance, administering to a cancer patient a first composition comprising a plurality of bacterially derived intact minicells or intact killed bacterial cells, each of which encompasses an anti-neoplastic agent and carries a bispecific ligand on the surface, the ligand having specificity for a mammalian cell component, and a second composition comprising interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or an agent that increases the expression of IFN-gamma in the subject. The compositions include the first composition and the second composition as described, optionally with additional anti-neoplastic agents.
US09731008B2
The invention provides aqueous pharmaceutical adalimumab compositions suitable for long-term storage of adalimumab, methods of manufacture of these compositions, methods of administration, and kits containing same.
US09730989B2
Described herein are compositions and methods for treating cancer through the combination of tumor antigen-pulsed dendritic cells and Dengue Virus. The combination of the two forms of therapeutic intervention provides enhanced tumor cell reduction compared to either alone. The cancer targeted by compositions and methods described herein may be a solid cancer or blood cancer.
US09730986B2
The invention provides a method for alleviating discogenic pain by administering a therapeutic agent that disrupts neuronal and/or vascular elements in the disc, which is typically a degenerated disc. Disruption of neuronal elements in the disk includes destroying nerve endings without substantially affecting the central body of the nerve, suppressing activation of the nerve endings, and inhibiting the growth of nerve endings into the disk. Disruption of vascular elements includes causing the vascular extensions to retract from the disk, or suppressing the formation of such extensions. The therapeutic agent may be administered locally via an interbody pump, a bolus or a depot, or may be administered systemically.
US09730982B2
Described are implantable, malleable medical materials comprising mineral particles, insoluble collagen fibers, and a gel-forming polysaccharide component and/or another added gel-former. The malleable medical materials can be used treat bone or other tissue defects in patients, including in conjunction with biologically active factors such as osteogenic proteins. Also described are methods and materials that can be used to prepare the malleable medical materials.
US09730976B2
The present invention relates to conformationally constrained homo- and heterodimeric mimetics of Smac with function as inhibitors of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs), the invention also relates to the use of these compounds in therapy, wherein the induction of apoptotic cell death is beneficial, especially in the treatment of cancer, alone or in combination with other active ingredients.
US09730969B2
The present disclosure is directed to methods for i) promoting gut regeneration, ii) promoting gut maturation and/or adaptation, iii) supporting gut barrier resistance and/or iv) protecting gut barrier function in a pediatric subject comprising administering to the pediatric subject a composition comprising an effective amount of a soluble mediator preparation derived from a late-exponential growth phase of a probiotic batch-cultivation process, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). The present methods advantageously provide the gut-protection benefits of LGG soluble mediators without introducing live bacterial culture to individuals with impaired gut barrier function. In some embodiments, the pediatric subject has impaired gut barrier function and/or short bowel syndrome. The present disclosure in other embodiments, directed methods for reducing visceral pain in a pediatric subject comprising administering to the pediatric subject a composition comprising an effective amount of a soluble mediator preparation from a late-exponential growth phase of a probiotic batch-cultivation process, such as LGG.
US09730968B2
[Object]To provide a gene transfer carrier that specifically accumulates only at a disease site even with systemic administration, has a high protein expression rate, and disappears from the disease site accompanying a cure, and a method for the treatment of an ischemic disease using same.[Solution means]The above-mentioned object has been accomplished by providing a gene transfer carrier formed from an anaerobic bacterium that can grow specifically at the site of an ischemic disease and can express at least one type of protein that is useful for the diagnosis or treatment of an ischemic disease, a pharmaceutical composition containing the gene transfer carrier, and a treatment method for an ischemic disease utilizing same.
US09730966B2
This invention discloses methods of using krill oil and compositions comprising krill oil to treat risk factors for metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory disorders. The present invention also relates to methods of using compositions comprising krill oil to modulate biological processes selected from the group consisting of glucose metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis, and the mitochondria respiratory chain. The present invention further includes pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical formulations made from krill oil, methods of making such formulations, and methods of administering them to treat risk factors for metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory disorders. Further, a method of reducing appetite in humans by administering a krill oil composition is also disclosed.
US09730964B2
The present invention relates to methods for the preparation of compositions comprising adipose tissue-derived secretions, for example those derived from bovine adipose tissue, and the use of such compositions in the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for topical use. The invention also relates to the use of adipose tissue-derived secretions and pharmaceutical compositions thereof for the topical treatment of a non-inflammatory condition, for example the treatment of a skin condition, and for the stimulation of hair growth in a subject by topical application. The invention also relates to the use of adipose tissue-derived secretions and pharmaceutical compositions thereof for the topical treatment of acne.
US09730959B2
Provided is a biocomposite including cells, a genetic construction, and a scaffold and a method for repairing tissue and organs in mammalians with the biocomposite. The interaction of the components of the biocomposite provides a complex effect on reparative regeneration processes. Also provided is a method for administration of gene-cellular therapeutic constructions to a recipient which can be used in medicine and veterinary to provide reparative processes. After administering the biocomposite to a recipient, the scaffold structure releases the nucleic acids which enter into the cells of a recipient bed and cells of the transplanted product. The nucleic acids are expressed, which results in the increased concentration of a target product responsible for reparative processes.
US09730952B2
Methods for treating and preventing mucositis, in particular mucositis following the administration of chemotherapy drugs or a combination of said drugs with radiotherapy, are disclosed herein. More specifically, disclosed herein is the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of an anthocyanoside, a proanthocyanidin, or an extract containing at least one of an anthocyanoside or a proanthocyanidin for the treatment or prevention of mucositis. The therapeutically effective amount of the anthocyanoside, proanthocyanidin or extract can be administered alone or in combination with a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of an anti-inflammatory agent, immunomodulating agent, analgesic, antimicrobial agent or antifungal agent. Also disclosed herein are pharmaceutical compositions for treating and preventing mucositis.
US09730945B2
The invention relates to methods for diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders, particularly for autism spectrum disorders characterized by increased head size (circumference) and deficits in social behavior.
US09730942B2
Targeting uncontrolled cell proliferation and resistance to DNA damaging chemotherapeutics with at least one reagent has significant potential in cancer treatment. Replication Protein A, the eukaryotic single-strand (ss) DNA binding protein, is essential for genomic maintenance and stability via roles in both DNA replication and repair. Reported herein are small molecules that inhibits the in vitro, in vivo, and cellular ssDNA binding activity of RPA, thereby disrupting the eukaryotic cell cycle, inducing cytotoxicity and increasing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents damage DNA, and/or disrupt its replication and/or function. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of RPA-ssDNA interactions in chromosome maintenance and stability. This represents a molecularly targeted eukaryotic DNA binding inhibitor and demonstrates the utility of targeting a protein-DNA interaction as a means of studying the cell cycle and providing a therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.
US09730940B2
The instant invention provides compounds of formula I which are PI3K-delta inhibitors, and as such are useful for the treatment of PI3K-delta-mediated diseases such as inflammation, asthma, COPD and cancer.
US09730931B2
Provided herein are compounds of Formula I useful as FGFR4 inhibitors, as well as methods of use of the same.
US09730929B2
The present invention relates to substituted aminoimidazopyridazine compounds of general formula (I): in which A, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in the claims, to methods of preparing said compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds and to the use of said compounds for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease, in particular of a hyper-proliferative and/or angiogenesis disorder, as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients.
US09730916B2
The disclosure provides a nutritional composition for improving a patient with heart failure; the nutritional composition is consisting of therapeutically effective high amounts of leucine and histidine. The disclosure also provides the nutritional supplement comprising the nutritional composition, which may be a beverage product, a dietary supplement or food. The disclosure further provides a method of using the nutritional supplement for treating patients with heart failure.
US09730914B2
Provided herein are 3,5-diaminopyrazoles, for example, compounds of Formula I, that are useful for modulating regulated-in-COPD kinase activity, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Also provided herein are methods of their use for treating, preventing, or ameliorating one or more symptoms of a RC kinase-mediated disorder, disease, or condition.
US09730912B2
The invention provides the use of a compound for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of pain, wherein the compound is a compound of the formula (VI): or a salt, solvate, tautomer or N-oxide thereof; wherein the bicyclic group: is selected from the structures C1, C5 and C6: wherein n, R1, R2a, R3, R4a, R8 and R10 are as defined in the claims. The invention also provides the use of a compound of the formula (VI) for the manufacture of a medicament for the prophylaxis or treatment of a fungal, protozoal, viral or parasitic disease state or condition (other than a disease state or condition due to Plasmodium falciparum) or for use in the prophylaxis or treatment of Ewing's sarcoma, atherosclerosis or lupus erythematosus.
US09730900B2
Described are transdermal drug delivery systems for the transdermal administration of estrogen, comprising a polymer matrix and estrogen. Methods of making and using such systems also are described.
US09730880B2
The present invention relates to a cosmetic or dermatological composition containing a continuous aqueous phase in which are dispersed vesicles based on at least one alkyl polypentoside, and also comprising at least one alcohol and at least one surfactant.More precisely, the cosmetic or dermatological composition comprises at least one cosmetic or dermatological active agent and at least one continuous aqueous phase in which are dispersed vesicles, said vesicles comprising at least one alkyl polypentoside obtained by reaction of a pentose and of at least a first and a second fatty alcohol comprising a different number of carbon atoms ranging from 10 to 12, said polypentoside having an average polymerization degree of less than or equal to 2, and said composition also comprising at least one surfactant having a HLB of less than 10, and at least one alcohol containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing the composition, which consists in placing a mixture comprising alkyl polypentoside, the surfactant and the alcohol in contact with an aqueous phase with stirring.
US09730873B2
Cosmetic agents include liquid oils in a total amount of 80 to 99.5% by weight. The liquid oils include (a) at least one liquid oil with a spreadability value (25° C.) in a range of 100 mm2/10 min to less than 800 mm2/10 min, (b) at least one liquid oil with a spreadability value (25° C.) in a range of 800 mm2/10 min to less than 1050 mm2/10 min, (c) at least one liquid oil with a spreadability value (25° C.) in a range of 1050 mm2/10 min to 1800 mm2/10 min. The weight ratio of the total amount of the oils named under (a) to the sum of the respective total quantities of the oils named under (b) and (c) is in the range of 1 to 3 to 1 to 1. The cosmetic agents are suitable as skin care oils and provide a smooth skin feel and protect the skin against drying out.
US09730870B2
Sodium hypochlorite-based compositions that are non-toxic and have antimicrobial and cleansing properties may include from about 0.025% to about 10% by weight of sodium hypochlorite. For example, the compositions may include less than 1% by weight of sodium hypochlorite (e.g., less than 0.5% by weight of sodium hypochlorite). The compositions may further include sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide MEA, disodium EDTA, and deionized water. Such compositions may be applied externally to a mammalian body through rinse-off or leave-on applications. Compositions also may be incorporated as a component of other products, such as deodorants, towelettes, or powders.
US09730860B2
A pill dispensing assembly for dispensing a pill from a pill bottle includes a first layer having a pill exit passage. A second layer is operatively connected to the first layer, and includes a pill entry passage horizontally offset from the exit passage. A pill dispensing layer is positioned between the first and second layers, is movable with respect to the first and second layers, and includes a holding chamber sized to receive the pill. The holding chamber is horizontally movable from a first loading position in which the holding chamber is aligned with the entry passage and is horizontally offset from the exit passage to receive the pill, to a second dispensing position in which the holding chamber is aligned with the exit passage and is horizontally offset from the entry passage to dispense the pill through the exit passage. Pill dispensing may be timed or time monitored.
US09730849B2
A transfer device has a carriage supported on a base, movable between a home position and an extended position. A table assembly includes a lower table fixed to the carriage and an upper table coupled to the lower table, movable between a downward position in forcible contact with the lower table and an upward position having no contact with the lower table. The table assembly moves toward the extended position with the tables in forcible contact to place the table assembly underneath the object to be transferred while keeping the base stationary. The plates are separated to lift the object on the upper table while the lower table remains resting upon the support surface. The table assembly returns to the home position while supporting the object on the upper table and keeping the upper and lower tables separated. The device may operate in a bidirectional manner.
US09730848B2
A powered, personal lifting apparatus, and specifically a lift apparatus, specially adapted for personal use in the entry into and exit from a standard bathtub. The apparatus includes an electric motor powered lifting gantry that slides on a pillar that extends from the floor to ceiling, next to the tub. The gantry raises or lowers an attached chair, or includes a sling. The gantry lowers a user into or out of the bathtub, while rotating automatically to provide for easy entry into or exit from the bathtub, with a locking guide for the gantry that utilizes a square-to round feature of the pillar to allow a 90 degree rotation of the gantry, and then lock it in place as it is lowered.
US09730843B2
An absorbent core suitable for use in an absorbent article comprising: a first absorbent layer, the first absorbent layer comprising a first substrate, and a layer of cross-linked cellulose fibers deposited on the first substrate, a second absorbent layer, the second absorbent layer comprising a second substrate, a layer of superabsorbent polymer particles deposited on the second substrate and a fibrous layer of thermoplastic adhesive material covering the layer of superabsorbent polymer particles. The first and second absorbent layers being combined together such that at least a portion of the fibrous layer of thermoplastic adhesive material contacts at least a portion of the layer of cross-linked cellulose fibers of the first absorbent layer.
US09730834B2
Described herein is an apparatus for treatment of an ocular condition of a patient, comprising a hollow elongate member sized to penetrate an eye of the patient and including a body portion, a distal tip, and a lumen extending though both. The body portion includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a first diameter, and defines longitudinal axis. The distal tip extends from the distal end of the body portion and is arranged to treat tissue in the eye. The distal tip includes an inner tube defining the lumen in part, an outer sheath surrounding the inner tube, and a second diameter. The distal tip is configured to transition between a first rigid orientation and a second less rigid orientation.
US09730831B2
A method of manufacturing an oral appliance for treating sleep apnea of a patient that has a monolithic body with an upper tray with an upper recess formed to conform to the maxillary teeth of the patient and a lower tray with a lower recess formed to conform to the mandibular teeth, the monolithic body defining a coupling of a rear portion of the upper tray to a rear portion of the lower tray at an angle forming a orifice between front mandibular teeth and front maxillary teeth.
US09730830B2
A nasal insert includes a user interface with a housing having a circumferential wall defining an interior passage. A valve is in communication with the interior passage and limits a fluid flow through the interior passage in at least one direction. An exterior surface of the housing is adapted to interface with a nasal vestibule of a user and define an exhalation flow path. Methods of using and assembling the nasal inserts also are provided.
US09730826B2
A hand brace includes a wrist sheath and a finger holder. The finger holder has a height adjusting rod, a length adjusting rod, and a finger support. The height adjusting rod has one end pivotally connected to the wrist sheath, so that the height adjusting rod is allowed to adapt to a wearer's finger in terms of position. The length adjusting rod is connected to an opposite end of the height adjusting rod in an axially movable manner, so that the length adjusting rod is allowed to adapt to the wearer's finger in terms of length. The length adjusting rod has a joint portion that has pivotal connection with the finger support. Thereby, the hand brace provides the wearer's finger with sufficient and relevant support.
US09730822B2
A gastrointestinal device and method for retrieving the device are disclosed. The device may include a stent including a plurality of strands forming first and second ends, the strands configured to move between a retrieval configuration, with substantially parallel strands, and a deployed configuration, wherein the strands form proximal and distal portions having first and second diameters larger than the pyloric sphincter. The device may include a connector assembly including proximal, middle, and distal connectors. The middle connector may be coupled to the proximal and distal connectors when the strands are in the deployed configuration. The strands may be attached to the proximal and distal connectors and the first and second ends. The device may include a release mechanism configured to decouple the proximal connector from the middle connector. Decoupling of the proximal and middle connectors may allow the strands to move from the deployed to retrieval configuration.
US09730811B2
The invention relates to a device for testing a ceramic socket insert for hip joint implants having a receiving device, a pressure piece and optionally having a plunger, wherein the receiving device has a recess with a positioning region for receiving the socket insert and the recess has a receiving cone in the positioning region. According to the invention, in order for the device to be universally applicable to all socket inserts (monolithic, modular, pre-joined) and therefore replace all current devices, an annular ductile adapter piece having a conical outer surface contacting the receiving cone and an inner surface contacting the socket insert is arranged in the positioning region between the receiving device and the socket insert, wherein the friction between the receiving device and adapter piece is lower than between the adapter piece and socket insert.
US09730806B2
A spinal implant comprises a first member and a second member. A rotatable element defines an axis and is engageable to rotate the members about the axis. An actuator is rotatable for translating a part thereof to move the members between a first, contracted configuration and a second, expanded configuration. Systems and methods of use are disclosed.
US09730805B1
Some embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus that (1) delivers a fusion member between two vertebral bodies after at least a portion of the fibrocartilaginous disc between the vertebral bodies has been removed, and (2) affixes the fusion member to the vertebral bodies. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes (1) a fusion member that is delivered and positioned between the vertebral bodies, (2) a delivery mechanism that delivers and positions the fusion member between the vertebral bodies, and (3) an anchoring member that affixes the fusion member to the vertebral bodies.
US09730804B2
A spinal fusion device for implantation between spinal vertebrae includes an implant member having an opposed upper and lower surface, an outer sidewall having an aperture having internal threads, and an inner sidewall defining a central opening. A plate member is attached to the implant member such that the plate member is perpendicular relative to the implant member and includes a plurality of angled apertures for receiving anchoring fasteners and a central aperture for receiving a locking fastener. A locking member is attached to the cage member. The locking member includes a tubular shaft having internal threads that is inserted through the aperture of the outer sidewall of the implant member. A locking fastener is inserted through the central aperture of the plate member and into the locking member to thereby lock the spinal fusion device in position.
US09730789B2
A passive ossicular prosthesis has a sound-conducting prosthesis body with a first coupling element for mechanical connection to the incus, malleus, or an actuator end piece of an active hearing aid at one end. The bight is made of a strip-shaped metallic material, partially open toward the outside via a gap-type opening and is intraoperatively crimped in the middle ear for permanent attachment. There is a second coupling element at the other end of the prosthesis body for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain or directly to the inner ear. The bight includes elongated perforations with longitudinal axes extending, in the implanted state, along a curved trajectory at a right angle or slant relative to an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (a) of the enclosed object to reduce spring action and stiffness and markedly reduce the force to be applied for the crimping.
