US09837724B2
An antenna system includes a dual-polarized antenna, a main reflector, and an auxiliary reflector. The dual-polarized antenna includes a first antenna element and a second antenna element. The first antenna element and the second antenna element operate in a low-frequency band and a high-frequency band. The first antenna element and the second antenna element have different polarization directions. The main reflector is configured to reflect the electromagnetic waves in the low-frequency band. The auxiliary reflector is positioned between the dual-polarized antenna and the main reflector, and is configured to reflect the electromagnetic waves in the high-frequency band.
US09837722B2
The invention relates to a dipole antenna including first and second radiating elements electrically connected via a transition, said first and second elements being associated with a frequency f1 in a frequency band, a feeding point the feeding point and the reference point being respectively connected to a feeding conductor and a ground conductor of a feeding line, and a balun. The balun is formed by a slot arranged in the first radiating element, said slot having a short circuit at a first end and an open circuit at a second end next to the transition. The feeding point and the reference point are arranged on opposite sides of the slot.
US09837710B2
An antenna system is provided that includes an antenna having an elongated conducting segment, such as a metal rod. An anisotropic metamaterial surrounds the elongated conducting segment of the antenna. The presence of the metamaterial remarkably expands the VSWR <2. An example antenna is a monopole antenna, such as a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna, surrounded by the metamaterial.
US09837706B2
A vehicle may include a conductive housing surrounding an antenna and defining an aperture having a size at least equal to a wavelength of signals radiated by the antenna. A controller may be configured to orient the conductive housing to direct the aperture at a direction of travel to guide electromagnetic radiation from the antenna. The controller may orient the conductive housing in response to receiving a cooperative adaptive cruise control signal from an established platoon of vehicles.
US09837689B2
Lead from lead acid battery scrap is recovered in two separate production streams as clean grid lead and as high-purity lead without smelting. In preferred aspects, lead recovery is performed in a continuous process that uses an aqueous electroprocessing solvent and electro-refining and spent electroprocessing solvent can be recycled to the recovery process.
US09837688B2
The present invention relates to a battery temperature adjusting system including: a battery unit having a heating pad; a leading wire connected to the battery unit; and a current induction unit surrounding the leading wire, wherein the current induction unit is electrically connected to the heating pad. The battery temperature adjusting system according to the present invention generates the induced current by applying the current induction unit surrounding the leading wire connected to the battery unit, and increases the temperature of the battery unit by supplying the induced current to the heating pad, thereby obtaining a desired battery output in a low-temperature region even without the use of an external power source.
US09837680B2
A method for manufacturing an electrochemical reactor, including: holding in position a first tube and a shaft extending in a same direction, the first tube including a bore in which a beam is housed; forming a stack which alternates bipolar plates and membrane/electrode assemblies, each bipolar plate and each membrane/electrode assembly including first and second openings through which the first tube and the shaft respectively extend; compressing the stack between two mechanical components and removing the beam from the bore of the first tube; and connecting the bore of the first tube to a fluid flow circuit of the electrochemical reactor.
US09837679B2
Active materials for flow batteries can include various coordination compounds formed from transition metals. Some compositions containing coordination compounds can include a substituted catecholate ligand having a structure of in a neutral form or a salt form, in which Z is a heteroatom functional group bound to the substituted catecholate ligand at an open aromatic ring position and n is an integer ranging between 1 and 4. When more than one Z is present, each Z can be the same or different. Electrolyte solutions can include such coordination compounds, and such electrolyte solutions can be incorporated within a flow battery.
US09837674B2
A power generator includes a fuel container adapted to hold a hydrogen containing fuel. A sliding valve is coupled between a fuel cell and a fuel container. A pressure responsive actuator is coupled to the two stage valve and the fuel container.
US09837661B2
The present invention relates to an anode active material for lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery including the same, and more specifically it relates to an anode active material for lithium secondary battery in which the a lithium ion diffusion path in the primary particles is formed to exhibit specific directivity, and a lithium secondary battery including the same.The cathode active material for lithium secondary battery of the present invention has a lithium ion diffusion path exhibiting specific directivity in the primary particles and the secondary particles, thus not only the conduction velocity of the lithium ion is fast and the lithium ion conductivity is high but also the cycle characteristics are improved as the crystal structure hardly collapses despite repeated charging and discharging.
US09837660B2
A negative electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a negative active material including a metal-based material, crystalline carbon, and amorphous carbon, wherein an amount of the crystalline carbon is greater than that of the amorphous carbon. A rechargeable lithium battery includes the negative electrode including the negative active material.
US09837658B2
The present invention is directed to a silicon-containing particle for use as a negative-electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, wherein a crystal grain size is 300 nm or less, the crystal grain size being obtained by a Scherrer method from a full width at half maximum of a diffraction line attributable to Si (111) and near 2θ=28.4° in an x-ray diffraction pattern analysis, and a true density is more than 2.320 g/cm3 and less than 3.500 g/cm3. The invention provides silicon-containing particles for use as a negative-electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that enable manufacture of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an excellent cycle characteristics and a higher capacity compared with graphite types.
US09837652B2
A laminated porous film includes a porous base material layer containing polyolefin as a main component; a filler layer containing inorganic particles as a main component; and a resin layer containing resin particles as a main component, the resin particles showing an endothermic curve satisfying conditions (1) and (2) below, the endothermic curve being obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Condition (1): a temperature at which DDSC is not less than 0.10 mW/min/mg is not less than 70° C. Condition (2): endothermic amount calculated from an area of the endothermic curve in a range of not less than 50° C. and not more than 70° C. is not less than −20.0 J/g.
US09837638B2
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and methods of manufacturing OLD displays are disclosed. In one aspect, an OLED display includes a substrate having an emission area and a non-emission area, a pixel electrode formed in the emission area, and an intermediate layer formed over the pixel electrode and including an organic emission layer. The display also includes an opposite electrode formed in the emission and non-emission areas and at least partially covering the intermediate layer. The display further includes a black matrix formed over the opposite electrode and including a first light-blocking portion formed in the non-emission area and a second light-blocking portion formed in the emission area and having light transmittance greater than that of the first light-blocking portion.
US09837637B2
An electroluminescent (EL) device is disclosed, comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, one or more functional layers, and a conducting layer. The first electrode is transparent and with a high refractive index nH more than 1.75. The one or more functional layers include a light emitting layer. The conducting layer has a low refractive index nL less than 1.65, being disposed between the first electrode and the one or more functional layers. By judicious combination of the first electrode and conducting layer to induce appropriate microcavity effects, increased coupling efficiencies of EL device could be then obtained.
US09837633B2
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode display apparatus including: a substrate; an organic light emitting diode disposed on the substrate; and an encapsulation layer encapsulating the organic light emitting diode. The encapsulation layer has a structure in which two or more inorganic layers and one or more organic layers are alternately stacked one above another, each of the inorganic layers has a thickness of about 40 nm to about 1000 nm and an index of refraction of about 1.41 to about 2.0, each of the organic layers has a thickness of about 0.2 μm to about 15 μm and an index of refraction of about 1.4 to about 1.65, and the organic layers are formed of an encapsulating composition. The encapsulating composition includes: about 10 wt % to about 70 wt % of (A) a non-silicon-based di(meth)acrylate, about 20 wt % to about 70 wt % of (B) a silicon-based di(meth)acrylate, about 5 wt % to about 40 wt % of (C) a mono(meth)acrylate, and about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % of (D) an initiator, the (B) silicon-based di(meth)acrylate being represented by Formula 1.
US09837624B2
The present invention relates to semiconductor materials that include a silicon-based quantum dot; and a conjugated organic ligand connected to the silicon-based quantum dot to obtain a functionalized quantum dot. An additional aspect of the present invention is to provide methods that include providing a silicon-based quantum dot; and connecting a conjugated organic ligand connected to the silicon-based quantum dot to obtain a functionalized quantum dot.
US09837614B2
A condensed-cyclic compound represented by Formula 1 and an organic light-emitting device including the condensed-cyclic compound. wherein R1 to R10 are defined as in the specification.
US09837612B2
A polymer compound having a constitutional unit represented by the following formula (1):
US09837605B2
A manufacture includes a first electrode having an upper surface and a side surface, a resistance variable film over the first electrode, and a second electrode over the resistance variable film. The resistance variable film extends along the upper surface and the side surface of the first electrode. The second electrode has a side surface. A portion of the side surface of the first electrode and a portion of the side surface of the second electrode sandwich a portion of the resistance variable film.
US09837600B2
Embodiments described herein involve methods of forming an interactive card with indicators on a substrate. A plurality of indicators are formed on the substrate by way of a printed electronics process. A plurality of displaceable regions of piezoelectric material are formed on the substrate by way of a printed electronics process. Electrical interconnections are formed on the substrate by way of a printed electronics process, the electrical interconnections connecting an indicator and an associated displaceable region of piezoelectric material such that displacement of the associated displaceable region of piezoelectric material generates a voltage therein that is provided to the indicator in order to actuate the indicator and thereby indicate displacement of the associated displaceable region of piezoelectric material.
US09837599B1
An article composed of sintered particles is produced by depositing ligand-containing particles on a substrate, then scanning the substrate with an electron beam that generates sufficient surface and subsurface heating to substantially eliminate the ligands and melt or sinter the particles into a cohesive film with superior charge carrier properties. The particles are sintered or melted together to form a polycrystalline layer that is substantially ligand-free to form, for example, a film such as a continuous polycrystalline film. The scanning operation is conducted so as to heat treat a controllably localized region at and below a surface of the particles by selecting a rate of deposited energy at the region to exceed a rate of conduction away from the substrate.
US09837595B2
The invention provides a portable electronic system. The portable electronic system includes a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a substrate. A semiconductor die is coupled to the substrate. A thermoelectric device chip is disposed close to the semiconductor die, coupled to the substrate. The thermoelectric device chip is configured to detect a heat energy generated from the semiconductor die and to convert the heat energy into a recycled electrical energy. A power system is coupled to the semiconductor package, configured to store the recycled electrical energy.
US09837578B2
A light emitting device including a support layer; a reflective electrode disposed on the support layer; an ohmic electrode disposed on the reflective electrode, the ohmic electrode including a transparent electrode; and a semiconductor structure disposed on the ohmic electrode, the semiconductor structure including a p-type semiconductor layer disposed on the ohmic electrode; a light emitting layer disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer; and an n-type semiconductor layer disposed on the light emitting layer. Further, the transparent electrode has a thickness in the range of 40 nm to 90 nm.
US09837576B2
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type architectures and incorporating dotted diffusion, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a first conductivity type is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the substrate. A second polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a second, different, conductivity type is disposed on a second thin dielectric layer disposed in a plurality of non-continuous trenches in the back surface of the substrate.
US09837572B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a solar cell module including: a step (A) of applying a conductive adhesive composition comprising conductive particles having metal, or the like; a step (B) of disposing wiring members so as to face with electrodes of the solar battery cells with the applied conductive adhesive composition interposed therebetween; a step (C) of heating the solar battery cells with the wiring members obtained in the step (B); and a step (D) of laminating sealing resins onto both surfaces of the solar battery cells with the wiring members obtained in the step (C), laminating protection glass onto a light-receiving surface of the solar battery cell and a protection film onto a rear surface of the solar battery cell, and performing heating, in which a melting point of the metal in the conductive particles is or lower than the heating temperature in the step (C).
US09837571B2
An energy conversion device comprises at least two thin film photovoltaic cells fabricated separately and joined by wafer bonding. The cells are arranged in a hierarchical stack of decreasing order of their energy bandgap from top to bottom. Each of the thin film cells has a thickness in the range from about 0.5 μm to about 10 μm. The photovoltaic cell stack is mounted upon a thick substrate composed of a material selected from silicon, glass, quartz, silica, alumina, ceramic, metal, graphite, and plastic. Each of the interfaces between the cells comprises a structure selected from a tunnel junction, a heterojunction, a transparent conducting oxide, and an alloying metal grid; and the top surface and/or the lower surface of the energy conversion device may contain light-trapping means.
US09837570B2
A multiple layer composition and method for deposition of a solar energy harvesting strip onto a driving surface that will allow electric cars to charge by an inductive coupling is provided. The multiple layer composition includes at least one magnetic material for generating a magnetic field, wherein at least one of the multiple layers comprises the magnetic material. Further, the a multiple layer composition includes at least one solar energy harvesting material for converting at least one of thermal and photonic energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one of the multiple layers comprises the at least one solar energy harvesting material and wherein the at least one solar energy harvesting material is located within a magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic material. One of the layers may also include a thermal energy harvesting material for converting thermal energy into electrical energy.
US09837565B2
A method (200) and deposition zone apparatus (300) for fabricating thin-film optoelectronic devices (100), the method comprising: providing a potassium-nondiffusing substrate (110), forming a back-contact layer (120); forming at least one absorber layer (130) made of an ABC chalcogenide material, adding at least two different alkali metals, and forming at least one front-contact layer (150) wherein one of said at least two different alkali metals is potassium and where, following forming said front-contact layer, in the interval of layers (470) from back-contact layer (120), exclusive, to front-contact layer (150), inclusive, the comprised amounts resulting from adding at least two different alkali metals are, for potassium, in the range of 500 to 10000 ppm and, for the other of said at least two different alkali metals, in the range of 5 to 2000 ppm and at most ½ and at least 1/2000 of the comprised amount of potassium. The method (200) and apparatus (300) are advantageous for more environmentally-friendly production of photovoltaic devices (100) on flexible substrates with high photovoltaic conversion efficiency and faster production rate.
US09837560B2
A solar battery cell and related methodology are provided which enable a TAB wire to be accurately connected to an intended position, thus allowing a possible increase in manufacturing costs to be suppressed. A solar battery cell includes a plurality of finger electrodes arranged on a light receiving surface of a photovoltaic substrate, the light receiving surface having a region of predetermined width to receive a conductive adhesive of a same width as the region. The region is provided with an alignment marking indicating a position where the adhesive is to be applied over the surface, the alignment marking having a cross-dimension in a widthwise direction of the region that is less than the predetermined width.
US09837557B2
A solar cell apparatus according to the embodiment includes a substrate including a top surface and a bottom surface which are opposite to each other; a back electrode layer on the top surface of the substrate; a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer; a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer; a connecting member on the bottom surface of the substrate; and a bus bar connected to the connecting member, wherein the bus bar comprises: an electrode contact portion making contact with the back electrode layer; and a substrate contact portion making contact with the substrate.
US09837551B2
Provided is a semiconductor device that can be miniaturized in a simple process and that can prevent deterioration of electrical characteristics due to miniaturization. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer, a first conductor in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, and an insulator in contact with the first conductor. Further, an opening portion is provided in the oxide semiconductor layer, the first conductor, and the insulator. In the opening portion, side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor layer, the first conductor, and the insulator are aligned, and the oxide semiconductor layer and the first conductor are electrically connected to a second conductor by side contact.
US09837547B2
The reliability of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor can be improved by suppressing a change in electrical characteristics. A transistor included in a semiconductor device includes a first oxide semiconductor film over a first insulating film, a gate insulating film over the first oxide semiconductor film, a second oxide semiconductor film over the gate insulating film, and a second insulating film over the first oxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film. The first oxide semiconductor film includes a channel region in contact with the gate insulating film, a source region in contact with the second insulating film, and a drain region in contact with the second insulating film. The second oxide semiconductor film has a higher carrier density than the first oxide semiconductor film.
US09837546B2
To provide a miniaturized transistor having highly stable electrical characteristics. Furthermore, also in a semiconductor device including the transistor, high performance and high reliability are achieved. The transistor includes, over a substrate, a conductor, an oxide semiconductor, and an insulator. The oxide semiconductor includes a first region and a second region. The resistance of the second region is lower than that of the first region. The entire surface of the first region in the oxide semiconductor is surrounded in all directions by the conductor with the insulator interposed therebetween.
US09837544B2
A semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer formed over an insulating layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. In the transistor, a buffer layer having n-type conductivity is formed between the source electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer and between the drain electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, parasitic resistance is reduced, resulting in improvement of on-state characteristics of the transistor.
US09837540B2
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, the semiconductor device includes a plurality of fin shaped structures, a trench, a spacing layer and a dummy gate structure. The fin shaped structures are disposed on a substrate. The trench is disposed between the fin shaped structures. The spacing layer is disposed on sidewalls of the trench, wherein the spacing layer has a top surface lower than a top surface of the fin shaped structures. The dummy gate structure is disposed on the fin shaped structures and across the trench.
US09837527B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body and a device cell in the semiconductor body. The device cell includes: drift, source, body and diode regions; a pn junction between the diode and drift regions; a trench with first and second opposing sidewalls and a bottom, the body region adjoining the first sidewall, the diode region adjoining the second sidewall, and the pn junction adjoining the trench bottom; a gate electrode in the trench and dielectrically insulated from the source, body, diode and drift regions by a gate dielectric; a further trench extending from a first surface of the semiconductor body into the semiconductor body; a source electrode arranged in the further trench adjoining the source and diode regions. The diode region includes a lower diode region arranged below the trench bottom. The lower diode region has a maximum of a doping concentration distant to the trench bottom.
US09837517B2
The present invention provides a field effect transistor and the method for preparing such a filed effect transistor. The filed effect transistor comprises a semiconductor, germanium nanowires, a first III-V compound layer surrounding the germanium nanowires, a semiconductor barrier layer, a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode sequentially formed surrounding the first III-V compound layer, and source/drain electrodes are respectively located at each side of the gate electrode and on the first III-V compound layer. According to the present invention, the band width of the barrier layer is greater than that of the first III-V compound layer, and the band curvatures of the barrier layer and the first III-V compound layer are different, therefore, a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed in the first III-V compound layer near the barrier layer boundary. Since the 2DEG has higher mobility, the performance of the filed effect transistor improved. Besides, the performance of the filed effect transistor also improved due to the structure is a gate-all-around structure.
US09837510B2
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a fin structure formed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes an isolation structure formed around the fin structure and a gate structure formed across the fin structure. In addition, the gate structure includes a first portion formed over the fin structure and a second portion formed over the isolation structure, and the second portion of the gate structure includes an extending portion extending into the isolation structure.
US09837505B2
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a substrate is provided. A dummy gate is formed on the substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed to peripherally enclose the dummy gate over the substrate. A second dielectric layer is formed to peripherally enclose the first dielectric layer over the substrate. The second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer are formed from different materials. An implant operation is performed on the first dielectric layer to form a first doped portion in the first dielectric layer. The dummy gate is removed to form a hole in the first dielectric layer. An operation of removing the dummy gate includes removing a portion of the first doped portion to form the hole having a bottom radial opening area and a top radial opening area which is greater than the bottom radial opening area. A metal gate is formed in the hole.
US09837504B2
A method of fabricating the gate structure in a semiconductor device includes forming a gate dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. A capping layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The capping layer is treated with a first hydrogen plasma to form a first-treated capping layer. A gate electrode is formed over the first-treated capping layer. The method may further includes treating the first-treated capping layer with a nitrogen plasma.
US09837487B2
Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer and a work function layer. The gate dielectric layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the work function layer. The semiconductor device structure also includes a halogen source layer. The gate dielectric layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the halogen source layer.
US09837486B2
A method for treating a compound semiconductor substrate, in which method in vacuum conditions a surface of an In-containing III-As, III-Sb or III-P substrate is cleaned from amorphous native oxides and after that the cleaned substrate is heated to a temperature of about 250-550° C. and oxidized by introducing oxygen gas onto the surface of the substrate. The invention relates also to a compound semiconductor substrate, and the use of the substrate in a structure of a transistor such as MOSFET.
US09837482B2
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a substrate and a plurality of scan lines formed over the substrate and separated from each other in a first direction. The scan lines extend in a second direction crossing the first direction. The display device also includes a stress compensation layer positioned between adjacent ones of the scan lines.
US09837480B2
An array substrate, a method for fabricating the array substrate and a display device are described. The array substrate includes: a first gate electrode metal layer; a first gate insulation layer; an active layer on the first gate insulation layer; an etching barrier layer on the active layer; a source-drain metal layer including a source electrode and a drain electrode that contact with two sides of the active layer respectively; a second gate insulation layer on the source-drain metal layer; and a second gate electrode metal layer on the second gate insulation layer. The array substrate has an optimized TFT performance and a reduced gate line resistance, and light may be blocked from irradiating on the active layer, which is beneficial to restrain IR Drop, drifting of TFT threshold voltages or generation of a light-incurred leakage current on the active layer. Performance of the display device is improved.
US09837476B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a first electrode around a center point of a virtual tetragon, e.g., a virtual square; second electrodes around a first vertex and a second vertex diagonal to the first vertex of the virtual square, the second electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; third electrodes around a third vertex and a fourth vertex of the virtual square, the third electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; a pixel defining layer partially on the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes, and partially exposing the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes; and four spacers disposed as islands on the pixel defining layer and corresponding to four sides of the virtual square.
US09837473B2
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode display that includes a display panel having a display area that is defined with X and Y axes intersecting each other; and a plurality of pixels in the display panel, each comprising a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel and a third sub-pixel, wherein a shape of each of the first, second and third sub-pixels is defined by sides that are at a non-zero angle to the Y-axis or parallel to the X-axis, the first and second sub-pixels are substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to the X-axis, and the third sub-pixel is larger in size than the first and second sub-pixels.
US09837472B2
A method for fabricating 3-D cross-point memory arrays, and more particularly to fabricating phase change memory (PCM) and resistive RAM (ReRAM or RRAM) 3-D memory arrays having a cell size footprint of 4F2. The method for forming a plurality of layers of memory cells using a limited number of photolithographic patterning steps is applicable to memory devices having single or multiple storage bits per cell, such as cells having anywhere from one to eight bits per cell or more. These bits are stacked three dimensionally and include memory cells based on phase change material, on resistive change material, on magnetic field alignment, on mechanical switching, and on other memory cells based on other information storage technologies.
US09837459B2
Provided is a semiconductor device which allows an alignment mark used for the manufacturing of a solid-state image sensor (semiconductor device) having a back-side-illumination structure to be formed in a smaller number of steps. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having a first main surface and a second main surface opposing the first main surface, a plurality of photodiodes which are formed in the semiconductor layer and in each of which photoelectric conversion is performed, a light receiving lens disposed over the second main surface of the semiconductor layer to supply light to each of the photodiodes, and a mark for alignment formed inside the semiconductor layer. The mark for alignment is formed so as to extend from the first main surface toward the second main surface and have a protruding portion protruding from the second main surface in a direction toward where the light receiving lens is disposed.
US09837458B2
The present disclosure provides an image sensor semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first type of dopant; a semiconductor layer having a second type of dopant different from the first type of dopant and disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a photo-sensitive structure formed in the semiconductor layer; a multi-layer interconnect (MLI) structure disposed on the semiconductor layer; a color filter disposed on the MLI structure and disposed above the photo-sensitive structure; and a microlens disposed over the color filter and disposed above the photo-sensitive structure.
US09837454B2
Provided is an image sensor having improved performance. An image sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, wherein each of the plurality of pixels may include: a photoelectric conversion element formed in a substrate; a transfer gate overlapping with a portion of the photoelectric conversion element and formed on the substrate; and a color filter over the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the plurality of pixels include two adjacent pixels which have the same color filter, and wherein one of the two adjacent pixels comprises an incident light control pattern.
US09837453B1
After forming a doped semiconductor layer on a backside of a semiconductor substrate that has a conductivity type opposite a conductivity type of the doped semiconductor layer so as to provide a p-n junction for a photovoltaic cell, transistors are formed in a front side of the semiconductor substrate. The photovoltaic cell is then electrically connected to the transistors from the front side of the semiconductor substrate using through-dielectric (TDV) via structures embedded in the semiconductor substrate.
US09837445B2
A display device includes a first substrate including a display region and a non-display region, the non-display region being positioned on an outside of the display region, a first dam in the non-display region of the substrate, the first dam including a first barrier and a first stopper, the first stopper being on the first barrier and having a concave groove formed thereon, and a first alignment layer covering the display region of the first substrate, at least a part of the first alignment layer extending to the non-display region and contacting a surface of the first stopper. A method of fabricating the display device includes preparing the first substrate, forming the first dam in the non-display region of the first substrate, and forming the first alignment layer covering the display region of the first substrate extending to the non-display region and contacting a surface of the first stopper.
US09837441B2
An object is to provide a display device which operates stably with use of a transistor having stable electric characteristics. In manufacture of a display device using transistors in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used for a channel formation region, a gate electrode is further provided over at least a transistor which is applied to a driver circuit. In manufacture of a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used for a channel formation region, the oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to heat treatment so as to be dehydrated or dehydrogenated; thus, impurities such as moisture existing in an interface between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer provided below and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and an interface between the oxide semiconductor layer and a protective insulating layer provided on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced.
US09837436B2
A semiconductor device includes memory blocks each configured to comprise a pair of channels, each channel including a pipe channel formed in a pipe gate of the memory block and a drain-side channel and a source-side channel coupled to the pipe channel; first slits placed between the memory blocks adjacent to other memory blocks; and a second slit placed between the source-side channel and the drain-side channel of each pair of channels.
US09837435B1
A three-dimensional non-volatile memory structure including a substrate, a stacked structure, a charge storage pillar, a channel pillar, and a ferroelectric material pillar is provided. The stacked structure is disposed on the substrate and includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of first dielectric layers, and the conductive layers and the first dielectric layers are alternately stacked. The charge storage pillar is disposed in the stacked structure. The channel pillar is disposed inside the charge storage pillar. The ferroelectric material pillar is disposed inside the channel pillar.
US09837434B2
A semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment, includes a first electrode film, a plurality of semiconductor members, and a charge storage member. The first electrode film includes three or more first portions and a second portion connecting the first portions to each other. The first portions extend in a first direction and are arranged along a second direction that intersects with the first direction. The plurality of semiconductor members are arranged along the first direction between the first portions and extending in a third direction. The third direction intersects with a plane containing the first direction and the second direction. The charge storage member is disposed between each of the semiconductor members and each of the first portions. The second portion is disposed between the semiconductor members.
US09837433B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate defined with cell regions and a contact region between the cell regions; a dielectric structure formed over the contact region; a memory block having cell parts which are respectively formed over the cell regions, a coupling part which is formed over the contact region and couples the cell parts, and a through part which accommodates the dielectric structure; a peripheral circuit formed over the substrate under the memory block; bottom wiring lines disposed between the memory block and the peripheral circuit, and electrically coupled with the peripheral circuit; top wiring lines disposed over the memory block; and contact plugs passing through the dielectric structure and coupling the bottom wiring lines and the top wiring lines.
US09837417B1
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, a plurality of first semiconductor fins in the first region, a plurality of second semiconductor fins in the second region, a first solid-state dopant source layer within the first region on the semiconductor substrate, a first insulating buffer layer on the first solid-state dopant source layer, a second solid-state dopant source layer within the second region on the semiconductor substrate, a second insulating buffer layer on the second solid-state dopant source layer and on the first insulating buffer layer, a first fin bump in the first region, and a second fin bump in the second region. The first fin bump includes a first sidewall spacer and the second fin bump comprises a second sidewall spacer. The first sidewall spacer has a structure that is different from that of the second sidewall spacer.
US09837414B1
After forming a stacked nanowire CMOS device including a first stacked nanowire array laterally surrounded by first epitaxial semiconductor regions, a second stacked nanowire array overlying the first stacked nanowire array and laterally surrounded by second epitaxial semiconductor regions, and a functional gate structure straddling over each semiconductor nanowire in the first and second stacked nanowire arrays, a common source/drain contact structure is formed on one side of the functional gate structure contacting one of the first epitaxial semiconductor regions and one of the second epitaxial semiconductor regions. A first local source/drain contact structure is formed on the opposite side of the functional gate structure contacting another of the first epitaxial semiconductor regions. After forming a trench isolation structure over the first local source/drain contact structure, a second local source/drain structure is formed overlying the first source/drain local contact structure and contacting another of the second epitaxial semiconductor regions.
US09837408B1
Embodiments are directed to a method of forming features of a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a first feature including a first type of semiconductor material, which can be tensile or can have compressive strain. The method further includes forming an enclosure structure including a second type of semiconductor material, wherein the first feature includes first feature sidewall surfaces extending around a circumference of the first feature. The enclosure structure is adjacent at least a portion of the first feature sidewall surfaces and extends around the circumference of the first feature.
US09837407B1
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor fin arranged on a substrate, a gate stack arranged over a channel region of the fin, and a spacer arranged adjacent to the gate stack. A source/drain region is arranged in the fin the source/drain region having a cavity that exposes a portion of the semiconductor fin. An insulator layer is arranged over a portion of the fin, and a conductive contact material is arranged in the cavity and over portions of the source/drain region.