US09730787B2
An intraocular lens of the present invention has a substantially circular or elliptical optical lens portion made of a soft material, and an arm-shaped support arm portion attached to outer peripheral edges of this optical lens portion, and out of the peripheral edges of the optical lens portion that are contiguous to both sides in a width direction of a root of the support arm portion, at least one outer peripheral edge has a portion recessed inward from the convex curve. Thus, there is provided a soft intraocular lens that can be inserted into an eye from a further smaller incision, without damaging an optical function as much as possible.
US09730786B2
An intraocular lens with an anterior ridge designed to provide a space in front of the lens optic.
US09730784B2
The invention relates to an implantable prosthetic device for the repair of connective tissue in an animal or a human. In one embodiment, an implantable prosthetic device (100) for the repair of connective tissue (500) in an animal or human is disclosed which comprises a biocompatible pad (101) having an open structure to provide a scaffold for the in-growth of tissue into the pad; and a reinforcement region (206) attached to or formed integrally with the pad. The device is arranged so that it can be attached to tissue by forming a puncture (301) either a) within the reinforcement region, or b) in an area of the pad which is inboard of the reinforcement region, so that a suture (300) can be located through the puncture, the reinforcement region serving to support tensile loading in the device during use by resisting pull-through of the suture.
US09730779B2
Feedback data useful in prosthodontic procedures associated with the intra oral cavity is provided. First, a 3D numerical model of the target zone in the intra oral cavity is provided, and this is manipulated so as to extract particular data that may be useful in a particular procedure, for example data relating to the finish line or to the shape and size of a preparation. The relationship between this data and the procedure is then determined, for example the clearance between the preparation and the intended crown. Feedback data, indicative of this relationship, is then generated, for example whether the preparation geometry is adequate for the particular type of prosthesis.
US09730760B2
Electromagnetic resonant surgical scalpel handle and electromagnetic sensor system apparatus thereof
A surgical scalpel handle with an internal chamber and a removable electromagnetic resonance signal generating cartridge and an electromagnetic resonance sensor system is disclosed. A surgical scalpel handle is provided for with an internal chamber comprised of two pieces, a front piece with a blade holder and a back piece and when attached, the front end section and the back end section together comprise an internal cavity. An electromagnetic resonance signal generating cartridge comprising one or more printed circuit boards (PCB) are in electrical contact upon which an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) are mounted and having a magnet; a coil; and capacitor resonant circuit; an elastic member; a pressure sensitive feature; and having power source connections, and a removable power source having power source contacts; and power source connections complete the electrical contact between the electromagnetic signal generating cartridge and the removable power source housed in the internal cavity. An electromagnetic signal generating cartridge is disposed of in an internal cavity of a scalpel handle and generates an electromagnetic resonance signal. An electromagnetic sensor system apparatus with a sensor system disposed of vertical and horizontal planes is disclosed and is disposed of on a surgical table. The scalpel handle with an internal cavity and removable signal generating cartridge and with the electromagnetic sensor system apparatus with a sensor system can be used to digitally map the precise position, size, trajectory, shape, pressure and angle of the scalpel being used during surgical procedures. A pressure sensitive feature is disposed and in connection with the blade holder and the removable signal generating cartridge. The pressure exerted by a surgeon on the blade is transmitted through a blade holder to a pressure sensitive feature to switch from the stand by position of the cartridge to the on and generate an electromagnetic signal position. The emitted signals generated by the cartridge can be read by the provided for electromagnetic resonance sensor system to generate a digital record of coordinates in the x, y location in a horizontal plane and vertical plane as well as a digital record of trajectory of scalpel used during the procedure. The coordinates are stored in a memory device such as a RAM, tablet or computer. After communicating with a host machine, a monitor can display the surgeon's trace and exact location coordinates.
US09730759B2
A method includes obtaining first spectral image data, which includes at least a first component corresponding to a targeted first K-edge based contrast agent administered to a subject if a target of the targeted first K-edge based contrast agent is present in the subject, decomposing the first spectral image data into at least the first component, reconstructing the first component thereby generating a first image of the targeted first K-edge contrast agent, determining if the targeted first K-edge contrast agent is present in the first image, and generating a signal indicating the targeted first K-edge contrast agent is present in the first image in response to determining the targeted first K-edge contrast agent is present in the first image.
US09730758B2
A facial treatment apparatus includes a housing, a facial treatment member mounted to the housing, and dimensioned for application to facial skin of a subject and being actuable to treat the facial skin, a visual display including a facial icon having a plurality of regions corresponding to different areas of the facial skin to be treated by the facial treatment member, an electronic timer adapted to count time associated with a treatment protocol and responsive to actuation of the facial treatment member and a controller associated with the timer and the facial icon and cooperating to visually identify a different region of the facial icon at successive predetermined time intervals of the treatment protocol.
US09730757B2
A surgical instrument according to the invention, particularly a robot-guided surgical instrument, has a shaft end (1), a tool holder (2), which is mounted on the shaft end so as to be able to rotate about a yaw axis (G), and a tool (3) with a main lever (3A), in particular a blade and/or jaw, which is mounted on the tool holder so as to rotate about a pitch axis (N), and a gear transmission with a drive wheel (31), which is mounted on the tool holder so as to be rotatable about an input gear axis (G) by a driving means (200), and, in force-fit and/or form-fit connection therewith, an output wheel (30), which is mounted on the tool holder so as to rotate about an output gear axis (N) and by means of which the tool is rotatable about the pitch axis, or a wraparound transmission with a drive wheel, which is mounted on the tool holder so as to be rotatable about an input gear axis by a driving means, an output wheel, which is mounted on the tool holder so as to be able to rotate about an output gear axis and by means of which the tool is rotatable about the pitch axis, and two traction strands which are different from the drive means, are in particular connected and couple drive wheel and output wheel, or a differential transmission with an output wheel (350; 350A), which is mounted on the tool holder so as to be able to rotate about an output gear axis and by means of which the tool is rotatable about the pitch axis, wherein two traction strands are mutually offset in the direction of the output gear axis, in particular on both sides of the yaw axis, run in opposite directions from the output wheel and/or onto the output wheel and/or are both secured on the output wheel and/or are different from a driving means by which a drive wheel (110), firmly or operatively connected to the tool holder, is rotatable about the yaw axis.
US09730754B2
A surgical device is disclosed, and includes a probe having a handle assembly and an electrode assembly extending distally therefrom. An optical member is disposed on the probe and has a first set of light transmitting properties corresponding to a first set of physical parameters of the probe. The probe is configured to transition to a second set of physical parameters, the second set of physical parameters being different from the first set of physical parameters. The optical member is configured to transition from the first set of light transmitting properties to a second set of light transmitting properties, the second set of light transmitting properties corresponding to the second set of physical parameters, the second set of light transmitting properties being different from the first set of light transmitting properties.
US09730750B2
Disclosed herein are ablation systems and methods for providing feedback on lesion formation in real-time. The methods and systems assess absorptivity of tissue based on a degree of electric coupling or contact between an ablation electrode and the tissue. The absorptivity can then be used, along with other information, including, power levels and activation times, to provide real-time feedback on the lesions being created. Feedback may be provided, for example, in the form of estimated lesion volumes and other lesion characteristics. The methods and systems can provide estimated treatment times to achieve a desired lesion characteristic for a given degree of contact, as well as depth of a lesion being created. The degree of contact may be measured using different techniques, including the phase angle techniques and a coupling index.
US09730734B2
A locking assembly for securing a rod in a polyaxial bone anchoring device includes a first locking element having a first end, a second end, an outer surface with an external advancement structure, an inner wall, an internal advancement structure on the inner wall, and an engagement portion for a tool, and a second locking element having a first end configured to be oriented towards the first end of the first locking element, an opposite second end, an outer surface with an external advancement structure configured to cooperate with the internal advancement structure of the first locking element, and a portion at the second end having a width greater than a greatest width of the external advancement structure of the second locking element, wherein the second locking element is configured to move axially relative to the bone anchoring device at a speed different than the first locking element.
US09730730B2
An external fixation frame for correcting a bone deformity includes a first fixation ring and a second fixation ring. A posterior adjustable length strut couples a posterior portion of the first fixation ring to a posterior portion of the second fixation ring and has universal joint. Medial and lateral adjustable length struts couples medial and lateral portions of the first fixation ring to medial and lateral portions of the second fixation ring respectively, each of the medial and lateral adjustable length struts including a constrained hinge joint. The fixation frame also includes a half ring hingedly coupled to the second fixation ring, and an anterior adjustable length strut coupling an anterior portion of the first fixation ring to the half ring.
US09730725B2
Systems and devices are described which include a tissue cutting device including a central rotatable shaft having a first end and a second end; a motor operably coupled to the first end of the central rotatable shaft, the motor including circuitry configured to rotate the central rotatable shaft; a tethering component; and an elongated flexible cutting component having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elongated flexible cutting component secured to the central rotatable shaft at a position between the first end and the second end central rotatable shaft, the second end of the elongated flexible cutting component operably coupled to the tethering component, the tethering component configured to at least one of extend and retract the elongated flexible cutting component; wherein extension and retraction of the elongated flexible cutting component by the tethering component changes a shape formed by the elongated flexible cutting component.
US09730718B2
A medical device including an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween. The medical device may also include at least one proximal control member extending within the elongate member from the proximal end to the distal end of the elongate member, a coupling mechanism disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongate member, and an end-effector removably coupled to the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the end-effector includes at least one distal control member extending proximally therefrom, and wherein the coupling mechanism is configured to removably couple the at least one distal control member to the at least one proximal control member.
US09730715B2
A guide wire, for use, for example, in guiding an elongated catheter through an artery or vein of a mammalian body having a stenosis and/or an occlusion therein, includes an elongated conductor having a longitudinal dimension, a proximal end and a distal end. The guide wire further includes an insulator overlying the elongated conductor. The insulator exposes a portion of the longitudinal dimension of the elongated conductor to form an electrode. The elongated conductor is arranged to be connected to a source of high voltage pulses to cause electrical arcs at the electrode that in turn form steam bubbles and shock waves to break the stenosis and/or open the occlusion and permit the guide wire to pass there through. Other embodiments are directed to a system including the guide wire and a method of using the guide wire.
US09730708B2
A method, and devices for facilitating the method, for shoulder replacement surgery. The method entails establishing a mechanical support in a the anatomical neck plane of the proximal humeral head, fixing a jig to the mechanical support, where the jig supports a drill guide with its axis perpendicular to the anatomical neck plane, adjusting the drill guide it coincide with the axis of the humeral head, drilling a hole through the humeral head for insertion of a shaft which will support and rotate a reaming bit. The reaming bits used to resurface the humeral head and the glenoid fossa are inserted through the back of the patient, through a gap created between two easily separated muscles, rather than through a gap cut through the subscapularis muscle on the front of the joint. A suitable jig is provided to facilitate the method.
US09730703B2
A tourniquet system including a band, an optional bar, and an anti-pinch plate. The bar comprises an elongate portion of material having a first end portion, an intermediate portion, and a second end portion, at least one aperture formed in the bar so as to accept the band and allow the band to pass therethrough, at least one locking protrusion that extends from at least one of the first end portion or the second end portion. The anti-pinch plate includes one or more band receiving apertures formed so as to accept the band and allow the band to pass therethrough, wherein the anti-pinch plate includes one or more locking notches formed substantially along an edge portion of the anti-pinch plate, wherein the locking notches provide a means for securing at least a portion of the bar to the anti-pinch plate.
US09730700B2
A system for treating an aneurysm comprises an elongate flexible shaft and an expandable member. An expandable scaffold is disposed over the expandable member and may be expanded from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. A double-walled filling structure is disposed over the scaffold and has an outer wall and an inner wall. The filling structure is adapted to be filled with a hardenable fluid filing medium so that the outer wall conforms to an inside surface of the aneurysm and the inner wall forms a substantially tubular lumen to provide a path for blood flow. In the expanded configuration the scaffold engages the inner wall of the filling structure. A tether is releasably coupled with the filling structure and the flexible shaft thereby constraining axial movement of the structures relative to each other.
US09730696B2
A surgical pin compressive wound dressing housing is described as a device that couples with a wound dressing material or sponge of a specific type and provides a protective closed environment for the surgical point of entry wound where surgical pins or wires are applied. In addition, this device serves to stabilize such surgical pins or wires as they protrude from the surgically made pin site wound upon a patient's skin. Such pins or wires are often utilized, but not limited to, the fixation of fractured bones or when anatomic stabilization is needed. The unique cup like design of the wound dressing housing allows it to couple with a specific type of wound dressing material that has similar geometric features. The top of the wound dressing housing has a central pin hole whereby a pin stem extends upward. Together both the pin hole and pin stem receive the surgical pin or wire which can then be stabilized by the plastic closure snap in the front of the device after the wound dressing housing, and its corresponding wound dressing material, is pressed downward toward the surgical pin or wire point of entry wound. A hinge in the back of the device allows the wound dressing housing and its associated pin stem to split into equal right and left halves upon opening the device. This allows the device to be placed around the surgical pin or wire in question. By utilizing both the left and right hand clasps the user can close the device thus engaging the closure snap in the front of the wound dressing housing which secures the device in the closed position.
US09730693B2
A surgical device is provided that includes a jaw portion with a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw. The surgical device also includes a shaft portion coupled to a proximal end of the jaw portion. A driver is configured to cause relative movement of the jaw portion and the shaft portion. The driver may be configured to cause the jaw portion to pivot relative to the shaft portion about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to first and second longitudinal axes defined by the jaw portion and the shaft portion, respectively. The driver may also be configured to cause at least a portion of the jaw portion to rotate relative to the shaft portion about the first longitudinal axis. Advantageously, the surgical device includes a surgical member, e.g., a cutting element and/or a stapling element, disposed within the first jaw.
US09730691B2
A staple clip for providing an attachment function in a surgical procedure is described. A center hub has a center hub aperture. The center hub defines a lateral hub plane. A plurality of joining legs each has an inner leg end attached to the center hub and an outer foot defining a lateral foot plane. The inner leg end and outer foot are separated along the leg by an elongate leg body extending laterally outward and longitudinally downward from the center hub. A plurality of lobe pads are attached to the center hub and lie substantially within the lateral hub plane. The inner leg ends and lobe pads alternate with each other around a periphery of the center hub.
US09730690B2
One embodiment is directed to a method for providing surgical access across a wall of a tissue structure, comprising: installing a guiding member into the wall of the tissue structure to a desired guiding depth; using the installed guiding member as a positional guide, advancing a helical member into the wall of the tissue to a desired helical member depth, the helical member comprising a helical member distal end removably coupled to an anchor member which is coupled to a distal end of a suture member, such that advancing the helical member into the wall causes the anchor member to be advanced into the wall and to pull a distal portion of the suture member along with the anchor member into the wall to substantially encapsulate a number of helical loops of suture member that is greater than about 1 loop and less than about 3 loops; withdrawing the helical member from the wall of the tissue structure, leaving the anchor member in a deployed configuration decoupled from the helical member and coupled to at least a portion of the wall of the tissue structure; and tensioning the suture member to apply a load to the deployed anchor member.
US09730686B2
A bone plate a re-orientable tab that provides a buttress support to fragments of the surrounding concave joint rim. The tabs can be re-orientated to contact the rim to provide close support. Each tab includes a hole sized to closely receive a K-wire to permit the K-wire to apply a bending load to a tab in situ to bend the tab about a lower recess between the tab and the remainder of the head. A soft tissue anchor is sized to pass through the hole in the tab, and into a hole drilled into the underlying bone. The soft tissue anchor has a bone engaging first portion and second portion comprising a length of flexible suture, to which is affixed a needle. The needle and suture can be used to draw tissue about the joint capsule.
US09730684B2
A method facilitates the treatment of the spine of a patient by providing simultaneous access through at least a first opening and a second opening formed in the patient. For example, the method can include the acts of positioning the patient on a surgical table, providing the first opening into a posterior portion of the patient, providing the second opening into a lateral portion of the patient, inserting a first device through the first opening into the patient to contact the spine in a first direction that is transverse to the coronal plane of the patient, and inserting a second device through the second opening into the patient to contact the spine in a second direction that is transverse to the sagittal plane of the patient, where the first and second openings are accessible simultaneously, and, when the first and second devises are inserted into the patient, the position of the patient is stationary with respect to a portion of the table.
US09730680B2
The invention relates to a surgical instrument comprising a handle portion or mounting portion and a functional portion and/or tip, wherein a display device is provided on the instrument and includes or enables displays which serve to assist in image-guided and/or navigation-assisted surgery. It also relates to a method for navigating a surgical instrument, wherein its position is determined and tracked by means of a medical tracking system and the position data is processed within the framework of medical navigation by means of a medical navigation system, wherein displays for navigation assistance and/or for assisting in image-guided surgery are provided on the instrument or on an element which is positionally assigned to the instrument or fastened to the instrument.
US09730678B2
The collection of a urine sample is disclosed. An inlet receives expelled urine. A first exit (203) directs the expelled urine towards a collection receptacle (202). The collection receptacle cooperates with a valve (201) to close off the receptacle after being filled with an initial flow. A second exit (206) expels excess urine after the receptacle has been filled.
US09730676B2
High-frequency ultrasound imaging can be performed with greater quality and suppressed grating lobes by using methods and systems for effectively reducing the temporal length of transmit grating lobe signals in received ultrasound echoes. Systems and methods are provided for improved high-frequency ultrasound imaging. In various aspects, the method of shortening the time domain of grating lobe signals comprises splitting an array of N transmit elements into K sub-apertures. In further aspects, the grating lobes are suppressed by performing signal processing of the shortened grating lobe signals. In certain aspects, the signal processing method comprises weighting the samples by a calculated phase coherence factor.