US09837406B1
Semiconductor devices are provided which comprise III-V FINFET devices that are formed with different semiconductor fin widths to obtain different threshold voltages, as well as methods for fabricating such III-V FINFET devices. For example, a semiconductor device comprises first and second semiconductor fins, which are formed of a III-V compound semiconductor material, and which have a first width W1 and a second width W2, respectively, wherein W1 is less than W2. First and second gate structures of first and second FINFET devices are formed over a portion of the first and second semiconductor fins, respectively. The first FINFET device comprises a first threshold voltage and the second FINFET device comprises a second threshold voltage. The first threshold voltage is greater than the second threshold voltage as a result of the first width W1 being less than the second width W2.
US09837405B1
A method of forming a vertical fin field effect transistor having a consistent channel width, including forming one or more vertical fin(s) on the substrate, wherein the one or more vertical fin(s) have a tapered profile, oxidizing the one or more vertical fin(s) to form an oxide by consuming at least a portion of the vertical fin material, and removing the oxide from the one or more vertical fin(s), wherein the one or more vertical fin(s) include a tapered upper portion, a tapered lower portion and a straight channel portion there between.
US09837400B2
A power integrated circuit includes a double-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor formed in a first portion of the semiconductor layer with a channel being formed in a first body region. The power integrated circuit includes a first deep diffusion region formed in the first deep well under the first body region and in electrical contact with the first body region and a second deep diffusion region formed in the first deep well under the drain drift region and in electrical contact with the first body region. The first deep diffusion region and the second deep diffusion region together form a reduced surface field (RESURF) structure in the LDMOS transistor.
US09837396B2
A semiconductor die assembly having high efficiency thermal paths. In one embodiment, the semiconductor die assembly comprises a package support substrate, a first semiconductor die having a peripheral region and a stacking region, and a second semiconductor die attached to the stacking region of the first die such that the peripheral region is lateral of the second die. The assembly further includes a thermal transfer unit having a base attached to the peripheral region of the first die, a cover attached to the base by an adhesive, and a cavity defined by at least cover, wherein the second die is within the cavity. The assembly also includes an underfill in the cavity, wherein a fillet portion of the underfill extends a distance up along a portion of the footing and upward along at least a portion of the base.
US09837383B2
Interconnect structures with improved conductive properties are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an interconnect structure can include a first conductive member coupled to a first semiconductor die and a second conductive member coupled to second semiconductor die. The first conductive member includes a recessed surface defining a depression. The second conductive member extends at least partially into the depression of the first conductive member. A bond material within the depression can at least partially encapsulate the second conductive member and thereby bond the second conductive member to the first conductive member.
US09837369B2
In a semiconductor device (SP1) according to an embodiment, a solder resist film (first insulating layer, SR1) which is in contact with the base material layer, and a resin body (second insulating layer, 4) which is in contact with the solder resist film and the semiconductor chip, are laminated in between the base material layer (2CR) of a wiring substrate 2 and a semiconductor chip (3). In addition, a linear expansion coefficient of the solder resist film is equal to or larger than a linear expansion coefficient of the base material layer, and the linear expansion coefficient of the solder resist film is equal to or smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the resin body. Also, the linear expansion coefficient of the base material layer is smaller than the linear expansion coefficient of the resin body. According to the above-described configuration, damage of the semiconductor device caused by a temperature cyclic load can be suppressed, and thereby reliability can be improved.
US09837366B1
A semiconductor structure has a semiconductor device, a first seal ring, and a second seal ring. The semiconductor device has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first seal ring is disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor device and adjacent to edges of the first surface. The second seal ring is disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor device and adjacent to edges of the second surface. A semiconductor manufacturing process is also provided.
US09837365B2
The present disclosure provides a technique for improving the reliability of a semiconductor device where spreading of cracking that occurs at the time of dicing to a seal ring can be restricted even in a semiconductor device with a low-k film used as an interlayer insulating film. Vias are formed in each layer on a dicing region side. The vias are formed at the same intervals in a matrix as viewed in a top view. Even in the case where cracking occurs at the time of dicing, the cracking can be prevented from spreading to a seal ring by the vias. As a result, resistance to moisture absorbed in a circuit formation region can be improved, and deterioration in reliability can be prevented.
US09837357B1
Various methods and semiconductor structures for fabricating at least one FET device having textured gate-source-drain contacts of the FET device that reduce or eliminate variability in parasitic resistance between the contacts of the FET device. An example fabrication method includes epitaxially growing a source-drain contact region on an underlying semiconductor substrate of one of a pFET device or an nFET device. The method deposits a Nickel film layer directly on the epitaxially grown source-drain contact region. A first anneal forms a textured Nickel silicide film layer directly on the epitaxially grown source-drain contact region. A second metal film layer is deposited on the textured Nickel silicide film layer. A second anneal forms a textured second metal silicide film layer. The method can be repeated on the other one of the pFET device or the nFET device.
US09837347B2
A coaxial copper pillar for signal transmission with signal shield is disclosed so that signal integrity for the signal passes transmission is maintained. One embodiment shows at least one coaxial copper pillar is made as a terminal connector for a chip package, the coaxial copper pillars are made adaptive for electrically coupling the chip package to a mother board.
US09837345B2
An interposer includes an insulating plate including insulating layers and having first, second, third and fourth surfaces such that the second surface is on the opposite side of the first surface, the third surface is perpendicular to the first surface, the fourth surface is on the opposite side of the third surface, and the insulating layers are laminated on the third surface, and conductor layers formed in the insulating plate such that each conductor layer is interposed between adjacent insulating layers and includes straight conductors having first electrodes exposed from the first surface and second electrodes exposed from the second surface, respectively. The insulating layers include second insulating layers each sandwiched by adjacent conductor layers such that each second insulating layer integrally has an inter-conductor-layer insulating layer portion formed between the adjacent conductor layers and inter-conductor insulating layer portions formed between adjacent straight conductors in a respective conductor layer.
US09837333B1
An electronic package lid which includes one or more underside ribs. The ribs have a major length and a minor width and are generally aligned to be parallel with a diagonal or normal bisector of the processing device. The underside rib generally stiffens the cover such that an upper surface of the cover is more apt to stay flat. As such, cover warpage and, therefore, the peeling of the TIM1 and delamination of underfill due to the physical or dimensional expansion of the processing device and/or a carrier may be reduced. As a result, the surface area dedicated for the seal material upon the carrier surface may be reduced, thereby increasing the available surface area upon the carrier for additional electronic components to be placed in close proximity to the processing device.
US09837331B1
Disclosed is a semiconductor device having overlapped via apertures formed in an encapsulant to outwardly expose solder balls. When different types of semiconductor devices are electrically connected to the solder balls through the overlapped via apertures, flux or solder paste is unlikely to contact sidewall portions of the overlapped via apertures. Therefore, different types of semiconductor devices can be mounted with improved efficiency.
US09837328B2
A semiconductor device package that incorporates a combination of ceramic, organic, and metallic materials that are coupled using silver is provided. The silver is applied in the form of fine particles under pressure and a low temperature. After application, the silver forms a solid that has a typical melting point of silver, and therefore the finished package can withstand temperatures significantly higher than the manufacturing temperature. Further, since the silver is an interfacial material between the various combined materials, the effect of differing material properties between ceramic, organic, and metallic components, such as coefficient of thermal expansion, is reduced due to low temperature of bonding and the ductility of the silver.
US09837312B1
Atomic layer etching (ALE) enables effective filling of small feature structures on semiconductor and other substrates, such as contacts and vias, by bottom-up fill, for example electroless deposition (ELD) of cobalt.
US09837308B2
A plating method can improve adhesivity with a substrate. The plating method of performing a plating process on the substrate includes forming a vacuum-deposited layer 2A on the substrate 2 by performing a vacuum deposition process on the substrate 2; forming an adhesion layer 21 and a catalyst adsorption layer 22 on the vacuum-deposited layer 2A of the substrate 2; and forming a plating layer stacked body 23 having a first plating layer 23a and a second plating layer 23b which function as a barrier film on the catalyst adsorption layer 22 of the substrate 2. By forming the vacuum-deposited layer 2A, a surface of the substrate 2 can be smoothened, so that the vacuum-deposited layer 2A serving as an underlying layer can improve the adhesivity.
US09837297B2
A tray includes a support base having both a first face on which a clamp object is placed and a second face opposite the first face, an upper electrode embedded in the support base and situated toward the first face, a lower electrode embedded in the support base and situated further toward the second face than the upper electrode is, and one or more interconnect lines configured to provide an electrical connection between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
US09837286B2
A method for selectively etching a tungsten layer on a substrate includes arranging a substrate including a tungsten layer on a substrate support. The substrate processing chamber includes an upper chamber region, an inductive coil arranged outside of the upper chamber region, a lower chamber region including the substrate support and a gas dispersion device arranged between the upper and lower chamber regions. The gas dispersion device includes a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the upper and lower chamber regions. The method further includes controlling pressure in the substrate processing chamber in a range from 0.4 Torr to 10 Torr; supplying an etch gas mixture including fluorine-based gas to the upper chamber region; striking inductively coupled plasma in the upper chamber region by supplying power to the inductive coil; and selectively etching the tungsten layer relative to at least one other film material of the substrate.
US09837281B2
A process for depositing doped aluminum nitride (doped AlN) is disclosed. The process comprises subjecting a substrate to temporally separated exposures to an aluminum precursor and a nitrogen precursor to form an aluminum and nitrogen-containing compound on the substrate. The aluminum and nitrogen-containing compound is subsequently exposed to a dopant precursor to form doped AlN. The temporally separated exposures to an aluminum precursor and a nitrogen precursor, and the subsequent exposure to a dopant precursor together constitute a doped AlN deposition cycle. A plurality of doped AlN deposition cycles may be performed to deposit a doped AlN film of a desired thickness. The dopant content of the doped AlN can be tuned by performing a particular ratio of 1) separated exposures to an aluminum precursor and a nitrogen precursor, to 2) subsequent exposures to the dopant. The deposition may be performed in a batch process chamber, which may accommodate batches of 25 or more substrates. The deposition may be performed without exposure to plasma.
US09837264B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises: a substrate; a memory cell that is disposed on the substrate and accumulates a charge as data; and a cover layer covering the memory cell. The cover layer has a structure in which a first silicon nitride layer, an intermediate layer, and a second silicon nitride layer are stacked sequentially from a memory cell side.
US09837262B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a predetermined element, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times after supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate. The cycle includes performing the following steps in the following order: supplying a carbon-containing gas to the substrate; supplying a predetermined element-containing gas to the substrate; supplying the carbon-containing gas to the substrate; supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and supplying the nitriding gas to the substrate.
US09837261B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device for forming a thin film having low permittivity, high etching resistance and high leak resistance is provided. The method includes: forming a film containing a predetermined element, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: (a) supplying a source gas containing the predetermined element and a halogen element to the substrate; (b) supplying a first reactive gas containing the three elements including carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen wherein a number of carbon atoms in each molecule of the first reactive gas is greater than that of nitrogen atoms in each molecule of the first reactive gas to the substrate; (c) supplying a nitriding gas as a second reactive gas to the substrate; and (d) supplying an oxidizing gas as a third reactive gas to the substrate, wherein (a) through (d) are non-simultaneously performed.
US09837254B2
One process that may be used to remove material from a surface is ion etching. In certain cases, ion etching involves delivery of both ions and a reactive gas to a substrate. The disclosed embodiments permit local high pressure delivery of reactive gas to a substrate while maintaining a much lower pressure on portions of the substrate that are outside of the local high pressure delivery area. The low pressure is achieved by confining the high pressure reactant delivery to a small area and vacuuming away excess reactants and byproducts as they leave this small area and before they enter the larger substrate processing region. The disclosed techniques may be used to increase throughput while minimizing deleterious collisions between ions and other species present in the substrate processing region.
US09837242B2
A charged particle filter includes a magnetic deflector having a bore along an axis thereof passing through the magnetic deflector from a sample end to a detector end of the magnetic deflector, and through which bore charged particles pass when in use, the magnetic deflector being formed from two magnets positioned around the bore, with a gap between the two magnets, the two magnets each having a linear central section and two ends, each end forming a curved surface, the curved surface having an aspect ratio defined by a height in a range of between one tenth and ten times the gap between the two magnets, and a width in a range of between one tenth and ten times the gap.
US09837236B2
A high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse, includes a high-voltage low-current thermal fuse connected to a high-voltage direct-current circuit. The high-voltage low-current thermal fuse includes a casing, fusible alloy wires, and two leads extending out of the casing. The fusible alloy wires are connected between the two leads. One of the leads is sequentially sleeved with an arc extinguishing sleeve and a spring. One end of the arc extinguishing sleeve is in contact with the fusible alloy wires; and the other end of the arc extinguishing sleeve is in contact with the spring. One end of the spring is connected to the internal end face of the casing; and the spring is in a compressed state. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse further includes a conventional thermal fuse connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse; or further includes a current fuse connected in series with the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse.
US09837230B2
Gas-insulated high voltage puffer breaker comprising a puffer unit with a movable piston running in a puffer cylinder and delimiting a puffer volume. A piston and a first contact member are attached to a piston stem. A piston and a first contact member are attached to a piston stem. An electric arc is extinguishable in an arcing zone when the first contact member moves from a first position to a second position. The puffer volume is fluidly connected to a gas nozzle by a gas channel such that the puffer volume comprises the gas channel as well as a portion of the puffer cylinder. The gas channel is provided radially outside of the puffer cylinder between a puffer cylinder wall delimiting the puffer cylinder and a wall structure of the puffer unit.
US09837220B2
A keyswitch structure includes a keycap having a lower surface and an engaging portion protruding from the lower surface, the keycap moving to a lower position when the keycap is pressed, a linking bar coupled with the engaging portion, a distal end of the engaging portion being lower than the linking bar when the keycap moves to the lower position, a baseplate disposed below the keycap, the baseplate having a recessed space corresponding to the engaging portion, and a buffer film disposed on the baseplate, the buffer film substantially extending over the recessed space and having a deformable portion corresponding to the recessed space, wherein when the keycap moves toward the baseplate to the lower position, the distal end of the engaging portion pushes the deformable portion to make the deformable portion extend into the recessed space.
US09837204B2
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus including a magnetic flux device configured to transmit or receive magnetic flux. In certain configurations, the magnetic flux device can include a first coil with a first layer and second layer, a second coil with a third layer and fourth layer, and a magnetically permeable material with the first coil extending over a first edge of the magnetically permeable material and the second coil extending over a second edge of the magnetically permeable material. In certain other configurations, the magnetic flux device can include a first conductive structure including a first coil and a second coil enclosing a first area and a second area, respectively. The magnetic flux device can further include a second conductive structure with at least a first planar portion of the first conductive structure being substantially coplanar with a second planar portion of the second conductive structure.
US09837202B2
Each of a plurality of electrostatic shields includes an insulator portion and a conductor portion. The conductor portion includes a flat portion formed in an annular shape and a pair of protruding portions. The insulator portion is provided with a first housing portion housing the flat portion and a pair of second housing portions each housing a corresponding one of the pair of protruding portions. Each of the pair of protruding portions includes: a protruding end portion located along an inner surface of a corresponding one of the pair of second housing portions, and a center portion located adjacent to the protruding end portion. In each of the pair of protruding portions, the protruding end portion and the center portion are electrically connected to each other and are equal in electric potential to each other.
US09837201B2
An apparatus for a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) coil, comprising: a first coil layer of a PCB; a plurality of vias coupled to and distributed to cover substantially the surface of the first coil layer within the PCB; and a second coil layer of the PCB and coupled to the vias to cover substantially the surface of the second coil layer, wherein the vias are positioned between the first coil layer and the second coil layer and enable substantially high current and low equivalent series resistance (ESR) for the multilayer PCB coil.
US09837199B2
A transformer is provided. The transformer includes at least one first primary turn; at least one second primary turn; and a first secondary turn and a second secondary turn. The first secondary turn and the second secondary turn are arranged laterally between the at least one first primary turn and the at least one second primary turn. The first secondary turn and the second secondary turn are arranged one above the other.
US09837198B2
An electronic device includes a magnetic element, a first circuit module and a second circuit module. The magnetic component includes a magnetic core set and a winding, and the winding includes a first winding and a second winding, and the winding is assembled on the magnetic core set. The first circuit module is connected to the first winding of the magnetic element. The second circuit module is connected to the second winding of the magnetic element. The first circuit module or/and the second circuit module has/have an overlap portion with the winding on a vertical projection area of a first plane, and the first plane is the first plane is a horizontal plane at which the winding is located.
US09837189B2
The disclosure generally relates to nested shielded ribbon cables that form an electrical cable assembly. The electrical cable assembly includes features that can facilitate bending and movement of the cable.
US09837187B2
A gas blocking cable includes cabled wires, where each wire includes cabled conductors having interstitial areas there between. An insulation material circumferentially surrounds the cabled conductors and a conductor filling material is positioned within the interstitial areas between conductors. A shield circumferentially surrounds the cabled wires so that a cable is formed with areas between the wires. A wire filling material is positioned within the areas between the wires. Each of the conductor filling material and wire filling material is inert, non-flammable and able to withstand a temperature of at least approximately 200° C.
US09837184B2
A high-voltage insulator has an insulating body which is arranged around a high-voltage conductor. The high-voltage insulator has a damping chamber which at least partially engages around the insulating body and which is filled with an electrically insulating damping medium for damping an action of external mechanical force on the insulating body. A transformer bushing for routing a high-voltage conductor out of a transformer housing in an electrically insulating manner is further disclosed. The transformer bushing is characterized in that the transformer bushing contains a high-voltage insulator.
US09837183B2
A high-voltage alternate current electric cable [is provided. In the electric cable,] having at least one metallic electric conductor is surrounded by at least one extruded insulating layer. The insulating layer includes from 1 wt % to 30 wt % of a void-containing filler. The filler is made of particles having an average diameter up to 50 pm dispersed in an insulating polymeric material.
US09837177B1
The present invention provides a vapor-cell system comprising: a vapor-cell region configured for vapor-cell optical paths; a first electrode disposed in contact with the vapor-cell region; a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode; and an ion conductor interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode, the ion conductor, and the second electrode collectively form a bidirectional solid-state electrochemical charge-depletion capacitor. The ion conductor is ionically conductive for mobile ions, such as Rb+, Cs+, Na+, K+, or Sr2+. The first electrode is permeable to the mobile ions and/or neutral atoms formed from the mobile ions. The system can be electrically controlled to quickly pump mobile ions into or out of the vapor-cell region. The system may further contain an atom chip, and the vapor-cell optical paths may be configured to trap a population of cold atoms. Methods of operating these vapor-cell systems are also disclosed.
US09837173B2
Use in a nuclear fission reactor of a sacrificial metal in a molten salt fuel containing actinide halides in order to maintain a predefined ratio of actinide trihalide to actinide tetrahalide without reducing actinide trihalide to actinide metal. A method of maintaining oxidation state of a molten salt containing actinide halides. The method comprises contacting the molten salt continuously with a sacrificial metal, the sacrificial metal being selected in order to maintain a predefined ratio of actinide trihalide to actinide tetrahalide without reducing actinide trihalide to actinide metal. A fuel tube containing a sacrificial metal is also described.
US09837168B1
The present disclosure relates to a method of generating a high differential read current through a non-volatile memory, including receiving a voltage read input from a word line voltage generator, outputting a first current to a bit line true (BLT), outputting a second current to a bit line complement (BLC), and generating the high differential read current through a difference between the first current and the second current.
US09837161B2
A memory is provided. The memory includes an array of non-volatile memory (NVM) cells arranged in a plurality sectors. A control gate driver circuit has an output coupled to control gates of the NVM cells in a sector in the plurality of sectors. An address decoder is coupled to the control gate driver circuit. And a latch circuit is coupled between the address decoder and the control gate driver circuit. The latch circuit stores a first value, and based on the stored first value, the control gate driver circuit output is floating.
US09837160B1
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory block including a plurality of cell strings each of which includes memory cells electrically coupled with word lines stacked over a substrate; a plurality of sub common sources electrically coupled to one ends of the cell strings; and a plurality of bit lines electrically coupled to the other ends of the cell strings, wherein the memory block includes sub blocks respectively corresponding to the sub common sources, and cell strings electrically coupled to the same bit line among the cell strings are included in the same sub block.
US09837156B2
The operating method of the storage device includes receiving write data to be written at the plurality of memory cells; determining whether the received write data is LSB data to be written at the plurality of memory cells; and encoding the write data according to the determination. The write data is encoded according to the write data when the write data is LSB data to be written at the plurality of memory cells. The write data is encoded according to the write data and encoding data of lower data of the write data to be written at the plurality of memory cells when the write data is not LSB data to be written at the plurality of memory cells.
US09837151B2
Memory systems and memory programming methods are described. In one arrangement, a memory system includes a memory cell configured to have a plurality of different memory states, an access circuit coupled with the memory cell and configured to provide a first signal to a memory element of the memory cell to program the memory cell from a first memory state to a second memory state, and a current source coupled with the memory cell and configured to generate a second signal which is provided to the memory element of the memory cell after the first signal to complete programming of the memory cell from the first memory state to the second memory state.
US09837148B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device and a method for operating the semiconductor device are provided. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first electrode layer; forming a material layer, including conductive path components, over the first electrode layer; forming a second electrode layer over the material layer; performing a forming operation, which includes initially creating, in the material layer, a conductive path that electrically connects the first electrode layer to the second electrode layer by applying one of a predetermined voltage and a predetermined current between the first and second electrode layers, the conductive path including the conductive path components; and performing a first heat-treatment process at a predetermined temperature that removes some of the conductive path components from the conductive path, wherein a resistance state of the material layer changes based on the creation or dissolution of the conductive paths.
US09837142B1
A memory cell readable through a bit line and addressable through a word line can be stressed by applying a stress voltage to the bit line for a stress voltage time, and addressing the memory cell through the word line for an addressing time included within the stress voltage time. The memory cell can be tested by writing a data value into the memory cell, stressing the memory cell, reading the stored value from the memory cell, and determining whether the stored value corresponds to the data value. A testable memory array can include a memory cell addressable through a word line and readable through a bit line, a precharge circuit, a stress circuit, and an array built-in self test (ABIST) circuit. The ABIST circuit can be configured to stress the memory cell by applying a stress signal to the stress circuit.
US09837139B2
A semiconductor device includes an equalizing circuit and a control circuit. The equalizing circuit executes an operation of pre-charging the signal input/output line pair used for data inputting/outputting and an operation of equalizing it independently of each other. In case a plurality of data write operations occur in succession, the control circuit halts pre-charge control in the equalizing circuit in the course of consecutive write operations.
US09837137B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cells, an access circuit configured to perform a data read operation, a data write operation and a data refresh operation on the memory cells, the access circuit to operate in a selected one of a first mode that is ready to perform and a second mode that is not ready to perform, and a judgment circuit configured to respond to first command information, to cause, when the access circuit is in the first mode, the access circuit to perform the data refresh operation, and to cause, when the access circuit is in the second mode, the access circuit to exit from the second mode and then to perform the refresh operation.
US09837133B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing or eliminating address lines that need to be routed to multiple related embedded memory blocks. In particular, one or more inputs are added to a block RAM such that when one or more of the inputs are asserted, the address input to the Block RAM may be incremented prior to being used to retrieve data contents of the block RAM. Thus, if address
is provided to the block RAM and the address increment signal is asserted, data may be read from location instead of , where N may be an integer. Block RAMs with such address arithmetic may be used to implement wide First-In-First-Out (FIFO) queues, wide memories, and/or data-burst accessible block RAMs.
US09837132B2
The embodiments described herein describe technologies for memory systems. One implementation of a memory module includes multiple device sites coupled to the a data query (DQ) buffer component via data lines and coupled to a command and address (CA) buffer component via chip select (CS) lines. A first number of the CS lines between the CA buffer component and any combination of two or more of the multiple device sites is greater than a second number of the CS lines between the CA buffer component and a single one of the multiple device sites.
US09837127B2
A system and method for post-production insertion of audio cues into media files is described, comprising a media transcoder loading into memory a first media file comprising audio tracks arranged along a timeline and an identifier identifying a location on the timeline of the first media file at which an item is to be presented, generating an audio cue tag comprising an audio cue having two or more inaudible audio signals, wherein the audio cue uniquely identifies the item associated with a web page to be accessed by a mobile device, and transcoding the first media file to encode at least some of the one or more audio tracks, embed the audio cue into a first audio track of the first media file, and determining not to compress at least a portion of the first audio track comprising the audio cue while compressing other portions of the first media file.
US09837125B2
A data processing apparatus includes a text acquisition mechanism acquiring texts to be used as keywords which will be subject to audio retrieval, the texts being related to contents corresponding to contents data including image data and audio data; a keyword acquisition mechanism acquiring the keywords from the texts; an audio retrieval mechanism retrieving utterance of the keywords from the audio data of the contents data and acquiring timing information representing the timing of the utterance of the keywords of which the utterance is retrieved; and a playback control mechanism generating, from image data around the time represented by the timing information, representation image data of a representation image which will be displayed together with the keywords and performing playback control of displaying the representation image corresponding to the representation image data together with the keywords which are uttered at the time represented by the timing information.
US09837124B2
In various embodiments, methods and systems for generating interactive videos based on a layered interactive video platform are provided. An interactive graphics track is received using a layered video platform that supports interactive graphics tracks functionality on interactivity content editor components, content management components, and interactivity components on end-user media devices. The interactive graphics track comprises interactivity instructions that initialize cloud-based interactivity services. An interactivity content editor component can be used to generate interactive graphics tracks and develop interactivity instructions for composing the interactive graphics elements. Composing the interactive graphics elements is based on executing the interactivity instructions that define features of the interactive graphics elements. Composing the interactive graphics elements comprises accessing cloud-based interactivity services corresponding to the interactivity instructions. The interactive graphics tracks can be maintained separately from the video content. The interactive graphics elements are supported using the cloud-based interactivity services and layered over the video content.
US09837116B2
The magnetic tape has a timing base servo pattern on the magnetic layer, wherein the centerline average surface roughness Ra on the surface of the magnetic layer is less than or equal to 1.8 nm, the magnetic layer contains a fatty acid ester, the full width at half maximum of spacing distribution measured by optical interferometry on the surface of the magnetic layer before and after vacuum heating the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 7.0 nm, the difference of spacing measured by optical interferometry on the surface of the magnetic layer after and before vacuum heating the magnetic tape is greater than 0 nm but less than or equal to 8.0 nm.
US09837106B1
A two-dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) disk drive has a gas-bearing slider that includes first and second sensors with a first cross-track spacing electrically coupled to a first magnetic shield, and third and fourth sensors with a different cross-track spacing electrically coupled to a second magnetic shield. The different spacings results in the first and third sensors and the second and fourth sensors having a cross-track spacing to accommodate for the effect of head skew. Each sensor is connected to an associated amplifier by a suspension trace and a common trace connected to its associated shield. Switching circuitry selects either the first and third amplifiers or the second and fourth amplifiers as the active pair depending on the radial location where the data is to be read. Thus the appropriate pair of sensors are aligned with the data tracks despite the presence of high head skew.
US09837098B2
A method for signal processing, receiving a time domain signal having a sample-rate Fs and generating N time domain signal bands, each having a bandwidth equal to Fs/N. Receiving the N signal bands and transforming a first time domain signal band to a frequency domain at a first resolution and a second time domain signal band to the frequency domain at a second resolution, where the first resolution may be different from the second resolution. Determining one or more first filter coefficients using the frequency domain components from the first signal band and one or more second filter coefficients using the frequency domain components from the second signal band. Transforming the first and second filter coefficients from the frequency domain to a time domain. Applying the first and second time domain filter coefficients to the first and second time domain signals, respectively.
US09837096B2
A system, apparatus and a method for transmitting continuous audio data configured to mitigate data discontinuities in a receiving device. The method may mitigate data discontinuities by transmitting a continuous stream of audio data that has reduced changes to the audio data characteristics. The method may transmit filler audio data when no application audio data is available. The application audio data and the filler audio data are processed to reduce changes to the audio data characteristics in each stream.
US09837095B2
The invention relates to a codec and a signal classifier and methods therein for signal classification and selection of a coding mode based on audio signal characteristics. A method embodiment to be performed by a decoder comprises, for a frame m: determining a stability value D(m) based on a difference, in a transform domain, between a range of a spectral envelope of frame m and a corresponding range of a spectral envelope of an adjacent frame m−1. Each such range comprises a set of quantized spectral envelope values related to the energy in spectral bands of a segment of the audio signal. The method further comprises selecting a decoding mode, out of a plurality of decoding modes, based on the stability value D(m); and applying the selected decoding mode.
US09837093B2
The present disclosure is directed to systems, apparatuses, and methods for wirelessly delivering multi-channel audio over a packet based network with tight synchronization, high fidelity, and/or low delay as described above. The systems can include a source device that provides multi-channel audio to a distributor device, which wirelessly distributes the multi-channel audio over the packet based network to audio rendering devices, referred to as “sink” devices. The distributor device and the sink devices each include a playback clock that is used to read audio samples of the multi-channel audio from a local memory and drive a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) coupled to a speaker to render the audio samples.
US09837092B2
A method for processing speech signals prior to encoding a digital signal comprising audio data includes selecting frequency domain coding or time domain coding based on a coding bit rate to be used for coding the digital signal and a short pitch lag detection of the digital signal.
US09837087B2
A method for encoding multi-channel HOA audio signals for noise reduction comprises steps of decorrelating the channels using an inverse adaptive DSHT, the inverse adaptive DSHT comprising a rotation operation and an inverse DSHT, with the rotation operation rotating the spatial sampling grid of the iDSHT, perceptually encoding each of the decorrelated channels, encoding rotation information, the rotation information comprising parameters defining said rotation operation, and transmitting or storing the perceptually encoded audio channels and the encoded rotation information.
US09837079B2
The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein are designed to identify fraudulent callers. A voice print of a call is created and compared to known voice prints to determine if it matches one or more of the known voice prints, and to transaction data associated with a database of voice prints. The methods include a pre-processing step to separate speech from non-speech, selecting a number of elements that affect the voice print the most, and/or computing an adjustment factor based on the scores of each received voice print against known voice prints.
US09837072B2
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for automatic speech recognition. The method includes selecting a speaker independent model, and selecting a quantity of speaker dependent models, the quantity of speaker dependent models being based on available computing resources, the selected models including the speaker independent model and the quantity of speaker dependent models. The method also includes recognizing an utterance using each of the selected models in parallel, and selecting a dominant speech model from the selected models based on recognition accuracy using the group of selected models. The system includes a processor and modules configured to control the processor to perform the method. The computer-readable storage medium includes instructions for causing a computing device to perform the steps of the method.
US09837067B2
Methods and systems for providing auditory messages for medical devices are provided. One method includes receiving semantic rating scale data corresponding to a plurality of sounds and medical message descriptions and performing semantic mapping using the received semantic rating scale data. The method also includes determining profiles for audible medical messages based on the semantic mapping and generating audible medical messages based on the determined profiles.
US09837062B2
The present invention relates to percussion instruments. In particular, it relates to a signal processor for detecting characteristics of vibration of a percussion pad due to a particular strike on the pad. It provides a musician more opportunity for creativity in the sound a listener a percussion instrument can hear. It provides a signal processor for a percussion instrument. The signal processor comprises a singular input signal acquiring means to acquire a singular input signal corresponding to a physical vibration of a percussion surface over time, a signal analyser to analyse the input signal for a characteristic of a strike on the surface which caused the vibration, and a command signal providing means to provide a command signal according to the characteristic.
US09837061B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for blending multi-channel signals are described. In one embodiment, a method for blending multi-channel signals involves computing component signals from the multi-channel signals, cross-fading the component signals based on different temporal rates to generate cross-faded component signals and generating a blended multi-channel signal based on the cross-faded component signals. Other embodiments are also described.
US09837050B2
An information processing method and an electrical device are described. The information processing method is applied to an electrical device having at least a processing unit, the electrical device has a plurality of usage modes and further includes a plurality of sensing units. The method includes acquiring, by the processing unit, data collected by the plurality of the sensing units; judging whether the electrical device is in a first usage mode according to the acquired data collected by the plurality of the sensing units; wherein the first usage mode is one of the plurality of the usage modes. With the present method, objects of integrating a plurality of usage modes into one electrical device and judging a usage mode corresponding to a current application scene efficiently are realized.
US09837042B2
A projection system includes a display device, a wireless presentation gateway, a computer terminal, and a portable device. The display device is used for displaying an image. The wireless presentation gateway is linked to the display device for transmitting image data to the display device. The computer terminal is linked to the wireless presentation gateway for transmitting the image data to the wireless presentation gateway. The portable device is connected to the computer terminal through a communication port for driving the computer terminal, the wireless presentation gateway, and the display device for performing an image display process automatically.
US09837041B2
Disclosed is a display unit provided with a display control printed circuit board with a circuit configured to generate a display signal for display by a display panel and a fixing metal plate for securing the display control printed circuit board. The display control printed circuit board is provided with identification information reading means for reading identification information of the display panel, a memory stored with set values for generating display signals corresponding to the sizes of a plurality of display panels, and a display controller configured to generate the display signals. The fixing metal plate comprises one or more members electrically connected to the display control printed circuit board and configured to transmit the identification information of the display unit to the display control printed circuit board. The identification information reading means reads a set value for the display panel from the memory, based on the identification information of the display panel derived from the one or more electrically connected members, and sets the set values in the display controller configured to generate the display signals.
US09837037B2
A method of driving a display panel includes comparing a previous line data and a present line data to generate a charge sharing enable (EQ) signal indicating whether or not a charge sharing is to be applied to a pixel; selectively applying the charge sharing to the present line data utilizing a charge sharing voltage according to the EQ signal to generate a data voltage; and outputting the data voltage to the pixel.
US09837033B2
According to an aspect, a display device includes: a display region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix; a plurality of signal lines that extend in a second direction in the display region; a vertical drive circuit that is coupled to first ends of the scanning lines and applies a vertical scanning pulse to the first ends to select each row of the pixels in the display region; a horizontal drive circuit that performs a display operation of supplying an image signal to each of the pixels in the row selected by the vertical drive circuit through the signal lines; and a plurality of switches that are coupled to second ends of the scanning lines respectively. Each of the switches supplies the same potential as that supplied to the first ends by the vertical drive circuit to the second end corresponding thereto in an idle period.
US09837029B2
A liquid crystal display panel is provided by the present invention, which comprises a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scanning lines, and a plurality of pixel units; wherein the pixel units of each column comprise two types of pixel units disposed interleaved, the adjacent pixel units are different types, and each of the data lines connects to the same type of adjacent pixel units. The present invention completes driving a plurality of adjacent row pixel units at the same time by making data lines connect with the same type pixel units.
US09837022B2
A display includes a plurality of pixels in a non-quadrangular display area and a plurality of first driving circuits and a plurality of second driving circuits in a peripheral area of the display area. Each of the pixels is connected to a first signal line in a first direction and a second signal line in a second direction crossing the first direction. Each of the first driving circuits outputs a first signal to the first signal line of a corresponding one of the pixels. Each of the second driving circuits outputs a second signal to the second signal line of a corresponding one of the pixels. The number of second driving circuits between neighboring first driving circuits is different depending on a position in the peripheral area.
US09837021B2
An organic light emitting display device includes an (i−1)th pixel, an i-th pixel, and an (i+1)th pixel, each including an organic light emitting diode and a driving transistor to control a driving current flowing through the organic light emitting diode. A first node of the i-th pixel, to which a control electrode of the driving transistor of the i-th pixel is connected, is initialized to an initialization voltage in synchronization with an (i−1)th scan signal applied to the i-th pixel, and an anode of the organic light emitting diode of the i-th pixel is initialized to the initialization voltage in synchronization with an i-th scan signal applied to the (i+1)th pixel.
US09837017B2
A stage of a gate driver includes a carry generate block configured to output an (N)-th carry signal based on an input signal and to provide the (N)-th carry signal to an (N+1)-th stage; a first output block configured to output an (N)-th gate initialization signal based on the input signal, an input enable signal, and an input disable signal, wherein the input disable signal is inverted with respect to the input enable signal; and a second output block configured to receive the (N)-th gate initialization signal and to output an (N)-th gate signal according to the output of the (N)-th gate initialization signal; the (N)-th gate signal being delayed one horizontal period from the (N)-th gate initialization signal, wherein the gate signals and the gate initialization signals of the stages are selectively output based on the input enable signal and the input disable signal.
US09837009B2
An apparatus for driving a display panel including a plurality of cells coupled to a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, a gate driver configured to output a gate selection signal to a shared gate line, and a data driver configured to output data signals to the cell array. The shared gate line includes a first gate line and a second gate line, the first and second gate lines sharing the gate selection signal.
US09837006B2
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed which includes a diagnosis controller configured to receive abnormity detection signals representing whether components of the liquid crystal display device are functioning normal. The components of the liquid crystal display device may include an LVDS interface, a timing controller, a data driver circuit, a backlight driver, a supply voltage generator. Such a liquid crystal display device handles treatable abnormities without any external help. In accordance therewith, complexity caused by transferring a large number of signals can be simplified.
US09836998B2
A document holder system can include a thin surface elongate along a first direction and a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The document holder system can include a first adhesive portion disposed on a back side along a top portion of the thin surface. Additionally, the document holder system can include a second adhesive portion disposed on a front side along at least one of the top portion and a middle portion of the thin surface.
US09836995B2
A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.
US09836993B2
In one embodiment, a system includes a signal generator operatively coupleable to one or more detectors; and a controller, the controller being both operably coupled to the signal generator and configured to cause the signal generator to: generate one or more signals each signal being representative of at least one emergency event; and communicate one or more of the generated signal(s) to a detector to which the signal generator is operably coupled. In another embodiment, a method includes: receiving data corresponding to one or more emergency events; generating at least one signal based on the data; and communicating the generated signal(s) to a detector.
US09836992B2
A piano training device is described herein. The piano training device comprising a plurality of keys which may be illuminated by a light source associated with each key. The light source associated with each key is oriented such that the light source transmits light toward the front surface of the key. The key is further manufactured so that the light transmitted toward the front surface of the key is redirected to the top surface of the key.
US09836987B2
A simulator facilitates virtual welding activity of boss (e.g., orbital) weld joints. The simulator may include a logic processor based system operable to execute coded instructions for generating an interactive welding environment that emulates welding activity on a section of virtual pipe having at least one virtual weld joint. It also includes a display connected to the logic processor based system for visually depicting the interactive welding environment, wherein the display depicts the section of virtual pipe. A pendant is provided for performing welding equipment setup and virtual welding activity on the at least one weld joint in real time where one or more sensors are adapted to track movement of the input device in real time for communicating data about the movement of the input device to the logic processor based system.
US09836981B2
A map system is provided whereby a plurality of individual puzzle pieces have a first upper planar surface and a second lower planar surface and are arranged in either a first unassembled configuration or a second assembled configuration to form a complete map, whereby at least one of complementary magnet pairs, complementary electronic sensors, complementary printed indicia, or combinations thereof are positioned on said lower planar surface for assembling into the assembled configuration.
US09836979B2
A method and system for identifying demand in a transportation system. A boarding count model is determined based upon passenger arrival information, and a geographic and time-specific generalized boarding model is determined based upon the boarding count model as well as information related to a plurality of stops on a route in the transportation system. For each of the plurality of stops, an approximated uniform arrival model is determined based upon the generalized arrival model and a time period between arriving vehicles at a specific stop, an instantaneous demand model is determined based upon the uniform arrival model, and a probability of no demand model is determined based upon the uniform arrival model. A report including the instantaneous demand and the probability of no demand determined can be generated. Based upon the report, various operational parameters for the transportation system can be manually or automatically adjusted.
US09836976B2
A method and apparatus for use in traversing a vehicle transportation network may include a host vehicle receiving a remote vehicle message including remote vehicle information, identifying host vehicle information, determining a relative position code indicating whether an expected path for the remote vehicle and an expected path for the host vehicle are convergent, determining a remote vehicle dynamic state code based on the remote vehicle information, determining a host vehicle dynamic state code based on the host vehicle information, identifying an expected passing lane collision condition based on the relative position code, the remote vehicle dynamic state code, the host vehicle dynamic state code, and a current acceleration rate for the host vehicle, in response to identifying the expected passing lane collision condition, identifying a vehicle control action, and traversing a portion of the vehicle transportation network in accordance with the vehicle control action.
US09836965B2
A method and system for logging and reporting on slow drivers in fast and middle lanes is disclosed. The system detects a slow vehicle in front of an automobile based on speed data from an OBD system, stores images of a rear of the slow vehicle using a forward facing video camera, detects passing of the slow vehicle on the left side of the automobile using a proximity sensor, stores images of a front of the slow vehicle using a rear facing video camera, after the automobile has passed the slow vehicle, stores global position data of the automobile using a GPS system, and transmits the speed data, the images of the rear of the slow vehicle, images of the front of the slow vehicle and the global position data that was taken and stored to the third party via the communications network, using the transmitter.
US09836960B2
A diagnosis system for an adaptive signal control system in a network, the diagnosis system including a traffic state identification device configured to estimate a traffic state describing a supply-demand mismatch by identifying a relationship between real time data feed from a sensor and a control strategy of said adaptive signal control system and a network transition model device configured to diagnose the supply-demand mismatch and an evolution of the supply-demand mismatch on a network level based on said relationship and infrastructure data of the network.
US09836940B2
Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage medium are provided for managing patient alerts using a mobile device. A mobile device associated with a patient caregiver receives a critical alert related to the patient, and the alert is presented on the mobile device. The alert includes important contextual information that enables the caregiver to make a quick assessment of how to effectively address the alert. The alert includes options for accepting the alert or rejecting the alert. Acceptance of the alert enables the caregiver to communicate the alert to selected caregivers that can assist in managing the alert. Rejecting the alert causes the alert to be automatically communicated to additional caregivers associated with patient.
US09836932B2
Methods, systems, and devices for security and/or automation systems are described. In some embodiments, the methods may include detecting an input at a doorbell, and communicating the detected input to a doorbell signal generating component associated with the doorbell based at least in part on the detecting. The methods may further include generating a first alert at the doorbell signal generating component associated with the doorbell. In some embodiments, the methods may further include communicating the detected input to one or more alert components associated with the security and/or automation system based at least in part on the detecting, and generating a second alert at the one or more alert components associated with the security and/or automation system.
US09836928B2
A method of identifying a specific key amongst a bundle of keys requires a plurality of keyhole tags and a plurality of key sleeves. Each of the keyhole tags includes a wireless transmitter. Each of the key sleeves includes a wireless receiver and at least one notification device that is associated to a corresponding tag. The method begins by broadcasting an identification signal with the wireless transmitter for each of the plurality of keyhole tags. The method then positions the plurality of key sleeves adjacent to a desired tag from the plurality of keyhole tags. The method then receives the identification signal for the desired tag with the wireless receiver for each of the plurality of key sleeves. Finally, the method actuates the notification device of a specific sleeve from the plurality of key sleeves, if the corresponding tag for the specific sleeve is the desired tag.
US09836927B2
A system includes a wearer role identification device, a garment with a dynamically modifiable display, and a hardware controller for the dynamically modifiable display. The wearer role identification device identifies a dynamically changeable role of the wearer of the garment. The hardware controller adjusts the dynamically modifiable display based on real-time inputs received from the wearer role identification device.
US09836925B2
Presented herein are gaming systems, gaming machines, and methods for conducting wagering games. Gaming machines are disclosed which include a gaming cabinet, display device(s) and input device(s) coupled to the cabinet, and game-logic circuitry disposed within the cabinet. Game-logic circuitry is configured to: initiate a casino game responsive to an electronic data signal indicating receipt of a player's physical input; determine a wagering-game outcome from a random element generated by a random element generator; change a standard-sized reel into a multi-reel carriage carrying plural non-standard-sized symbol-bearing reels, each of which is rotatably mounted onto the carriage; display each non-standard-sized reel spinning contemporaneously with spinning of the standard-sized reels and carriage; display the wagering-game outcome, including symbols of the standard-sized and non-standard-sized reels populating array positions of an array; and, evaluate the symbols of the standard-sized and non-standard-sized reels in the array to determine if the outcome meets an award criterion.
US09836921B2
A gaming machine achieves a new entertainment characteristic by adding a new characteristic to selection of a bonus type. A gaming machine comprises: a lower image display panel configured to display selectable images in a bonus game which is triggered in a normal game, wherein the selectable images are changed to any one of bonus rank images corresponding to bonus types every time selection is made; a control panel enabling selection of one of the selectable images; and a controller configured to control the display panel so that only the number of the bonus rank images corresponding to the bonus determined in advance in the bonus game reaches a predetermined number, wherein the controller displays a bonus rank image corresponding to a high rank bonus type out of bonus types, before the number of the bonus rank images corresponding to the bonus determined in advance reaches the predetermined number.
US09836919B2
A gaming system is provided that includes at least one payment acceptor for funding a players account, a master server and a processor device configured to communicate with a mobile device. The gaming system establishes one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted, compares a mobile device elevation at which a mobile device is located to the one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted. The gaming system, responsive to the comparing, permits gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations. The gaming system does not permit gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations.
US09836917B2
A gaming machine comprises a reel strip comprising a plurality of trigger symbols, stack symbols, wild symbols and standard symbols, a symbol selector for selecting a plurality of symbols from the reel strip to be displayed on a display during play of a base game, wherein in the base game, said wild symbols substitute for only stack symbols and standard symbols, an outcome evaluator for monitoring play of the game, wherein when a predefined number of trigger symbols is selected for display, a plurality of feature games are triggered, and an interface for receiving a selection of one of the plurality of triggered feature games to play. In response to said selection and before initiating play of the selected feature game, the symbol selector selects a first of the plurality of standard symbols in the reel strip to be stacked such that a plurality of the selected first standard symbols are arranged adjacent each other on the reel strip, and b) a first of the plurality of stack symbols in the reel strip, the plurality of selected first standard symbols being transformed into the selected first stack symbol.
US09836907B2
An inventory control system and method determines an inventory condition of objects stored in the system. Embodiments include a storage container including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; an image sensing device to capture image data of the container, including image data of the plurality of storage locations and a target area that includes an individual object storage location having less than the plurality of storage locations; a data storage device for storing the image data of the container; and a data processor. The processor receives initial image data representing an initial image of the plurality of storage locations, and image data representing an image of the target area captured subsequent to the initial image; modifies the initial image data based on the image data of the target area to generate adjusted image data; and stores the adjusted image data in the data storage device.
US09836904B2
The disclosed method uses a dongle to program a replacement key fob transmitter to a vehicle. The dongle mates to the vehicle's on-board electronics through the vehicle's existing data link. A diagnostic circuit in the dongle determines a communications protocol for programming the key fob transmitter to the vehicle. Audio and visual indicators indicate that communications are established and the successful programming of the key fob transmitter to the vehicle.
US09836902B2
If a portable device receives a request signal from a control device that requires a response from the portable device, a first response signal is transmitted from the portable device during a common period defined in all portable devices. Thus, in a case where there is no portable device which enables wireless communication with the control device, a value of received signal strength indication of a wireless signal which is received from the portable device by the control device is very small and becomes smaller than the threshold value during a period in the common period. In this case, the control device suspends reception processing of causing a signal to be transmitted from the plurality of portable devices subsequently to the first response signal.
US09836901B2
A method of managing student arrival and student dismissal is executed within a remote server as the remote server is communicably coupled with at least one automobile identification (AI) device. The AI device scans an incoming vehicle in order to identify at least one authorized profile. The authorized profile is assigned to a student profile and recognize as one of the driver profiles within the remote server. Upon validation of the authorized profile, the remote server generates an updated instruction that includes at least one student management instruction and at least one additional instruction that are accessed and defined by parent profiles or faculty profiles. Then the updated instruction is sent from the remote server to a selected computing device so that the student arrival and student dismissal can be processed.
US09836900B2
Provided is a binding device and method of operation of the binding device, with the binding device including a strap including a body, a first area formed inside the body, with a smart key related control circuit disposed in the first area, and a second area formed on one side of the body, with a battery for supplying electric power for operating the smart key related control circuit seated on the second area such that at least a portion of the battery is exposed, and a cover formed to cover the second area.
US09836899B2
A credential reader update system includes a server operable to provide a credential reader update via a cellular telephone interface, and a plurality of credential readers. Each credential reader communicates with a presented credential at a credential reader frequency, wherein each credential reader has a credential reader interface having a range. A portable update device is movable into and out of the range, and is operable to receive the credential reader update via the cellular telephone interface. A credential reader update application is included in the portable update device, and is operable to uniquely identify the particular credential reader to be updated. The portable update device transfers the credential reader update to the credential reader via the credential reader interface, and the credential reader update includes firmware instructions that cause the credential reader to perform communications with the presented credential at a second frequency different than the credential reader frequency.
US09836898B2
Systems and methods of securing access control systems are provided. Some methods can include sensing an authorized access card, sensing a directional movement of the access card, determining whether the directional movement of the access card is consistent with authorized movement of the access card, and based on the determination, allowing or denying access to a secured area. In this manner, even if an access card is obtained by an unauthorized user, the unauthorized user will not be able to gain access to a secured region because he will not know the direction to move the access card when presenting the card to a reader.
US09836892B1
A vehicular control device includes: a transmitter section that transmits a request signal to an electronic key according to an input operation; a receiver section that receives a response signal from the electronic key; a verification section that performs verification of the electronic key on the basis of the response signal; a determination section that determines that an abnormal state occurs, when the receiver section cannot receive the response signal until a first time or when the receiver section receives the response signal until the first time and the verification section fails in verification based on the response signal, after the transmitter section has transmitted the request signal; and a control section that prohibits, when the determination section determines that an abnormal state occurs, a vehicle operation until a second time passes after the determination, and allows the vehicle operation after the second time has passed.
US09836885B1
Under an embodiment of the invention, an image capturing and processing system creates 3D image-based rendering (IBR) for real estate. The system provides image-based rendering of real property, the computer system including a user interface for visually presenting an image-based rendering of a real property to a user; and a processor to obtain two or more photorealistic viewpoints from ground truth image data capture locations; combine and process two or more instances of ground truth image data to create a plurality of synthesized viewpoints; and visually present a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real property on the user interface, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints.
US09836884B2
It is proposed a computer-implemented method for parameterizing a three-dimensional modeled object for tessellation. The method comprising the steps of providing a boundary representation of the modeled object, the boundary representation comprising geometrical data including parametric surfaces and topological data including a set of faces each defined as a portion of the 2D domain of a respective parametric surface; determining 2D meshes each fitting a respective face; and associating the 2D meshes to the geometrical data of the boundary representation. Such a solution improves the tessellation of a 3D modeled object.
US09836874B2
A system that displays a set of polygons is described. This system obtains a set of line segments that defines the set of polygons. The system forms a horizontal index that keeps track of where line segments vertically project onto a horizontal reference line and similarly forms a vertical index for horizontal projections onto a vertical reference line. The system obtains a clip rectangle that defines a view into the set of polygons and uses the horizontal and vertical indexes to determine intersections between borders of the clip rectangle and line segments in the set of line segments. Next, the system uses the determined intersections to clip polygons in the set of polygons that intersect the clip rectangle. Finally, the system transfers the clipped polygons, and also unclipped polygons that fit completely within the clip rectangle, to a display device that displays the view into the set of polygons.
US09836872B2
A method and related apparatus (VS) for synthetic projection images, in particular synthetic 2D mammograms (S) formed from a 3D image volume T made up of slices (SL). It is proposed to compute a forward projection (FP) using a weighted average function that is implemented by a filter (FL). The filter function (FL) is configured such that that voxels in a slice with maximum sharpness are assigned highest weights thereby avoiding blurring by averaging with structurally less relevant slices.
US09836871B2
A method for creating a plane panorama from point cloud data using Hough transformations is disclosed. The method involves converting the three-dimensional point cloud into a two-dimensional histogram with bins grouping neighboring points, and performing a Hough transformation on the histogram. The resulting transformed data is segmented and the method searches the segments iteratively for a major line, followed by lines that are orthogonal, diagonal, or parallel to the major line, and discards outlying data in each bin as lines are identified. The detected lines are connected to form planes, and the planes are assembled into a hole- and gap-filled panorama. The method may also use an algorithm such as a Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm to detect a ground plane.
US09836867B2
Systems and methods for rendering an image of a selected garment on a photograph containing a selected individual are disclosed. A computer-implemented method includes: analyzing and tagging, by a computing device, a plurality of photographs stored in a repository; receiving, by the computing device, an indication of a selected garment and a selected individual; determining, by the computing device, a selected photograph from the plurality of photographs based on at least one of: appropriateness of outfit; appropriateness of environment; and usage patterns; generating, by the computing device, an augmented photograph by superimposing an image of the selected garment on the selected photograph; and transmitting, by the computing device, the augmented photograph to a client device.
US09836862B2
Methods and systems are provided for boosting the contrast levels in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a single energy. In one embodiment, a method comprises modifying projection data corresponding to a material based on an absorption behavior of the material at a selected energy, wherein the projection data is acquired at an energy higher than the selected energy. In this way, contrast levels may be enhanced in an image reconstructed from projection data acquired at a typical single energy as though the image were reconstructed from projection data acquired at a lower energy.
US09836860B2
In a method for producing 2-D recordings and 3-D recordings of a breast of a patient using an x-ray device that is operable in two recording modes and that has an x-ray radiation source and an x-ray radiation detector, the breast is placed between the x-ray radiation source and the x-ray radiation detector, and the 2-D recordings and the 3-D recordings are generated with the same breast placement. In order to keep the radiation exposure as low as possible in such a multi-mode x-ray device, all recordings are produced without the use of an anti-scatter grid, and a retroactive scattered radiation correction is implemented.
US09836850B2
A technique for automatically generating a virtual model of a branched structure using as an input a plurality of images taken of the branched structure. The technique employs an algorithm that avoids inaccuracies associated with sub-optimal threshold settings by “patching” holes or leaks created due to the inherent inconsistencies with imaging technology. By “patching” the holes, the algorithm may continue to run using a more sensitive threshold value than was previously possible.
US09836849B2
Disclosed herein is a method that comprises obtaining an image of a network section through which flow occurs; where the flow is selected from a group consisting of fluid, electrons, protons, neutrons and holes; subjecting the image to a low pass filter to increase contrast in portions of the network sections; computing a local mean of visible light intensity at each pixel that is present in the image; calculating a visible light intensity difference between each pixel and the local mean of visible light intensity and producing a differentiated image using this calculation; creating a base image of the differentiated image; where the base image comprises a hand segmented gold standard dataset; removing objects below a minimum threshold size from the base image; and retaining the remaining objects if they approximate the line or spine.
US09836836B2
The invention provides a method of processing an image in a diagnostic apparatus 100 of diagnosing a disease using a captured image of an affected area, comprising: a memorizing step of memorizing the captured image (Step S12), and a processing step of processing the captured image memorized (Step S13), wherein in the processing step a region to be diagnosed is subjected to a highlighting process with a specified color thereof maintained.
US09836831B1
Implementations relate to simulating long-exposure images. In some implementations, a method includes examining a series of images, determining an optical flow of pixel features between the image and an adjacent image in the series of images, and blurring one or more regions in one or more of the images, where the one or more regions are spatially defined based on one or more attributes of the optical flow.
US09836830B2
A frequency resolution unit performs frequency resolution of a radiographic image to generate band images representing frequency components in a plurality of frequency bands. A reference image generation unit generates a reference image representing information associated with scattered radiation included in the radiographic image, and generates a plurality of band reference images corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands from the reference image. A band image conversion unit performs conversion between the corresponding pixels of the band reference images and the band images in the corresponding frequency bands to generate converted band images. A synthesis unit synthesizes the converted band images to generate a processed radiographic image with converted contrast.
US09836826B1
Near real-time imagery of a given location may be provided to user upon request. Most popularly viewed geographic locations are determined, and a 360 degree image capture device is positioned at one or more of the determined locations. The image capture device may continually provide image information, which is processed, for example, to remove personal information and filter spam. Such image information may then be provided to users upon request. The image capture device continually captures multiple views of the given location, and the requesting user can select which perspective to view.
US09836825B2
A method and a device for dose modulated X-ray scanning, where, according to an example of the method, a theoretical X-ray scanning dose for a scanning region may be calculated according to a target image quality standard set for the scanning region and a reference data level determined for the scanning region. Then, an X-ray attenuation difference between each data level corresponding to the scanning region and the reference data level may be calculated according to the theoretical X-ray scanning dose. In this way, a data level where the X-ray attenuation difference with the reference data level is higher than a threshold may be selected out from the data levels corresponding to the scanning region as a target to be de-noised, and a noise reduction may be performed for the target to be de-noised.