US09730673B2
A method for reconstructing geometry of an object surface via echographic probing, using an ultrasound probe including plural transducers, the method including: controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having initial transmission delays between them; executing at least once a cycle of operations including receiving from the transducers intermediate measurement signals, correcting transmission delays of the transducers using intermediate measurement signals, and controlling the transducers to transmit towards the surface ultrasound waves having the corrected transmission delays; receiving from the transducers final measurement signals resulting from reflection of a wavefront received simultaneously on the surface; determining specular travel times between each transducer and the surface based on the final measurement signals and the corrected transmission delays; and perform geometric reconstitution of the surface based on the determined specular travel times.
US09730667B2
A tomography apparatus for readily imaging an object while reducing radiation exposure doses includes a filter that adjusts distribution of a radiation dose transmitted therethrough from a radiation source, a radiation detection unit that detects a radiation dose transmitted through the filter and through an object, a holder that holds the object, an acquisition unit that acquires information about the holder, and a control unit that controls the distribution of the transmitted radiation does according to the information about the holder acquired by the acquisition unit.
US09730658B2
In a radiographic imaging apparatus, a radiation image of an object is detected by use of one of first and second electronic cassettes, to input the radiation image to the console device. The first electronic cassette is changed over between a normal transmission mode and a relay transmission mode. In the normal transmission mode, the radiation image is transmitted through a path from the first electronic cassette to the console device, and in the relay transmission mode, the radiation image is transmitted from the first electronic cassette to the second electronic cassette wirelessly and then from the second electronic cassette to the console device. Transmission of a radiation image can be performed reliably without unwanted interruption, because an indirect path of the relay transmission mode can be used even upon occurrence of a technical problem of inefficiency in the normal transmission mode.
US09730657B2
Imaging methods and imaging systems are provided. Methods and systems of the subject invention can include linearly translating a source and a detector. The source and the detector can be moved in opposite or approximately opposite directions. Acquired data can be used to reconstruct a tomographic image by using, for example, a compressive sensing technique.
US09730647B2
Systems and methods for measuring calorie input are described. A calorie measure may be maintained. At least one image of a food item may be captured. The at least one image of the food item may be transmitted to a server. A calories consumed value may be received from the server. The calories consumed value may be determined based at least in part on the at least one image of the food item. The calorie measure may be updated based on the received calories consumed value.
US09730638B2
An implantable intraocular physiological sensor for measuring a physiological characteristic, such as intraocular pressure. The implantable intraocular physiological sensor may include a tubular main body configured to house one or more electrical components. The implantable intraocular physiological sensor may also include a sensor cap configured to be inserted into a first end of the tubular main body with a moisture barrier seal. The implantable intraocular physiological sensor may wirelessly transmit measurements to an external device.
US09730633B2
Immediately after airway placement and/or following any patient transfer, an automated program may be activated in a CO2 monitoring device to provide an airway device placement check. The automated program needs time to determine if the airway placement has been successful or not. During analysis of CO2 respiration data by the program, real-time feedback is displayed to the user as soon as the airway check program is activated until the time that a final decision on the success of airway placement is made. The real-time feedback displays one or more indicators of the progress of the program toward a determination of a successful or failed placement.
US09730626B2
A one-time/single use safety lancet system includes a body; a spring coupled to the body; a keeper having a deformable member; and a core for supporting a lancet and having an end coupled to the spring. The core further has a first latch for engaging the deformable member when the lancet system is in an armed state. The deformable member of the keeper is fractured after one use of the lancet system which prevents any subsequent arming of the lancet system. The keeper may be made part of the lancet body. The core may include a second latch, wherein the second latch permanently deforms or fractures the deformable member of the keeper after the single, one-time arming of the safety lancet system.
US09730625B2
Devices are provided to automatically access blood from beneath or within skin. These devices include an injector configured to drive a needle into the skin and subsequently to retract the needle from the skin. These devices additionally include a seal to which suction is applied. To drive the needle into the skin, the needle is first driven through the seal, creating at least one hole in the seal. The suction applied to the seal acts to draw blood from the puncture formed in the skin by the needle, through the at least one hole in the seal, and to a sensor, blood storage element, or other payload. These devices can be wearable and configured to automatically access blood from skin, for example, to access blood from the skin at one or more points in time while a wearer of a device is sleeping.
US09730618B2
A physiological response to activity (PRA) during a subject's activities of daily living (ADL) can be used, such as to generate useful diagnostic information about the subject. This can involve using a template, such as an impulse response template. The technique can be used with an implantable or other ambulatory medical monitoring or therapy device, such as a cardiac function management device, or with a local or remote external interface device.
US09730617B2
The power used by a user in performing the vertical component of a movement is estimated. An accelerometer attached to a user measures the acceleration experienced by the user during movement. A processor configured to receive the measurements of the acceleration from the accelerometer, be attached to the user, estimate the vertical accelerations from the received acceleration measurements, and estimate the power used from the vertical accelerations.
US09730612B2
A device for the detection of slippage of magnetic coupling between an implanted medical device having a magnet and an externally applied magnetic field includes at least one external magnet configured to apply the externally applied magnetic field, an induction coil disposed external to the subject and between the at least one external magnet and the implanted medical device, and a detection circuit operatively coupled to the induction coil and configured to detect slippage between the rotational orientation of the magnet of the implanted device and the externally applied magnetic field based at least in part on the varying frequency components of the voltage waveform across the induction coil.
US09730606B2
The invention concerns an electrostimulation and/or iontophoresis device comprising a patch (10) suitable for application to a user's skin (12) and a voltage generator (22) suitable for applying a low intensity current through the user's skin by a system of electrodes located in said patch; This device is characterized in that it comprises a self-regulator (16) that varies the voltage supplied by the voltage generator as a function of the continuous measurement of the resistivity of the user's skin beneath said patch The resistance value of the skin provided by an element for measuring the resistance of the skin (24) yields the resistivity measurement.
US09730600B2
Medical devices and methods for using medical devices are disclosed. An example mapping medical device may include a catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes. The catheter shaft may be coupled to a processor. The processor may be capable of collecting a first set of signals from a first location, collecting a second set of signals from a second location, characterizing the first set of signals over a first time period, characterizing the second set of signals over a second time period, comparing the first set of signals to the second set of signals and matching a first signal from the first set of signals with a second signal from the second set of signals.
US09730598B2
A system for performing an electrocardiogram (ECG) can include a handheld electrocardiograph device having a right arm electrode, a left arm electrode, and a left leg electrode, and can be configured to receive signals from the electrodes and to send data based on the electrode signals to a mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device can be configured to process and analyze the receive information to provide ECG data, such as 6-lead ECG data. The mobile electronic device can analyze the ECG data to provide diagnostic information. The mobile electronic device can transfer the ECG data to a remote computing system, which can analyze the ECG data to provide diagnostic information.
US09730596B2
It is recognized that, because of its unique properties, graphene can serve as an interface with biological cells that communicate by an electrical impulse, or action potential. Responding to a sensed signal can be accomplished by coupling a graphene sensor to a low power digital electronic switch that is activatable by the sensed low power electrical signals. It is further recognized that low power devices such as tunneling diodes and TFETs are suitable for use in such biological applications in conjunction with graphene sensors. While tunneling diodes can be used in diagnostic applications, TFETs, which are three-terminal devices, further permit controlling the voltage on one cell according to signals received by other cells. Thus, by the use of a biological sensor system that includes graphene nanowire sensors coupled to a TFET, charge can be redistributed among different biological cells, potentially with therapeutic effects.
US09730594B2
An arterial-wall stiffness evaluation system of the present invention includes: a cuff to be attached to a part of a living body; a pressure sensor for detecting pressure in the cuff; a cuff-pressure control section for controlling the pressure in the cuff to be increased or decreased up to a predetermined value, based on a value detected by the pressure sensor; and a data processing section for calculating, based on pulse waves detected by the pressure sensor, pulse-wave amplitudes of cuff-pressure pulse waves and blood-pressure pulse waves, and for evaluating arterial-wall stiffness based on the pulse-wave amplitudes. The arterial-wall stiffness is evaluated by a pressure-diameter characteristic curve, which represents a relationship between vascular diameter and transmural pressure applied to a vascular wall, or by estimation from shapes and amplitudes of the detected pulse waves. Alternatively, the evaluation is performed by estimating, from the detected pulse waves, a differential function obtainable by differentiating a pressure-diameter characteristic curve with respect to a transmural pressure, or by use of an arctan or a sigmoid function. This allows anybody to easily evaluate blood vessel stiffness anytime with high accuracy even at home without any special knowledge.
US09730589B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to an examined-portion information acquisition apparatus including two examined-portion holding members each configured to hold one of two examined portions, a receiver configured to receive an acoustic wave, and a moving system configured to move the receiver from a position at which the receiver receives an acoustic wave from one examined portion held by one examined-portion holding member among the two examined-portion holding members to a position at which the receiver receives an acoustic wave from another examined portion held by the other examined-portion holding member, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of transducers configured to receive an acoustic wave, and a supporting member on which the plurality of transducers are arranged, and the plurality of transducers are arranged on the supporting member such that directivity axes of some transducers among the plurality of transducers converge.
US09730583B2
A video oculography (VOG) system for calculation and display of Corrective Secondary Saccades Analysis is disclosed and utilized in a method for Objective Diagnostics of Internuclear Opthalmopligia, Ocular Lateral Pulsion, Progressive Supernuclear Palsy and Glissades. The method comprises the steps of using a VOG system to calculate corrective saccades. The VOG based system is configured to collect eye images of the patient in excess of 60 hz and configured to resolve eye movements smaller than at least 3 degrees of motion and collects eye movement data wherein at least one fixation target is presented to the subject in a defined position configured to yield a voluntary saccadic eye response from at least one eye of the patient. The latency, amplitude, accuracy and velocity of each respective corrective saccade and totals latency and accuracy are calculated.
US09730578B2
A refraction device determines a refraction end point to provide corrective optics for a test subject. The device includes an adjustable optical system providing corrective optics to the test subject and an adjustable viewing target disposed along an optical path such as to be viewable through the adjustable optical system by a test subject. The adjustable viewing target includes a directional indicator linked synchronously to at least two choices of corrective optics presented to the test subject.
US09730575B2
A system and method for use in surgical procedures. The system includes an endoscope, an imaging device coupled to the endoscope, an imaging processor coupled to the imaging device, and at least one management system coupled to the imaging processor, in which a function of the management system is automatically adjusted upon receipt of a communication from the imaging processor.
US09730565B2
A vacuum device includes a device body, a dust-collecting box, a fan and a detection unit. The device body further has a duct outlet and a fan outlet. The dust-collecting box located inside the device body is spatially connected to the duct outlet. The fan located inside the device body at a place beside the dust-collecting box is spatially connected to the fan outlet. The detection unit located close to the fan outlet further includes a sensor and a rotation assembly; in which the sensor further has an infrared-emitting component and an infrared-receiving component, the rotation assembly is able to pass rotationally through a space between the infrared-emitting component and the infrared-receiving component, and the infrared-emitting component is to emit an infrared to the infrared-receiving component for detecting the rotation assembly.
US09730564B2
A system includes a plunger and a caddy. The plunger includes a plunger cup, a plunger handle extending from a top of the plunger cup, and a plunger engagement member disposed relative to the top of the plunger cup. The caddy defines a first caddy cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the plunger cup when the system is in a carry mode. The caddy also defines a caddy stopper disposed relative to a top portion of the first caddy cavity. The caddy is configured such that, in the carry mode, the bottom of the plunger cup contacts a caddy base surface of the caddy that at least partially defines the first caddy cavity, and the plunger engagement member engages the caddy stopper, to thereby press-fittingly connect the plunger and the caddy.
US09730561B2
A multipurpose rolled tissue dispensing stand having a pair of tubular legs attached to a pair of tubular vertical rods further attached at their top ends to a horizontal rod holding a tissue dispensing unit comprised of a base plate holding a tissue dispensing orifice with a serrated edge at the front end and a handle with a lock at the back end. A tubular tissue holding rod is attached to the vertical rods and holds the rolled tissue on the stand. The handle on the base plate of the tissue dispensing unit can be unlocked and actuated to swing the base plate up when inserting the tissue roll into the tissue holding rod and actuated down to place the base plate locked over the tissue. A standard tissue dispensing box with an open bottom can be placed over the rolled tissue dispensing stand.
US09730554B2
A storage and grinding device and method provides the dual functionality of forming an airtight compartment for storing herbs to protect their flavor and essence, and disassembling into a grinder to grind, tear, and shear the herbs. The device forms an airtight compartment with detachable lids that detach from the compartment and join together to form a unitary grinder, generally for grinding the contents of the compartment. A first and second lid form an airtight seal over each end of the compartment. The airtight seal is formed when the first and second lids form a hermetic seal at each end of the compartment. The airtight seal enhances the flavor and smell of the herbs by retaining the essence within the compartment and keeping the herbs impervious to gases. The first and second lids can disengage from each end of compartment, and engage each other to form a unitary grinder.
US09730544B2
A capsule to form a closed interior filled with an extraction product or extract can be perforated in a known manner by perforation elements of an injection device or a discharge device in order to introduce an extraction liquid and to discharge an extraction product produced in the interior of the capsule following an extraction process. The capsule has the shape of a cuboid or a die.
US09730536B2
A pillow for sleeping on one's side that comfortably accommodates the user's shoulder by having an indentation at a middle section of the pillow. The indentation is created by a first interior face and a second interior face that tapers inwardly towards a center axis from lateral sides of the pillow. The first and second interior faces also taper from a top side towards the bottom side of the pillow. The indentation can be replicated on the opposite side so that the pillow can be reversible.
US09730535B2
A cover for rest supports such as pillow cases, seat cushions, headrests, armrests, bedding and pet bedding is disclosed with layered secure spare flaps. A plurality of spare flaps are attached in respective layers to the cover at an end of each flap and another end is successively folded around the cover and secured thereto to provide additional unused resting surfaces for a person or an animal. The spare flaps therefore provide multiple fresh resting surfaces between launderings. Embodied flaps may also be disposably detached from the cover to preclude launderings altogether. The layered flaps may include use indicia and be to secured to each other and a rest support cover via a fastener on a flap and a complementary fastener disposed respectively on the cover. Disclosed fasteners include thin magnets, hook and loop, grommet and tie, button and hole and ganged hole and post pairs and the like.
US09730525B2
The present invention provides an adjustable bed handheld remote control that may include a handheld housing, a touch sensor on a front face of the handheld housing, a transmitter and the like. The touch sensor may be presented in a slider form and may be adapted to facilitate a user in adjusting a frame position of an adjustable bed. The transmitter may be electrically coupled to a processor and may receive input from the touch sensor, for communication control signals to the adjustable bed in accordance with the input received from the touch sensor.
US09730519B2
A lift adjuster is depicted and described for adjusting seating furniture and/or reclining furniture, with a housing and an adjustment bracket. The adjustment bracket is maintained in the housing and can be partially pulled out of the housing. In order to enable comfortable adjustment, it is proposed that at least one clamping element is provided displaceable with respect to the adjustment bracket between a clamping position and at least one adjustment position in that the at least one clamping element is received in a clamping manner in the clamping position in a clamping gap between the adjustment bracket and the housing such that the adjustment bracket is prevented from sliding into the housing.
US09730518B1
Powered recliner chairs, assemblies for use in the chairs, and components for use in the assemblies are provided. Electrical systems for use in the chairs, and components for use in the assemblies are provided. Control systems and methods for operating powered recliner chairs are also provided. Any given chair may be locally and/or remotely controlled.
US09730513B2
A modular furniture unit can be configured to provide power distribution in conjunction with other furniture features. Embodiments of furniture arrangements may utilize one or more modular furniture units to provide one or more of such features (e.g. storage, seating, privacy, work surface, lighting, etc.). In some embodiments, the modular furniture unit includes an elongated upper member having an upper slot that has a first end and a second end opposite its first end. At least one leg is attached to the first end and at least one leg is attached to the second end. The elongated upper member may have a channel through which power cabling passes and outlets that are connected to such cabling. Different elements can be connected to the upper member via the upper slot or a downward facing opening of the upper member and/or to the legs to provide different furniture arrangements.
US09730498B2
Two plates, corresponding to the diameter of a length of riveting material being used, act as gauges and are placed separately on the top and bottom of at least one components to be made into a jewelry item. The length of material, such as a wire or tubing, is passed through holes in all the components, and the holes of the plates. This allows the jewelry maker to cut the length of material flush with the exposed surface of the plate on the top of the stack. This automatically measures the optimal length of material needed to span the combined thickness of all the components to be riveted together, while providing the desired length exposed at the top and bottom of the stacked pieces, to fashion a properly formed and secure flattened rivet head on each end of the length of material.
US09730481B2
The invention relates to a device for dispensing artificial eyelashes, comprising a housing equipped with a dispensing region, a carrier to which a plurality of artificial eyelashes is fixed, a movement mechanism capable of being actuated to cause movement of the carrier in order to convey the artificial eyelashes towards the dispensing region and to allow the artificial eyelashes to exit through said dispensing region, said eyelashes being oriented transversely to an axis of extension of the carrier, at least when they are passing through said dispensing region.
US09730475B1
The invention is a brassiere accessory for improving posture, and more specifically, to a brassiere accessory that couples to and between shoulder straps at the posterior portion of a brassiere. The brassiere accessory rests against the back of a user providing a supportive tension that prevents excessive kyphosis (curvature) of the thoracic spine (upper back) and straightens the back of the user so that the user's posture is improved.
US09730474B2
A sock has a leg portion, a heel portion, an instep portion, a toe portion, and a pair of lateral metatarsal joint portions where the instep portion meets the toe portion. The sock has a first material thickness at the instep portion and the toe portion, and a second material thickness at at least one of the lateral metatarsal joint portions, wherein the second material thickness is less than the first material thickness.
US09730470B2
A filter (11) for a smoking article (10) comprises a first flow path (13) through the filter, a second flow path (14) through the filter, the second flow path being disposed around the first flow path, and a selector (16) for allowing flow selectively through the first and second flow paths.
US09730468B2
A smoking article includes a sheet material including a fibrous layer formed of cellulosic fibers and at least 50% by weight of inorganic filler material having a particle size in range of from 0.1 microns and 50 microns, wherein the sheet material has a tensile strength of at least 900 N/m. The fibrous layer includes a binder material, such as an organic binder material. The organic binder material can be a cellulosic binder material. A coating layer may be provided on at least one side of the fibrous layer.