US09836817B2
Systems and methods include manipulating multiple data plots. The multiple data plots each have horizontal and vertical dimensions and include active and inactive zoom plots. After determining whether the inactive zoom plot is to be synchronized with the active zoom plot in the horizontal or vertical dimension when zooming the active zoom plot and an indication that the active zoom plot is to be zoomed to an active zoom area, an active area zoom is performed based on the indication using a zoom start point and a zoom end point in the horizontal or vertical dimension. A corresponding inactive zoom plot is zoomed by rescaled in the horizontal or vertical dimension by converting the zoom start and end points to corresponding inactive zoom start and end points in the inactive zoom plot using a preset transfer function if the inactive zoom plot is to be synchronized.
US09836812B2
An image processing apparatus includes a restrictive condition storage unit in which at least one restrictive condition, which is to be applied to an image to be output and acquired from a subject, is stored, an accepting unit that accepts an image that is obtained by shooting the subject and has at least one field, an image changing unit that applies the at least one restrictive condition to the at least one field of the image accepted by the accepting unit, changes the at least one field so that it satisfies the at least one restrictive condition, and acquires at least one new field, and an image output unit that outputs the at least one field acquired by the image changing unit, enabling an image having an overall balance to be output.
US09836810B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for multi-path rendering on tile based architectures including executing, with a graphics processing unit (GPU), a query pass, executing, with the GPU, a condition true pass based on the query pass without executing a flush operation, executing, with the GPU, a condition false pass based on the query pass without executing a flush operation, and responsive to executing the condition true pass and the condition false pass, executing, with the GPU, a flush operation.
US09836806B1
A system, method, and a physical figure for presenting user progress in a virtual space are disclosed. The presented user progress may indicate user advancements in the virtual space and/or user development in the real-world. Based on information indicating such user progress, character representation may be determined to reflect the user progress for presentation on the physical figure. In some implementations, specific location(s) on the physical figure may be determined for presenting specific aspect(s) of user progress in the virtual space. The physical figure may receive the determined character representation information and present the character represent on one or more screens thereon.
US09836791B2
A computerized trading system receives buy and sell trade orders in financial instruments traded in the central trading system from user terminals connected to the central trading system is provided. Users and/or user terminals are associated with different offset spread values. The trading system transmits price information and associated offset spread values to different user terminals. Each of the user terminals displays an actual price for the instrument that corresponds to the combined price information and associated offset spread value.
US09836788B2
The example methods and systems described herein provide for configuration of one or more trade order parameters to associate with one or more trade orders, where the trade orders may be submitted to one or more electronic exchanges. According to an example embodiment, rather than having the trader manually configure each individual parameter associated with each trade order, a trader can pre-configure customer and order parameters. A user, for example a trader, broker, or market maker, can configure trade order parameters to associate with one or more customers, one or more order types, and/or internal messages to associate with any of the configured customers or orders. Based on the selected customer and tradeable object, the trading system evaluates the pre-configured customer and associated order parameters and determines which trade order parameters best match. The trading system then dynamically populates the order entry window with the specific trade order parameters associated with the best match.
US09836786B1
Merchants may desire to save for a variety of reasons, such as to purchase a new piece of equipment for use at the merchant, to pay vendors for services provided to the merchant, to set up a “rainy-day fund”, or the like. As such, described herein are techniques and arrangements for helping a merchant reach its savings goals by automatically saving, for the merchant, a portion of each transaction made by the merchant at a point-of-sale (POS) device of the merchant.
US09836778B2
A method and a system are disclosed for generating a recommendation of a retail location on a network-based system. For example, a system may obtain a retail location definition associated with a geographic location. The geographic location may represent the retail location. The system then builds a scan event model from product scan messages received from a plurality of scanning devices located within the geographic location. The scan event model may include one or more scan events each being associated with a product definition and the retail location definition. Next, a recommendation query from the search device is received by the system. The recommendation query may include a product identifier and a query location. The system may generate a recommendation of the retail location based on determining that the product identifier and the query location match the one or more scan events of the scan event model.
US09836771B1
A method of client mediated advertisement selection comprises sending, by an electronic device, a request for an advertisement to an advertisement gateway, where the request comprises a request for an advertisement in a first format, receiving, from the advertisement gateway, a response message that comprises an indication that no advertisement is available in the first format, receiving, from the advertisement gateway, instructions for invoking a first media adapter of a plurality of media adapters on the electronic device based on the request for the advertisement in the first format, invoking, by the electronic device, the first media adapter based on the instructions, requesting, by the first media adapter, the advertisement in the first format from an advertisement provider, and receiving, at the electronic device, the advertisement in the first format.
US09836763B2
Advertisement systems and methods for distributing advertisements are provided. An advertising system according to one embodiment includes an advertisement server configured to manage the ordering and printing of advertisements at predetermined locations and at predetermined times. The advertising system also includes a plurality of printing devices operating at the predetermined locations, each printing device configured to print an advertisement on an item associated with a purchase. A network is configured to enable communication between the advertisement server and the plurality of printing devices. The printing devices are configured to print the advertisements according to the plurality of predetermined times based on when at least one advertiser intends for the advertisements to be printed. Other implementations of advertisement systems include three-dimensional printing or etching of advertisements and displaying advertisements on electronic devices. Advertising may also be based on weather conditions, traffic conditions, or other conditions.
US09836761B2
An influence metric describing the influence of a social networking system object on social networking system users is determined based on affinities between the users and the object. For example, affinities between the associated users and the object are combined to determine the influence metric. Content may be selected for presentation to users based in part on influence metrics of the content. Additionally, influence metrics of objects associated with a user may be combined to determine the relevance of objects associated with the user, which may also be used to select content for presentation to the user.
US09836755B2
There is provided systems and method for determining a user's event experience through user actions. A user may attend an event at a venue and take various actions with respect to the event. For example, the user may dance and cheer at the event, which may be captured by a biometric reading device on a user device that the user has in their possession. Additionally, the user may share media and generate social networking interactions while at, or after the event. The user may also make purchases at the event or after the event, such as purchasing media content corresponding to the event. Based on the actions taken by the user, an enjoyment level may be determined, which may be used to further determine a quality or how overall enjoyable was the event. Thus, users may be provided with sales of products or future events matching their interests.
US09836751B2
A system and method for reporting a user's behavior and patterns when engaged in use of an electronic consumable. In a preferred embodiment, an electronic consumable such as an electronic book or library includes detectors for collecting biological information from a user. This information is analyzed to identify the user's interests in and reactions to the electronic consumable.
US09836746B2
A technique for the detection of an unauthorized wireless communication device includes monitoring of Bluetooth® communications activity by a Bluetooth® capable communication device. Any monitored communication activity is analyzed against parameters that are predefined to detect suspected illegal activity. If illegal activity is suspected by the analysis, an alert is generated for a system administrator. The predefined parameters associate illegal activity with; data that includes credit card numbers and expiration dates, credit card transaction logging information, non-discoverable devices, activity after store hours, exceedingly long activity, etc.
US09836742B2
The present disclosure relates to an interactive computing system configured to provide a network-based application that can provide offline functionality. A user computing device, such as a mobile device, access a network-based application through an interactive computing system. The network-based application can be configured to provide transaction information sufficient to conduct a transaction with a point-of-sale terminal when the network application is not in communication with the interactive computing system.
US09836733B2
A financial transaction system includes a governing host having a database for registering parties wishing to perform a financial transaction and processing the financial transaction. A discrete point-of-sale (POS) terminal interfaces with one party wishing to initiate a financial transaction with another party. The discrete POS terminal has a local transaction process for initial validating and enforcing of business rules governing the transaction with the one party and generating a transaction key confirming that the transaction is authorized on validating the transaction with the governing host. A facilitator device reads the transaction key on being supplied with same by the one party and communicates with the governing host to complete the transaction using a facilitator POS terminal. The discrete POS terminal is located separately and can be accessed and operated independently by the one party offline of any point-of-sale activity involving the facilitator POS terminal and the facilitator device.
US09836720B1
Embodiments include a computer-implemented management platform for securely generating tracking codes, and for verifiably imprinting those tracking codes onto physical articles. In an embodiment, one or more hardware processors generate tracking code(s) and send the tracking code(s) towards an automated computer-controlled production line, and which physically imprint each tracking codes onto a corresponding article, and physically verify the physical imprinting. If a tracking code was correctly imprinted on its corresponding article, one or more records are recorded in a durable storage medium, which indicate that the tracking code imprinted on an article. If a tracking code was incorrectly imprinted on its corresponding article, the factory line physically rejects the corresponding article. Embodiments also include the computer-implemented management platform securely managing those physical articles throughout their lifecycle, based on the securely-generated and verifiably-imprinted tracking codes.
US09836710B2
A solution for validating a set of data protection solutions is provided. A validation scenario can be defined, which can include data corresponding to a set of attributes for the validation scenario. The attributes can include a time frame for the validation scenario. The validation scenario also can include a set of backup images to be validated, each of which is generated using one of the set of data protection solutions. The set of backup images can be identified using the time frame. A set of resource requirements for implementing the validation scenario can be determined based on the set of backup images and the set of attributes for the validation scenario.
US09836709B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for generating a visibility model for a project. In use, a plurality of systems associated with at least one project are identified. Additionally, information associated with the at least one project is received from the plurality of systems, the information including information corresponding to discrete activities associated with the at least one project and the information being received by a visibility model generation system that is separate from the plurality of systems. Further, the received information corresponding to the discrete activities is organized into common groups of work. In addition, at least one visibility model associated with the at least one project is generated utilizing the information corresponding to the discrete activities organized into common groups of work. Furthermore, updated information associated with the at least one project is received from at least one of the plurality of systems, the updated information including information corresponding to a project progress associated with the at least one of the plurality of systems. Still yet, at least a portion of the at least one visibility model associated with the at least one project is updated utilizing the updated information.
US09836696B2
In one embodiment, a management system determines respective capability information of machine learning systems, the capability information including at least an action the respective machine learning system is configured to perform. The management system receives, for each of the machine learning systems, respective performance scoring information associated with the respective action, and computes a degree of freedom for each machine learning system to perform the respective action based on the performance scoring information. Accordingly, the management system then specifies the respective degree of freedom to the machine learning systems. In one embodiment, the management system comprises a management device that computes a respective trust level for the machine learning systems based on receiving the respective performance scoring feedback, and a policy engine that computes the degree of freedom based on receiving the trust level. In further embodiments, the machine learning system performs the action based on the degree of freedom.
US09836695B2
Embodiments relate to supporting a decision making process. The method generates a graph that represents a decision making process. The graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes. The nodes represent local decisions contributing to a global decision of the decision making process. Each node is associated with one or more parameters used for modeling the local decision. Each edge is associated with one or more parameters used for defining a relationship between two nodes. The method simulates the graph based at least in part on the parameters of the nodes and edges to derive an output global decision of the decision making process. The method receives a change to at least one of the parameters of the graph from a user and simulates the graph based at least in part on the at least one changed parameter to determine that the output global decision changes.
US09836688B2
A hang tag may be disclosed. The hang tag can include an RFID tag, a hole, and an upper and lower portion separated by a perforation. The hang tag can additionally be manufactured on a web whereby once the tag is removed from the web, substantially no tackiness may remain on the hang tag.
US09836684B2
Smartcards having (i) a metal card body (MCB) with a slit (S) overlapping a module antenna (MA) of a chip module (TCM) or (ii) multiple metal layers (M1, M2, M3) each having a slit (S1, S2, S3) offset or oriented differently than each other. A front metal layer may be continuous (no slit), and may be shielded from underlying metal layers by a shielding layer (SL). Metal backing inserts (MBI) reinforcing the slit(s) may also have a slit (S2) overlapping the module antenna. Diamond like coating filling the slit. Key fobs similarly fabricated. Plastic-Metal-Plastic smart cards and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Such cards may be contactless only, contact only, or may be dual-interface (contact and contactless) cards.
US09836682B2
A system for detecting the depth of an antenna embedded in the card body of a smart card includes a milling device for forming a cavity in the card body, a test device disposed in close proximity to the card body, a vector network analyzer (VNA) for measuring a linear characteristic of the test device, and a control device for regulating operation of the milling device in view of data collected by the VNA. In use, the VNA generates a test signal and measures the degree of signal reflection from the test device. Under normal conditions, the VNA observes a spike in forward return loss at the natural resonant frequency of the open antenna circuit. However, at the instant that the milling device contacts the antenna, a notable variance in the degree of signal reflection is observed which indicates that the proper antenna depth has been reached.
US09836667B2
Disclosed herein is a system and a method for analyzing apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events and characterizing these apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events by constructal analysis. The resulting statistical values obtained can be used to compare the apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events with other apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events. The comparison can yield knowledge about the apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events as well as the neighborhood or surroundings of the apparent random pathways, patterns, networks, or a series of events.
US09836663B2
A head mounted device (HMD) includes an imaging unit configured to capture at least one image of a partial region of an iris, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor configured to receive an ECG signal, and a control unit configured to acquire at least one image of the partial region of the iris and ECG signals, and authenticate a user by using the acquired image(s) of the partial region of the iris and the ECG signals.
US09836662B2
The purpose of the present invention is to prevent a reduction in authentication accuracy caused by identity fraud. A score calculation unit compares each of a plurality of types of biological information, acquired as acquired biological information from a target person of identity verification, to the same type of registered biological information registered in advance. Based on the comparison, the score calculation unit calculates an authentication score that expresses the degree of similarity between the acquired biological information and the registered information, for each type of acquired biological information. For each type of the acquired biological information, a probability calculation unit calculates as an identity fraud probability using the calculated authentication score to. A determination unit determines whether the target person of identity verification is the registered person, and/or determines whether the target person of identity verification is fraudulently pretending to be the registered person.
US09836658B2
A parking assist system includes an electronic control unit configured to: set at least one candidate position that is a candidate for a target position of a moving path of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of a detection result of an obstacle and a detection result of a parking boundary; set an orientation of the vehicle at each of the at least one candidate position, as a candidate position vehicle orientation, on the basis of at least one of the detection result of the obstacle and the detection result of the parking boundary; rank each of the at least one candidate position on the basis of an orientation of the vehicle and the candidate position vehicle orientation; and determine one of the ranked at least one candidate position as the target position.
US09836657B2
A system and method are disclosed for determining the presence and period of dashed line lane markers in a roadway. The system includes an imager configured to capture a plurality of high dynamic range images exterior of the vehicle and a processor, in communication with the at least one imager such that the processor is configured to process at least one high dynamic range image. The period of the dashed lane markers in the image is calculated for detecting the presence of the dashed lane marker and for tracking the vehicle within the markers. The processor communicates an output for use by the vehicle for use in lane departure warning (LDW) and/or other driver assist features.
US09836645B2
A method for depth mapping includes receiving an image of a pattern of spots that has been projected onto a scene, which includes a hand having fingers. The image is processed in order to segment and find a three-dimensional (3D) location of the hand. Based on the spots appearing on the hand in the 3D location, a first depth value that is characteristic of the hand and a second depth value that is characteristic of a background of the scene behind the hand are computed. The spots in a vicinity of the hand in the image between the first and second depth values are sorted in order to extract separate, respective contours of each of the fingers. The respective contours are processed in order to identify a posture of the hand and fingers.
US09836643B2
Biometric enrollment and verification techniques for ocular-vascular, periocular, and facial regions are described. Periocular image regions can be defined based on the dimensions of an ocular region identified in an image of a facial region. Feature descriptors can be generated for interest points in the ocular and periocular regions using a combination of patterned histogram feature descriptors. Quality metrics for the regions can be determined based on region value scores calculated based on texture surrounding the interest points. A biometric matching process for calculating a match score based on the ocular and periocular regions can progressively include additional periocular regions to obtain a greater match confidence.
US09836638B2
A system and method are disclosed for conserving power during navigation, e.g., user device pointer/cursor navigation, using a fingerprint image sensor, that may comprise processing, via a computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a first finger navigation mode; processing, via the computing device, fingerprint image sensor data indicative of finger position and movement with respect to a fingerprint image sensor surface in a finger navigation mode to determine if the finger is in a second finger navigation mode; and transitioning, via the computing device, the fingerprint image sensor from a first power consumption mode to a second power consumption mode, based on detecting a transition from the first finger navigation mode to the second finger navigation mode.
US09836632B1
Disclosed is a barcode scanner. The barcode scanner can include a top plate and a first illumination source. The top plate can include a surface. The surface can define a scanning window and a first edge of the top plate. The first illumination source can be located proximate the first edge of the top plate. The first illumination source can be arranged to direct light in a direction of the scanning window. The light can have a strobe sequence.
US09836624B2
The present technique relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a record medium and a program which can prevent hot insertion and extraction of an SIM card. A removing unit removes a tray storing a storage member. A removal detector detects an operation of starting removal of the tray before the removing unit removes the tray. A power controller stopping power supplying to the storage member when the removal detector detects the operation of starting the removal of the tray may be employed. The present technique may be applied, e.g., to a personal computer.
US09836619B1
There is disclosed a digital vault for music owners having a number of modules. An account management module is for creating accounts with the digital vault for plural music owners. An access control module is for providing the music owners secure access to their respective accounts. The access control module also provides reviewing users access to the songs in a music owner's account. A song upload module is for the music owners to upload songs into the music owners' respective accounts. A sharing module is for the music owners to provide reviewing users with access to their songs. A listening module is for the reviewing users to stream the songs in the digital vault to which the music owners have given them access. A song management module provides the music owners various options for managing the songs in their accounts.
US09836618B2
A method and system for authenticating a service to access data respective of a user on a low-end mobile device. The method includes sending, from a telephone-to-web adapter, a first authentication token over a first communication path to the low-end mobile device, wherein the telephone-to-web adapter is a separate entity from the low-end mobile device; receiving, at the telephone-to-web adapter, a second authentication token over a second communication path, wherein the second authentication token is received from a host server hosting the service, wherein the first communication path is performed with a first method of communication and the second communication path is performed with a second method of communication; comparing, at the telephone-to-web adapter, the first authentication token to the second authentication token; and allowing access to data upon determining that the first authentication token matches the second authentication token.
US09836606B2
A system and method is disclosed for recovering a boot image. Hardware instructions initiate a loading of a computer operating system on a computing device. During the loading of the operating system, multiple portions of boot code are verified and a determination is made whether each portion is valid. If a portion of boot code is determined to be invalid, a secure portion of the boot code is loaded to repair the invalid code and the loading of the operating system resumed.
US09836604B2
In one embodiment of file integrity preservation in accordance with the present description, a file is subdivided into a plurality of subfiles, and a write update originally targeted for a portion of that file contained within one of the subfiles, is instead directed to a temporary copy subfile. As a consequence, the temporary copy subfile which is updated with the write data, may be scanned for viruses or other malware separately from the original file and its corresponding original subfile. If the temporary copy subfile passes the scanning test, the originally targeted file may be updated with the updated contents of the clean temporary copy subfile. Conversely, in the event that the write update introduced malicious software to the temporary copy subfile, the original file and its corresponding original subfile remain uncontaminated by the write update. Other aspects are also described.
US09836602B2
To prepare computing devices (e.g., running Windows NT-based operating systems) for offline scanning, without the need for removable media, such as CDs and USB devices, and for users to modify the BIOS settings, parameters regarding a protected-mode operating system and the computing device are collected and verified while the protected-mode operating system is running on the computing device. A kernel of an alternate operating system (e.g., a Linux operating system) can be mapped to the memory of the device, shutdown of the protected-mode operating system can be initiated, a system environment for the alternate operating system kernel can be prepared, and control of the computing device can be transferred or passed to the alternate operating system kernel.
US09836595B1
A method for determining a password strength is provided. The method may include receiving a user-entered password. The method may also include identifying a keyboard layout type associated with a keyboard utilized to enter the received user-entered password. The method may further include mapping each character within a plurality of characters in the received user-entered password to a corresponding location on a grid associated with the identified keyboard layout type. The method may also include determining a coordinate sequence associated with the received user-entered password based on the mapped plurality of characters. The method may further include applying a pattern recognition algorithm to the determined coordinate sequence. The method may also include determining a password strength based on the applied pattern recognition algorithm.
US09836588B2
A locking apparatus is provided which includes a display including a plurality of characters comprising the predetermined characters of the personal identification code, a pointer for moving along the plurality of characters on the display means and a controller for selecting the predetermined characters of the personal identification code when the pointing means moves along the plurality of characters on the display means. The controller is configured to select a first predetermined character of the personal identification code when the pointing means is configured to move in a first direction on the display means and to pass the first predetermined character and then to stop randomly between the first predetermined character and a first predetermined marker character on the display means. The apparatus provides password fraud protection.
US09836585B2
A method for managing users' digital rights to documents protected by digital rights management (DRM), comprising the steps of a rights management system (RMS) server receiving a request from a user for accessing a DRM-protected document, and the RMS server executing a user centric adaptor (UCA) module to check in a UCA database under the user's identification (ID) whether one of a limited number of predetermined policies of digital rights is added to the user's ID, whereas if the user's rights to the document is not revoked by deletion of a predetermined policy under the user's ID in the UCA database, then the UCA module does not block granting the user's request.
US09836566B2
A computer-implemented method for a hierarchical design flow for deterministic or statistical timing convergence of VLSI circuits enabling design reuse, concurrency and out of context signoff analysis includes: defining, by a computing device, component clock definitions; performing static timing analysis on a lower level component of a circuit design; performing a timing closure for the lower level component based on performing the static timing analysis; generating a timing abstract associated with the lower level component; performing static timing analysis on a higher level component of the circuit design using the timing abstract and the results of the out-of-context timing analysis of the lower level component; generating smart guidance assertions based on performing the static timing analysis on the higher level component; and storing the smart guidance assertions for performing a subsequent timing analysis on the lower level component.
US09836560B1
Embodiments of the invention simulate the actual shape of a cumulative distribution function (CDF) that describes the energetic sensitivity of an energetic composition. Sensitivity tests and historical data are input into an electronic processor. Response data points are obtained through electronic analysis and a best fit curve is produced through the response points and produced as output in a tangible medium.
US09836551B2
A method of visualizing and interacting with a given term graph for a given group G defined by a set of values d for a set of dimensions D and topic X, may comprise obtaining the term graph associated with the given group G and the topic X; displaying the topic X in a tag cloud; representing each term from the term graph as a tag in the tag cloud, wherein a distance of a given tag from the displayed topic X in the tag cloud represents a distance of a term represented by the given tag from the topic X in the term graph; and visually representing a tag's importance relative to one or more of resources associated with the given group G in the tag cloud.
US09836534B2
An embodiment of the invention is provided for use in discovering a specified API service capability. The embodiment includes generating a search statement related to the specified API service capability. The embodiment further includes constructing a data structure, wherein the data structure includes one or more characteristic nodes that are each associated with data describing a particular API characteristic, and the associated data for respective characteristic nodes is ordered in accordance with one or more API service ontologies. The search statement is used to selectively search the data structure. The embodiment determines whether the search finds a match between data included in the search statement, and particular ontological data associated with one or more of the characteristic nodes of the data structure.
US09836531B1
A systems and methods for determining crowd sentiment based on unstructured data are presented. The system includes scrapers that continuously scour a computer network to obtain one or more published documents and stores the documents in a document repository. The system further processes each of the documents through a filter (or percolator) to extract one or more system keywords, links and statistical information such as number of occurrences of the system keyword, rate of change and direction of change for each system keyword and crowd sentiment for the system keyword. The system further includes a keyword cache system for maintaining the system keywords so that up to date crowd sentiment is available upon demand.
US09836528B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for managing data deliver for data constrained user devices. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a user device, requests for resources. For each of the requests, determining whether the user device is currently subject to a data constraint for receiving data responsive to the request. For each request for which the user device is determined to be subject to the data constraint, provide data that causes the user device to display a prompt to choose whether a resource responsive to the request is to be provided in the unrestricted data form or a restricted data form. A resource can be provided in an unrestricted data form has a first data size and provided in a restricted data form has a second data size that is less than the first data size.
US09836525B2
A content item categorizer system retrieves content items from Internet sources. If a retrieved content item includes sufficient information for traditional categorization methods, then the system assigns one or more categories to the content item using such traditional methods. The system creates a metadata model, based on information about traditionally-categorized content items, that maps at least hashtags from the content items to one or more content categories. When the system retrieves a sparse-info item that does not include sufficient information for traditional categorization, the system applies the metadata model to categorize the content item using at least hashtags in the sparse-info item. The metadata model may also include information indicating mappings between categories and coincidence of hashtags and additional content item attributes. Also, the metadata model may provide information for categorizing sparse-info items based on multiple hashtags in the sparse-info item metadata.
US09836523B2
Systems and methods for sharing information between distributed computer systems connected to one or more data networks. In particular, a replication system implements methodologies for sharing database information between computer systems where the databases use different classification schemes for information access control.
US09836518B2
Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.
US09836516B2
Log based replication using parallel scanners is described. An example method includes establishing replication paths from a primary database to a plurality of destination servers. A plurality of scanner threads are spawned to scan a transaction log of the primary database. Specifically, one scanner thread is assigned to each replication path corresponding to each destination server. For each scanner thread, data bound to a replication path associated with the scanner thread is selected from a subset of the transaction log. Accordingly, the data is distributed to a destination server associated with the replication path.
US09836512B1
Systems and methods for identifying potentially compromised devices using attributes of a known compromised device may be provided. In one embodiment, an attribute set can be constructed for the compromised hosts using data from these logs. Weights can be assigned to each attribute in the attribute set initially, and further weights can be learned using audits by a user. This attribute set can be used in the disclosed systems and methods for identifying hosts that are similar to compromised hosts. The similar items can be used as hosts for deception mechanisms, can be taken off the network as being likely compromised or likely to become compromised, or quarantined.
US09836505B2
A system and method for processing a database query is described. The method can, in response to detection that a database query involves a star or snowflake join operation, determine a selectivity ratio for each of a plurality of dimension tables. The selectivity ratio having a lower value can correspond to a more restrictive dimension table. Thereafter, a table ordering can be created beginning with a fact table and continuing with each of the dimension tables in ascending order of their corresponding selectivity ratios. Then a query plan involving join operations between successive tables in the table ordering can be created.
US09836500B2
There are provided methods and systems for providing viewers of a digital image with information about identifiable and scenes within the image. In an embodiment, digital images, uploaded to a host website, are customized through the incorporation of some number of selectable informational links and other text based information to provide viewers of the image real-time access to social and advertising related information regarding certain identifiable objects and scenes in the image. The selectable information links are incorporated within and around the digital image in a process referred to herein as image tagging.
US09836497B2
A method, computer program product, and computer system for matching, at a computing device, one or more parameters of test data to one or more rules. A location of a data store is selected to store results of the test data, wherein the location is selected based upon, at least in part, the one or more rules matched to the one or more parameters of the test data. The results of the test data is separated from results of production data by storing the results of the test data at the location of the data store selected based upon, at least in part, the one or more rules matched to the one or more parameters of the test data.
US09836496B1
Example embodiments relate to a notification system. The notification system accesses a set of components of a first data object, a user having registered to monitor the first data object for modifications. The notification system compares the set of components of the first data object to a previous set of components of the first data object and determines, based on the comparison, that the set of components of the first data object includes at least one modification from the previous set of components of the first data object. In response to determining that the set of components of the first data object includes at least one modification from the previous set of components of the first data object, the notification system notifies the user of the at least one modification to the first data object.
US09836491B1
The present disclosure describes techniques and apparatuses for hardware-implemented AVL tree updates. In some aspects, records are accessed as part of a search performed to update an AVL tree. The update may involve inserting a new node into, or removing a node from, the AVL tree. The AVL tree is represented by records stored in memory, each of which represents a node of the AVL tree. During the search, each of the records accessed is read from memory. The records read from memory are then written to an AVL tree rebalancing component implemented in hardware. Once the records are written to the hardware-implemented AVL tree rebalancer, it can modify, without subsequently accessing the memory, those records corresponding to the nodes affected by the update. After those records are modified by the hardware-implemented AVL tree rebalancer, the modified records are written back to the memory effective to update the AVL tree.
US09836482B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for query categorization based on image results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving images from image results responsive to a query, wherein each of the images is associated with an order in the image results and respective user behavior data for the image as a search result for the first query, and associating one or more of the first images with a plurality of annotations based on analysis of the selected first images' content.
US09836479B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for storage of files. A removable memory device is configured to couple to a computing device, and a storage management application is stored in the removable memory device, the storage management application being executable by a processor circuit. The storage management application is configured to send a plurality of files for storage in a networked storage system, the networked storage system being remote to the computing device. The storage management system caches a subset of the files on the removable memory device and maintains a local file directory in the removable memory device. The local file directory lists the files stored in the networked storage system in association with an account linked to the removable memory device.
US09836473B2
According to embodiments of the present invention, machines, systems, methods and computer program products for hardware acceleration are presented. A plurality of computational nodes for processing data is provided, each node performing a corresponding operation for data received at that node. A metric module is used to determine a compression benefit metric pertaining to performance of the corresponding operations of one or more computational nodes with recompressed data. An accelerator module recompresses data for processing by the one or more computational nodes based on the compression benefit metric indicating a benefit gained by using the recompressed data. A distribution function may be used to distribute data among a plurality of nodes.
US09836465B2
The present invention seeks to provide an improved file system that provides essence data for a media file in a way that does not require the contents of the entire file to be available before any file data can be provided. The present invention is reflected in a method of providing file data for a media file of a pre-determined format from a file system comprising a file record database and a data store, wherein the media file corresponds to a programme. The method comprises the steps of receiving details of the programme including the duration of the programme, and determining the layout of the media file in the pre-determined format from the received details of the programme, the layout including locations for essence data within the file. A file record for the media file is then created in the file record database. In response to a request for the location of essence data within the file, a location given by the determined layout of the media file is returned. Further, a stream of essence data corresponding to the contents of the programme is received and the received essence data is stored in the data store. In response to a request for a portion of essence data from the media file corresponding to a time period of the programme, essence data derived from the received essence data is returned according to the determined layout of the media file.
US09836464B2
Media files may be curated for a user based on a location of a client device associated with the user. A user carrying a client device may arrive at a particular location on a given day. A computer-implemented process may include determining whether the given day and/or the particular location is “unique” to the user in some fashion, which may be based on one or more criteria used to quantify or otherwise evaluate uniqueness of the day or location. At least partly in response, media file sharing service may be queried to identify shared media files that were created at the particular location, wherein the shared media files are associated with one or more entities having social connections to the user. A curated subset of the identified media files may be automatically created and a notification may be issued to the user.
US09836463B2
A computer implemented method includes identifying a first question that is associated with an object at an information handling system. The first question represents an opportunity to select a first configuration setting having a first value. A second question associated with the object is identified, the second question representing an opportunity to select a second configuration setting having a second value. The method further includes determining that relevance of the second question depends on the first value. A first dependency modifier is associated with the second question based on determining the relevance. The first dependency modifier identifies the first question, the first value, and an action keyword. The action keyword identifies a first action to be associated with a presentation of the second question.
US09836462B2
A document service may be provided by many document service packages, each presenting a particular set of service characteristics (e.g., the performance achievable on various storage device types; the available indexing models; and the types of transactions, scripts, and queries supported by the document service). For a particular project, an administrator may endeavor to select a document service package exhibiting characteristics that match some criteria of the project and to configure or adapt the document service for other criteria, but the range of adaptability for each document service package may be limited. Presented herein are architectures for document services involving a composable set of components respectively providing a service feature with a service characteristic. The document service may be automatically composed by, for each service feature of the document service, selecting a service component for the service feature that matches the service criteria specified in a service level agreement.
US09836461B1
A method and system for searching documents. The method can include: identifying a first set of messages of a messaging platform referencing a document; identifying message text of the first set of messages; associating the message text with the document in a storage repository; receiving, by a computer processor, a search request including a search term provided by a client; calculating, by the computer processor, a relevance score for the document based at least on the search term and the message text; and providing, to the client and based on the relevance score, a reference to the document in response to the search request.
US09836457B2
Different forward-translated sentences are generated by translating a received translation-source sentence in a first language into a second language. Backward-translated sentences are generated by backward-translating the different forward-translated sentences into the first language. When an operation for selecting one of the backward-translated sentences is received during output of the backward-translated sentences on an information output device, the forward-translated sentence corresponding to the selected backward-translated sentence is output onto the information output device.
US09836454B2
A regular rule learning method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium, include an analyzing circuit configured to analyze a corpus of sentences stored in a database to discover lexical features and conjunctively create a regular set of rules based on the discovered lexical features and syntactical features.
US09836451B2
The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for enabling dynamic tokens in an expression parser. An example method includes identifying an expression represented as a natural language input for validation by a parser. Each of the phrases in the expression are iteratively converted into a set of tokens by determining whether a current phrase matches a pre-defined token associated with a known grammar rule, and, in response to determining that the current phrase matches a pre-defined token, generating a token for the current phrase for use in validating the expression. If the current phrase does not match a pre-defined token, the unrecognized string of characters is compared to a plurality of dynamic tokens included in an external pool of tokens to generate a generic token of an identified type. The dynamic token is replaced with the generic token and can be used to validate the expression.
US09836449B2
The problem solved by this invention is to convert text information in a geology report to numerical values which reflects geological characteristics of a well's subsurface. Prior art referred above cannot be applicable to this problem. Since text information in the geology report is in the natural language form. This information is not widely used in this industry, due to the fact that the text information can be hardly extracted and summarized into numerical values and integrated into current physical geology models or statistical models. This invention makes the text information in geology report, which is often in a natural language form, easier to be integrated into current geology physical models or statistical models. Also, the numerical values extracted from the geology report can be integrated with other kinds of data, such as seismic data and well-logging data, to obtain more accurate and comprehensive analysis results.
US09836436B2
An exemplary method includes accessing a source document where the source document is associated with a citation and copying a selected portion of the source document. Then, in response to copying the selected portion, the method includes generating a referenced element where the referenced element consists of the selected portion and a hyperlink associated with the citation. Finally, the method includes accessing a destination document and inserting the referenced element into the destination document. An additional exemplary method further includes storing a copy of the referenced element in a memory of an access device. Another exemplary method includes annotating the destination document and generating an annotated destination document. Another exemplary method includes printing, within a single print session, the annotated destination document and the source document. Yet another exemplary method includes printing, within a single print session, a non-annotated destination document, the annotated destination document and the source document.
US09836419B2
Embodiments are directed to efficiently managing data storage and efficiently storing data. In one scenario, a computer system receives a write request addressed to one portion of data storage within a data store. The computer system redirects the received write request to another portion of data storage which includes storage containers, each of which is a logically specified portion of the data store. The computer system determines which storage container the write request is to write to, and identifies a storage container that is to be de-staged from the second portion of data storage to the first portion of data storage. The computer system then de-stages the identified storage containers to the first portion of data storage, the data of the de-staged container being stored on the first portion of data storage in the same order in which the data was stored in the identified storage container prior to de-staging.
US09836417B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for configuring an interface bridge. A computing system includes a device controller, an interface bridge module coupled to the device controller configured to provide bridge functionality according to a first communication standard, a primary communication interface conforming to the first communication standard and coupled to the interface bridge module. The computing system further includes a first non-volatile memory module coupled to the interface bridge module, the first non-volatile memory module storing first stage boot loader code, a second non-volatile memory module coupled to the device controller, and a secondary communication interface conforming to a second communication standard coupled to the device controller. The device controller is configured to receive update package data over the secondary communication interface, the update package data including a firmware image, and write the update package data to the second non-volatile memory module.
US09836416B2
A system, comprising: a plurality of modules, each module comprising a plurality of integrated circuits devices coupled to a module bus and a channel interface that communicates with a memory controller, at least a first module having a portion of its total module address space composed of first type memory cells having a first maximum access speed, and at least a second module having a portion of its total module address space composed of second type memory cells having a second maximum access speed slower than the first access speed.
US09836413B2
For maintaining consistency for a cache that contains dependent objects in a computing environment, object dependencies for cached objects are managed by defining and maintaining object dependency lists for each one of the cached objects for identifying objects upon which the cached objects are dependent. Maintaining cache consistency for 2 types of cache eviction policies is supported by maintaining an object dependency lists for each one of the cached objects for identifying objects dependent upon the cached object. Each of the objects in an object dependency list is updated when the object is updated.
US09836406B2
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for evicting cache lines that includes determining that a first cache line is to be evicted from a first Last Level Cache (LLC) partition of a partitioned LLC, and sending, based on the determination, a first notification to a second LLC partition of the partitioned LLC. The method may also include receiving, in response to the first notification, an available indication indicating that the second LLC partition is available as a designated victim cache partition; performing a selection of the second LLC partition as the designated victim cache partition; and evicting the first cache line to the second LLC partition based on the selection.
US09836404B2
Systems and techniques are disclosed for the mirroring of cache data from a storage controller to a storage class memory (“SCM”) device. The storage controller receives a write request, caches the write data, and mirrors the write data to the SCM device instead of to a cache of another storage controller. The SCM device stores the mirrored data in the SCM device. The storage controller acknowledges the write to the host. If the storage controller later fails, an alternate controller assumes ownership of storage volumes associated with the failed controller. Upon receipt of a new read request to the failed controller, the alternate controller checks the SCM device for a cache hit. If there is, the data is read from the SCM device; otherwise, it is read from the storage volume(s). The read data is cached at the alternate controller and then sent on to the requesting host.
US09836402B1
Systems and methods for data storage management technology that enables a guest module of a virtual machine to indicate an order in which a host module should write data from physical memory to a secondary storage. An example method may comprise: identifying, by a processing device executing a host module, a plurality of modifications to physical memory made by a plurality of direct access operations executed by a guest module of a virtual machine; determining, by the host module, an order of the plurality of modifications to physical memory; receiving, by the host module, a synchronization request from the guest module; and responsive to the synchronization request, copying, by the host module, data from the physical memory to a secondary storage in view of the order of the plurality of modifications.
US09836397B2
Method and apparatus for direct memory access of dynamically allocated memory. The apparatus includes: a state receiving module operable to receive a reallocation state of a dynamically allocated memory; an address receiving module operable to receive a dynamic address of a data segment stored in the dynamically allocated memory; a data access module operable to access the dynamic address via a direct memory access (DMA) protocol; and a determining module operable to determine whether a reallocation state received before access to the dynamic address is identical to a reallocation state received after access to the dynamic address. Also provided, a method for verification of data accessed from a dynamically allocated memory and a method and apparatus for allowing a server to provide access to data from a dynamically allocated memory by a client device.
US09836394B2
A method, information processing system, and computer readable storage medium, vary a maximum heap memory size for one application of a plurality of applications based on monitoring garbage collection activity levels for the plurality of applications, each application including a heap memory, and unused memory in the heap memory being reclaimed by a garbage collector.
US09836393B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for maintaining a context stack. A monitor module monitors a stack size after each monitor interval for a stack of a plurality of contexts. Each context defines communications between a process and a data set and comprises a pathway for communicating with the data set and a process identifier. A stack module deallocates a context that satisfies a stack policy from the stack if the stack size is within a buffer threshold of a maximum threshold.
US09836391B2
Systems and methods are provided for using page buffers of memory devices connected to a memory controller through a common bus. A page buffer of a memory device is used as a temporary cache for data which is written to the memory cells of the memory device. This can allow the memory controller to use memory devices as temporary caches so that the memory controller can free up space in its own memory.
US09836390B2
A method is provided to evaluate impact of a change to code of a depended upon component of a system stored in a computer readable storage device, upon a dependent component of the system, the method comprising: identifying a dependency relationship between a first component stored in a computer readable storage device and a second component stored in the computer readable storage device; in response to a determination that the second component depends upon the first component, configuring a computer system to obtain a first property evaluation corresponding to the first component; and in response to obtaining the first property evaluation corresponding to the first component, configuring the computer system to associate the first property evaluation with the second component, and obtain a second property evaluation corresponding to the second component, wherein the second component is associated with the first property evaluation.
US09836384B2
A testing device for real-time testing of at least a part of a virtual electronic control unit with an electronic control unit code is provided. The testing device has a computing unit of a first type, and a computing unit of a second type. The testing of a virtual electronic control unit with electronic control unit code, which is executable on the computing unit of the second type with a second instruction set, is made possible in that a computing unit of the first type executes an emulator for emulating the computing unit of the second type and the emulator executes the electronic control unit code. The emulator also has a simulation environment interface for exchanging data and/or events with the simulation environment.
US09836383B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating stable location identifiers. One of the methods includes generating, for each relevant location in an existing file, a signature for the relevant location using at most a predetermined quantity of characters surrounding the relevant location; obtaining, for a first file that includes location information for the existing file, data that identify one or more locatable strings in the existing file and, for each locatable string, a corresponding location within the existing file; determining, for each particular location associated with a locatable string from the one or more locatable strings in the existing file, a respective corresponding signature; and generating the first file that includes, for each locatable string from the one or more locatable strings, the respective corresponding signature that uniquely identifies the relevant location on which the locatable string occurs in the existing file.
US09836382B2
A method for the cognitive debugging of a managed system includes first receiving an event in an event management system. Thereafter, a context for the event is extracted therefrom and the context is mapped to both one or more components of a managed computing system and also one or more corresponding debug mode commands for each of the components. Consequently, a debug mode is enabled in each of the components and the corresponding debug mode commands are issued for each of the components so as to provoke a generation of one or more log entries. The generated log entries then are matched to a pre-stored log entry amongst a multiplicity of pre-stored log entries and at least one problem resolution document stored in connection with the matched pre-stored log entry is transmitted to an operator of the event management system.
US09836380B2
Systems, devices and methods are provided for testing a terminal application. For example, a test component is implanted into a source code program of a terminal application to be tested; one or more preset debugging codes are written into the source code program of the terminal application; one or more function addresses of the debugging codes in the source code program of the terminal application are acquired and registered; compiling and executing the source code program; an application test page is generated on a terminal user interface; and in response to a test execution instruction being triggered by a client on the application test page, the debugging codes is called via the function addresses in the test component to test the terminal application.
US09836379B2
A method of generating an instrumented code from a program code executable on a programmable target is described. The method comprises analyzing the program code to detect a loop nest with regular memory access in the program code, providing a record of static memory address information associated with the loop nest, and instrumenting the program code to provide an instrumented code corresponding to the program code supplemented with an instrumentation instruction to output an information message comprising a dynamic memory address information field formatted to store a dynamic memory address information associated with the loop nest.
US09836376B2
A test system, for example for set top boxes or game consoles, includes logic to reformat media signals output by a device under test, logic to receive the reformatted media signals and to analyze them for errors, and a pluggable interface coupling the device under test to the logic to reformat the media signals.
US09836367B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for migrating a trust relationship. For example, a first storage cluster and a second storage cluster have a disaster recovery relationship where the second storage cluster provides failover client access to replicated data, replicated from the first storage cluster to the second storage cluster, in the event the first storage cluster fails. The first storage cluster may have a trust relationship with a third storage cluster, such that data is mirrored from a volume of the first storage cluster into a mirrored volume of the third storage cluster based upon the trust relationship. In the event the first storage cluster fails over to the second storage cluster due to a disaster at the first storage cluster, the trust relationship is migrated to be between the second storage cluster and the third storage cluster for non-disruptive mirroring of data to the mirrored volume.
US09836365B2
Programmatic generation of an actionable recovery workflow from data stored inside a Configuration Management Database which may be primarily populated through automated discovery. The programmatic workflow can be sent to an orchestration engine for execution, leveraging underlying automation components.
US09836364B2
Technology is disclosed for recovering I/O modules in a storage system using in-band alternate control path (ACP) architecture (“the technology”). The technology enables a storage server to transmit control commands, e.g., for recovering an I/O module, to the I/O module over a data path that is typically used to transmit data commands. The control commands are typically transmitted using ACP that is separate from the data path. By enabling transmission of control commands over the data path, the technology eliminates the need for separate medium for ACP, at least in part, to transmit the control commands. The technology can be implemented in a pure in-band ACP mode, which supports recovering an I/O module of a storage shelf in which at least one I/O module is responsive, and/or in a mixed in-band ACP mode, which supports recovery of I/O modules of a storage shelf in which all I/O modules are non-responsive.
US09836360B2
A system includes reception of a command to recover a database to a point in time, determining a log backup which covers the point in time, determination of a sequence identifier associated with the log backup, collection of log backups which are older than the determined log backup and associated with the sequence identifier, and a data backup associated with the sequence identifier, and execution of a recovery of the database based on the determined log backup and the collected log backups and data backup.
US09836353B2
A determination is made as to whether one of a system definition file data set and a catalog data set is unavailable for orderly restart of an information system. The system definition file data set provides resource definition information for the information system and the catalog data set provides resource state information for the information system. A determination is made that the other of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is available. The unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set is reconstructed by rebuilding the system resource definition and state information used by the unavailable one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set using system resource information within the other available one of the system definition file data set and the catalog data set.
US09836350B2
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to an error correction method for non-volatile memory. The error correction method writes data to a first location from a block of user data stored in DRAM. The data written to the first location is verified and errors are identified. Upon determining the number of identified errors exceed a threshold, the block of user data is re-writing to a second location. The data written to the second location is verified and errors are identified. The data written to the first location and the data written to the second location are compared and all discrepancy bits are erased in the comparison. A joint parity check matrix is built with the data written to the first location and the data written to the second location. A code word matrix is built with the comparison. A resultant of the joint parity check matrix and the code word matrix is determined if it is invertible.
US09836348B2
A memory module is disclosed that includes a substrate, a memory device that outputs read data, and a buffer. The buffer has a primary interface for transferring the read data to a memory controller and a secondary interface coupled to the memory device to receive the read data. The buffer includes error logic to identify an error in the received read data and to identify a storage cell location in the memory device associated with the error. Repair logic maps a replacement storage element as a substitute storage element for the storage cell location associated with the error.
US09836340B2
A method, system, and computer program product for safe management of data storage using a VM are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An I/O request is received from the VM. A determination is made whether the I/O request requests a data manipulation on the data storage in an address range that overlaps with an address range of a VM signature stored on the data storage. In response to determining that the address range of the data manipulation overlaps with the address range of the VM signature, a determination is made whether an identifier of the VM matches an identifier of a second VM associated with the signature. In response to determining that the identifier of the VM does not match the identifier of the second VM, the I/O request is failed, thereby preventing an unsafe overwriting of the signature on the data storage.
US09836338B2
Provided are a message interaction processing method and device. The method includes: a first buffer with a preset size is applied for to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and/or a chip; and message interaction is performed between the CPU and the chip through the first buffer, wherein the first buffer is used for storing at least two messages. By the disclosure, the problem that frequent switching between states may cause high resource overhead and low message transmission efficiency under the condition of large message interaction between the CPU and the chip is solved, and the effect of remarkably improving message sending and receiving efficiency and performance of network equipment is further achieved.
US09836337B1
An enterprise service bus (ESB) business activity monitoring system and related methods. Specific implementations include a message box server, an itinerary server, a business activity monitoring (BAM) server, a message box database, an itinerary database, a BAM database, a web server and a caching server all operatively coupled together. A developer computer and user computer may be coupled with the web server through a telecommunication channel. The first user computer may include a first computer interface and a second computer interface. The first computer interface may be configured to display a real-time status of the selected itinerary process using the web server, the caching server, the BAM server, and the message box server. The data resubmit button may be configured to resubmit the selected itinerary process for processing by the message box server beginning at the error step.
US09836334B2
A method, information processing system, and computer program product are provided for managing operating system interference on applications in a parallel processing system. A mapping of hardware multi-threading threads to at least one processing core is determined, and first and second sets of logical processors of the at least one processing core are determined. The first set includes at least one of the logical processors of the at least one processing core, and the second set includes at least one of a remainder of the logical processors of the at least one processing core. A processor schedules application tasks only on the logical processors of the first set of logical processors of the at least one processing core. Operating system interference events are scheduled only on the logical processors of the second set of logical processors of the at least one processing core.
US09836333B2
A multi-function button is provided for a wearable device. A method includes associating, by at least one processor of the wearable device, operation of a button of a user interface of the wearable device with a quick-launch function of a computer program application stored in the wearable device, wherein operation of the button in a state where the computer program application is not being executed and where an icon identifying and enabling launch of the computer program application is not being displayed causes launch of the computer program application; and detecting, by the at least one processor while the computer program application is being executed, operation of the button and, in response to the detection, causing execution of a function of the computer program application.
US09836328B2
An apparatus includes at least one processor executing a method for managing memory among a plurality of concurrently-running virtual machines, and a non-transitory memory device that stores a set of computer readable instructions for implementing and executing said memory management method. A memory optimization mechanism can reduce a memory usage of a virtual machine at a cost of increasing a central processing unit (CPU) usage. Information on a memory usage and a CPU usage of each virtual machine is periodically collected. When a first virtual machine exhibits high memory use, at least one second virtual machine with an extra CPU capacity is identified. A memory optimization mechanism is applied to the second virtual machine to reduce memory used by the second virtual machine, thereby providing a portion of freed memory that is then allocated to the first virtual machine.
US09836322B1
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a scheduler disposed at a control device of a switch fabric system. The scheduler is configured to receive a control plane request associated with the switch fabric system having a data plane and a control plane separate from the data plane. The scheduler is configured to designate a control plane entity based on the control plane request and state information of each control plane entity from a set of control plane entities associated with the control plane and instantiated as a virtual machine. The scheduler is configured to send a signal to a compute device of the switch fabric system in response to the control plane request such that the control plane entity is instantiated as a virtual machine at the compute device.
US09836320B2
Embodiments include methods, and computing systems, and computer program products for collecting performance metrics from Java virtual machines. Aspects include: setting up a virtual storage structure of a collector on a computing system for collecting performance metrics data from one or more Java virtual machines, pushing, at each of Java virtual machines through a corresponding performance monitoring Java agent, performance metrics data collected by the Java virtual machine to the virtual storage structure of collector, pulling, at a performance monitoring system through a collector API, the performance metrics data collected by the plurality of Java virtual machines from the virtual storage structure of the collector, analyzing the performance metrics data pulled from the virtual storage structure of the collector by the performance monitoring system, and generating, at the performance monitoring system, a performance alert when the performance metrics data analyzed indicates one or more system abnormalities.
US09836316B2
Technologies for performing flexible code acceleration on a computing device includes initializing an accelerator virtual device on the computing device. The computing device allocates memory-mapped input and output (I/O) for the accelerator virtual device and also allocates an accelerator virtual device context for a code to be accelerated. The computing device accesses a bytecode of the code to be accelerated and determines whether the bytecode is an operating system-dependent bytecode. If not, the computing device performs hardware acceleration of the bytecode via the memory-mapped I/O using an internal binary translation module. However, if the bytecode is operating system-dependent, the computing device performs software acceleration of the bytecode.
US09836306B2
The present disclosure describes apparatuses and techniques for parallelizing boot operations. In some aspects, an operation transferring a boot image from a non-volatile memory to a volatile memory is initiated prior to completion an operation validating another boot image previously-transferred into the volatile memory. This can be effective to enable transfer operations and validation operations of boot images to be performed in parallel. By so doing, delays between the transfer and validation operations can be minimized thereby reducing device boot times.
US09836298B2
One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes a deployment recipe generator to generate a plurality of deployment recipes; a deployment test engine to test each of a plurality of deployment configurations, each deployment configuration corresponding to a respective deployment recipe; and data analysis logic to determine a deployment rule based, at least in part, on deployment heuristics.
US09836291B1
A short pointer mode application has been loaded. Based on determining that the short pointer mode application has been loaded, an address space configured for a long pointer mode environment is reconfigured. The address space has one portion addressable by short pointers of a defined size and another portion addressable by long pointers of another defined size, and the reconfiguring includes obtaining a long pointer library, and loading the long pointer library in the one portion of the address space addressable by short pointers.
US09836288B2
The invention relates to a method for generating executable code from application source code. The method steps include determining a programmatic expression using the application source code and determining a first value for the programmatic expression. The method steps further include compiling the programmatic expression into a first optimized code portion using the first value, an assumption, and an expression scope. The method steps further include executing the application source code. The method steps further include determining that the programmatic expression is modified outside of the expression scope, invalidating the assumption, and de-optimizing the first optimized code portion.
US09836287B2
Disclosed are systems, methods, and machine-readable storage mediums for selectively performing storage optimization processes in a computing device. In at least some embodiments, a method includes monitoring access patterns in association with data of one or more files accessed by a user of the computing device, determining a classification of the computing device, and utilizing the user access patterns and the device classification in determining execution of a storage optimization process based on a storage optimization policy. The storage optimization policy can specify downsampling, lossy compression, lossless compression, or a combination thereof to be applied to the files based on thresholds associated with the user access patterns and/or the device classification. Utilization of the storage optimization policy can enable the computing device to have an infinite local storage capacity.
US09836286B2
A computer program product according to some embodiments causes a processor to perform operations including disassembling executable code of an application program to provide disassembled code, identifying first wrapping code in the disassembled code, receiving second wrapping code, generating a consolidated application wrapper that manages operation of both the first wrapping code and the second wrapping code, inserting the second wrapping code and the consolidated application wrapper into the disassembled code to form modified disassembled code, and assembling the modified disassembled code to form modified executable code.
US09836284B2
A user may create a blueprint that specifies an application's architecture, including virtual machines (VM) nodes, software services and application components within the VM nodes. To do so, the user manipulates a graphical user interface (GUI) rendered by a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) layout engine. The SVG layout engine parses declarative layout configurations and translates the declarative layout into SVG elements that visually represent the blueprint. The SVG layout engine dynamically calculates absolute positions and sizes of child elements based on the declarative layout.
US09836282B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for exchanging information between information technology (IT) services. An architecture provides separation of concern between the models by separating the models for IT services into an operation model and a structural model that are linked by a service model. The service model can be configurable to extend the operation model. Configuration of the operation model includes defining messages exchanged between the IT services. Configuration of the structural model includes capturing a structure of the IT services. The service model has an association with the structural model, the association making the structural model opaque to the operation model.
US09836280B2
According to one embodiment, an arrangement for checking the entropy of a random number sequence is described including a random source configured to provide a random input sequence, a post-processing circuit configured to receive the random input sequence and to generate a random number sequence from the random input sequence by performing a post-processing and a decimation of the random input sequence, an inverse post-processing circuit configured to receive the random number sequence from the post-processing circuit and to generate a processed random number sequence by a processing of the random number sequence that is inverse to the post-processing performed by the post-processing circuit, and an entropy checker configured to check the entropy of the random number sequence based on the processed random number sequence.
US09836275B2
A user device having a voice recognition function and an operation method thereof are provided. The operation method includes detecting whether there is an input from at least one sensor in response to execution of an application which may use voice recognition and activating or inactivating the voice recognition in response to the detection of the input.
US09836272B2
An audio signal processing apparatus that includes a band division section, an analysis section, a gain adjustment amount calculation section, and a gain adjustment section. The band division section is configured to generate a resonance in-band signal by band division on an audio input signal. The analysis section is configured to extract an amount of features from each of the resonance in-band signal and the input signal. The gain adjustment amount calculation section is configured to calculate a gain adjustment amount for a resonance frequency band in the input signal, the gain adjustment amount being calculated based on the amount of features of the resonance in-band signal and the amount of features of the input signal. The gain adjustment section is configured to perform a gain adjustment on the resonance frequency band in the input signal based on the gain adjustment amount.
US09836269B2
An apparatus and method for generating audio data and an apparatus and method for playing audio data may be disclosed, in which the apparatus for playing the audio data may extract a descriptor related to a multichannel audio signal from a bitstream generated by the apparatus for generating the audio data, and play the multichannel audio signal, based on the extracted descriptor, and the descriptor may include information on an audio signal included in the multichannel audio signal.
US09836260B2
According to the present invention, when a terminal apparatus is brought close to a printing apparatus serving as a processing apparatus, the terminal apparatus uses its own NFC unit to acquire, from the printing apparatus, information for communicating with each of one or more network connection units provided in the printing apparatus. Then, using a communication unit, the terminal apparatus then searches for the printing apparatus on a network in accordance with the acquired information. In the case where the terminal apparatus has successfully identified the printing apparatus as being present on the network, the terminal apparatus transmits a processing request to the printing apparatus successfully identified on the network via the communication unit.
US09836258B2
A problem is solved by providing an information processing apparatus having a processing unit for performing processing based on device information acquired by acquisition processing performed at a time of connection with an external device, when performing the processing based on the device information is determined and the information processing apparatus is connected to the external device by a first connection method, and performing the processing based on the device information acquired by the acquisition processing performed after performing the processing based on the device information is determined, when performing the processing based on the device information is determined and the information processing apparatus is connected to the external device by a second connection method.
US09836255B2
Provided are an image forming apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an operation control program and an operation control method. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a server processing unit, and a group management unit that manages one or more of other image forming apparatuses each including a server processing unit as a first apparatus group, and manages one or more of other image forming apparatuses chosen as a second apparatus group. The image forming apparatus further includes a judgement unit that judges whether the image forming apparatus is in a state capable of executing processing at a processing request received, and a proxy execution control unit that, on judging that the image forming apparatus is not in the state, requests an image forming apparatus belonging to the first or second apparatus group for proxy execution of the processing, according to the kind of processing request.