US09730467B2
The present invention relates to a food forming drum comprising a multitude of rows of cavities. The present invention further relates to the process of manufacturing the inventive drum.
US09730463B1
A multi stage process for separating oil, protein, fiber and clean water from a stream containing whole stillage byproduct from ethanol production is disclosed. In a first step, fibers are separated in a two-step process that includes a plate separator and a press. In a subsequent step, the liquid stream separated from the fibers and contains oil, protein and water is treated with a composition that causes the protein to gel. The liquid stream is then processed in a phase separator that drains the oil by gravity, removes the water by an impeller under pressure and removes the solidified protein using a scroll.
US09730460B1
A method of preparing and selling party foods for use in social situations, with the party foods including one or both of pull apart pepperoni rolls and an extra saucy pizza bagel.
US09730452B2
The present invention is directed to methods for improving drought stress tolerance of a cereal grain comprising applying an effective amount of at least one gibberellin to the cereal grain during early vegetative growth stage. The present invention is also directed to methods for improving yield of a cereal grain comprising applying an effective amount of at least one gibberellin to the cereal grain during early vegetative growth stage.
US09730440B2
There is provided a powder composition comprising a collection of particles (I) having median particle diameter of 10 micrometers to 200 micrometers, wherein each of said particles (I) comprises (a) a covering of a fatty compound having melting point of 50° C. to 110° C. and (b) one or more inner particles (II) comprising one or more complex that contains a cyclopropene compound molecule or a portion of a cyclopropene compound molecule encapsulated in a molecule of a molecular encapsulating agent. Also provided is a slurry comprising water and such a powder. Also provided is a method of contacting plants or plant parts with such a slurry.
US09730433B2
The technology provides a plurality of examples for implementing solar cell, solar panels, and solar collection devices on natural looking installations such as faux trees and plants as well as objects mimicking natural ones. The technology allows the installation of solar power generating installations in a distributed manner on land and water. The installation of, for example, artificial plants as carriers of solar cells provides a number of benefits to society in addition to the generation of power. The aesthetics of a community are maintained, while at the same time the need for maintain natural plants is eliminated, providing financial and environmental savings for consumers and municipalities.
US09730432B2
A multi-stage rationed feeder for ornamental fish, comprising a container, a container cover assembly and a measuring cup assembly. A falling-material receiving cover of the container cover assembly is adapted to a container cover, and a buckle position is buckled into a container cover snapping slot, such that the falling-material receiving cover is rotatably mounted and connected to the container cover. The measuring cup assembly comprises a measuring cup and a blocking slice. One end of the blocking slice is provided with a sleeve hole for sheathing a blocking slice pin. A pin groove is adapted to a falling-material receiving cover pin snapped into the pin groove such that the measuring cup assembly is removably mounted and connected to the container cover assembly from below.
US09730427B2
A pet drinking fountain assembly having a pump forming part of a fountain mounting arrangement that includes a lift tube coupling a cover to the pump coupled to a lower basin by a mount. The mount and lift tube attenuate pump noise and vibration by providing isolation from the basin and cover and can function as dampeners. In a preferred embodiment the pump is part of a pump module that includes a module housing to which the pump is attached by another noise-attenuating mount. Each mount is formed by one or more suction cups with the cups and lift tube made of vibration dampening material, such as a resilient vibration dampening or isolating material that can be an elastomeric material. The module includes a lift tube coupling discharge that registers in fluid flow communication with a pump outlet and can include a ring or bushing therebetween providing additional noise attenuation.
US09730424B2
A space divider (4) of a milking parlor arrangement for at least one milking parlor (3) for milking milk-producing animals (T), wherein the space divider (4) is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal (T) to be milked, has an arm device (6) having a milking cluster (5, 5′), which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device (6) is arranged with the milking cluster (5) in the parking position in the space divider (4), wherein the milking cluster (5, 5′) can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal (T) to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The milking cluster (5, 5′) comprises two halves, wherein each half has a specific set of at least one teatcup (5a). The space divider (4) is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals (T), so that many animals (T) can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1′, 1″) while the smallest possible amount of space is required. A milking parlor arrangement (1, 1′, 1″) has at least one external robot (12).
US09730420B1
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01064123. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01064123. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01064123 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01064123 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09730415B1
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated XR08A15X. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety XR08A15X. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety XR08A15X and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety XR08A15X with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09730413B1
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety CW1410087 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety CW1410087 and its seed, cells, germplasm, plant parts, and progeny, and methods of using CW1410087 in a breeding program.
US09730405B2
The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid SVPS2625 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid SVPS2625 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper 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.
US09730396B2
A horticultural container filling apparatus has a hopper to selectively dispense soil through an exit. A two-tier strip conveyor assembly has a plurality of narrow conveyor belts coupled to a motor for translating the narrow conveyor belts in a first direction along a first plane below the exit of the hopper. The narrow conveyor belts spaced apart, defining one or more gaps. A plurality of support rails support and guide the narrow conveyor belts along the first plane and are configured to support and convey a container on the narrow conveyor belts in the first direction. The container receives a portion of the soil dispensed from the exit of the hopper, and the gaps pass a remaining portion of soil not received by the container to a second plane below the first plane. A catch conveyor belt along the second plane receives and translates the remaining portion of soil in a second direction along the second plane. A return conveyor assembly has one or more inclined conveyor belts for receiving the remaining portion of the soil from the catch conveyor belt returns the remaining portion to the hopper. The inclined conveyor belts are substantially flat belts, and an incline angle of the inclined conveyor belts is configured to generally prevent slippage of the remaining portion of the potting material.
US09730395B2
Provided is a modular growing panel system for attaching vegetation to a surface of a structure. In one aspect, the modular growing panel system includes a growing substrate with a plurality of layers formed into a tile that is rigid and self-supportive of vegetation being grown in the growing substrate. A binder attaches one or more of the tiles to each other and forming the modular growing panel system. In another aspect, the modular growing panel system includes a growing substrate with a plurality of layers formed into a tile that is rigid and self-supportive of vegetation being grown in the growing substrate. A framework for holding and attaching one or more tiles to the structure includes an upper channel having a slot that corresponds to the depth of the tile and a lower channel also having a slot corresponding to the depth of the tile.
US09730394B2
A method and system for controlling harvesting of mushrooms from a bed during a mushroom graze harvest operation account for both mushroom separation and stagger, thereby providing for automatic and proper selection of which mushrooms in the bed are to be harvested in a given shift.
US09730389B2
A roller frame assembly for a pick-up reel of a harvester, where the roller frame assembly is adjustable in that its position can be easily adjusted relative to a position of a drive shaft of the pick-up reel, thereby effectively converting the pick-up reel from a flip reel to a non-flip reel, and vice versa.
US09730387B2
A mower assembly is provided for cutting around a post. A support structure supports the mower assembly in cantilever fashion. The mower assembly includes a plurality of mower units with each mower unit having a rotary blade. Two or more mower units cooperate to engage and cut around a post and, during the process, the entire mower assembly rotates about an axis enabling the mower units to encircle and efficiently cut grass and other vegetation about the post.
US09730386B1
In a riding mower having a frame, a mower deck supported beneath the frame, a chair on said frame and a source of motive power also supported on said frame and including two hydraulic transaxles depending beneath the frame to each selectively rotate a drive wheel. The frame is supported on forward and rear wheel assemblies with a supporting wheel. The transaxles are supported beneath the frame and pivotally secured thereto by a flange captivating vibration pillows and proximate the driven wheel and an inner pivot rod secured to the frame by apertures in downwardly depending tabs.
US09730382B2
A vegetation cutting device comprises: a housing; a motor mounted in the housing having a rotatable drive shaft; a gearing system comprising a rotatable output shaft, the gearing system adapted to be driven by the drive shaft; a rotatable cuffing head mounted on the output shaft; a rotation sensor module mounted in the housing and configured to detect the rotational speed of the motor and configured to output a rotational speed signal; and a control module configured to determine the rotational speed of the cutting head based on the rotational speed signal and configured to control the speed of the motor in response to the determined rotational speed of the cutting head.
US09730379B2
A seed meter is provided for planting multiple types of seed and rapidly switching between the types being planted in a single planting pass of a planting session of row-crop planting. The seed meter has a split seed meter reservoir with a pair of seed meter chambers flanked by or next to a pair of seed disks. Activation and deactivation of the seed disks within the seed meter are synchronized to selectively deliver one type of seed from one of the seed meter chambers for delivery out of a single seed tube of the seed meter, which may provide absolute and instantaneous on-the-go seed switching within a single row from each seed meter.
US09730375B2
An agricultural harvester includes a harvester body, a header which is adapted for harvesting a crop, a feeder house which is adapted to receive said harvested crop from the header, a header adapter which is arranged between the header and the feeder house, which header adapter is adapted to allow the header to pivot relative to the feeder house about a horizontal pivot axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header. A first actuator has a first end that is pivotably connected to the feeder house and a second end that is pivotably connected to the header adapter. A second actuator has a first end and a second end, which first end is pivotably connected to the harvester body. A coupling device is pivotably connected to the second end of the second actuator, the feeder house and the header adapter.
US09736969B2
A receiving device includes a shield case which is in a hollow box shape that is open on one side. The shield case reduces external interfering signals which interfere with an input signal of a broadcast wave. A printed wiring board includes a conductive portion that is electrically connected with an electronic component. A soldered portion is formed along a protrusion-free linearly extending side of an opening edge of the shield case. The soldered portion electrically connects with solder the shield case and the conductive portion.
US09736966B1
A heat sink structure includes a heat sink; a threaded heat sink base pocket within the heat sink; a module lid, where the module lid thermally interfaces with a die; a threaded exterior portion of the module lid; and a thread engagement between the threaded heat sink base pocket and the threaded exterior portion of the module lid, where the thread engagement mechanically couples the heat sink to the module lid.
US09736964B2
An electronic device includes a cover for one or more heat generating components, with the cover providing at least a combined conductive, convective, and radiant cooling for the heat generating components while maintaining the device within a prescribed temperature range. Conductive cooling is realized by providing thermal coupling between each of two or more depression regions in the cover and one or more heat generating components. Appropriate placement of air inlets and outlets through the cover provides convective cooling of the heat generating components and the thermally coupled depression regions. Heat from the heat generating components thermally coupled to one depression region is effectively isolated from heat generated by other heat generating components thermally coupled to another adjacent depression region at least in part via the air outlets through an interior region between the two adjacent depression regions. Radiant cooling can also be improved by increasing the emissivity of the device cover material.
US09736960B2
A framework for an electronic or network cabinet, having a first profile frame and a second profile frame, as well as four depth struts. Each depth strut is directly or indirectly connected at corresponding points to the vertical profile frames. Furthermore, the depth struts are dimensioned so that they can absorb and compensate tilting forces of the vertical profile frames.
US09736957B2
Methods, compositions, apparatuses, and systems are provided for a hybrid thermoplastic gel or sealant. The methods comprise providing (a) a base polymer having at least one functional group capable of crosslinking, (b) a functionalized extender, and (c) heat, and reacting the base polymer and functionalized extender in the presence of the heat to form the hybrid thermoplastic gel. The gel composition may comprise 5-40 wt % of a base polymer, 60-95 wt % of a functionalized extender, and 0-10 wt % of a crosslinker. A closure or interconnect system may comprise a housing, a cable, and a hybrid thermoplastic gel or sealant. A telecommunications apparatus may comprise a telecommunications component and a sealant that forms a seal with the telecommunications component. The sealant may comprise a sealant material having a first range of elongation followed by a second range of elongation.
US09736953B2
Disclosed herein is a pressure compensation device for securing the air permeability of the electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle. A pressure compensation device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a vent unit integrated with a connector on a part of an ECU on which an electronic control element is mounted, wherein a vent hole penetrating the inside and outside of the case of the ECU in which the electronic control element is received is formed in the vent unit and a cover unit integrated with a vehicle-side connector in such a way as to form electrical connection with the ECU and configured to form a protection wall by covering part of the upper side of the vent unit when the ECU-side connector and the vehicle-side connector are coupled.
US09736949B2
A flexible display (5) and a flexible display device are disclosed. The flexible display (5) includes a flexible display body on which a support body structure (3) is configured to provide supporting when the flexible display body is in wrapped state or un-wrapped state. The flexible display (5) and display device can prevent over-bending of a display substrate by the strength of the substrate, and can also automatically keep the display substrate flat when unwrapped, and prevent damage of the display substrate due to the over bending, and can also be worn on wrist conveniently.
US09736948B2
Systems and methods of manufacturing printed circuit boards using blind and internal micro vias to couple subassemblies. An embodiment of the invention provides a method of manufacturing a printed circuit including attaching a plurality of metal layer carriers to form a first subassembly including at least one copper foil pad on a first surface, applying an encapsulation material onto the first surface of the first subassembly, curing the encapsulation material and the first subassembly; applying a lamination adhesive to a surface of the cured encapsulation material, forming at least one via in the lamination adhesive and the cured encapsulation material to expose the at least one copper foil pad, attaching a plurality of metal layer carriers to form a second subassembly, and attaching the first subassembly and the second subassembly.
US09736945B2
A printed wiring board includes an insulation layer, conductive pads formed on the insulation layer and positioned to connect an electronic component, and a conductive wiring pattern including first and second conductive patterns and formed on the insulation layer such that the conductive wiring pattern is extending between the conductive pads. The first pattern includes first wiring lines, the second pattern includes second wiring lines, the first and second conductive patterns are formed such that the first wiring lines and the second wiring lines are alternately arrayed on the insulation layer, each of the first wiring lines includes a first metal layer formed on an interface with the insulation layer, each of the second wiring lines includes a second metal layer formed on an interface with the insulation layer, and the first metal layer includes a metal material which is different from a metal material forming the second metal layer.
US09736941B1
A wiring substrate includes an insulating layer, a stack including wiring layers and photosensitive-resin insulating layers on a first surface of the insulating layer, a wiring layer on a second surface of the insulating layer, having a lower wiring density than the wiring layers, a metal core plate buried in the insulating layer and positioned on the stack side with respect to the center of the insulating layer in its thickness direction, and a via wiring buried in the insulating layer to have a first end face exposed at the first surface and joined to the lowermost one of the wiring layers, and a second end face joined to the metal core plate. The first surface and the first end face are substantially flush with each other. The wiring layers include a signal line, and a ground line concentrically formed around the signal line, with a predetermined interval therebetween.
US09736934B2
A touch panel has an active area and a non-active area disposed at an outer side of the active area defined therein. The touch panel includes a support member and a conductive layer formed on the support member and including an electrode part in the active area to sense touch and a wiring part disposed in the non-active area to be connected to the electrode part. In the non-active area, the wiring part is disposed on the support member and the electrode part is partially disposed on the wiring part.
US09736933B2
In the mesh pattern of the conductive sheet of the invention in which openings having different shapes are arrayed in plan view, a standard deviation of an area of each of the openings is equal to or greater than 0.017 mm2 and equal to or less than 0.038 mm2, in a two-dimensional distribution of centroid positions of the openings; a standard deviation for a root mean square deviation of each of the centroid positions which are disposed along a predetermined direction, with respect to a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction is equal to or greater than 15.0 μm; or a standard deviation over a radial direction of a value expressed by a common logarithm of a standard deviation along an angular direction in a power spectrum of the mesh pattern is equal to or greater than 0.965 and equal to or less than 1.065.
US09736930B2
A flexible electronic module is provided, including a flexible substrate having a supporting portion, a body portion, and a connection portion, wherein the supporting portion is connected with the body portion via the connection portion; a first trench formed between the supporting portion and the body portion; an electronic component disposed over a portion of the supporting portion; and a conductive line disposed over the supporting portion, the connection portion, and the body portion for connecting the electronic component.
US09736919B2
Provided are an RF power distribution device and an RF power distribution method. The RF power distribution device includes an impedance matching network for transferring power from an RF power source and a power distribution unit for distributing the output power from the impedance matching network to at least one electrode generating capacitively-coupled plasma. The power distribution unit includes a first reactive element connected in series to a first electrode, a variable capacitor having one end connected in parallel to the first reactive element and the first electrode and the other end grounded, and a second reactive element having one end connected to a first node where the one end of the variable capacitor and one end of the first reactance device are in contact with each other and the other end connected to a second node where a second electrode and an output terminal of the impedance matching network are connected.
US09736917B2
A rotatable plasma torch is provided which can easily rotate when used in robotic or automatic cutting system while minimizing damage to internal connections of the torch. The torch is provided with a sleeve structure on the torch handle where there is no structure or component positioned between the sleeve and the exterior of the torch handle.
US09736916B2
Plasma electrode (1) for a plasma arc torch consisting of an electrode body, at least one electrode core (4) disposed on the electrode tip, wherein the plasma electrode (1) is constructed in at least two parts and consists of the electrode tip (2) and an electrode part (3), and out of the electrode tip (2) and a electrode part (3) consists, and that the electrode tip (2) is held replaceably on the electrode part (3).
US09736910B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that allow a lighting system to self-determine the relative positions of its different light sources. Direct light source to light source distances are measured and trilateration is used to locate each light source in three dimensional space. The relative position of each light source is provided with regard to the lighting system itself and does not need to refer to a GPS system or to the position or orientation of the installation. The self-determining system allows lighting systems to be quickly installed and later commissioned using the positioning information provided by the lighting system itself.
US09736904B2
A lighting system includes a group of light emitting diode (LED) illumination devices. A controller may identify a set of the illumination devices that correspond to a zone, and to generate commands to cause the device drivers for each of the identified illumination devices to control its corresponding illumination device so that a specified color temperature, illuminance level, or both of light will be received at a location in the zone. A method for calibrating such a system is also disclosed. A user interface allows a user to select a scene after the calibration is complete.