US09836252B2
An image forming apparatus that analyzes and prints a job including a plurality of documents, comprises: a management unit configured to obtain information of a page to be printed, which is designated in the job, and manage the information as a print range; and an analysis unit configured to analyze each of the plurality of documents included in the job, wherein the analysis unit calculates the number of pages of each of the plurality of documents, and based on the number of pages of each of the plurality of documents, specifies the page to be printed indicated by the print range out of the plurality of documents.
US09836251B2
In an image processing system including a plurality of MFPs, it is assumed that a terminal apparatus accepts a request for connection to an MFP from a user. When a remote operation of the MFP through the terminal apparatus cannot be performed, the terminal apparatus requests of another MFP different from the MFP for connection and receives transfer of representation information for displaying an operation screen from another MFP. The terminal apparatus transfers operation information representing an operation by the user onto the operation screen to another MFP. When the processing based on the operation information is processing of a print job by the user in the MFP, another MFP transfers the print job to the MFP.
US09836245B2
A non-volatile solid-state storage is provided. The non-volatile solid state storage includes a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) addressable by a processor external to the non-volatile solid state storage. The NVRAM is configured to store user data and metadata relating to the user data. The non-volatile solid state storage includes a flash memory addressable by the processor. The flash memory is configured to store the user data responsive to the processor directing transfer of the user data from the NVRAM to the flash memory.
US09836244B2
A system for resource sharing across multi-cloud storage arrays includes a plurality of storage arrays and a cloud array storage (CAS) application. The plurality of storage resources are distributed in one or more cloud storage arrays, and each storage resource comprises a unique object identifier that identifies location and structure of the corresponding storage resource at a given point-in-time. The cloud array storage (CAS) application manages the resource sharing process by first taking an instantaneous copy of initial data stored in a first location of a first storage resource at a given point-in-time and then distributing copies of the instantaneous copy to other storage resources in the one or more cloud storage arrays. The instantaneous copy comprises a first unique object identifier pointing to the first storage location of the initial data in the first storage resource and when the instantaneous copy is distributed to a second storage resource, the first unique object identifier is copied into a second storage location within the second storage resource and the second storage location of the second storage resource is assigned a second unique object identifier.
US09836235B2
A digital signal processing (DSP) system includes an analog to digital converter, program random access memory (PRAM), N switching devices, and a control module. The analog to digital converter is configured to convert samples of an analog signal into digital samples. The PRAM includes: N PRAM blocks, where N is an integer greater than one; and code for M digital signal processing functions stored in the N PRAM blocks, where M is an integer greater than one. The N switching devices are configured to connect and disconnect the N PRAM blocks, respectively, to and from a power source. The control module is configured to: control the N switching devices; and execute selected ones of the M digital signal processing functions on the digital samples to produce an output.
US09836218B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for computing reduction and prefix sum operations in memory. A number of embodiments include processing circuitry configured to compute a reduction operation on data stored in a group of memory cells by splitting the data into a plurality of elements, copying each of the plurality of elements into elements that are wider than before being copied, and performing a logical operation associated with the reduction operation on each of the copied elements.
US09836205B2
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include a content management system that allows a user to easily activate a camera while viewing digital content. For example, a content management system can provide a graphical user interface that includes a scroll element that allows a user to navigate through digital content. In addition, a user can interact with the scroll element to activate a camera. For instance, a user can activate a camera by scrolling the scroll element to and/or beyond a particular position.
US09836199B2
A user interface device includes: a display unit which displays a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional display object in a display space; a sensor unit which measures 3D coordinates of fingers of a user in the display space; a motion detecting unit which detects motion of the fingers of the user relative to the display object based on the 3D coordinates of the fingers of the user measured by the sensor unit; and a display control unit which changes display content displayed by the display unit, according to a detection result obtained by the motion detecting unit.
US09836196B2
A method for realizing a user interface using a camera module and a mobile communication terminal for the same. If a user makes a predetermined motion in a state in which the camera module of the mobile communication terminal is activated, the mobile communication terminal performs a predetermined action according to the motion pattern by recognizing the user motion and patterning the motion. In this case, the action performed according to the motion pattern corresponds to mouse control in a mouse mode, game control in a game mode, and character input in a character input mode.
US09836194B2
In accordance with one embodiment, a desktop information processing apparatus allowed to be simultaneously used by a plurality of users comprises a plurality of operation display sections and a control section. The plurality of operation display sections, each of which has a display surface on the top plate of the desktop information processing apparatus, detect touch operations of users, respectively. Further, the operation display sections are allocated to each user. The control section conducts a control to display same file data in a pre-defined first display area on all the operation display sections. The control section conducts a control to display, when a user carries out a touching and moving operation on the file data on one of the plurality of operation display sections, the track of the movement on the touched operation display section but not on the other operation display sections.
US09836193B2
A method includes analyzing, on a first computing device, data from second computing device(s) of user interaction with a user interface of an application previously executed on the second computing device(s). The data corresponds to events caused by the user interaction with the user interface of the application. The first computing device generates representation(s) of the analyzed data and outputs the representation(s) of the user interaction. Another method includes capturing and logging, by a computing device, events caused by user interaction with a user interface of an application when the application is executed on the computing device. In response to a trigger, data comprising the captured and logged events is sent toward another computing device. Another method includes instrumenting a measurement library into an application to create an instrumented version of the application, and sending the instrumented application to computing device(s). Methods, apparatus, software, and computer program products are disclosed.
US09836187B2
Architecture that enables a card interaction model that can present cards in different ways. When a user performs tasks, new stacked cards (one card on top of another card) corresponding to those tasks open in a left pane over the top of a background canvas (a card overlay of the underlying canvas). Users can scroll through the card stack of the card overlay to retrieve previous cards. Additionally, in an alternative viewing mode, a user can interact with the card overlay via an interactive affordance (an interactive object made available to facilitate a potential action) to enable viewing (e.g., an overview) of the cards in a side-by-side card overlay manner to further enable the opening and quick navigation to one of the previous cards. The architecture has applicability to mapping systems where searches range over many different geographical sites.
US09836181B2
An electronic device comprises an executing module, a display module, and a display controller. The display controller makes the display module display a first display screen containing information about execution of a certain function during execution. The executing module starts execution of a widget for making the display module display information included in the first display screen while the certain function is executed and thereafter when execution of the certain function is finished, the executing module finishes execution of the widget When the display controller makes the display module display a display screen different from the first display screen while the widget is executed, the display controller incorporates widget execution information into a partial region of the different display screen based on execution of the widget. The widget execution information includes at least part of the information on the first display screen.
US09836180B2
A method implemented in a video editing device comprises retrieving media content and generating a user interface comprising a graphical representation of the retrieved media content on a first timeline component. The method further comprises analyzing the retrieved media content to extract attributes associated with the media content and generating a second timeline component in the user interface. At least a portion of the extracted attributes is arranged along the second timeline component with respect to time, and each of the portion of extracted attributes is represented by a corresponding graphical representation. Furthermore, each attribute corresponds to a segment in the media content. The method further comprises retrieving, based on the displayed attributes arranged along the graphical timeline component, a selection of at least one segment of the media content.
US09836176B1
Provided is an optically transparent conductive material which is suitable as an optically transparent electrode for capacitive touchscreens, the optically transparent conductive material not causing moire even when placed over a liquid crystal display, having a favorably low pattern conspicuousness (non-conspicuousness), and having a high reliability. The optically transparent conductive material has, on an optically transparent support, an optically transparent conductive layer having optically transparent sensor parts electrically connected to terminal parts and optically transparent dummy parts not electrically connected to terminal parts, and in this optically transparent conductive material, the sensor parts and the dummy parts are formed of a metal thin line pattern having a mesh shape, and in the plane of the optically transparent conductive layer, the contour shape of each of the sensor parts extends in a first direction, the dummy parts are arranged alternately with the sensor parts in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the sensor parts are arranged at a cycle of L in the second direction, at least part of the metal thin line pattern in the sensor parts has a cycle of 2L/N in the second direction (wherein N is any natural number), and the metal thin line pattern in the dummy parts has a cycle longer than 2L/N or does not have a cycle in the second direction.
US09836167B2
A device includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of sense electrodes. The drive electrodes run generally in a first direction and have multiple projections along their length. The sense electrodes run generally in a second direction transverse to the drive electrodes. The sense electrodes have multiple projections interleaved with the multiple projections of the drive electrodes.
US09836166B2
An optical touch-sensitive device is able to determine the locations of multiple simultaneous touch events. The optical touch-sensitive device includes multiple emitters and detectors coupled with an optical coupler assembly through a waveguide on the surface on the optical-touch sensitive device. Each emitter produces optical beams which propagate in the waveguide via total internal reflection and are received by the detectors. Touch events disturb the optical beams, and are determined based on the disturbances. The waveguide has at least one dead zone on its surface. The dead zone is formed with a cover layer having a top surface and a bottom surface where the bottom surface of the cover layer is directly coupled to the top surface of the waveguide. The cover layer preserves optical beam propagation in the waveguide and makes the dead zone insensitive to touches on the top surface of the cover layer.
US09836165B2
An integrated Silicon-OLED display and touch sensor panel is disclosed. The integrated Silicon-OLED display and touch sensor panel can include a Silicon substrate, an array of transistors, one or more metallization layers, one or more vias, an OLED stack, color filters, touch sensors, and additional components and circuitry. Additional components and circuitry can include an electrostatic discharge device, a light shielding, a switching matrix, one or more photodiodes, a near-infrared detector and near-infrared color filters. The integrated Silicon-OLED display and touch sensor panel can be further configured for near-field imaging, optically-assisted touch, and fingerprint detection. In some examples, a plurality of touch sensors and/or display pixels can be grouped into clusters, and the clusters can be coupled to a switching matrix for dynamic change of touch and/or display granularity.
US09836162B2
A mobile terminal including a display; a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input on the display; and a controller configured to activate the display and periodically drive the touch sensor with a first period; deactivate the display in response to a predetermined condition and periodically drive the touch sensor with a second period greater than the first period; detect a first tap input applied on the touch sensor in state of the deactivated display; determine a region of the display that corresponds to the first tap input; detect a second tap input applied on the touch sensor in state of the deactivated display within a predefined time period from the first tap input; determine if the second tap input is applied within the region; in response to the second tap input being applied within the region of the display that corresponds to the first tap input, activate the display and periodically drive the touch sensor with the first period; and in response to the second tap input being applied to a spot outside the region of the display that corresponds to the first tap input, maintain the deactivation of the display and periodically drive the touch sensor with the second period.
US09836158B2
Compensation for sensors in a touch and hover sensing device is disclosed. Compensation can be for sensor resistance and/or sensor sensitivity variation that can adversely affect touch and hover measurements at the sensors. To compensate for sensor resistance, the device can gang adjacent sensors together so as to reduce the overall resistance of the sensors. In addition or alternatively, the device can drive the sensors with voltages from multiple directions so as to reduce the effects of the sensors' resistance. To compensate for sensor sensitivity variation (generally at issue for hover measurements), the device can apply a gain factor to the measurements, where the gain factor is a function of the sensor location, so as to reduce the sensitivity variation at different sensor locations on the device.
US09836157B2
An acoustic user interface apparatus and method can detect physical touch contacting a sensing surface and improve the accuracy of direction recognition of a touch or rubbing without any complicated algorithm. The user interface apparatus and method use one microphone to detect and analyze sound waves which are generated by collisions between bumps formed in a top plate or bottom plate of the interface apparatus and the opposing bottom plate or top plate when a user is touching or rubbing the sensing surface.
US09836147B2
The present disclosure provides a color filter substrate, including: a base, a wiring layer disposed on the base, and a color filter layer disposed on the wiring layer, wherein the color filter layer includes a plurality of color filters, the wiring layer includes a plurality of wirings, the plurality of wirings extend along a first direction and an edge of each of the wirings is in a non-straight line shape in the first direction.
US09836135B2
An touch panel detecting a touch position of an electromagnetic stylus is disclosed. The touch panel includes first and second coils, and drive and detection circuits. The first coils include a plurality of subgroups of first coils, which includes a first group of first coils and a second group of first coils. The first group of first coils includes at least one subgroup of first coils, and the second group of first coils includes at least one subgroup of first coils. In addition, subgroups of the first and second groups of first coils are alternately arranged. The first group of first coils receive a signal from the drive circuit and emit signals, the second group of first coils receive signals from the stylus and generate induction signals, and the detection circuit determines a value of a coordinate of the touch position of the stylus based on the induction signals.
US09836130B2
A hand/finger image detector (112) detects a hand/finger image presenting a hand or finger of an operator from a frame image captured by a camera. An operation region specifier (113) specifies an operation region from a field of view of the camera based on the position or size of the hand/finger image in the entire frame image A region map maker (114) maps the specified operation region on a display region. Then, an operation input signal creator (115) detects change in the position, size, or shape of the hand/finger image in the mapped operation region, and creates and outputs an operation input signal based on the change.
US09836117B2
A “Tactile Autonomous Drone” (TAD) (e.g., flying drones, mobile robots, etc.) supplies real-time tactile feedback to users immersed in virtual reality (VR) environments. TADs are not rendered into the VR environment, and are therefore not visible to users immersed in the VR environment. In various implementations, one or more TADs track users as they move through a real-world space while immersed in the VR environment. One or more TADs apply tracking information to autonomously position themselves, or one or more physical surfaces or objects carried by the TADs, in a way that enables physical contact between those surfaces or objects and one or more portions of the user's body. Further, this positioning of surfaces or objects corresponds to some real-time virtual event, virtual object, virtual character, virtual avatar of another user, etc., in the VR environment to provide real-time tactile feedback to users immersed in the VR environment.
US09836115B2
Provided is an information processing device including a retrieval unit configured to retrieve a data record in which a marker detected in an image acquired by a terminal device is associated with a function of the terminal device, and a calling function determination unit configured to determine the function to be called in the terminal device based on the data record found through the retrieval. The data record includes information generated based on a calling history of the function in which the marker in the terminal device is used.
US09836108B2
In a memory system in an embodiment, in a case of normal operation, a control unit returns a write completion response upon completion of reception of write data from a host, and writes the write data into nonvolatile memory in a multiple values. In a case of unordinary power-off, changeover to operation using a backup battery is conducted and the control unit writes dirty data that is not completed in writing into the nonvolatile memory, into the nonvolatile memory with two values. When next boot, the control unit reads the dirty data from the nonvolatile memory into the volatile memory, and thereafter writes the dirty data into the nonvolatile memory in a multiple values.
US09836096B1
Example alignment members are provided herein. In one example, the alignment member includes a frame member, a stiffener member, a bracket member, and a spring member. The frame member includes a set of roller bushings. The stiffener member includes a set of cam members. The bracket member to receive the stiffener member. The spring member is connected to the stiffener member. The spring member to expand and contract based on the position of the set of roller bushings.
US09836091B2
A shock mount assembly is provided for mounting a circuit board in a housing of a handheld computer. The shock mount assembly comprises a frame, configured to receive the circuit board, and a clamp, configured to secure the frame to the housing. The frame comprises a plurality of tabs, each of the tabs sheathed in a shock-absorbent material and configured to be received by corresponding pockets in the housing. The clamp comprises receiving portions shaped to receive a corresponding tab of the frame. When the frame is secured to the housing by the clamp, the pocket of the housing and the receiving portion of the clamp encapsulate the corresponding tab of the frame, thereby restricting its movement. A frame and a housing are also provided.
US09836090B2
The present disclosure provides an electronic device and a method for controlling the electronic device, capable of solving the problem that the screen of the electronic device is fragile in use. The electronic device comprises a display unit having an electro-deformable layer provided on its surface. The method comprises: detecting a state parameter of the electronic device; determining whether the electronic device is in a predetermined state based on the state parameter; and applying, upon determining that the electronic device is in the predetermined state, a predetermined current to the electro-deformable layer, such that a strength of the electro-deformable layer is increased from a first, default strength to a second strength.
US09836084B2
In an example, there is disclosed a hybrid tablet computing device comprising a tablet member configured to dock to a base member. The base member may include peripherals and other elements to augment the functionality of the tablet member. While docked, the base and tablet may operate in a cooperative mode, while undocking the tablet from the base places the tablet in an independent mode. A user's intent to undock may be inferred by natural interactions, including for example a user gripping the tablet along its top edge while simultaneously placing a hand over a trackpad on the base. If an undocking intent is inferred but the user does not complete the docking process within a timeout period, the tablet may redock and enter the cooperative mode.
US09836083B2
Methods and systems for a complete wearable ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and interactive wearable device ecosystem. The wearable device ecosystem may comprise a number of wearable devices. Each wearable device may comprise a body and a shell. Any number of different shells may be interconnected interchangeably to the body. In one embodiment, the shell is decorative. The present disclosure builds on integrating existing technology with new devices, methods, and systems to provide a complete wearable ecosystem.
US09836081B2
A display device may be mounted at a predetermined angle via a free-standing display housing. In one example, the display device bracket may include at least two spring loaded tabs and a display monitor affixed to the display device bracket. A base mount may be on a resting surface with at least one side that is configured to make contact with the display device. A rear housing cover may also be included with at least two receiving tabs form-fitted to receive the spring loaded tabs and provide a secure spring-loaded locking position that maintains the display device bracket in a locked position and in an upright predefined angled viewing position.
US09836075B2
A voltage detector operates to detect a system power supply voltage and generate a trigger signal. A control signal generator responds to the trigger signal and generates a control signal. A DC bias generator responds to the control signal by generating a DC bias. The control signal controls the DC bias to have a first value when the power supply voltage is a first voltage and have a second value when the power supply voltage is a second voltage different from the first voltage, wherein the first value is different from the second value. A dynamic DC bias is generated which can not only support a larger voltage scope, but also significantly improves signal to noise ratio. The system power supply detection may concern stop/start operation of an automobile engine.
US09836070B2
The regulator with a low dropout voltage comprises an error amplifier comprising a differential pair of input transistors and a circuit with folded cascode structure connected to the output of the said differential pair, an output stage connected to the output node of the error amplifier, and a Miller compensation capacitor connected between the output stage and the cascode node on the output side (XP) of the cascode circuit; the error amplifier furthermore comprises at least one inverting amplifier module in a feedback loop between the said cascode node and the gate of the cascode transistor of the cascode circuit connected between the said cascode node and the said output node.
US09836069B1
A method performed at a computer system includes: receiving occupancy data for a room in a dwelling from one or more sensors in the room, the room including one or more unused electrical outlets and/or one or more electronically-controlled door handles; determining, based at least in part on the received occupancy data for the room, whether a predetermined child-protection condition is met; in accordance with a determination that the predetermined child-protection condition is met, disabling or sending instructions to disable at least one of the one or more unused electrical outlets and/or at least one of the one or more electronically-controlled door handles in the room.
US09836066B2
In hydraulic systems having rotating-stationary component interfaces, a bore pressure regulating mechanism is provided to interact with the hydraulic fluid in a control volume to maintain a hydraulic fluid pressure in a longitudinal shaft bore at or approximately equal to a supply pressure when a gear shaft rotates within the control volume. In one aspect, the bore pressure regulating mechanism minimizes vortex flow of the hydraulic fluid induced by the rotation of the gear shaft. In another aspect, the bore pressure regulating mechanism provides a direct feed of pressurized hydraulic fluid proximate an opening of the longitudinal shaft bore through an end surface of the gear shaft, and thereby minimizes the opportunity for the hydraulic fluid to be forced into vortex flow by the gear shaft in the area of the longitudinal shaft bore.
US09836065B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an alternative distributed airborne transportation system. In some embodiments, a method for distributed airborne transportation includes: providing an airborne vehicle with a wing and a wing span, having capacity to carry one or more of passengers or cargo; landing of the airborne vehicle near one or more of passengers or cargo and loading at least one of passengers or cargo; taking-off and determining a flight direction for the airborne vehicle; locating at least one other airborne vehicle, which has substantially the same flight direction; and joining at least one other airborne vehicle in flight formation and forming a fleet, in which airborne vehicles fly with the same speed and direction and in which adjacent airborne vehicles are separated by distance of less than 100 wing spans.
US09836063B1
Example implementations may relate to selection between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode may involve (i) directing an aerial vehicle (e.g., in an aerial network including a plurality of aerial vehicles) to navigate to each of a plurality of altitudes and (ii) determining respective wind-related data at each respective altitude. Whereas, the second mode may involve (i) selecting at least one altitude based on the determined wind-related data and (ii) directing the aerial vehicle to reposition to the at least one selected altitude. As such, a control system may determine flight data for the aerial vehicle. Based on the flight data, the control system may make a selection between the first mode and the second mode. And based on the selection, the control system may then operate the aerial vehicle according to the first mode or may operate the aerial vehicle according to the second mode.
US09836062B1
A computer-implemented method of using telematics data associated with an originating vehicle at a destination vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving telematics data associated with the originating vehicle by (1) a mobile device, or (2) a smart vehicle controller associated with a driver, and analyzing the telematics data to determine that a travel event exists. If the travel event exists, the method may determine if the travel event presents an issue or problem for the vehicle (or driver) by determining that a GPS location of the travel event is located along the current travel route of the vehicle and, if so, automatically taking a preventive or corrective action that alleviates a negative impact of the travel event on the driver or vehicle to facilitate safer or more efficient vehicle travel. Insurance discounts may be provided based upon the risk mitigation or prevention functionality, or usage thereof.
US09836059B2
In order to adjust the sensitivity of an obstacle detection means and improve detection accuracy when an obstacle is actually present although the obstacle detection means detects no obstacle or when no obstacle is actually present although the obstacle detection means detects an obstacle, an autonomous travel working vehicle is provided with a position calculation means for measuring the position of a vehicle body using a satellite positioning system, and a control device for automatic travel and work along a set travel path. The autonomous travel working vehicle is provided with an obstacle sensor, an alarm means, and a false report switch, and if, although an obstacle has been detected and an alarm has been issued, an operator does not recognize the obstacle and activates the erroneous report switch, the control device cancels the alarm.
US09836058B2
An attributed roadway trajectory comprises at least one ordered series of attributed roadway trajectory points, which are spaced along a curve that is defined in a terrestrial coordinate frame and tracks an along-roadway physical feature of a real-world roadway segment portrayed in a point cloud. Any arbitrary attributed roadway trajectory point on the curve passes a predetermined proximity test for proximity to point cloud points discriminated as representing part of the along-roadway physical feature. Each attributed roadway trajectory point has at least one attribute value representing a characteristic of the real-world roadway segment at a position on the real-world roadway segment spatially associated with the attributed roadway trajectory point. A control system of a self-driving road vehicle can use the attribute value(s) to adjust control of the self-driving road vehicle based on sensor-independent roadway data (e.g. where the position of the attributed roadway trajectory point(s) remains outside of sensor range).
US09836052B1
Aspects of the disclosure relate to determining whether a feature of map information. For example, data identifying an object detected in a vehicle's environment and including location coordinates is received. This information is used to identify a corresponding feature from pre-stored map information based on a map location of the corresponding feature. The corresponding feature is defined as a curve and associated with a tag identifying a type of the corresponding feature. A tolerance constraint is identified based on the tag. The curve is divided into two or more line segments. Each line segment has a first position. The first position of a line segment is changed in order to determine a second position based on the location coordinates and the tolerance constraint. A value is determined based on a comparison of the first position to the second position. This value indicates a likelihood that the corresponding feature has changed.
US09836049B1
Systems and methods are provided for a network of relay drones utilized as a set of relays or linkages between a base station and a working drone controlled by the base station. The relay drones in the network may augment a communication link or communication signal between the base station and working drone. Relay drones may augment the communication link by acting as nodes that relay communication between the base station and the working drone by boosting the communication signal at each node to compensate for loss of signal power over a traveled distance and/or providing a path with a direct line of sight between the base station and working drone. Directional antennas may be utilized when a direct line of sight is established, which may improve communication signal efficacy when compared with omnidirectional antennas.
US09836043B2
This application discloses a system implementing tools and mechanisms to generate a structured bill of materials for a wire harness described in a harness design, identify variable parameter corresponding to a physical characteristic for a first sub-assembly in the structured bill of materials for the wire harness, and substitute the first sub-assembly in the structured bill of materials for the wire harness with a second sub-assembly based, at least in part, on the variable parameter for the first sub-assembly.
US09836042B2
Necessary unit data indicative of the type and number of equipment units used in component mounting operation is obtained on the basis of production plan data, mounting data, and component library for each of production lots in advance. New allocation processing for allocating an equipment unit necessary for production execution of a new production lot to be newly produced on an electronic component mounting line for the new production lot on the basis of the necessary unit data is executed, and component reservation processing for registering the allocation result as the inventory data is conducted by a unit reservation unit.
US09836033B2
A method for controlling a system consisting of at least two control units, namely a first control unit and a second control unit. The system includes least one actuator and at least one sensor. The control units generate control data for the actuator on the basis of the information from the sensor. The method includes receiving, with the actuator, both the control data of the first control unit and the control data of the second control unit. The method also includes deciding, with the actuator, whether to use the control data of the first or second control unit to carry out an actuator function with the actuator.
US09836030B2
A portable electronic device (biological information measurement device) is attachable to or detachable from a cradle and includes a USB terminal portion connected to a terminal provided in the cradle, an initial start-up unit that initially starts up the biological information measurement device, a connection determination unit that determines whether the connection has been released after the USB terminal portion has been connected to a terminal portion of the cradle, and a resetting unit that causes the initial start-up unit to initially start up the biological information measurement device when it is determined by the connection determination unit that the connection has been released after the cradle has been connected to the USB terminal portion.
US09836024B2
A timepiece or watch includes at least one resonator, which includes at least one weight that oscillates with respect to a connecting element fixed to a structure of a timepiece movement. The weight is suspended from the connecting element by resilient crossed strips which extend at a distance from each other in two parallel planes. The projections of the strips on one of the parallel planes intersect at a virtual pivot axis of the weight, and define a first angle which is the apex angle opposite which there extends the portion of the connecting element that is located between the attachments of the crossed strips to the connecting element. The first angle is between 68° and 76°.
US09836023B2
A method and apparatus for generating coherent light, and a display apparatus using coherent light are provided. A wide-angle coherent light generation apparatus may focus parallel light onto a focal point, and may generate coherent light at a wide angle, using an optical device.
US09836020B2
An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion for mounting a process cartridge, the process cartridge including a first unit having an image bearing drum, and a second unit having a developing roller, the second unit being movable between a contact position in which the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position in which they are mutually spaced; an engageable member engageable with a force receiving portion provided on the second unit; wherein the engageable member is movable between a first position for maintaining the second unit in the spaced position by engaging with the force receiving portion, a second position for permitting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the contact position; and a third position for permitting the process cartridge to be mounted, by being pressed by the process cartridge to retract, when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.
US09836018B2
A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes an electrical contact positioned within a pocket on a first side of a housing of the replaceable unit. The pocket has an opening facing a front of the housing to permit an electrical connector of the image forming device to enter the pocket and mate with the electrical contact. A first guide wall and a second guide wall are each positioned outside the pocket on the first side, in front of the opening. The first and second guide walls each include an inclined surface that inclines outward from the first side of the housing in a direction from the front to a rear of the housing to move the electrical connector of the image forming device toward the circuit board during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device.
US09836006B2
According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a standby unit, a processing unit, and a discharge unit. The standby unit puts a sheet on standby. The processing unit is disposed below the standby unit. The processing unit includes a conveyance reference plane, a distance between which and a conveyance reference plane for the sheet in the standby unit changes to decrease from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet. The processing unit processes the sheet supplied from the standby unit. The discharge unit is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of each of the standby unit and the processing unit. The discharge unit is provided with an opening section for causing the sheet discharged from the standby unit or the processing unit to pass.
US09836003B2
A transport device includes a body unit, an accommodating unit that accommodates a recording medium and is mounted to be reciprocal with respect to the body unit, a pair of guide members that come in contact with end portions, in a width direction, of the recording medium to position the recording medium, the width direction intersecting with a transport direction of the recording medium, a first rail that is attached to the accommodating unit and guides reciprocation of the accommodating unit, and a second rail that is attached to the body unit to be movable in a direction, which intersects with a reciprocation direction of the accommodating unit, the second rail being assembled to the body unit to be slidable with respect to the first rail.
US09836002B2
An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a long paper sheet conveyed along a conveyance path extending from a paper feeding side to a paper discharging side includes: an image forming unit configured to transfer a toner image onto the long paper sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image onto the long paper sheet; a paper existence determining unit configured to determine whether the long paper sheet exists along the conveyance path; a temperature determining unit configured to determine whether a fixing temperature of the fixing unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature when the paper existence determining unit determines that the long paper sheet exists along the conveyance path; and a state setting unit configured to disable a fixing operation of the fixing unit when the temperature determining unit determines that the fixing temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.
US09835992B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, and a processor. The fixing device fixes an image formed on a recording medium at a fixing temperature. The fixing device includes a heater to heat the fixing device with power from a power supply. The processor detects a voltage value of the power supply, sets a standby temperature of the fixing device based on the detected voltage value of the power supply, and controls operation of the heater to heat the fixing device from the standby temperature to the fixing temperature in response to receiving an instruction for forming an image.
US09835991B2
According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus performs an image forming process to form an image on a sheet, and performs an image erasing process to erase an image formed on a sheet. A conveying device conveys the sheet. A heater heats the sheet conveyed by the conveying device. A cooling device cools the heater. A processor controls the cooling device so that the cooling device cools the heater between an interval of heating the sheet by the heater.
US09835986B2
An image transfer product is provided which includes a phase change material in one or more layers of the product to regulate the temperature of the product during printing operations. The image transfer product may be in the form of a printing blanket, printing sleeve, electrophotographic/xerographic transfer blanket, image transfer belt, or roller which includes a print surface layer and at least one layer underlying the printing surface layer. The phase change material may be included in any of the layers of the image transfer product, but is not present at the upper surface of the print surface layer. The phase change material may be in the form of a powder, fibers, capsules, or combinations thereof.
US09835985B2
An image forming apparatus includes a member-to-be-cleaned, a first cleaner unit including a first attracting member, a first rotatable member and a first blade member, a second cleaner unit including a second attracting member, a second rotatable member and a second blade member, and a feeding member. The feeding member rotates around its rotational axis and is provided vertically below a first position where a toner drops by gravitation and a second position where the toner drops by gravitation. The feeding member is disposed such that vertical lines passing through the first position and the second position cross the feeding member.
US09835983B2
A method of converting a printer to print with white toner comprises the steps: providing a color toner printer; wherein the color toner printer may comprise a plurality of drum cartridges and a plurality of toner cartridges; wherein the plurality of toner cartridges may comprise a cyan toner cartridge, a yellow toner cartridge, a magenta toner cartridge, and a black toner cartridge; wherein the plurality of drum cartridges may comprise a cyan drum cartridge, a yellow drum cartridge, a magenta drum cartridge, and a black drum cartridge; removing the cyan toner cartridge, the magenta toner cartridge, the cyan drum cartridge, and the magenta drum cartridge; disassembling the cyan drum cartridge and the magenta drum cartridge; emptying and cleaning the cyan toner cartridge, the magenta toner cartridge, the cyan drum cartridge, and the magenta drum cartridge; priming the cyan drum cartridge and the magenta drum cartridge with a white toner; filling the cyan toner cartridge and the magenta toner cartridge with the white toner; and installing the white toner filled cartridges and the white toner primed drums into the printer.
US09835979B2
A developing device includes a developing container, a first stirring member, a second stirring member, and a developer discharge port. The developing container has a first and a second transport chamber. The first stirring member has a rotary shaft and a first helical blade. The second stirring member has a rotary shaft and a second helical blade. Through the developer discharge port, surplus developer inside the developing container is discharged. On the second stirring member, a restricting portion for restricting movement of developer toward the developer discharge port is formed downstream of the second helical blade. The restricting portion has two or more turns of a restricting blade wound in the direction opposite to the second helical blade, and the restricting blade has an increasingly large outside diameter from upstream to downstream with respect to the developer transport direction inside the second transport chamber.
US09835969B2
An image forming apparatus is provided with a first photosensitive body, a second photosensitive body, a first charger configured to charge the first photosensitive body, a second charger configured to charge the second photosensitive body, a voltage outputting circuit, a voltage dropping circuit, and a controller. The controller is configured to selectively execute a first charging control to apply a first voltage to the first charger and the second charger, the first voltage being an output of the voltage outputting circuit, and a second charging control to apply the first voltage to the first charger a second voltage to the second charger, the second voltage being less than the first voltage, the first voltage being an input of the voltage dropping circuit and the second voltage being an output of the voltage dropping circuit.
US09835968B2
A method of converting a CMYK color toner printer to a CMYX color toner printer for under print printing in a single pass, comprising the steps: providing a color toner printer with four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge; wherein the black toner printing cartridge is in a first toner cartridge position; removing the back toner printing cartridge from the first toner cartridge position; providing a non-standard toner printing cartridge; installing the non-standard toner printing cartridge into the first toner cartridge position; providing a raster image processor software; wherein the raster image processor software is configured to remap the four toner printing cartridges of the color toner printer and allows the color toner printer to print a layer of non-standard toner under an image in a single pass; and wherein the image is printed from at least one of a cyan toner, a yellow toner, and a magenta toner.
US09835960B2
A lithographic apparatus includes a first table to support a substrate; a second table, not being configured to support a substrate, including a sensor unit to sense a property of a patterned beam of radiation from a projection system, the second table to move under the projection system when the first table is moved out from under the projection system during a substrate exchange, the first and second tables being independently movable from each other; and a liquid supply system to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the first table, and/or the second table, wherein the second table is configured to provide a confining surface at a bottom of a liquid confinement structure when the first table is removed from under the projection system so as to prevent the liquid from leaking out into the remainder of the lithographic apparatus.
US09835958B2
An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with illumination light via an optical system. A stage disposed below the optical system has a holder to hold the substrate. A carrier system disposed above the stage has a first support member that supports the substrate in a noncontact manner from a surface side of the substrate, which is irradiated with the illumination light. A second support member different from the first support member supports the substrate in a contact manner from a rear surface side. A drive system coupled to the first and the second support members moves at least the second support member so that relative movement between the first and the second support members and relative movement between the second support member and the holder are performed at least in a vertical direction. The second support member carries the substrate from the first support member to the holder.
US09835956B2
The present disclosure provides apparatus and methods for overlay measurement. An exemplary overlay measurement apparatus includes an illuminating unit configured to generate illuminating light to illuminate a first overlay marker formed on a wafer to generate reflected light; and a first measuring unit configured to receive the reflected light from the first overlay marker to cause the reflected light to laterally shift and shear to generate interference light, to receive the interference light to form a first image, and to determine existence of an overlay offset and an exact value of the overlay offset, according to the first image.
US09835952B2
The present disclosure provides an interference filter, a lithography system incorporating an interference filter, and a method of fabricating an interference filter. The interference filter includes a transparent substrate having a front surface and a back surface, a plurality of alternating material layers formed over the front surface of the transparent substrate that form a bandpass filter, and an anti-reflective structure formed over the back surface of the transparent substrate. The alternating material layers alternate between a relatively high refractive index material and a relatively low refractive index material.
US09835941B2
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus for performing an imprint process of molding an imprint material on a substrate with a mold to form a pattern on the substrate, the apparatus including a supply device configured to supply, to a space between the imprint material on the substrate and the mold, a penetrating gas that penetrates at least one of the mold, the imprint material and the substrate and a condensable gas that is liquefied by pressure rise due to the molding, and a controller configured to control the supply device so as to change at least one of a supply amount of the penetrating gas and a supply amount of the condensable gas based on information on a recipe for the imprint process.
US09835940B2
A method for fabricating a pellicle assembly includes forming a release layer over a carrier. A membrane layer is fabricated over the release layer. A pellicle frame is attached to the membrane layer. After attaching the pellicle frame to the membrane layer, a release treatment process is performed to the release layer to separate the carrier from the membrane layer. A pellicle assembly including the pellicle frame and the membrane layer attached to the pellicle frame is formed.
US09835925B1
Improvements in the production of electro-optic displays include: (a) use of a masking film to keep a selected area of a backplane (such as a front electrode contact) free from electro-optic material; (b) spray coating of electrophoretic capsules on to a substrate under controlled conditions; (c) forming a monolayer of capsules on a substrate by prior deposition of a water-swellable polymer; and (d) overcoating a layer of electro-optic material with a solvent-free polymerizable liquid material, contacting this layer with a light-transmissive electrode layer, and polymerizing the liquid material to adhere the electrode layer to the electro-optic material.
US09835918B2
A display panel includes an array substrate, an opposite substrate facing the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the opposite substrate. The array substrate includes a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, and the non-display area includes a first non-display area disposed adjacent to a side portion of the display area and a second non-display area other than the first non-display area. The first non-display area overlaps the opposite substrate. The array substrate and the opposite substrate have the same or substantially the same area and a wire member is disposed under the array substrate to be connected to an external circuit module. Accordingly, the display panel does not need an extra space for the wire member, and thus the non-display area is reduced.
US09835917B2
A baseplate circuit is disclosed. The baseplate comprises an IC region, a plurality of WOA regions, a plurality of GOA regions, and a plurality of switches. Each WOA region comprises a plurality of baseplate conducting wires, each of the baseplate conducting wires is electrically connected with the IC region. Each GOA region comprises a plurality of gate lines, each of the gate lines is electrically connected with one of the baseplate conducting wires. Each of the switches is used to electrically connect one of the gate lines and one of the baseplate conducting wires.
US09835896B2
A liquid crystal display device having a touch panel function includes an array substrate, a liquid crystal layer including a liquid crystal molecule, and a color filter substrate positioned over the array substrate via the liquid crystal layer. The color filter substrate includes a transparent substrate, first and second transparent electrode layers, a color filter formed on the first transparent electrode layer and including a red filter, a green filter and a blue filter, and a transparent resin layer formed on the color filter. The color filter and the transparent resin layer have a total thickness in a range of approximately from 2.5 μm to 9 μm. The liquid crystal molecule has negative dielectric anisotropy and an initial state alignment which is parallel to a substrate surface. The liquid crystal molecule rotates within a plane parallel to the substrate surface when a liquid crystal drive voltage is applied.
US09835892B2
A protective sheet includes a base layer, an interfacial layer, and a skin layer stacked in order. The base layer includes an aromatic polycarbonate resin, the interfacial layer includes an aliphatic polycarbonate resin; and the skin layer includes a cycloolefin polymer (COP) resin.
US09835889B2
A display device with compact integrated structural design in a portable information handling system may have a narrow or no border. The display device with compact integrated structural design may include a combined display assembly that is fixed to an A-cover using selected means of attachment. The combined display assembly may internally integrate a backplate, a backlight, a liquid crystal display (LCD) cell, and a cover glass. The cover glass may be direct bonded to the LCD cell without direct attachment to the A-frame.
US09835887B2
A device (100) includes a display (102, 800) that is suitable for use under widely ranging lighting conditions. The display includes separately operable transmissive light modulator subpixels (402, 404, 406, 502, 504, 506, 602, 604, 606, 702, 704, 706, 808, 810, 812, 1036, 1136, 1204, 1304, 1404, 1504, 1716, 1916) that can be provided in at least three colors to provide a full color display but also includes separately operable reflective light modulator subpixels (408, 508, 608, 708, 814, 1038, 1138, 1202, 1302, 1402, 1502, 1714, 1914) that provide basic readability when light levels are so high (e.g., bright summer day) that the image presented by the transmissive light modulators would be difficult to discern. The reflective light modulators may be provided with in-pixel memory (526) so as to reduce the energy cost of providing always-on functioning for displaying certain time sensitive information.
US09835886B2
An LCD includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate is provided with a first electrode. The first electrode is provided with a plurality of first elongated electrodes. The second substrate is provided with a second electrode and a third electrode. The second electrode is a common electrode and the third electrode is a pixel electrode. The second electrode is provided with a plurality of second elongated electrodes. The first elongated electrodes and the second elongated electrodes are arranged alternately, and the first elongated electrodes have no overlap with the second elongated electrodes. When no bias voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the LCD is displayed with a wide viewing angle; and when a bias voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, the LCD is displayed with a narrow viewing angle.
US09835884B2
There are provided an array substrate and method for manufacturing the same, a display panel and method for testing the same, and a display apparatus. The array substrate comprises a display region and at least one bond region located outside of the display region; wherein a plurality of signal lines are disposed within the display region, and a plurality of wiring terminals connected to multiple ones of the plurality of signal lines through a plurality of first lead wires are disposed within each bond region; the array substrate further comprises one or more test regions corresponding to arbitrary one or more of the at least one bond region; wherein a plurality of test terminals are disposed within each test region, and the plurality of test terminals within any one of the one or more test regions are connected with the plurality of wiring terminals within a respective one of the at least one bond region through a plurality of second lead wires. The present invention implements a lead wire open test for a display panel for which the lead wire open test cannot be implemented in a traditional test mode.
US09835882B2
A low reflectance film with a second reflectance (50% or lower) lower than a first reflectance is formed between an optical directional coupler and a first-layer wiring with the first reflectance. Thus, even when the first-layer wiring is formed above the optical directional coupler, the influence of the light reflected by the first-layer wiring on the optical signal propagating through the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide of the optical directional coupler can be reduced. Accordingly, the first-layer wiring can be arranged above the optical directional coupler, and the restriction on the layout of the first-layer wiring is relaxed.
US09835880B2
A circuit that may include a circuit network and a transmission line coupled to the circuit network. The circuit network may include an electro-optic modulator and various inductors. The electro-optic modulator may be a capacitive load having a predetermined capacitance. The circuit may further include a resistor coupled to the circuit network. The resistor may have a resistance value configured to produce a first impedance with the circuit network. The first impedance may be configured to match substantially with a second impedance in the transmission line. The circuit may further include an electric driver couple to the transmission line. The electric driver may be configured for transmitting a driving voltage to the electro-optic modulator. The driving voltage may be configured to generate a predetermined voltage swing across the electro-optic modulator.
US09835879B2
A system for attaching a device to a glasses frame includes a spring clip that applies pressure to two sides of the glasses frame, and a magnet for attaching the device thereto. The device may attach directly to the magnet, or via a slide-on attachment piece. The spring clip may include a spring arm having distal ends that assist the spring clip in applying pressure to the glasses frames.
US09835878B2
Disclosed herein is a wearable eyeglass device including: an optical communication module receiving a first optical signal and transmitting a second optical signal; a display module displaying information corresponding to at least one of the first and second optical signals; and a control module controlling the display module to display first information corresponding to the first optical signal at the time of receiving the first optical signal and controlling the optical communication module to transmit the second optical signal corresponding to second information.
US09835876B2
This invention discloses methods and apparatus for providing a variable optic insert into an ophthalmic lens. A liquid crystal layer may be used to provide a variable optic function and in some examples, an alignment layer for the liquid crystal layer may be patterned in a cycloidally dependent manner. The patterning may allow for a polarization dependent lens in some examples. An energy source is capable of powering the variable optic insert included within the ophthalmic lens. In some examples, an ophthalmic lens is cast-molded from a silicone hydrogel. The various ophthalmic lens entities may include electroactive liquid crystal layers to electrically control optical characteristics.
US09835862B1
Imaging systems can often gather higher quality information about a field of view than the unaided human eye. For example, telescopes may magnify very distant objects, microscopes may magnify very small objects, and high frame-rate cameras may capture fast motion. The present disclosure includes devices and methods that provide real-time vision enhancement without the delay of replaying from storage media. The disclosed devices and methods may include a live view user interface with two or more interactive features or effects that may be controllable in real-time. Specifically, the disclosed devices and methods may include a live view display and image and other information enhancements, which utilize in-line computation and constant control.
US09835857B2
A high brightness head-up display device where a spherical half-transparent mirror is provided on an upper end of a case, a projector unit is provided on a lower end thereof, and a spherical reflection screen is provided on a front of the projector unit. A projection distance of the projector unit corresponds to a focal distance of the spherical reflection screen and the spherical half-transparent mirror is provided on a front of the spherical reflection screen where a reflection rate of the spherical reflection screen is 2-80% and the interval between spherical reflection screen and the spherical half-transparent mirror is disposed at a focal distance of the spherical half-transparent mirror. A shielding film is attached to a rear of the spherical half-transparent mirror, which shields external light and permits 80% of light to be transmitted to outside from inside.
US09835856B2
An A liquid-crystal adaptive optics actuator comprising a two-dimensional array of pixels (14), wherein each pixel (14) is connected to a control circuit by means of a control line signal path (16, 20) that comprises an electrical interconnection (16) and a meandering resistor (20), each resistor having a resistance value selected to equalize the RC time constant of each control line signal path associated to each pixel. Each control line is thus capable of carrying one or more control signals and the control line signal path is configured such that all the pixels respond to the control signals with a uniform response time.
US09835852B2
Provided are a scanner for two-dimensional optical scanning capable of implementing two-dimensional driving by one input signal without an additional structure for modulating a resonance frequency using modulation of the resonance frequency through asymmetry of the scanner itself, and a manufacturing method thereof. In addition, there is provided a manufacturing method of a scanner for two-dimensional optical scanning capable of implementing compact packaging through a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) process to miniaturize the scanner, such that it may be used in a micro-miniature system such as an endoscope and capable of increasing precision of the scanner and manufacturing the scanner in various shapes and at a low cost. Further, there is provided a medical imaging apparatus using a scanner for two-dimensional optical scanning capable of providing a medical image having improved quality without crosstalk between axes through separation of resonance frequencies.
US09835848B2
An electrowetting display device comprising a first support plate including: a surface; and a first electrode, a second support plate; and a protrusion having a protrusion surface. The protrusion is formed as part of at least one of the first or second support plates. The protrusion has an elongate shape extending from one to the other of the first or second support plates. The device further comprises a first fluid adjoining at least one of the protrusion surface or the surface of the first support plate; a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid; a second electrode in electrical contact with the second fluid; and a third electrode.
US09835846B2
An ocular lens uses a single positive lens having a first surface convex to a light emission direction and a second surface convex to a light incident direction. The surfaces are both aspherical and satisfy the following surface-type parameters and relationships: an absolute value of a radius of the first surface is r1, with a quadratic term coefficient being k1; an absolute value of a radius of the second surface is r2, with a quadratic term coefficient being k2; a thickness of the positive lens is d; a total focal length of the optical system corresponding to the positive lens is f; wherein, 49
US09835844B2
In a visual target acquisition scope system for an adjustable connection is provided between a unity magnification scope producing 1× magnification image viewed by one eye of the user and a photographic lens/viewfinder of a photographic camera viewed by another eye of the user. According to the system, while the user is looking at an object through the unity magnification scope with one eye and looking at the object through the photographic camera lens with the second eye, the target visible with the first eye is also visible with the second eye.
US09835843B2
Provided is a 3-dimensional confocal microscopy apparatus which is manufactured by combining a confocal microscope and an optical tweezers technique, wherein a pair of lenses for focal plane displacement where one lens is movable in the optical axis direction is arranged between a fixed objective lens and a fluorescent light imaging camera, and the 3-dimensional confocal microscopy apparatus also includes a mean which corrects the aberration of a fluorescent confocal image obtained by the fluorescent imaging camera. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a 3-dimensional confocal microscopy apparatus which can acquire a 3-dimensional image of a specimen during a manipulation of the specimen using optical tweezers without affecting an optical trap.
US09835840B2
An apparatus and method for ultrafast real-time optical imaging that can be used for imaging dynamic events such as microfluidics or laser surgery is provided. The apparatus and methods encode spatial information from a sample into a back reflection of a two-dimensional spectral brush that is generated with a two-dimensional disperser and a light source that is mapped in to the time domain with a temporal disperser. The temporal waveform is preferably captured by an optical detector, converted to an electrical signal that is digitized and processed to provide two dimensional and three dimensional images. The produced signals can be optically or electronically amplified. Detection may be improved with correlation matching against a database in the time domain or the spatial domain. Embodiments for endoscopy, microscopy and simultaneous imaging and laser ablation with a single fiber are illustrated.
US09835839B2
An apparatus and method for transmitted light illumination for light microscopes having changing effective entrance pupil of an objective. The apparatus has a light source for emitting an illuminating light beam, wherein a beam path of the illuminating light between a diaphragm edge and a sample held by a holding device is free from adjustable beam focussing components. In order to adapt the beam path of the illuminating light to the effective entrance pupil of the objective, the diaphragm edge may be variably positioned in the direction of the optical axis, wherein a position of the diaphragm edge in the direction of the optical axis can be varied irrespectively of a position of the diaphragm edge transversely to the optical axis.
US09835834B2
An optical lens, comprising a first to an eighth lens (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8) coaxially arranged in sequence along the direction of transmission of an incident light ray. The first lens (L1) is a negative meniscus lens, and the curved surface of the first lens (L1) is convex to the object side; the second lens (L2) is a positive biconvex lens; the third lens (L3) is a negative biconcave lens; the fourth lens (L4) is a positive meniscus lens and the curved surface of the fourth lens (L4) is convex to the object side; the fifth lens (L5) is a negative meniscus lens and the curved surface of the fifth lens (L5) is convex to the object side; the sixth lens (L6) is a positive biconvex lens; the seventh lens (L7) is a negative meniscus lens and the curved surface of the seventh lens (L7) is convex to the image side; and the eighth lens (L8) is a negative meniscus lens and the curved surface of the eighth lens (L8) is convex to the image side; the fourth lens (L4) and the fifth lens (L5) are respectively positioned on the two sides of an optical diaphragm (200) of the optical lens; the second lens (L2), the third lens (L3), and the fourth lens (L4) form a first cemented lens set; and the fifth lens (L5), the sixth lens (L6), and the seventh lens (L7) form a second cemented lens set. The present optical lens has a relatively large field-of-view, and obtains high-definition zero distortion imaging results.
US09835827B2
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, wherein at least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force, the fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point, and wherein the lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the fifth lenses whereby the optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
US09835825B2
An imaging lens includes a first lens having positive refractive power; a second lens having negative refractive power; a third lens having positive refractive power; a fourth lens; a fifth lens; and a sixth lens, arranged in this order from an object side to an image plane side. The fifth lens is formed in a shape so that a surface thereof on the image plane side has a positive curvature radius. The fifth lens and the sixth lens have a specific composite focal length. The first lens is disposed away from the second lens by a specific distance on an optical axis thereof. The second lens is disposed away from the third lens by a specific distance.
US09835818B2
The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus including: a driving coil for driving a lens holder; and a leaf spring configured to absorb an impact on the lens holder; wherein the driving coil is electrically connected to the leaf spring, and a particularly bent portion and a recess for accommodating the bent portion are provided at a joint where the driving coil and the leaf spring are connected so as to improve the mechanical stability of the apparatus.
US09835798B2
A planar optical waveguide device includes: a substrate; and an optical waveguide that includes a core and a cladding. The core forms a preceding-stage mode conversion section and a subsequent-stage mode conversion section, the preceding-stage mode conversion section being configured to convert a mode of input light, the subsequent-stage mode conversion section being configured to convert a mode of light output from the preceding-stage mode conversion section. Sectional shapes of the first core portion and the second core portion are not congruent with each other at an input end of the preceding-stage mode conversion section, the sectional shape or size of at least one core is continuously changed along a light waveguide direction, and sectional shapes of the first core portion and the second core portion are congruent with each other at an output end of the preceding-stage mode conversion section.
US09835793B2
A display may have a backlight. The display backlight may have a light guide plate. An array of light-emitting diodes may emit light into the edge of the light guide plate. The array of light-emitting diodes may be mounted to a flexible printed circuit. A layer of adhesive tape may attach the light guide plate to the flexible printed circuit. The tape layer may have upper and lower adhesive layers on a carrier film. The carrier film may be formed from a metal-coated polymer layer, a high-low dielectric stack, a metal foil, or other reflective or non-reflective structures. A stiffener may be provided to facilitate handling of the adhesive tape.
US09835786B2
An electronic device display may have display layers that provide images for a user. Backlight structures may provide backlight for the display layers. The backlight structures may include a light source such as an array of light-emitting diodes. A light guide plate in the backlight structures may be used to distribute the light from the light-emitting diodes throughout the display. The light guide plate may have a main rectangular area that overlaps the display. The main rectangular area may have refractive light scattering structures such as a layer containing clear beads. The refractive light scattering structures may scatter light from the light guide plate for use as backlight. A strip of light diffracting structures such as holographic structures or grating structures may be used to mix light from the light-emitting diodes along the border of the light guide plate.
US09835784B2
The present invention proposes an illuminating device having a quantum dot tube. The illuminating device includes: a transparent tubular encapsulation device including a light incident surface and a light emergent surface and a quantum dot. Bumps and grooves are disposed on the light incident surface and/or the emergent surface at intervals. The quantum dot is encapsulated in the transparent tubular encapsulation device. When an excitement light shines the quantum dot, the quantum dot is excited to emit light through the light incident surface. By using the illuminating device, light cannot leak from the gaps among the LEDs and the QDs and among the QDs and the LGPs, which is good for enhancing light availability. Additionally, the present invention also proposes a backlight module and a liquid crystal display using the illuminating device having the quantum dot tube.
US09835778B1
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for fabricating a grating on a silicon substrate, and the resulting grating device. In some embodiments, the apparatus method includes providing a silicon substrate; growing a diamond layer on the substrate; removing most of the silicon substrate and polishing an obverse face of the silicon to leave a very thin layer of polished silicon on the diamond layer; depositing a stack on the diamond layer, wherein the stack includes a plurality of pairs of dielectric layers on the thin layer of polished silicon, wherein each pair of the plurality of pairs of dielectric layers includes a first layer having a first index of refraction value and a second layer having a second index of refraction value that is different than the first index of refraction value; and forming a diffraction grating on an outer surface of the stack.
US09835772B2
A lens array comprises a plurality of lenses disposed on a transparent substrate, and a light-shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate around the plurality of lenses, wherein the light-shielding film comprises a cured uv-curable ink containing a thermal acid generator. A method of manufacturing a lens array includes forming a plurality of lenses on a transparent substrate, depositing a uv-curable ink on the transparent substrate around the plurality of lenses, and curing the uv-curable ink to form a light-shielding film disposed on the transparent substrate around the plurality of lenses, wherein the inside of the light-shielding film is heated after the uv-curable ink is cured.
US09835770B2
A functional polarizing film includes a polarizing layer, at least one moisture-binding layer on a first surface of the polarizing layer, and at least one moisture-blocking layer disposed on a first surface of the moisture-binding layer.
US09835766B2
Disclosed are an optical film and a preparation method thereof. The optical film comprises a base layer, a plurality of polymer particles disposed in the base layer, and voids formed in the base layer and enclosing the respective polymer particles, wherein the polymer particles comprise a crosslinked polymer. The optical film has uniform voids, enhanced processing and dimensional stabilities, as well as improved optical properties such as whiteness, hiding power, reflectance and the like. Thus, the optical film can be useful for a reflector sheet for a BLU of an LCD device, and the like.
US09835762B2
A full petrophysical rock characterization of a rock sample in a single workflow uses a separator containing two immiscible fluids. The fluids form a fluid interface. A video camera monitors the height of the fluid interface. Current electrodes and potential electrodes are electrically connected to the rock sample. An impedance meter makes measurements across the current electrodes and the potential electrodes. A tubing is attached to one end of the rock sample and to one end of the separator and transports one of the immiscible fluids therebetween. Another tubing is attached to the other end of the rock sample and to the separator and transports the other immiscible fluid therebetween. Yet another tubing transports an immiscible mixture of the immiscible fluids from the rock sample to the separator. Pressure gauges measures the pressures in the tubings. Pumps are disposed inline with the certain tubings.
US09835760B2
A well logging tool includes a neutron generator to generate and emit energetic neutrons using substantially exclusively a T-T fusion reaction. The well logging tool can include measuring instrumentation for measurement and logging of formation parameters based on elastic scattering in subsurface formations of neutrons emitted by the neutron generator. The neutron generator can have a concentric layout, in which a cylindrical target structure loaded with tritium particles is located co-axially in an elongate cylindrical housing, with mobile tritium ions being accelerated radially inwardly into impact with the target structure. Production of the mobile tritium ions may be by field ionization through operation of a nano-structure field ionization array.
US09835759B2
A method and system for analyzing constituent elements in bulk media wherein neutrons are emitted into the bulk media to produce inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media, and a gamma-ray spectrum resulting from the inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media is detected. A set of standard spectra are used as part of spectral analysis that processes the standard spectra and the derived gamma-ray spectrum to determine a number of yield coefficients for the constituent elements as part of the bulk media. The standard spectra or the spectral analysis is configured to account for at least one environmental condition that affects detected gamma-rays that result from the inelastic neutron interaction in the bulk media.
US09835756B2
A variable mode X-ray transmission system is provided that can be operated in low or high dose rate modes depending upon the area or portion of the vehicle to be screened. In one embodiment, variable dose rate is achieved by use of a novel collimator. The systems disclosed in this application enable the scanning of a vehicle cab portion (occupied by people, such as a driver) at low dose rate, which is safe for human beings, while allowing the scanning of the cargo portion (unoccupied by people) at a high dose rate. Rapid switching from low dose rate to high dose rate operating mode is provided, while striking a balance between high material penetration for cargo portion and low intensity exposure that is safe for occupants in the cab portion of the inspected vehicle.