US09736896B2
A driver assembly (100) for a lighting unit (230) comprises a control unit (110). The lighting unit (230) comprises a plurality of strands (240, 250, 260), wherein each strand comprises a series circuit (242, 252, 262) of light-emitting diodes and a current source (243, 253, 263) with a first and a second terminal (246, 256, 266), and wherein the series circuit (242, 252, 262) of diodes is connected between a supply voltage input (231) of the lighting unit (230) and the first terminal of the current source (243, 253, 263) and the second terminal (246, 256, 266) of the current source is connected to a reference potential terminal via a resistor (245, 255, 265). The control unit (110) is designed for generating a corresponding control signal for a voltage converter (210) from a respectively adjusted control value, wherein said voltage converter is designed for making available an output voltage at the supply voltage input (231) of the lighting unit (230) based on the control signal, for acquiring a measured value at each of the second terminals (246, 256, 266) of the current sources (243, 253, 263), for storing an adjusted control value for each strand (240, 250, 260) based on the acquired measured values and for detecting whether an error condition exists in one of the strands (240, 250, 260) based on the stored control values.
US09736886B2
A method for setting up a relay link to transfer a data frame using a relay in a wireless communication system. The relay link setup method of a source in the system may include receiving capability information of at least one relay supporting station included in the system from an access point or a personal basic service set central point, selecting one of the at least one relay supporting station as a relay station, using beam forming information among the source station, a destination station, and the at least one relay supporting station and the capability information, transferring a relay link setup request frame to the destination station, and receiving a relay link setup response frame that includes information on a relay link setup result from the destination station. The relay link setup request frame and the relay link setup response frame may pass through the relay station.
US09736874B2
Embodiments are provided herein for determining a synchronizing master for device-to-device (D2D) communication in a cellular network environment. In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) receives a discovery signal comprising a timing reference, and determines a transmitter of the discovery signal. In accordance with the determination of the transmitter of the discovery signal, the UE performs one of synchronizing to the timing reference in the discovery signal and transmitting a second discovery signal. The UE performs the synchronizing to the timing reference if the transmitter of the discovery is a cellular network. Alternatively, the UE transmits the second discovery signal upon determining that the transmitter of the discovery signal is a second UE that is out of coverage of a cellular network.
US09736867B2
Emergency radio communications system incorporating integral public safety radio bridging capability
A communication system and method is provided for handling emergency situations wherein complex public safety radio systems can be used to directly communicate with normally incompatible radio systems used by organizations such as schools, hospital, and other facilities. The system includes a radio communication bridge that is selectively activated by emergency personnel to contact selected organizations. The bridge is activated via a TCP/IP command sent from an organization having activation privileges to the selected communication endpoints. Computer software or firmware installed at various communication endpoints, emergency responder locations, and at an emergency call center is used to facilitate functionality of the system to include emergency notifications, dissemination of information associated with a particular emergency, and the status of the system to include activation and deactivation of the radio bridge.
US09736864B2
A communication device for handling system information comprises a storage unit for storing instructions and a processing means coupled to the storage unit. The processing means is configured to execute the instructions stored in the storage unit. The instructions comprise receiving at least one legacy system information block (SIB) including at least one first configuration in a cell; receiving at least one enhanced coverage (EC) SIB including at least one second configuration in the cell; and applying the at least one second configuration instead of the at least one first configuration, when the communication device is a low complexity communication device or is configured to apply the at least one EC SIB instead of the at least one legacy SIB wherein the at least one first configuration and the at least one second configuration are transmitted for a same communication function.
US09736859B2
A method for providing a voice service in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is provided. The method includes, detecting a change in the total number of voice calls that are sent and received over a wireless channel of the WLAN, setting channel access-related parameters in the WLAN upon detecting the change in the total number of voice calls, and providing a voice service by applying the channel access-related parameters to the voice and data services.
US09736858B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting control information by means of a terminal in a CA-based wireless communication system, including the steps of: forming first and second cells that include different subframe configurations, wherein the second cell includes TDD UL-DL configuration #0; receiving a UL grant by means of the first cell; and transmitting data corresponding to the UL grant by means of the second cell.
US09736857B2
Techniques for interference mitigation in directional multi-gigabit networks are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to send, from a source device, a first reverse direction grant (RDG) indicating that a sink device may transmit to the source device, detect interference with a received sink device data transmission at the source device, select a grant deferral period, and upon conclusion of the grant deferral period, send a second RDG indicating that the sink device may transmit to the source device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09736855B2
Systems and methods for wireless communication are disclosed. In one aspect an access point transmits a message to a first device and a second device on a first channel, the message sufficient to inform the first device to camp on a first channel during a time slot and the message sufficient to inform the second device to camp on a second channel during the time slot. The access point further determines whether the first channel is busy during the time slot. If the first channel is determined to not be busy during the time slot, the access point communicates with the first device on the first channel during the time slot. If the first channel is determined to be busy during the time slot, the access point communicates with the second device on the second channel during the time slot.
US09736853B2
A communication apparatus in a wireless power transmission system includes an operating mode converter configured to switch an operating mode of the communication apparatus between a transmitting mode and a receiving mode according to a predetermined timing; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit state information of a channel occupied by a source including the communication apparatus using a continuous wave signal while the communication apparatus is operating in the transmitting mode irrespective of whether the communication apparatus is performing communication via the occupied channel. The source including the communication apparatus is configured to transmit wireless power. The occupied channel has been assigned to the source including the communication apparatus from a plurality of channels available in a communication cell for assignment to a plurality of sources each configured to transmit wireless power.
US09736847B2
It is provided a method, comprising assigning a first direct resource of a radio interface to a first vehicle-to-vehicle service based on a resource information received from a base station in a cellular mode via a cellular resource of the radio interface, wherein, in the resource information, the first direct resource and the first vehicle-to-vehicle service are indicated as being correlated, and the first vehicle-to-vehicle service is to be used or to be provided by at least a first one of one or more vehicle devices, and wherein, in the cellular mode, a communication of an apparatus performing the method with each of the one or more vehicle devices different from the apparatus is performed via the base station; performing the first vehicle-to-vehicle service via the first direct resource in a vehicle-to-vehicle mode, wherein, in the vehicle-to-vehicle mode, the communication of the apparatus with each of the one or more vehicle devices is performed directly with the respective vehicle device and does not involve the base station.
US09736845B1
Over the air signaling of dynamic frequency selection operating parameters to client devices is disclosed. In an embodiment, a multi-channel master device determines a maximum range value of a radar detection umbrella associated with the multi-channel master device based on a first range representing a range at which the multi-channel master device detects a first radar transmission transmitted by a radar device at a defined transmission power; determines a compliance range value based on a second range representing a range at which the multi-channel master device detects a second radar transmission transmitted by the radar device at a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) compliance threshold transmission power; and determines a margin range value based on a third range representing a range at which the multi-channel master device detects a third radar transmission transmitted by the radar device at a transmission power that is lower than the dynamic frequency selection compliance threshold transmission power.
US09736842B2
[Object] To utilize the extension band in the band-filling efficiently.[Solution] There is provided a communication control apparatus including: a communication control unit that controls radio communication performed by one or more terminal apparatuses on a component carrier having a basic bandwidth. The communication control unit sets an extension band to be added to the component carrier only to an excess frequency band either on an upper side or a lower side of the component carrier.
US09736830B2
Systems and methods relating to the use of a Transport Block Size (TBS) table that supports 256 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) in a cellular communications network are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wireless device determines a TBS for a downlink transmission from a radio access node to the wireless device using a TBS table that supports both a first set of modulation schemes and 256QAM. The TBS table comprises a first set of rows from a preexisting TBS table that supports the first set of modulation schemes but not 256QAM and a second set of rows added to the preexisting TBS table to provide the TBS table, where the second set of rows substantially reuse TBS values from the first set of rows. The wireless device receives the downlink transmission from the radio access node according to the Downlink Control Information (DCI) and the TBS determined for the downlink transmission.
US09736827B2
A picocell base station (PeNB) uses a downlink control channel, the frequency band of which overlaps with the frequency band of the downlink control channel used by a macrocell base station (MeNB), to transmit downlink control information for controlling radio communication with a radio terminal (PUE) connected to the picocell base station (PeNB). The picocell base station (PeNB) comprises an X2 interface communication unit (140) which uses inter-base station communication to transmit to the macrocell base station (MeNB) usage control information for controlling the control channel usage that is the usage of a radio resource used as the downlink control channel by the macrocell base station (MeNB).
US09736820B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for transmitting uplink control information and to an apparatus for the same. The present invention relates to a method and to a device for said method which comprises the steps of selecting one uplink control channel resource corresponding to a plurality of HARQ-ACKs from among a plurality of uplink control channel resources, and transmitting a bit value corresponding to the plurality of HARQ-ACKs by using the selected uplink control channel resource.
US09736819B2
The present invention relates to a relay node device for receiving control information from a base station and a method therefor. The relay node device according to the present invention comprises: a receiver, which receives information about an area where a relay-physical downlink control channel (R-PDCCH), the channel for transmitting control information for the relay node from a base station, is allocated; a processor, which searches for at least one R-PDCCH for the relay node based on the R-PDCCH allocation information received; and an R-PDCCH receiver, which receives the at least one R-PDCCH from the fourth symbol of the first slot in a downlink backhaul subframe of the area where the at least one R-PDCCH searched for by the processor has been allocated.
US09736818B2
A method and apparatus are provided for reporting a buffer status to a Node B, by a User Equipment (UE), in a mobile communication system. The method includes checking if a resource for data to be transmitted to the Node B is available, when there is a buffer status report triggered to be transmitted to the Node B; transmitting the buffer status report by using the available resource, if the resource is available; and transmitting a scheduling request to the Node B, if the resource has not been allocated for a predetermined time after the buffer status report is triggered.
US09736816B2
Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to determine rank, offset, or inter-stream interference control information, for example, which may be associated with uplink MIMO operations. A method to control a WTRU may include receiving a special E-RNTI that is associated with a channel. The channel may be associated with a rank indication. The channel may be an E-AGCH-like channel. The channel may have a similar encoding structure as an E-AGCH. The channel may be an E-ROCH. The channel may be received, and it may be determined that the channel is associated with the special E-RNTI. At least one of a rank or an offset may be determined, and the WTRU may be configured with the determined rank or offset. An inter-stream interference (ISI) offset may be received, for example, via RRC signaling, and may be applied to an uplink transmission of a primary stream.
US09736811B1
A customized paging area is created for a wireless device comprising a first access node and at least one second access node proximate to the first access node. A unique identifier is associated with the determined first access node and the determined at least one second access node of the customized paging area. When the wireless device communicates with a third access node which is not associated with the unique identifier, a second customized paging area is created for the wireless device comprising a third access node and at least one fourth access node proximate to the third access node. A second unique identifier is associated with the determined third access node and the determined at least one fourth access node of the customized paging area.
US09736809B2
The invention is directed to determining a position of a mobile device. An exemplary method comprises scanning a wireless signal associated with the mobile device; measuring a signal strength associated with the wireless signal; determining a timestamp associated with the measurement; and determining a position of the mobile device based on the signal strength measurement and the timestamp. The present invention is useful for both positioning a user of the mobile device and for locating an access point.
US09736801B1
The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for synchronizing devices in a wireless data communication system. A wireless transceiver device of the wireless data communication system transmits a beacon at various intervals that includes both a timestamp indicating a current time and date of the transmitting wireless transceiver device, and a time quality indication indicating a quality of the time source of the transmitting wireless transceiver device. A wireless transceiver device receiving the beacon evaluates the time quality indication included in the beacon. If the time quality indication included in the beacon indicates the transmitting wireless transceiver device has a higher quality time source than the receiving wireless transceiver device, then the receiving wireless transceiver device adjusts its clock based on the timestamp in the beacon, otherwise the receiving wireless transceiver device need not adjust its clock based on the timestamp in the beacon.
US09736794B1
The techniques described herein manage the transmission of reference signals on associated antennas of a cell site based on network conditions (e.g., the load of user data being transmitted via down-link (DL) transmissions). A reference signal includes control channel information that mobile devices are able to use to identify a particular cell and/or determine whether the particular cell is suitable for “camping” or “idling”. The techniques are configured to dynamically activate and/or de-activate various ones of multiple antennas, so that an inactive antenna does not broadcast reference signals. Rather, the techniques described herein configure a subset (e.g., one antenna) of a larger set of antennas (e.g., two antennas or four antennas) of a cell site to transmit reference signals so that the likelihood of control channel interference between neighboring cell sites is reduced.
US09736793B2
In a radio communication system using a channel divided into a plurality of timeslots, a data signal and a first control signal are transmitted during one or more first time slots of the plurality of time slots. The first control signal comprising pilot bits and power control commands. A second control signal is transmitted during one or more second time slots of the plurality of time slots. The second control signal comprises pilot bits and power control commands such that a ratio of pilot bits to power control commands in the second control signal is lower than that of the first control signal.
US09736788B2
A method of conveying transmit power information from a first cell to a second cell is provided. The first cell prepares a data structure including a plurality of elements, each element corresponding to a respective downlink subframe in a radio frame associated with the first cell and its value corresponding a respective minimum transmit power reduction level promised by the first cell during the downlink subframe. The first cell then transmits the data structure to the second cell via a predefined interface. The second cell processes the data structure and schedules one or more user equipments in one or more downlink subframes of the radio frame in accordance with the data structure.
US09736787B2
A mobile station (MS) communicates in a plurality of subframes on a plurality of cells. The MS receives one or more PDSCHs in a plurality of downlink subframes on each of the plurality of cells. Further, the MS generates ACK/NACK for receptions of the one or more PDSCHs. The MS also selects one PUCCH resource from a plurality of PUCCH resources in an uplink subframe, in accordance with the ACK/NACK. In addition, the MS sets a transmit power for a PUCCH transmission on the selected PUCCH resource using a PUCCH format in accordance with at least one parameter. Furthermore, the MS transmits, with the set transmit power, information related to the ACK/NACK on the selected PUCCH resource. Also, the MS determines a value of the parameter in accordance with the number of cells where the one or more PDSCHs have been received in the plurality of downlink subframes.
US09736779B2
Mobile platform power management is an important problem especially for battery-powered small form factor platforms such as smartphones, tablets, wearable devices, and Internet of Things (IOT) devices. A new low-power wake-up radio (LP-WUR) listens to the wireless medium for a wake-up signal with, for example, below 50 uw power consumption. The LP-WUR allows the mobile platform to completely turn off the main wireless radios, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® (BT), Low-Energy Bluetooth® (BLE), and the like, and then selectively or opportunistically turn them on only when there is data to transmit or receive based on a wake-up signal.
US09736776B2
A power save method, an AP device and an STA device are provided. According to whether power save is allowed in a current TXOP and whether a station STA is newly added in an operation object identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP, the AP device respectively sets a TXOP power save indication of each frame, and when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame is power save allowed, the STA device determines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgment result for a doze condition. The adoption of the method and the device can expand the power save application range, and enhance the power save effect.
US09736774B2
An apparatus and method for a wireless device to receive data in an eco state is provided. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, upon determining that data is to be transmitted to the wireless device in the eco state, a network node operates to transmit a unicast notification message to the wireless device in order to inform the wireless device of the impending data transmission. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, in response to receiving the unicast notification message, the wireless device operates to receive the data in accordance with the unicast notification message. To this end, the wireless device might for example try to receive data for a time period following the unicast notification message. Meanwhile, the wireless device may remain in the eco state.
US09736772B2
A method and apparatus for controlling power of a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system are provided, in which a voltage comparator compares an operation voltage of a power control target of the BS with a minimum required voltage for the power control target, and a controller decreases the operation voltage of the power control target by a predefined level, if the operation voltage is higher than the minimum required voltage, and increases the operation voltage of the power control target by a predefined level, if the operation voltage is lower than the minimum required voltage.
US09736767B2
Systems and methods for transmitting location-specific information such as wireless network connectivity information are generally disclosed herein. One embodiment includes device configurations and techniques implemented to establish a secondary wireless network connection to exchange the location-specific information between a location-aware device and a location-unaware device. In other embodiments, the location-specific information exchanged via the secondary wireless network connection includes the transfer of the connectivity information, such as a Service Set Identifier (SSID) or network authentication information, from a primary network-aware device to establish a primary network connection at a primary network-unaware device.
US09736765B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe systems, devices, and methods for load balancing in a wireless communication network based on user equipment (UE) mobility. In embodiments, a UE may receive a plurality of cell reselection priority configurations designated for different levels of UE mobility. The UE may determine its mobility and select one of the cell reselection priority configurations based on the determined mobility. The UE may establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection, such as an RRC idle mode connection, on a carrier frequency and/or cell based on the selected cell reselection priority configuration. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.
US09736764B2
When a wireless communications module, such as a Bluetooth transceiver in a vehicle, is confronted with numerous devices that it can choose to connect to, one particular device of many is chosen by the Bluetooth transceiver by determining a connection priority for each available, connectible device. Priority can be determined by factors that change over time and for different users and different devices. Examples include time of day, day of the week, direction, who is driving a vehicle, where a vehicle is going, and where a vehicle has been. The importance of any given factor can be user-specified or programmed into the Bluetooth transceiver.
US09736763B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include configuring the device to monitor the presence of the OFDMA beacons and the quality of the OFDMA beacon receptions. The device may transmit the beacon reports that detail the sensed beacons from the beaconing device during an OFDMA beacon opportunity. In another aspect there is provided a method. The method may include configuring a dedicated beacon quality measurement agreement between two or more devices. Based on the agreement defining the beacon transmission and reception periodicity, one device transmits a beacon and the other devices in the agreement monitor the beacon. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09736753B2
A HEMS constituting a ZigBee network with at least one of equipment, comprises a processing unit processing an application to control the equipment, and a ZigBee control unit managing route information by each of the equipment according to a ZigBee protocol. The processing unit selects one of either a first mode or a second mode in accordance with the number of the equipment included in the ZigBee network, In the first mode, notification of the equipment to be controlled is sent from the processing unit to the ZigBee control unit, and the ZigBee control unit controls communication route to the equipment to be controlled. In the second mode, the processing unit decides the communication route to the equipment to be controlled, and notification of the communication route is sent from the processing unit to the ZigBee control unit.
US09736752B2
Methods and apparatus for routing messages between an end node and an access node via another access node are described. Physical layer identification information is used when identifying a remote, e.g., adjacent, access node as a message destination. Thus, when a connection identifier based on one or more physical layer identifiers is available to a wireless terminal, e.g., from one or more downlink signals received from a destination access node, the wireless terminal can use the connection identifier corresponding to the destination node to route a message via an access node with which it has an established uplink connection. Such connection identifier information can be used even when other addressing information, e.g., network layer address information, associated with the destination access node, may not be available to the wireless terminal.
US09736745B2
A method of operating a mobile terminal for network interworking is provided. The method includes receiving at the mobile terminal a first parameter from a first wireless communication network indicating a preference for offloading a new or current data flow to another network, the first parameter comprising a value within a first range. The method further comprises obtaining at the mobile terminal a random or pseudorandom value within a second range that at least partially overlaps the first range. The method further comprises determining whether to initiate or maintain at least one data flow between the mobile terminal and the first network or another network according to the first parameter and the random or pseudorandom value.
US09736744B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting an indication in a wireless communication system is provided. An eNodeB (eNB) of a first system transmits an indication, which indicates that handover of a user equipment (UE) from the eNB to a radio network controller (RNC) of a second system is a necessary handover, to the RNC. In addition, a method and apparatus for receiving an indication for inter-radio access technology (RAT) unnecessary handover in a wireless communication system is provided. An eNB of a first system transmits a request for measuring, by a UE, quality of signals from the first system, and information related to the inter-RAT unnecessary handover, and receives an indication for the inter-RAT unnecessary handover.
US09736732B2
The present disclosure describes a method for dynamically modifying allocated bandwidth of one or more applications running on a communication device. The method comprises obtaining information regarding one or more applications running on the device, the applications using a communication network of the device; receiving a user input for determining priority levels of the one or more applications; and dynamically distributing bandwidth of a communication network to the one or more applications running on the communication device based on the user input.
US09736728B1
Examples disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and software to manage communication paths in a communication network. In one example, a method of operating a mobility management entity to manage communication paths includes transferring a plurality of general packet radio service tunneling protocol (GTP) messages to a plurality of packet data network gateways, and identifying one or more response messages from the plurality of packet data network gateways. The method further includes determining transaction success information for each packet data network gateway in the plurality of packet data network gateways based on the one or more response messages, and altering communication path allocation based on the transaction success information.
US09736725B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for applying signaling of WLAN-3GPP interworking. The method includes receiving a first configuration of an interworking parameter by dedicated signalling, wherein the first configuration is not released when the UE enters idle mode. The method also includes receiving a second configuration of the interworking parameter by broadcast signalling when the UE is in idle mode, and overriding the first configuration with the second configuration.
US09736723B2
A method and system for communicating header compression layer control messages. Header compression control messages are generated by a header compression layer (302) and are sent through at least one link layer data packet by a link transport communications protocol layer (304) to a remote receiver (104). The link transport communications protocol layer (304) monitors receipt of link layer data packet acknowledgements that are received from the link transport communications protocol layer (304) of the remote receiver (104) for the at least one link layer data packet. The link transport communications protocol layer (304) determines successful transmission of the header compression control message and provides, to the header compression layer (302), an indication of successful header compression control message transmission.
US09736722B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed to provide small cell enhancement in a wireless communication system. The method includes connecting to more than one serving cell. The method further includes triggering a Buffer Status Report (BSR) or a Power Headroom Report (PHR). The method further includes transmitting a Medium Access Control (MAC) control element corresponding to the BSR or the PHR in a serving cell, wherein the serving cell depends on a trigger of the BSR or the PHR.
US09736720B2
A non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions which, when executed by one or more processors cause performance of operations, including: receiving feedback information related to a receipt of packets by a receiving device, the packets being transmitted by a source device, modifying the feedback information to obtain modified information related to the receipt of the packets by the receiving device, and transmitting, to the source device, the modified information related to the receipt of the packets by the receiving device.
US09736716B2
A personal wireless device is utilized to carry out measurements of one or more network-performance related metrics in response to a triggering event. The triggering event can be a message that is transmitted by a network element to the personal wireless device. The personal wireless device may be exemplified by a variety of personal devices such as, for example, a cellular phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The measurements may be used to derive network-performance related information such as cellular signal coverage areas, signal hole areas, and signal interference areas.
US09736715B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting reference signals in a relay communication system are provided. The method transmits reference signals via a type 2 relay node in a relay communication system and includes a base station (BS) allocating a plurality of antenna ports in a mutually exclusive manner so that the antenna port of the BS and the antenna port of a peripheral relay node do not overlap each other, the BS and relay node transmitting reference signals to a user equipment (UE) via the corresponding antenna ports that are mutually exclusively allocated and the BS receiving channel state information from the UE to obtain channel state information between the BS and the UE and channel state information between the relay node and the UE.
US09736713B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for wide bandwidth measurements. In some example embodiments, there is provided a method. The method may include receiving, at a user equipment, an indicator and a measurement bandwidth, wherein the indicator represents whether the user equipment is enabled to perform a wide bandwidth measurement, and wherein the received measurement bandwidth represents a maximum allowed measurement bandwidth; and performing, by the user equipment, the wide bandwidth measurement, when the received measurement bandwidth equals or exceeds a threshold and the indicator represents a request to the user equipment to perform the wide bandwidth measurement. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09736712B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for distributed small cell scanning. In some example embodiments, the method may include receiving, at a first user equipment, an indication to perform a distributed scan for one or more carrier frequencies with at least a second user equipment proximate to the first user equipment; performing, by the first user equipment in response to the received indication, the distributed scan by measuring a first carrier frequency during a first time period; and sending a measurement report of the first carrier frequency, when detected by the first user equipment. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
US09736709B2
A receiver includes an analog receiver and a digital processor. The analog receiver has an input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, and an output for providing a digital intermediate frequency signal. The digital processor has an input for receiving the digital intermediate frequency signal, and an output for providing digital symbols. The digital processor measures peak-to-peak frequency deviation of the digital intermediate frequency signal, and performs a digital signal processing function on the digital intermediate frequency signal to provide the digital symbols based on the peak-to-peak frequency deviation so measured.
US09736684B2
Mechanisms for detection of and recovery from ciphering parameter mismatch on communication networks
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for detecting mismatch of ciphering parameters, such as Count-C, in a wireless device and recovery therefrom. The methods and apparatus for detection include examining a predefined ciphered field, such as a Length Indicator field, in one or more received Radio Link Control (RLC) Protocol Data Units (PDUs). Next, a determination of when the field is invalid over a predetermined sample number of PDUs is performed. Mismatch of ciphering parameters can then be determined when a predetermined number of samples of the field detected as invalid exceed a predetermined threshold. Additionally, recovery of PDUs after mismatch detections is disclosed using a range of Hyper-Frame Numbers (HFNs) to decipher buffered PDUs, and then check which of the HFNs eliminate the parameter mismatch by again determining if parameter mismatch occurs using the methods and apparatus for detection.
US09736679B2
A vehicle computer has a vehicle display and a vehicle input device, and a mobile telephone has a mobile telephone display and a mobile telephone input device. A method for controlling the vehicle computer using the mobile telephone has the following steps: an application is run on the mobile telephone; a control command for the vehicle is entered into the application by a user using the mobile telephone input device; a software library, which can be used by multiple applications, is operated by the application; the mobile telephone is connected to the vehicle computer via a local network connection using the software library, a software interface for the software library being implemented in the vehicle computer; the control command is transmitted to the software interface; and the control command is carried out by the vehicle computer.
US09736678B2
Disclosed herein are various techniques for preventing or at least partially securing parameters—e.g., Type parameters—of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) stored within an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) from being inappropriately modified by mobile network operators (MNOs). One embodiment sets forth a technique that involves modifying file access properties of the Type parameters of eSIMs to make the Type parameters readable, but not updatable by the MNOs. Another embodiment sets forth a technique that involves implementing eSIM logical containers that separate the Type parameters from the eSIM data within the eUICC, such that the Type parameters are inaccessible to the MNOs. Yet another embodiment sets forth a technique that involves implementing an Operating System (OS)-based registry that is inaccessible to the MNOs and manages Type parameters for the eSIMs that are stored by the eUICC.
US09736673B2
Techniques are disclosed enabling a wireless device to associate other wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device as belonging to a specific individuals or groups recognized by the wireless device. In one embodiment, a first set of data including an identifier broadcast from the other wireless device in proximity to the wireless device is received by the wireless device. The wireless device identifies a user in a set of event data available on the wireless device. The wireless device evaluates the set of event data and the identifier to correlate the identifier of the other wireless device with the user. Upon determining that the identifier from the other wireless device has an association with the user identified in the set of event data, the wireless device assigns a display label to represent the other wireless device on the wireless device.
US09736666B2
Communications equipment associated with a calling party in a telecommunications network has a telephony function for handling telephone calls and a data communication application for handling data communication sessions. The telephony function and the data communication application have an associated first and second user interface respectively. A called party identifier is collected via the second user interface in response to user input at the communications equipment. A telephone call is set up between the calling party and the called party using the telephony function on the basis of the collected called party identifier. Data communication session setup information, comprising information identifying the called party, is transmitted on the basis of the collected called party identifier. The data communication session setup information is for establishing a data communication session separate from the telephone call for the communication of data between the calling party and the called party.
US09736656B1
A method of verifying the status of a unique mobile device identifier associated with an established user account. The method including: receiving one or more data transmissions comprising at least one unique mobile device identifier; storing the at least one mobile device identifier as a current mobile device identifier in one or more databases; determining if validating data corresponding to the vehicle user account has been modified before storing the current mobile device identifier and after storing a previously-provided mobile device identifier; determining if the time difference between storing the current mobile device identifier and storing the previous mobile device identifier is greater than or equal to a predetermined time duration; determining if one or more vehicle registration records indicate a records modification before storing the current mobile device identifier and after storing the previously-provided mobile device identifier; in certain instances, modifying the status of the current mobile device identifier.
US09736651B2
An approach is provided for location-based TCP throughput predictions and carrier-assisted video rate adaptation, including predicting a future location of a user device based on one or more location parameters associated with the device, a user of the device, or a combination thereof, predicting a transmission control protocol (TCP) throughput for at least one segment of a multimedia file based on the future location of the device, and transmitting the at least one segment based on the predicted TCP throughput.
US09736648B2
The present invention relates to a method for measuring a location of a user equipment in a wireless access system for supporting carrier aggregation/multiple cells and an apparatus therefor. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: enabling the user equipment to receive information on Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) transmission bandwidths of a reference cell and a neighboring cell, enabling the user equipment to reconfigure an operating channel bandwidth of a Radio Frequency (RF) unit when one of the PRS transmission bandwidth of the reference cell and the PRS transmission bandwidth of the neighboring cell belongs to an inactive secondary cell, enabling the user equipment to receive the PRS from the reference cell and the neighboring cell, and enabling the user equipment to measure a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) by using the PRS of the reference cell and the PRS of the neighboring cell.
US09736645B2
A distance between a mobile device of a user and each of a number of other devices is determined. The other devices can include mobile devices of other users associated with the user and stationary devices associated with the user. Current values of sensors can be received; each sensor corresponds to one of the other devices. A current situation of the user is determined based on the distances between the mobile device and the other devices and on the current values of the sensors. An action is performed based on the current situation. The action can include selecting and displaying an advertisement appropriate to the current situation, and posting a social networking service post corresponding to the current situation on a social networking service.
US09736641B2
Example methods and apparatuses for managing polling in devices implementing proximity services are presented. For instance, an example method of polling management in a ProSe system is presented, which includes receiving, at a network entity, a polling message from a first UE. In addition, the example method may also include receiving, at the network entity and after receiving the polling message, one or both of a first location report associated with the first UE and a second location report associated with a second UE. Furthermore, the example method may include determining whether to generate a polling response message upon receiving one or both of the first location report and the second location report, wherein the polling response message includes a next polling time for the first UE that is based on a location reporting schedule associated with one or both of the first UE and the second UE.
US09736629B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting a message through a terminal in a wireless communication system. The terminal receives positioning reference signals (PRS) from a reference cell and at least one of the neighbor cells, receives an auxiliary data provision message including a reference cell PRS muting sequence for indicating a muting pattern of the PRS transmitted through the reference cell and a neighbor cell PRS muting sequence for indicating the muting pattern of the PRS transmitted through at least one of the neighbor cells from an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC), and transmits a reference signal time difference (RSTD) measured on the basis of the PRS received from the reference cell and the at least one of the neighbor cells to the E-SMLC.
US09736625B1
Methods and apparatuses for wireless communication between medical devices are provided. In some embodiments, commodity low power, low bandwidth communication protocols may be utilized to simultaneously convey multiple signals with high fidelity and reliability. For example, cardiac sound data and ECG data may be compressed using a common ADPCM component and inserted into a common BLE packet structure. Command-control data may also be inserted. Where required command-control data reporting frequency is less than the packet frequency, header bits may be utilized to convey multiple types of command-control data in a given packet byte position. Rolling packet sequence values may be inserted into the common packet structure, for use by receiving devices to identify link integrity failures.
US09736618B1
A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.
US09736610B2
An example playback device (i) provides a center channel of audio content to one or more first audio drivers and one or more second audio drivers so that the center channel is reproduced according to a first radiation pattern and (ii) provides a side channel of audio content to the one or more first audio drivers so that the side channel is reproduced according to a second radiation pattern. The first and second radiation patterns may combine to form a response lobe that has a maximum between the respective maxima of the first and second radiation patterns. An example non-transitory computer-readable medium and an example method, both related to the example playback device, are also disclosed herein.
US09736609B2
In general, techniques are described for determining renderers used for rendering spherical harmonic coefficients to generate one or more loudspeaker signals. A device comprising one or more processors may perform the techniques. The one or more processors may be configured to determine a local speaker geometry of one or more speakers used for playback of spherical harmonic coefficients representative of a sound field, and configure the device to operate based on the local speaker geometry.
US09736606B2
In general, techniques are described for audio editing of higher-order ambisonic audio data. A device comprising a memory and one or more processors may be configured to perform the techniques. The memory may be configured to store a higher order ambisonic (HOA) representation of the audio object. The one or more processors may be configured to add a source tail to the HOA representation of the audio object by storing one or more spherical harmonic (SH) basis functions associated with the audio object to a buffer.
US09736593B1
An electro-acoustic transducer includes a base and a plurality of vibration portions. Each of the vibration portions includes a piezoelectric transduction layer and has two connection ends and a free end. The connection portions are connected to the base, and the free ends are separated from one another. The piezoelectric transduction layers are adapted to receive electrical signals to deform, such that the vibration portions are driven to vibrate and generate corresponding acoustic waves. The vibration portions are adapted to receive acoustic waves to vibrate, such that the piezoelectric transduction layers are driven to deform and generate corresponding electrical signals.
US09736587B2
Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable headphone users to he hear audible announcements of relevance to the user. In the various embodiments, a user device, such as headphones, may receive an announcement, determine whether the announcement is of interest to the user, and pause the current audio output by the headphones and enable the user to hear the announcement. In an embodiment, an announcement system may transmit announcements audibly and via a wireless channel, for example via broadcast and/or multicast transmission, to enable user devices to receive announcements and play relevant announcements via the headphones. In another embodiment, an announcement system may embedded announcement identifiers within audible announcements to enable a user device to identify announcements of interest. In another embodiment, a user device may filter received audio to identify announcements of interest to the user based on recognized subject matter within the received audio.
US09736582B2
An audio amplifier and a warning sound amplifier are connected in parallel to each other, relative to a voice coil of a loudspeaker. A resistor having an impedance greater than an impedance of the voice coil is connected to the voice coil and is also connected to the warning sound amplifier. An audio signal from the warning sound amplifier is input to the voice coil via the resistor. Thus, since the warning sound amplifier is connected to the resistor having the impedance greater than the impedance of the voice coil of the loudspeaker, even in a case where only the audio amplifier is operated, a large current is prevented from flowing into the warning sound amplifier.
US09736581B2
A nonlinear control system and a loudspeaker protection system. In particular, a nonlinear control system including a controller, an audio system, and a model is disclosed. The controller is configured to accept one or more input signals, and one or more estimated states produced by the model to produce one or more control signals. The audio system includes one or more transducers configured to accept the control signals to produce a rendered audio stream therefrom. An active loudspeaker with an integrated amplifier is disclosed. A loudspeaker protection system and a quality control system are disclosed. More particularly, a system for clamping the input to a loudspeaker dependent upon a bank of representative models is disclosed.
US09736579B2
Systems and techniques are provided for a multichannel waveform synthesis engine. A phase counter module counts to a value corresponding to a number of phases available, outputs a phase counter value indicating a current phase, and resets the phase counter value when the phase counter value reaches a phase counter reset value. Several channels each output a waveform. Each channel includes a phase module that receives the phase counter value output from the phase counter module, and activates an activation signal when the phase counter value indicates a phase assigned to the channel from the number of phases available. Each channel includes a pulse width module that receives the activation signal, and when the activation signal is activated, activates a waveform for a period of time indicated by a pulse width assigned to the channel, and deactivates the waveform after the period of time indicated by the pulse width assigned to the channel.
US09736577B2
A speaker array apparatus includes an apparatus housing having a disposition plane, and a speaker array which includes a plurality of speakers disposed at least in a vertical direction on the disposition plane of the apparatus housing that is opposite to a listening position. The speaker array apparatus receives and distributes a sound signal input from an outside to all of or a part of the speakers of the speaker array, and outputs the distributed sound signal as a sound beam by controlling an output timing of each sound output from the all or part of the speakers. Each speaker of the speaker array has an appropriate output direction in an elevation angle, the appropriate output direction indicating a direction having largest sound pressure in a sound pressure distribution when the sound is output from the speaker.
US09736573B2
The present disclosure provides a sound system. The sound system includes a box body and a loudspeaker arranged in the box body. An internal space of the box body is partitioned into a first chamber and a second chamber by a partition board in a sounding vibration direction of the loudspeaker. A vibration side of the loudspeaker is intercommunicated with the first chamber, and a side of the loudspeaker opposite to the vibration side is intercommunicated with the second chamber. At least one of the first chamber and the second chamber is intercommunicated with the outside.
US09736572B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for acoustic optimization. An example playback device includes a first transducer to at least one of output sound waves and receive sound waves, a second transducer to at least one of output sound waves and receive sound waves, and an acoustic grille positioned in relation to the first transducer, where the acoustic grille is to reflect sound waves received at a first angle of incidence.
US09736571B2
A headphone suspension system includes a headband assembly, a first earcup and a first suspension assembly elastically coupling the first earcup to a first end of the headband assembly. The headphone suspension system further includes a second earcup and a second suspension assembly elastically coupling the second earcup to a second end of the headband assembly.
US09736566B2
An earphone line control device includes a power supply management unit, a filter unit, a switching circuit and a control unit. The switching circuit includes a switch in series with a resistance, a first end of the power supply management unit and an end of the filter unit are both connected to a power supply, a second end of the power supply management unit is connected to a first end of the control unit, the other end of the filter unit is connected to a second end of the control unit, a third end of the power supply management unit is connected to ground, a third end of the control unit is connected to ground, an end of the resistance is connected to the power supply, the other end of the resistance is in series with an end of the switch and connected to a fifth end of the control unit, and the other end of the switch is connected to a forth end of the control unit. When the switch is turned off, the control unit outputs a preset coded pulse signal.
US09736565B2
A protection assembly for an ear-mounted sound-output device, the assembly comprising: one pair of sound-output unit covers, each cover having an inner space formed therein and a first open end to allow a sound-output unit of the ear-mounted sound-output device to be received in the inner space, and a coupling hole defined at a second closed end of the cover, wherein the first and second ends are opposite to each other; and one pair of connection lines, each line coupled to each of one pair of the ear-mounted sound-output unit covers at the second end of the cover, each line having a first end passing through the hole, each line having a stopper received in the inner space at the first of the line, each line having a loop at a second end of the line to allow a sound-transfer cable connected the sound-output unit to slidably pass through the loop.
US09736559B2
A mini-optical line termination (OLT) includes at least one management card for providing control and management functions. A plurality of network cards having a predetermined number of ports are configured to support a predetermined number of subscribers by providing a gigabit passive optical network to the subscribers. At least one network device is coupled to an upstream device and the plurality of network cards. The at least one network device is configured to control the forwarding of data between the upstream device and the subscribers.
US09736558B2
The embodiments disclosed herein provide fast recovery of a network signal path by, in the event of a failure or unacceptable degradation in a signal in the original network path, diverting the optical signal passing through the network to a preselected bypass optical path which is maintained in a warm or operational state. The optical elements on the bypass optical path are available network resources which may, during part or all of the time the bypass path is designated for a node in the primary optical path, be in use to transmit other optical signals in the network. By maintaining the resources in the designated bypass path in a warm or operating state, fast rerouting and recovery of an interrupted signal is possible.
US09736556B2
In general, techniques are described for automatically configuring fiber cross-connects between customers of an interconnection facility. In some examples, a programmable network platform for an interconnection facility exposes an interface by which customers of the interconnection system provider may request fiber cross-connects to other customers of the interconnection system provider. The programmable network platform may, in response to a request for a fiber cross-connect, configure an optical switch fabric of the interconnection facility network infrastructure to create a fiber cross-connect between the demarcation points for the customers to be interconnected.
US09736539B2
Techniques for delivering video content are provided. A video distribution service maintains associations of viewer devices that have portions of specific items of video content. As new viewer devices, which lack the specific video content, make requests for the specific items of video content from the video distribution system, the video distribution system identifies a viewer device from which a portion of the item of video content may be acquired. Viewer devices having the requested content are identified by comparing distances between the locations of the requestor device and the other viewer devices of the plurality of viewers to a distance threshold. The first portion of a first item of video content is obtained from a source viewer device and a second portion of the first item of video content is obtained from the video distribution system. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09736538B2
Examples of systems are described herein in which an item of content may be delivered to multiple devices within a group of devices at the same time while reducing bandwidth consumption. Such systems may also allow for attractive pricing and features that may encourage more users to consume the item of content.
US09736535B2
A set-top box apparatus includes at least one input module to receive one or more media content streams, at least one memory device, an Ethernet port, at least one wireless transceiver to access a communications network to enable communication with at least one external media player device, an HDMI connector to provide a communication path to a multimedia presentation device, wherein the set-top box apparatus is configured to process at least one of the received one or more media content streams from the at least one input module into multimedia data, to send the one or more received media content streams to the at least one memory device to be stored, and to convey the multimedia data on the communication path to the multimedia presentation device.
US09736525B2
A content access device and system may allow portable remote devices to be paired with a variety of different devices, allowing remote control through a network connection. Content access devices may expose application program interfaces, allowing incoming network traffic to control operation of the device much in the same way that a local infrared remote would. Routing content commands through an external application server may also yield other benefits, such as allowing more customized selection of information and advertising content to users based on their viewing history.
US09736519B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining identified impressions that are detected from consumption data collected from a group of media processors where the identified impressions represent viewing of selected content and where the consumption data indicates channel tuning events at the group of media processors including changing of channels, applying a ridge regression analysis to the identified impressions to determine a predicted number of target impressions per advertisement slot, and generating a media plan based on a ratio of an advertisement slot cost to the predicted number of target impressions per advertisement slot. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09736510B2
Disclosed are methods, circuits, devices, systems and associated computer executable code for transmitting video data to a client device, optionally over a wireless communication link. According to some embodiments, a video pacing agent may be integrated or otherwise functionally associated with a segment of a communication network and may regulate and/or pace video data delivery to a client device, wherein regulating and pacing may factor an estimation of a state or fullness level of a receive buffer on the client device.
US09736507B2
The present invention relates to a broadcast signal transmission/reception method and an apparatus therefor for providing a HDR broadcast service. The broadcast signal transmission method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: generating LDR video data by converting the dynamic range of HDR video data; generating residual information; generating a base layer stream by encoding the generated LDR video data; generating an enhancement layer stream by encoding the generated residual information; generating signaling information including information for decoding the enhancement layer stream; multiplexing the generated base layer stream, the enhancement layer stream and the signaling information into one broadcast stream; generating a broadcast signal including the multiplexed broadcast stream; and transmitting the generated broadcast signal.
US09736505B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device having a controller programmed to detect an object within a first portion of a first occurrence of a repetitive portion of a media program. The object is modified, resulting in an updated object, and another portion of the first occurrence of the repetitive portion is left unmodified. The object is detected within a first portion of a subsequent instance of the repetitive portion of the media program and modified differently from the first, while maintaining other portions of the subsequent instance of the repetitive portion unmodified. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09736500B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for spatially varying residue coding. An apparatus includes a video encoder (300) for encoding picture data for at least a block in a picture by selecting a spatially varying encoding method for a residue corresponding to a difference between an original version of the block and at least one reference block. One or more transforms are used to transform a portion of the block and a remaining area of the block is encoded using an alternate encoding method with respect to the one or more transforms or is not encoded.
US09736499B2
Provided are a method and apparatus of encoding a video by compensating for a pixel value and a method and apparatus of decoding a video by compensating for a pixel value. The method of encoding the video includes: encoding image data; decoding the encoded image data and generating a restored image by performing loop filtering on the decoded image data; determining a compensation value corresponding to errors between a predetermined group restored pixels in the restored image and corresponding original pixels, and a pixel group including a restored pixel to be compensated for by using the compensation value; and encoding the compensation value and transmitting the encoded compensation value and a bitstream of the encoded image data.
US09736498B2
A method and apparatus for three-dimensional video coding and multi-view video coding are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention derive a unified disparity vector (DV) based on neighboring blocks of the current block or depth information associated with the current block and locate a single corresponding block in a reference view according to the unified DV. An inter-view motion vector prediction (MVP) candidate is then derived for both list0 and list1 from the single corresponding block. List0 and list1 MVs of the inter-view MVP candidate are derived from the single corresponding block located according to the unified DV.
US09736495B2
Disclosed is a method of decoding a plurality of coding units from a bitstream of video data. The method determines a coding unit structure of the plurality of coding units from a first data block of the bitstream. The coding unit structure describes a division of a coding unit into the plurality of coding units. The method decodes, according to the determined coding unit structure, bypass encoded data for the plurality of coding units from a second data block of the bitstream. The method decodes, according to the determined coding unit structure, residual data for the plurality of coding units from a third data block of the bitstream. The method then forms the plurality of coding units from the bitstream using the residual data and the bypass encoded data. A method of encoding is also disclosed.
US09736493B2
Block-based motion estimation of video compression estimates the direction and magnitude of motion of objects in the scene in a computationally efficient manner and accurately predicts the optimal search direction/neighborhood location for motion vectors. A system can include a motion detection module that detects apparent motion in the scene, a motion direction and magnitude prediction module that estimates the direction and magnitude of motion of the objects detected to be in motion by the motion detection module, and a block-based motion estimation module that performs searches in reduced neighborhoods of the target block according to the estimated motion by the motion direction and magnitude prediction module and only for the blocks determined to be in motion by the motion detection module. The Invention is particularly well suited for stationary traffic cameras that monitor roads and highways for traffic law enforcement purposes.
US09736484B2
The present invention discloses an encoding apparatus using a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) scanning, which includes a mode selection means for selecting an optimal mode for intra prediction; an intra prediction means for performing intra prediction onto video inputted based on the mode selected in the mode selection means; a DCT and quantization means for performing DCT and quantization onto residual coefficients of a block outputted from the intra prediction means; and an entropy encoding means for performing entropy encoding onto DCT coefficients acquired from the DCT and quantization by using a scanning mode decided based on pixel similarity of the residual coefficients.
US09736482B2
The present invention relates to a video encoding method, to a video decoding method, and to an apparatus using same. The video encoding method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: setting a tile and a slice for the inputted current picture; performing encoding based on the tile and the slice; and a step of transmitting the encoded video information. The current picture may include one or more tiles and one or more slices. The largest coding units (hereinafter, referred to as LCUs) in the slice may be arranged based on a tile scan.
US09736480B2
Disclosed is an adaptive transform method based on an in-screen prediction, and an apparatus using the method. A method for encoding an image can comprise a step of determining in-screen prediction mode groups, and a step of transforming by using a different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group. As a result, transforming can be performed by applying the different transform method according to the in-screen prediction mode group.
US09736476B2
Techniques of this disclosure provide an indication of whether performing random access from a particular access unit in a bitstream requires fetching of parameter sets from previous access units. A clean random access (CRA) picture can be positioned at any point within a coded video sequence and does not clean a decoded picture buffer (DPB) of a video decoder. In order to perform random access decoding from the CRA picture, a video decoder may need to fetch one or more parameter sets included in unavailable access units that precede the CRA picture. The techniques provide an indication, for each CRA picture, that indicates whether parameter sets included in previous access units are needed to perform random access from the picture. When no parameter sets from previous access units are needed for random access from a particular CRA picture, a video decoder may determine to perform random access from that picture.
US09736472B2
The embodiments relates to motion vector prediction and decoding for multi-view video content from multiple camera views (10, 20). At least one candidate motion vector predictor (54, 64) is provided for a current motion vector (34) to be encoded. A motion vector predictor is then determined from the at least one candidate motion vector predictor (54, 64) multiplied by a respective scaling factor determined based on baseline distances between camera views (10, 20). Correspondingly, during decoding a motion vector (34) is determined for a current pixel block (30) based on a motion vector predictor (determined for the current pixel block (30).
US09736469B2
Disclosure is directed to determining a condition of the television receiver and communicating information regarding that condition to end-points that are external to the television receiver. The television receiver may create a two-dimensional barcode with information regarding the receiver condition and output the two-dimensional barcode for display on a display device. Once displayed on the display device, the two-dimensional barcode may be scanned into a mobile device where the information regarding the receiver condition may be stored, processed and/or forwarded to another location or device.
US09736463B2
A device and method for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging using a defocusing technique is disclosed. The device comprises a lens, a central aperture located along an optical axis for projecting an entire image of a target object, at least one defocusing aperture located off of the optical axis, a sensor operable for capturing electromagnetic radiation transmitted from an object through the lens and the central aperture and the at least one defocusing aperture, and a processor communicatively connected with the sensor for processing the sensor information and producing a 3-D image of the object. Different optical filters can be used for the central aperture and the defocusing apertures respectively, whereby a background image produced by the central aperture can be easily distinguished from defocused images produced by the defocusing apertures.
US09736460B2
A processor of a distance measuring apparatus calculates a three-dimensional position of an object in the surroundings based on the first image, the second image and the amount of movement. The processor determines that calculated three-dimensional position is an error, when the displacement between a fourth position at which a third position set based on the calculated three-dimensional position of the object is projected on either one image of the first image and the second image and a position of the object in the one image is equal to or larger than a prescribed value. The processor makes the calculated three-dimensional position a distance measurement target when the calculated three-dimensional position is not determined as an error, and when determined as an error, excludes the calculated three-dimensional position from the distance measurement target.
US09736456B1
A method of converting two-dimensional image data to three-dimensional image data includes dividing the image data into blocks, performing motion estimation on the blocks to produce block-based motion vectors, applying a global motion analysis and a local motion analysis to the block-based motion vectors to generate motion-based depth, applying a global image model and a local image model to the block-based motion vectors to generate image-based depth, and generating a three-dimensional view by fusing the motion-based depth and the image-based depth. Other conversion methods are also included.
US09736453B2
An image processing apparatus and a camera module using the same are provided, the camera module comprises first and second sensor units each outputting left and right images, and an image processing unit configured to simultaneously encoding a depth image and a color image generated from the left and right images.
US09736452B2
A broadcast receiver and a method for processing video data are disclosed. The method for controlling a three dimensional (3D) video display output of a broadcast receiver includes receiving a broadcast signal including a video stream, wherein the video stream includes a plurality of video stream sections having different view points, acquiring view point information indicating corresponding view points of the video stream sections, and controlling a three dimensional (3D) video display output of the video stream according to the obtained view point information.
US09736438B2
Provided is an a imaging device that acquires a distance image excluding influence of background light in one frame scanning period and acquires a visible image in a separate frame from a single imaging sensor, and includes an infrared light source that emits infrared light, and a solid state imaging device including a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels, which respectively include vertical overflow drains, and are arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate, the plurality of first pixels converting the infrared light into signal charges, and the plurality of second pixels converting visible light into signal charges. The solid state imaging device outputs a first signal obtained from the plurality of first pixels in an irradiation period of infrared light, and a second signal obtained from the plurality of first pixels in a non-irradiation period of infrared light, in a first frame scanning period, and outputs a third signal obtained from the plurality of first pixels and a fourth signal obtained from the plurality of second pixels, in a second frame scanning period.
US09736436B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling each wideband tuner of a television converter device such as a set-top box to receive transponders from any satellite location and provide a unique feed per television converter device (e.g., per set-top box) input, giving each television converter device tuner its own set of six, eight or more transponders. The capacity of transponder stacking in the digital domain is extended to a system and method to make use of wideband tuner/demodulators. Each television converter device has a single wideband tuner/demodulator for six, eight or more transponders with each transponder being from any of all possible satellite locations. Bandwidth to each television converter device is thereby usefully increased.
US09736433B2
Systems and methods for detection of clear air turbulence are provided. One system includes an image capture device suitable to capture one or more images of an optical phenomenon caused by non-horizontally oriented ice crystals. The system also includes a computer processor configured to receive the one or more images from the image capture device, analyze the one or more images by comparing one or more characteristics of the one or more images to one or more threshold values, and determine based on the comparing, an occurrence of clear air turbulence.
US09736418B2
Arrangements for preparing a television channel for presentation are presented. A tuner of a television receiver may tune to a first television channel and the first television channel may be output for presentation. One or more idle tuners of the television receiver may be identified. One or more television channels other than the first television channel may be selected for preparation. The one or more television channels may be selected prior to receiving user input selecting a television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation. Each of the one or more television channels may be prepared for presentation by tuning, by each tuner of the one or more idle tuners, to the one or more television channels prior to receiving the user input selecting the television channel of the one or more television channels for presentation.
US09736415B2
When a received remote control signal does not satisfy any one of a plurality of conditions for a qualified remote control signal stored in a signal condition storage part, an electric device determines that the remote control signal is not a qualified remote control signal, and when the received remote control signal satisfies any one of the conditions, stores the remote control signal as a qualified remote control signal in a signal storage part. Next, when the received remote control signal matches the qualified remote control signal stored in the signal storage part, control is performed such that the electric device performs a predetermined operation. The conditions for the qualified remote control signal include, for example, that a pulse count is within a range of a predetermined number, and that a pulse width is within a range of a predetermined length.
US09736411B2
The invention concerns an image sensor comprising: at least one pixel having a photodiode (PD); a sensing node (SN) coupled to the photodiode via a transfer gate (104); and a further node (AN) coupled to the sensing node (SN) via a first transistor (112); and a control circuit (120) adapted: to apply, during a reset operation of the voltage levels at the sensing node (SN) and further node (AN), a first voltage level (VDD) to a control node of the first transistor (112); and to apply, during a transfer operation of charge from the photodiode (PD) to the sensing node (SN), a second voltage level (VSK) to the control node of the first transistor (112), the second voltage level being lower than the first voltage level and higher than a ground voltage of the pixel.
US09736404B2
Use of separate range tone mapping for combined images can help minimize loss of image information in scenes that have drastically different luminance values, i.e., scenes that have both bright and shadowed regions. Separate range tone mapping is particularly useful for combined images, such as those from spherical camera systems, which may have a higher probability of including luminance variability. The resulting increased bit depth of separate range tone mapping can make the transition between different images that make up a combined image more subtle. Each of a plurality of images that make up a combined image can use a different tone map that is optimized for the particular image data of the image. Multiple tone maps that are applied to overlapping regions of the plurality of images can subsequently be combined to expand the bit depth of the overlapping regions.
US09736400B1
A spectrometer includes a spectrogram, digital camera and signal processing to compensate for limits of system spatial resolution, spatial distortions and lack of precision spatial registration, limited dynamic range, The spectrogram is captured by a digital camera, and the corresponding image is converted to a wavelength and magnitude with mitigation of optical point spread function and potential magnitude clipping due to over-exposure. The clipped portions of the signal are reconstructed using tangential adjacent point spread functions as a reference or adjacent channel ratios as reference. Multichannel camera detectors having unique response magnitude ratios per wavelength are exploited to make associated direct mappings, thereby making improvements in wavelength resolution and accuracy to up to at least one to two orders of magnitude.
US09736398B2
Provided are methods of detecting X-rays, a photographing methods using the X-ray detecting method and/or an X-ray detector using the methods. For example, one method of detecting X-rays includes radiating a first X-ray, removing, by a first X-ray detection unit, a first electric charge generated by the radiated first X-ray, and outputting, by a second X-ray detection unit adjacent to the first X-ray detection unit, a voltage corresponding to the first X-ray.
US09736395B2
A method for obtaining a dynamic display layout on a display area having at least one sub-area defined thereon. The method having the steps of receiving video image data from a video data source; evaluating a rule associated with each sub-area as applied to a property of the received video image data or the video data source; if the evaluating results in acceptance of the video image data by one of the sub-areas, assigning the video image data to the one sub-area; otherwise, allocating an additional sub-area on the display area, and assigning the video image data to the additional sub-area. Additionally, each sub-area is allocated according to properties of the video image data assigned to it or of the video data source from which the respective video image data is received. A corresponding video processing system, a corresponding controller, and corresponding software are also disclosed.
US09736385B2
The invention is directed to determining compensation distance for capturing an image in a zoom mode using a camera. An exemplary method comprises determining the camera is in a non-zoom mode; receiving first depth information associated with an object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode; receiving first angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode; switching from the non-zoom mode to a zoom mode; receiving second angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the zoom mode; determining a compensation distance for capturing the image of the object in the zoom mode based on the first depth information, the first angle information, and the second angle information; and generate an image based on the compensated distance.
US09736371B2
The present invention is concerning to an image management system that communicates with a first communication terminal via a communication network, the image management system comprising: an image storage unit configured to store image data; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the first communication terminal, link information that includes image identification information for identifying the image data and includes predetermined-area information that indicates a predetermined area in the image data; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the first communication terminal, the image data that is indicated by the image identification information included in the link information received by the receiving unit and the predetermined-area information included in the link information.
US09736364B2
Camera capable of reducing motion blur in a low luminance environment and vehicle including the same
A camera and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. The camera includes a first camera, an image sensor to sense an image based on light acquired by the first camera, and a processor to control the exposure time of the image sensed by the image sensor to be changed based on a brightness level and a brightness distribution value of the image acquired by the image sensor. Consequently, it is possible to reduce motion blur in a low luminance environment.
US09736362B2
Multiple capture assist marks (markers for capture assistance) to be synthesized with video captured by a camera unit 10 is generated by an OSD unit 20 through the control of a control unit 100. These capture assist marks are synthesized with the video from the camera unit 10 by synthesis means and displayed. In this case, an operation unit 110 is used to accept input of an instruction about the capture assist mark from a user. Based on this instruction input, the control unit 100 controls the OSD unit 20 and a baseband processing unit 30 to synthesize the capture assist mark corresponding to the instruction with a video signal from the camera unit 10.
US09736361B2
Various approaches provide for detecting and recognizing text to enable a user to perform various functions or tasks. For example, a user could point a camera at an object with text, in order to capture an image of that object. The camera can be integrated with a portable computing device that is capable of taking the image and processing the image (or providing the image for processing) to recognize, identify, and/or isolate the text in order to send the image of the object as well as recognized text to an application, function, or system, such as an electronic marketplace.
US09736360B2
An operation burden in confirming a corresponding relationship between multiple still images and a traveled route is reduced. A survey data processing device includes a storing unit 106 and a UI controlling unit 105. The storing unit 105 stores survey data, in which image data of multiple still images that are photographed from a mobile body while flying is correlated with a flight route of the mobile body. The UI controlling unit 105 displays the flight route and at least one of the multiple still images on a screen. The displayed flight route and the displayed still image are displayed on the same screen at the same time in a condition in which a corresponding relationship between the flight route and the multiple still images is determined, and a moving direction of the mobile body that photographed the displayed still image is indicated in the displayed still image.
US09736356B2
A photographing apparatus includes: an image pickup section picking up an image of an object to acquire image data; a part judgment section judging a particular part of the object in the image shown based on the image data; a change-in-part judgment section judging change over time of the part of the object judged by the part judgment section; and a control section changing a photographing condition in accordance with a result of the judgment by the change-in-part judgment section, wherein the part judgment section judges a first part of the object in the image and a second part presumed from the first part; and the change-in-part judgment section judges change over time of the second part.
US09736354B2
A control apparatus includes a first processing unit configured to calculate correlation information between image signals, which are respectively output from one of the pixel portions positioned in one of a plurality of first regions, a focus detection unit configured to perform focus detection on the basis of a calculation result by the first processing unit, a second processing unit configured to calculate correlation information between image signals, which are respectively output from the one of the pixel portions positioned in one of a plurality of second regions, a distribution information calculation unit configured to calculate distribution information corresponding to an object distance on the basis of a calculation result by the second processing unit, and a control unit configured to control the second processing unit and the distribution information calculation unit on the basis of the correlation information calculated by the first processing unit.
US09736350B2
A control apparatus capable of controlling a plurality of apparatuses including at least one image output apparatus that outputs image data and at least one image input apparatus into which image data are input, includes: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain, from one of a first apparatus that serves as the image input apparatus among the plurality of apparatuses and a second apparatus that serves as the image output apparatus among the plurality of apparatuses and outputs image data input into the first apparatus, pair information identifying the first apparatus and the second apparatus; and a control unit configured to perform interlock control of the first apparatus and the second apparatus on the basis of the pair information.
US09736347B2
A camera module for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a first Printed Circuit Board (PCB) configured to have an image sensor mounted on its surface; a second PCB configured to supply a power source to the first PCB; an outer shield installed to surround the side of the first and the second PCBs and to shield the first and the second PCBs from electromagnetic interference (EMI); and a plurality of support units disposed at positions where the supports units interfere with the first and the second PCBs of the outer shield and configured to support the first and the second PCBs.
US09736344B2
The present invention relates to a 3D stereoscopic camera module, the module including an upper case, and left and right cameras arranged on the upper case, each formed at a pre-determined space apart, wherein the left and right cameras include at least three or more coils arranged at an inner surface of the upper case, a housing arranged inside the upper case and mounted therein with a lens, at least three or more magnets mounted at the housing to face the coils, and an image sensor converting an optical signal of an image captured by the lens to an electrical signal, whereby a convergence angle can be easily controlled and an excellent short-distanced 3D stereoscopic shooting can be realized.
US09736342B2
A visual inspection device includes a housing, a handle coupled to the housing that is grasped by a user while the device is in use, an articulating camera unit coupled to the housing, and a display unit coupled to the housing to display an image transmitted by the articulating camera unit.
US09736335B2
Image and video processing techniques are disclosed for processing components of a color space individually by determining limits for each component based on the relationship between each component in a color space. These limits may then be used to clip each component such that the component values are within the determined range for that component. In this manner, more efficient processing of images and/or video may be achieved.
US09736332B2
A method includes obtaining an image of a document against a background. A bounding box that bounds a region of the image that is distinguishable from the background is found. Coordinates of a plurality of points of the distinguishable region are found, each point being a point of the distinguishable region that is closest to each corner of the bounding box. The document is identified within the image as a region of the image whose corners are defined by the found coordinates.
US09736331B2
A method for identifying sections of contracts. This method works well with documents that originated from scanned images, i.e., documents that could possibly include noise and misleading cues.
US09736328B2
An image forming apparatus has a normal mode and an energy-saving mode. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of components, a power supply which stops supplying electric power to supply-stop parts in energy-saving mode, a monitor which makes the power supply restart supply of electric power to the supply-stop parts when a recovery factor to normal mode occurs (an interrupt signal occurs), an automatic recovery signal generator which inputs an automatic recovery signal, which is a kind of interrupt signal, to the monitor after completion of transition to energy-saving mode, and an arithmetic processor which, when an error occurs during the transition period, performs recovery preparation processing to have the automatic recovery signal input to the monitor after completion of transition to energy-saving mode.
US09736327B2
An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.
US09736325B2
An image recording apparatus, including a body including a path to convey a sheet from a feeder tray to an ejection tray; a conveyer unit to convey the sheet; a recording unit to record an image on the sheet; and a controller to control the conveyer unit and the recording unit, is provided. The controller is configured to execute a ejection request accepting process, in which the controller accepts a request for executing a sheet ejection job being a single job to eject the sheet without causing a recording action in the recording unit; and a sheet ejecting process, in which, after accepting the request for executing the sheet ejection job, the controller controls the conveyer unit to convey the sheet from the feeder tray to the ejection tray without causing the recording action in the recording unit.
US09736307B1
Modifications to the call acceptance process in a call handler allows determination of how to process a call before the call is answered. In one embodiment a call handler receives an incoming call notification message that include call related information, such as the calling and called telephone numbers. A call acceptance timer is started after the incoming call notification message is received. Prior to accepting the call, the call handler uses the call related information to ascertain an appropriate queue and an available agent in that queue. If an appropriate agent is available, the timer is stopped, the call is accepted, and the call is routed to the appropriate agent. If an agent is not available, then upon expiry of the timer, the call is accepted and an announcement may be played to the calling party, while awaiting for an agent to become available.
US09736302B2
A computer aided prioritization (CAP) system may receive, from the emergency event reporter device, an emergency event including a priority selected from a set of event priorities and a type of event selected from a set of event types associated with the selected event priority; determine, based on the emergency event and without querying the emergency event reporter device for additional information, whether the emergency event indicates a higher priority emergency event to be handled by a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system or a lower priority emergency event to be handled automatically by a computer aided event module (CAEM); and selectively route the emergency event report to at least one of the CAD system and the CAEM according to the determination.
US09736291B2
Systems and methods for pairing electronic devices are provided. In an example embodiment, first motion capture data corresponding to a physical user motion is received from a first device. Second motion capture data corresponding to the physical user motion is received from a second device. Features are extracted from the first motion capture data and the second motion capture data. An association between the first device and the second device is determined based on a comparison of the extracted features. In response to identifying the association between the first and second device, a communicative coupling between the first device and the second device is initiated.
US09736290B1
A companion device (e.g., smart phone) and an accessory device (e.g., wearable device) may be configured to communicate messages to each other to flexibly share information, such as emails, text messages, calendar notifications, and media library items. This communication may occur direction connection (e.g., Bluetooth) and when the devices are connected to a common Wi-Fi access point. When these direction and common infrastructure connections are not available, the devices may communicate messages between them using a cloud server. This cloud server message communication may advantageously enable the companion device and the accessory device to share messages even when they are physically distant from each other.
US09736284B2
A doorbell system can include a doorbell and a chime. The chime can emit a notification sound in response to a visitor pressing a button of the doorbell. Electrical switches can be electrically coupled between the doorbell and the chime to control the flow of electricity to the chime. In some embodiments, the switches prevent the chime from emitting notification sounds.
US09736283B2
An electronic device has a camera assembly disposed in a housing of the electronic device that includes a light source assembly having a primary purpose for illuminating a subject during an imaging operation. The light source assembly includes a light source and a light window. A light block can be applied to lateral surfaces of the light window to prevent light passing through the light window from propagating along an outer surface of the housing, or other components of the electronic device. In some embodiments, the light block can include multiple layers having various reflective and absorptive characteristics.
US09736269B2
A system communicates a client application and a web application and receives configuration data operable within the web application and the client application. The system distributes the configuration data to the client application and the web application. The distributed configuration data is then used to configure the client application and the web application.
US09736263B2
A method provides temporal caching in a content centric networking (CCN) network. The temporal caching is implemented by a CCN node. The method fetches and caches a group of content objects having a temporal relationship. The method includes selecting a first CCN interest packet including a first CCN name of a first content object from the group of content objects, adding an entry for the first CCN name to a correlation table, and selecting at least a second CCN interest packet including a second CCN name of a second content object from the group of content objects. The method further includes correlating the second CCN name with the first CCN name by determining a request sequence for the first content object and the second content object, and updating the entry to correlate the first CCN name with the second CCN name.
US09736262B2
The described embodiments electronically deliver content (e.g., digitally-encoded files) to an electronic device using groups of accounts. In the described embodiments, a content provider obtains a public address of the electronic device and at least one account identifier for the electronic device from a request for the content received from the electronic device. Next, the content provider uses the public address to identify a local caching server (LCS) on a local area network (LAN) to which the electronic device is connected and uses the account identifier to determine that an account associated with the LCS is associated with a group of accounts with which an account for the electronic device is also associated. The content provider then provides a local address of the LCS to the electronic device, which uses the local address to obtain the content from the LCS via the LAN without accessing a content delivery network outside the LAN.
US09736253B2
For an online community advocacy management platform, the techniques herein create “ghost profiles” of users not registered with the app/plug-in, but that are participating in the social media forum (an identification phase). In this manner, all participants may build their advocacy score regardless of the app/plug-in, which may be useful for the user if later deciding to participate officially, or else for the brand to continue to be able to monitor anonymous (yet uniquely identified) activity on an individual basis, and to identify, quantify, and foster the most valuable and influential advocates within the existing community.
US09736246B1
Features are disclosed for synchronizing information across various devices, and using the synchronized information during subsequent content interactions. Devices may receive and/or store information, such as cookies or other account-level information, in connection with content interactions, such as content page retrieval, application execution, and the like. Information that is not device-specific can be synchronized across multiple devices, thus providing access to the information on any of the devices regardless of which device originally received or stored the information.
US09736237B2
In a method performed by a host system with one or more processors, the host system sends a web page to a client system via a communications network. The host system receives inputs from the client system, via the communications network, that include user text inputs to the web page. The inputs are received prior to receiving from the client system, via the communications network, a user-initiated command that would require saving user inputs to the web page. The host system also periodically auto-saves a backup copy of at least some of the received user text inputs to the web page, prior to receiving the user-initiated command that would require saving user inputs to the web page.
US09736231B1
Examples of techniques for routing a representational state transfer (REST) request among a plurality of virtual processing systems are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method may include: receiving, at a load balancer, the REST request; assigning, by the load balancer, the REST request to one of a plurality of web servers, each of the plurality of web servers executing on a virtual processing system; routing, by the one of the plurality of web servers, the REST request to one of the plurality of virtual processing systems; and storing, by the one of the plurality of web servers, state information regarding the REST request to a data store.
US09736226B2
A rule distribution server, on the basis of event conditions, calculates the ID of a front-end network in which events matching the event conditions occur, and if all events matching each of the event conditions specified with an application rule occur at the same front-end network, the rule is registered with a processing server for the front-end network, and if the events do not occur, the rule is determined to be registered with a back-end processing server, whereupon, for rules registered in the back-end processing server, with a front-end processing server, at which events that match the event condition for each event condition occur, as a registration destination, a rule to transfer events matching the event condition to a back-end processing server is generated, and the application rule and the transfer rule are registered in the processing servers.
US09736205B2
A media share control apparatus, a media reproducing apparatus, and a method of providing a user interface for the media share thereof are disclosed herein. Herein, A media share control apparatus includes a network interface unit and a control unit. The network interface unit may receive a search message for searching a media service daemon from a media reproducing apparatus. The control unit configured to execute a receiver picker and a media service daemon. And, the executed media service daemon performs pairing between the media reproducing apparatus and the media share control apparatus in accordance with the received search message, wherein the executed media service daemon converts a media share message transmitted from the receiver picker in accordance with a web-based protocol pre-agreed upon with the paired media reproducing apparatus, and wherein the executed media service daemon transmits the converted media share message to the paired media reproducing apparatus.
US09736203B2
A system and method for virtual social colocation with dynamic participation and audience among users with defined relationships are disclosed. In one embodiment, bridging of digital content and audio and/or video streams originating from one of first end points and incoming audio and/or video streams from remaining first end points is enabled on the one of the first end points. Further, first integrated audio and/or video streams and a second integrated audio and/or video stream are created based on the digital content and the audio and/or video streams originating from the one of the first end points and the incoming audio and/or video streams and sent to the remaining first end points and a virtual social colocation service (VSCS), respectively, by the one of the first end points. Also, the second integrated audio and/or video stream is broadcasted to the second end points by the VSCS.
US09736201B2
A stream receiver device that receives information indicative of streams to be played from remote devices. The stream receiver has a network connection, receiving information indicative of streams to be played from remote devices, e.g., stream senders. A processor in the stream receiver operates to receive the information and operates to play a stream based on the information. The stream receiver has an access list, which can be a white list or a black list. The stream is played when allowed by the white list or not-blocked by the black list. The lists can also include times during which the entries are active, and file types to be allowed or blocked.
US09736200B2
A method and system are provided, wherein a user can log in to a first cloud based server using a selected communications device. Upon log in, a selected plurality of video cameras is activated to simultaneously provide respective streaming video from each of the selected plurality of video cameras to a second cloud based server. Upon designation of a first member of the selected plurality of video cameras, the first member streams the respective streaming video from the first member to a communications device of the user, and streaming from all other members of the selected plurality of video cameras is terminated.
US09736199B2
Embodiments are directed to a method of developing a workflow. The method includes receiving a proposed workflow component at a local computing device of a workflow development system. The workflow development system generates a simulation stub derived from historical workflow execution logs that are relevant to the proposed workflow component. The workflow development system executes the simulation stub, which is an approximation of the proposed workflow component.
US09736195B2
A request for a first dynamic bridge end is received at a first device. A capability for a second dynamic bridge end is transmitted to a second device. At least one of the first dynamic bridge end and the second dynamic bridge end have a movable end point location. The first dynamic bridge end and the second dynamic bridge end create a path for transmission of an object.
US09736193B2
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for maintaining packet data protocol (PDP) context while performing data offload are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for maintaining PDP context while performing data offload includes detecting a data offload condition wherein a UE for which a first network node is maintaining a PDP context is sending or receiving data using a data path that does not include the first network node. While the data offload condition exists, packets are sent from a source other than the UE to the first network node so as to cause the first network node to maintain the PDP context for the UE. In one embodiment, a node interposed between the UE and the first network node periodically sends dummy packets or heart beat packets to the first network node on behalf of the UE, which may include packets that appear to come from the UE.