US09835753B2
A method for obtaining full tensor gain compensated propagation measurements includes processing a full tensor voltage measurement to obtain a fully gain compensated tensor quantity. An electromagnetic logging tool including at least first and second axially spaced transmitters and at least first and second axially spaced receivers is rotated in a subterranean borehole. A plurality of voltage measurements are acquired while rotating to obtain a full tensor voltage measurement which is in turn processed to obtain the fully gain compensated tensor quantity.
US09835751B2
In a proximity sensor including a circuit board on which a detection circuit is printed, and a first drive electrode and a lock electrode mounted on one surface of the circuit board and electrically connected to the detection circuit, the first planar drive electrode and the planar lock electrode are formed in a standing manner on one surface of the circuit board to face each other. A second planar drive electrode and a planar unlock electrode are formed in a standing manner on the other surface of the circuit board to face each other. The proximity sensor is used in a keyless entry device of vehicle, and the controller that controls driving of an actuator for locking or unlocking a vehicle door based on detection of the proximity sensor determines that the proximity sensor is turned on when decrease in output of the proximity sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
US09835744B2
The present invention relates to acoustic wavefields produced using sources appropriately delayed in time and focused at known positions and times in a heterogeneous medium. Seismoelectric conversion occurs if the acoustic focus point coincides with a discontinuity in electrical and hydrological medium properties, thus generating a current density. The current generates a potential difference, which can be observed at a distance by an array of monitoring electrodes. Since the acoustic wavefield is precisely located at a position and time, this electrical source behaves like a controlled virtual electrode whose properties depend on the strength of the acoustic wavefield and on the medium properties. This procedure can be used to increase the robustness and resolutions of electrical resistivity tomography and to identify hydrological parameters at various points in the medium by scanning the medium by changing the position of the acoustic focus.
US09835740B2
A PET detector and method thereof are provided. The PET detector may include: a crystal array including a plurality of crystal elements arranged in an array and light-splitting structures set on surfaces of the plurality of crystal elements, the light-splitting structures jointly define a light output surface of the crystal array; a semiconductor sensor array, which is set in opposite to the light output surface of the crystal array and is suitable to receive photons from the light output surface, the semiconductor sensor array comprises a plurality of semiconductor sensors arranged in an array.
US09835733B2
An apparatus for detecting X-rays and converting the detected X-ray intensities into digital signals is disclosed. The apparatus places Analog to Digital Conversion (ADC) chips directly under a scintillator array along the X-ray beam direction and uses a shield that is placed between a photodiode substrate and an Analog to Digital Conversion (ADC) chip to block X-rays from directly reaching the dies of the ADC chips, which are sensitive to X-rays. Also an X-ray CT system utilizing the disclosed apparatus for detecting X-rays is provided.
US09835723B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method for determining the velocity of an object using radar system having a processor, including: receiving, by a processor, a first digital signal corresponding to a first transmit signal; receiving, by the processor, a second digital signal corresponding to a second transmit signal; processing the first digital signal to produce a first range/relative velocity matrix; detecting objects in the first range/relative velocity matrix to produce a first detection vector; unfolding the first detection vector; processing the second digital signal to produce a second range/relative velocity matrix; interpolating the second range/relative velocity matrix in the relative velocity direction wherein the interpolated second range/relative velocity matrix has a frequency spacing corresponding to the frequency spacing of the first range/relative range velocity matrix in the relative velocity direction; detecting objects in the second range/relative velocity matrix to produce a second detection vector; unfolding the second detection vector; and determining a true velocity of the detected objects based upon the unfolded first and second detection vectors.
US09835713B2
A device, particularly a radar sensor, has a voltage-controlled oscillator for generating a high-frequency signal which has an actual frequency, a voltage adjusting device to control the oscillator, and a calibration device operable for adjusting a voltage value which is assigned to a value of a target frequency. The calibration device is operable for finding a difference between a frequency and the target frequency corresponding to the voltage set at the oscillator. The calibration device is also operable for generating a low-frequency signal from the high-frequency signal, determining the oscillation period of the low-frequency signal, calculating an auxiliary frequency from the oscillation period of the low-frequency signal, wherein the auxiliary frequency corresponds to the actual frequency of the high-frequency signal, and for adjusting the voltage value assigned to the target frequency according to the frequency difference between the auxiliary frequency and the target frequency.
US09835712B2
A vehicle radar system (3, 3′, 3″) and method which including a microcontroller unit (21), MCU, and a plurality of Analog to Digital Converters (9, 10, 11, 12), (ADCs), arranged to convert the received signals to a digital form and to transfer the converted digital signals to a first and second Digital Signal Processor (DSP) (18, 19), DSP. The MCU (21) is arranged to control the DSPs (18, 19) such that for one time frame (n), the first DSP (18) functions as a Master DSP and the second DSP (19) functions as a Slave DSP, and such that for the next time frame (n+1), the first DSP (18) is configured to function as a Slave DSP and the second DSP (19) functions as a Master DSP. The MCU compares the raw target data from the first and second DSPs (19) to determine a degree of functionality for the DSPs (18, 19).
US09835711B2
A device for positioning a functional trihedron of a star tracker in a reference trihedron tied to a structure on which the star tracker is mounted comprises: a fixing interface to connect the device to the star tracker, a set of geometric markers configured to, by means of an optical measurement instrument tied to the structure, position a marker tied to the device in the reference marker tied to the structure, an optical simulator comprising a set of optical markers to be measured by the star tracker, making it possible to position the functional trihedron of the star tracker in the trihedron tied to the device, the measurements of position of the functional trihedron in the trihedron tied to the device, and of position of the trihedron tied to the device in the reference trihedron, making it possible to position by calculation the functional trihedron in the reference trihedron.
US09835706B2
In a method and apparatus to acquire magnetic resonance image data; an examination subject is positioned in a magnetic resonance apparatus to acquire magnetic resonance image data of the examination subject with a magnetic resonance sequence, and sequence parameters of the magnetic resonance sequence are established. First control commands of the magnetic resonance sequence are generated using the established sequence parameters. The first control commands are optimized so as to generate an optimized magnetic resonance sequence, the optimization of the first control commands including a conversion of the first control commands into optimized control commands. A test to review the optimized magnetic resonance sequence is implemented, the test including a comparison of the first control commands with the optimized control commands. The optimized magnetic resonance sequence is executed to acquire the magnetic resonance image data with the optimized control commands depending on the result of the test.
US09835700B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to carry out magnetic resonance imaging of a patient using a transmitting QD coil that allows at least one of phase and amplitude of a radio-frequency transmit pulse on at least one input channel of the transmitting QD coil to be adjusted independently of each other, and an adjustment unit arranged to adjust at least one of the phase and the amplitude of the radio-frequency transmit pulse according to imaging conditions.
US09835698B2
A high-pressure magic angle spinning (MAS) rotor is detailed that includes a high-pressure sample cell that maintains high pressures exceeding 150 bar. The sample cell design minimizes pressure losses due to penetration over an extended period of time.
US09835692B2
A magnetic field component in a Z direction is guided by a magnetic field guide layer and applied to a magnetic sensor in an X direction that is the same as a sensitivity axis direction thereof, and a detection output is obtained. A bridge circuit is formed with a plurality of magnetic sensors and configured such that an output is not provided for a magnetic field component in the X direction. However, when an external magnetic field in the X direction is drawn to the magnetic field guide layer, variation of sensitivity for the X direction may occur. Thus, soft magnetic characteristics of a first portion of the magnetic field guide layer are deteriorated to decrease the magnetic permeability of the first portion.
US09835690B2
An AC inrush current testing device is disclosure. The AC inrush current testing device includes a grid voltage peak point calculator, a grid voltage period and timing detector, a switch, an autotransformer, and a main relay. The grid voltage period and timing detector is connected to an AC power source and the grid voltage peak point calculator. A movable contact of the switch is connected to the AC power source. A first winding of the autotransformer is connected to the AC power source, a second winding of the autotransformer, and a first stationary contact of the switch. A third winding of the autotransformer is connected to a second stationary contact of the switch and the second winding. The main relay is electrically connected to the grid voltage peak point calculator, the second winding, and the third winding. A method for testing AC inrush current is further disclosed.
US09835682B2
A debugging system includes an embedded device and a terminal computer. The embedded device includes a memory unit, and the memory unit includes a first buffer, the embedded device is configured for executing at least one instruction to generate at least one real-time debugging information, and writing the real-time debugging information into the first buffer. The terminal computer is connected to an in-circuit emulator (ICE) via a first interface, and the ICE is connected to the embedded device via a second interface. The terminal computer uses polling to read the real-time debugging information stored in the first buffer via the ICE, and deletes the real-time debugging information stored in the first buffer afterwards.
US09835680B2
A method performed at least partially by a processor includes performing a test sequence. In the test sequence, a test pattern is loaded into a circuit. The test pattern is configured to cause the circuit to output a predetermined test response. A test response is unloaded from the circuit after a test wait time period has passed since the loading of the test pattern into the circuit. The unloaded test response is compared with the predetermined test response.
US09835677B2
A system and method for determining the linearity of a device-under-test combine a first periodic signal and a second periodic signal to produce a combined signal, wherein the second periodic signal has at least one of a phase difference and a frequency difference with respect to the first periodic signal, and applying the combined signal to an input of the device-under-test. The linearity of the device-under-test is determined from an output signal of the device-under-test based on the at least one of the phase difference and frequency difference between the first periodic signal and the second periodic signal.
US09835671B2
According to the present disclosure, there are provided a method of determining which one of first and second input signals Rez+ and Rez− is shorted to ground based on a magnitude of a Lissajous signal, a method of determining which one of first and third output signals S1 and S3 is shorted to any one of the first and second input signals Rez+ and Rez− based on an average magnitude value of the third output signal S3, and a method of determining which one of second and fourth output signals S2 and S4 is shorted to the first input signal Rez+ based on an average magnitude value of the fourth output signal S4.
US09835663B2
A capacitance measurement system precharges first terminals (21-0 . . . 21-k . . . 21-n) of a plurality of capacitors (25-0 . . . 25-k . . . 25), respectively, of a CDAC (capacitor digital-to-analog converter) (23) included in a SAR (successive approximation register) converter (17) to a first voltage (VDD) and pre-charges a first terminal (3-j) of a capacitor (CSENj) to a second voltage (GND). The first terminals are coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor to redistribute charges therebetween so as to generate a first voltage on the first terminals and the first terminal of the capacitor, the first voltage being representative of a capacitance of the first capacitor (CSENj). A SAR converter converts the first voltage to a digital representation (DATA) of the capacitor. The capacitance can be a touch screen capacitance.
US09835659B2
A power distribution management apparatus (10) includes acquiring the amount of demand obtained by forecasting the amount of power to be used by load equipment of a customer, and the amount of power generation obtained by forecasting the amount of power to be generated by power generation equipment of the customer, and setting a plurality of voltage values as a plurality of candidates for a transmission voltage from a substation of a power distribution system, and calculating a voltage at a connection point of the load equipment of the customer and equipment of the power distribution system at each of the plurality of candidates by utilizing a difference between the demand amount and the power generation amount of each customer, and determining the transmission voltage of the substation from the plurality of candidates based on a result of the calculating.
US09835657B2
Disclosed is an electronic circuit with a first terminal for connecting an accessory thereto, and with a functionality for detecting the presence of an accessory connected to the first terminal.
US09835654B2
A device for measuring very low current closes to femto Ampere using an integration, includes a first operational amplifier connected as an integrator, and a second operational amplifier connected as an original current generator which can compensate for leakage current in the circuit measurement state and reset the QO charge of the integration capacitor in the reset state.
US09835642B2
A scene measurement assembly includes a first illuminator assembly having multiple grids of coplanar illuminators, a first system-on-chip light sensing device having sensors disposed to receive reflected light emitted by the first illuminator assembly, a second illuminator assembly having plural grids of coplanar illuminators, each of the plural grids of coplanar illuminators being disposed in different planes relative to each other, and a second system-on-chip light sensing device that receives reflected light emitted by the second illuminator assembly. Each of the multiple grids of coplanar illuminators of both illuminator assemblies is disposed in different planes relative to each other. The first and second system-on-chip light sensing devices each have a sampling rate of greater than 10,000 frames per second relative to performing on-chip image data processing. The system-on-chip light sensing devices are each disposed at a scene to be measured at locations having different perspectives of the scene.
US09835640B2
Example automated storage modules for analyzer liquids are described herein. An example apparatus includes a refrigerated storage module having a plurality of shelves (to store a plurality of carriers) and a loading bay having an array of slots to receive one or more of the carriers. The loading bay is accessible by a user for manual loading or unloading of the carriers. The example apparatus includes a first carrier transporter coupled to the storage module to transfer the carriers between the shelves and a first transfer location and a second carrier transporter movable along a track connecting the storage module to an automated diagnostic analyzer. The second carrier transporter is to transfer a first carrier between the first transfer location and a slot in the loading bay and a second carrier between the first transfer location and a second transfer location accessible by the automated diagnostic analyzer.
US09835636B2
Embodiments relate to serological markers for detecting the colorectal cancer and applications of the serological markers. A phospholipid scramblase1 (PLSCR1), a stomatin-like protein 2 (STOML2) or a transport protein Sec61β (SEC61β) increases expression in the blood at the earlier stage of the colorectal cancer. Detecting the expression of the PLSCR1, STOML2 or SEC61β protein or an induced autoantibody of each protein in a blood sample is used to diagnose the colorectal cancer. Moreover, the serological marker improves the detection efficiency and the sensitivity in detecting the colorectal cancer and is used to predict the prognosis. The serological markers are applied in preparing a detection device or inhibiting the growth of the colorectal cancer cells.
US09835633B1
The present disclosure provides methods of identifying a candidate agent for treating an apoE-associated neurodegenerative disorder. The methods involve contacting a PCSK1 or a PCSK2 polypeptide with an apolipoprotein E polypeptide in the presence of a test agent.
US09835631B2
Provided herein is a sandwich immunoassay for detecting cross-linked PIIINP that has at least two strands of PIIINP joined together by inter-strand cross-linking each having a C-terminal neo-epitope of PIIINP that is generated by N-protease cleavage of intact type III procollagen. A biological sample having the cross-linked PIIINP is contacted with a first surface-bound monoclonal antibody and then by a second monoclonal antibody, both specifically reactive with a neoepitope in the C-terminal sequence of PIIINP, and then binding of the second monoclonal antibody is determined. Also provided is a method for evaluating the efficacy of an antagonist drug targeting lysyl oxidases via the immunoassay and a kit containing a solid support binding the first monoclonal antibody and containing the second monoclonal antibody.
US09835630B2
A method of classifying a lung graft subjected to normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), during perfusion and/or after perfusion, the method comprising: a) collecting a test sample from the lung graft; b) measuring a polypeptide level of a negative transplant predictor gene product selected from CCG predictor gene products M-CSF, IL-8 SCGF-beta, GRO-alpha, G-CSF, MIP-1 alpha, and/or MIP-1beta, endothelin predictor gene products endothelin 1 (ET-1) and/or big ET-1, and/or apoptosis predictor gene products cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), caspase 3 and/or HMGB-1 in the sample and/or determining a metabolite profile of the sample for lung grafts that are from donors where the death was due to cardiac death (DCD); c) identifying the graft as a good candidate for transplant or a poor candidate for transplant wherein an increased polypeptide level of one or more negative transplant outcome predictor gene products compared to an outcome control or a reference metabolic profile is indicative the graft is a poor candidate for transplant.
US09835623B2
A microfluidic Western blot method and system including a microfluidic western blot method for immunoassay of proteins, the method including introducing a sample including the proteins onto a chip; electrophoretically separating the proteins; binding the separated proteins to beads to form protein-attached beads, the beads being magnetic; flowing the protein-attached beads into a magnetic holding region; applying a magnetic field to the magnetic holding region to fix the protein-attached beads in place within the magnetic holding region; binding primary antibodies to target proteins on the protein-attached beads; binding secondary antibodies to the bound primary antibodies; and detecting the bound secondary antibodies.
US09835622B2
The present invention relates to analyte detection devices and methods of using such devices to detect minute quantities of a target analyte in a sample. In particular, the invention provides a method of detecting a target analyte in a sample comprising mixing the sample with a first detection conjugate and a second detection conjugate in solution, wherein the first and second detection conjugates comprise metallic nanostructures coupled to binding partners that are capable of specifically binding to the target analyte if present in the sample to form a complex between the first detection conjugate, the analyte, and the second detection conjugate, wherein a change in an optical signal upon complex formation indicates the presence of the target analyte in the sample. Methods of preparing nanostructures and nanoalloys, as well as nanostructures and nanoalloys conjugated to binding partners, are also described.
US09835608B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining an ablation modulus of a mudcake on a wellbore wall. According to various embodiments of the invention, the method includes preparing a mudcake, forming a mudcake assemblage comprising the prepared mudcake, screen, and a filter paper, and submerging and securing the mudcake assemblage in a container filled with a fluid. The fluid includes one of a native fluid and a foreign fluid to the mudcake. The method further includes agitating the fluid for a plurality of time intervals, removing the mudcake assemblage from the container after expiration of each time interval, and drying the mudcake assemblage. Further, the method includes weighing the mudcake assemblage to determine an interval weight for each time interval, and determining the ablation modulus of the mudcake on the wellbore wall by graphically correlating the determined interval weights of the remaining mudcake in the mudcake assemblage as a function of time. The ablation modulus of the mudcake is defined by a slope of a tangent of an initial portion of the graphical correlation between the determine interval weights and cumulative time.
US09835605B2
The present technology provides an illustrative hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) detection device that includes a decomposition component, a charged particle filter, and a sensing component. The decomposition component is configured to irradiate a gas sample with a radioactive element to decompose HFC gas under conditions sufficient to form hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas and one or more ionized particles. The charged particle filter is configured to filter the one or more ionized particles, and the sensing component is configured to detect the HF gas.
US09835597B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to devices, methods and systems capable of pressurization, generally involving a flow system that includes a pressurized reservoir, at least one pump including a pump control valve, an outlet port, a shut-off valve and a vent valve. The flow system is configured to be pressurized. The shut-off valve is disposed between the pressurized reservoir and the at least one pump. The vent valve is disposed between the at least one pump and the outlet port. The shut-off valve, the vent valve and the pump control valve of the at least one pump are configured to actuate in a coordinated manner to control a pressurization of the flow system. Exemplary embodiments are further directed to devices, methods and systems for column switching, generally including at least a first column, a second column and a column switching valve.
US09835587B2
An electrophoresis running tank assembly uses two opposed rows of LEDs to illuminate DNA-containing gel on a transparent tray positioned between the rows. A respective cylindrical lens is positioned horizontally between each row and a respective edge of the tray. The optical axis of the illumination light is midway between a bottom surface of the gel tray and a top surface of the gel.
US09835575B2
One example discloses a ratiometric device, including: a current source having a first current, a second current different from the first current, and a current-select program; a sensor device responsive to a gas and having a sensor-cold temperature T(cold,sens) in response to the first current and a sensor-hot temperature T(hot,sens) in response to the second current; a reference device having a reference-cold temperature T(cold,ref) in response to the first current and a reference-hot temperature T(hot,ref) in response to the second current; and wherein the ratiometric device includes a temperature difference ratio output based on T(cold,sens), T(hot,sens), T(cold,ref) and T(hot,ref).
US09835566B2
Methods and systems for generating inspection results for a specimen with an adaptive nuisance filter are provided. One method includes selecting a portion of events detected during inspection of a specimen having values for at least one feature of the events that are closer to at least one value of at least one parameter of the nuisance filter than the values for at least one feature of another portion of the events. The method also includes acquiring output of an output acquisition subsystem for the sample of events, classifying the events in the sample based on the acquired output, and determining if one or more parameters of the nuisance filter should be modified based on results of the classifying. The nuisance filter or the modified nuisance filter can then be applied to results of the inspection of the specimen to generate final inspection results for the specimen.
US09835565B2
An inspection device of a display device includes a first illumination unit providing a first incident light to the display device at a first incident angle, a second illumination unit providing a second incident light to the display device at a second incident angle, a third illumination unit providing a third incident light to the display device at a third incident angle, and a defect detector receiving at least one of a first reflection light obtained from the first incident light reflected by the display device at a first reflection angle, a second reflection light obtained from the second incident light reflected by the display device at a second reflection angle, and a third reflection light obtained from the third incident light reflected by the display device at a third reflection angle to detect defects of the display device.
US09835564B2
A camera head for inspecting pipes or cavities including an array of two or more imaging elements with overlapping Fields of View (FOV) is disclosed. The camera head may include one or more light source elements, such as LEDs, for providing illumination in dimly lit inspection sites, such as the interior of underground pipes. The imaging elements and LEDs may be used in conjunction with a remote display device, such as an LCD panel of a camera control unit (CCU) or monitor in proximity to an operator, to display the interior of a pipe or other cavity.
US09835558B2
A fluorescence molecular probe having a hydrophilic polypeptide backbone conjugated with a hydrophobic alkyl chain and a function group with aggregation induced emission is disclosed. The hydrophilic peptide sequence renders DNA binding capacity and the hydrophobic alkyl chain provides capacity for embedding within cell membrane. The aggregation induced emission renders real time tracking for live cell function studies. The synthesis of the probe is simple and easy for purification.
US09835547B2
The present invention relate to an apparatus for processing of foodstuff. The apparatus comprises an element for processing of the foodstuff. The apparatus further comprises a light source that is arranged to emit light having at least two wavelengths or wavelength ranges, the light source further being arranged to direct the light to a surface of at least the foodstuff, and a detector positioned to detect at least a portion of light reflected from the surface of the foodstuff, and arranged to generate an output indicative of the detected intensity. In addition, the apparatus comprises a component for identifying a content property of the foodstuff, the component being arranged to determine a relation between a generated output for one of the at least two wavelengths or wavelength ranges and a generated output for the other or another one of the at least two wavelengths or wavelength ranges, the component further being arranged to compare the determined relation with predetermined data to generate information indicative of the content property of the foodstuff. The apparatus is arranged such that processing of the foodstuff is controlled using the information indicative of the content property of the foodstuff.
US09835545B2
A flow cell includes a transparent planar member having a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to the first principal surface. The planar member has a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape and that penetrates through the first principal surface and the second principal surface. The flow cell further includes a first lens element having a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape. The first lens element is disposed on the first principal surface of the planar member such that the through-hole in the planar member communicates with the through-hole in the first lens element. The flow cell further includes a second lens element having a through-hole that has a circular cross-sectional shape. The second lens element is disposed on the second principal surface of the planar member such that the through-hole in the planar member communicates with the through-hole in the second lens element.
US09835544B2
According to an embodiment, a bonding strength test device measures bonding strength between a flexure of a suspension of a hard disk drive and microactuators mounted on a gimbal of the flexure. The bonding strength test device includes a clamp, dummy, and device body. The clamp fixes the flexure. The dummy is adhered to the microactuators. The probe is engaged in the dummy. The device body measures a tensile load applied to the probe while the probe is pulled toward a direction to be apart from the flexure.
US09835541B2
In flow cytometry, particles (2) can be distinguished between populations (8) by combining n-dimensional parameter data, which may be derived from signal data from a particle, to mathematically achieve numerical results representative of an alteration (48). An alteration may include a rotational alteration, a scaled alteration, or perhaps even a translational alteration. Alterations may enhance separation of data points which may provide real-time classification (49) of signal data corresponding to individual particles into one of at least two populations.
US09835539B2
A technique relates sorting biopolymers. The biopolymers are introduced into a nanopillar array, and the biopolymers include a first population and a second population. The nanopillar array includes nanopillars arranged to have a gap separating one from another. The biopolymers are sorted through the nanopillar array by transporting the first population of the biopolymers less than a predetermined bumping size according to a fluid flow direction and by transporting the second population of the biopolymers at least the predetermined bumping size according to a bumped direction different from the fluid flow direction. The nanopillar array is configured to employ the gap with a gap size less than 300 nanometers in order to sort the biopolymers.
US09835538B2
A technique relates sorting biopolymers. The biopolymers are introduced into a nanopillar array, and the biopolymers include a first population and a second population. The nanopillar array includes nanopillars arranged to have a gap separating one from another. The biopolymers are sorted through the nanopillar array by transporting the first population of the biopolymers less than a predetermined bumping size according to a fluid flow direction and by transporting the second population of the biopolymers at least the predetermined bumping size according to a bumped direction different from the fluid flow direction. The nanopillar array is configured to employ the gap with a gap size less than 300 nanometers in order to sort the biopolymers.
US09835525B2
The invention provides a sample container arrangement for collecting multiphase samples of gas and liquid, particularly oil in water samples that are representative with respect to oil concentration, oil droplet size and oil droplet size distribution, the sample container arrangement comprises a sample container with an upper end, a lower end and a container volume for sample collection, such as a standing cylinder, distinctive in that the container arrangement further comprises: one inlet connected to the upper end or part of the container volume, one outlet with a valve with bleeding function, connected to the upper end or part of the container volume, and one outlet connected to the lower end of the container volume.
US09835520B2
Light output from a light source is distributed to intensity modulators that are associated with different spatial modes and that have different modulation conditions. An operation for receiving modulated light from each of the intensity modulators is performed for SDM fibers of different lengths while the light source is in operation, and pieces of optical power information are determined for respective spatial modes to be measured, from difference information regarding the lengths and the received optical powers.
US09835519B2
This invention discloses a handheld apparatus for measuring surface power or radius of prescription ophthalmic spectacle lenses, optical lenses or molds blocked with or without chuck during Rx production, and after comparing measurement results with designed data, providing correction data to the processing machines via wireless connection for correction processing if needed. The handheld apparatus integrates an optical measurement head into a monolithic optical system.
US09835505B2
A measurement system including: a radial external hole on a cover of a railway axle-box on the side of an edge of the cover facing towards a rolling bearing of the axle-box; a smaller axial hole made on the edge of the cover facing towards a ring of the bearing and opening in the radial hole; a cup-shaped body accommodated in the radial hole; a fork shaped spring integrally carried by a bottom wall of the cup-shaped body, projecting in front of the axial hole; a temperature probe slidingly accommodated within the axial hole and including a tubular element incorporating an electrical temperature sensor and an electric cable protruding from a first end of the tubular element accommodated within the cup-shaped body; and an abutting element removably coupled to the first end to cooperate with the spring, which pushes a second end of the probe out of the axial hole.
US09835499B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device having a sensor capable of improving precision while suppressing increase in occupation area. A semiconductor device has: a first counter; and a second counter (time measuring circuit) measuring time until a count value, which is obtained by counting a first signal having a frequency corresponding to a first voltage, reaches a largest count value which can be counted by the first counter. The first counter obtains a piece of digital information corresponding to the first voltage on the basis of a count value obtained by counting a second signal having a frequency corresponding to a second voltage, which is different from the first voltage, on the basis of the time measured by the time measuring circuit.
US09835492B2
A spectroscopic camera is provided with a wavelength variable interference filter including a pair of reflection films and an electrostatic actuator for changing a size of a gap between the reflection films; an imaging unit including a plurality of imaging pixels; and a filter control unit for controlling the electrostatic actuator based on light-received wavelength data in which a control amount for receiving light of a target wavelength is recorded with respect to each of the imaging pixels of the imaging unit. An acquisition order of the target wavelength emitted from the wavelength variable interference filter is set for each of the imaging pixels, and the acquisition order is set in a descending order of the driving amount of a gap, and thus a value for emitting the light of the target wavelength in the set acquisition order is recorded as the light-received wavelength data.
US09835485B2
For the functional testing of an arrangement for dynamic fuel consumption measurement, at least two reference flows are produced through successive operation, at different frequencies, of a system pump (6) provided in any case for the regulated fuel flow, and the gradient determined from the reference measured values obtained is compared with the known gradients of the characteristic curve of the system pump (6).
US09835481B2
Methods, systems and devices for estimating a parameter of interest in a borehole. The apparatus may include a displacement device configured for displacement responsive to the parameter of interest and environmental noise; a detector array configured to provide information comprising a first signal and a second signal both relating to the displacement; and at least one processor configured to mitigate effects of the environmental noise on the information by determining correlated portions of each corresponding signal representative of effects of common mode elements of the environmental noise on each corresponding signal. The displacement device may be an optical displacement device configured to receive a first electromagnetic beam with a first value of a beam property and a second electromagnetic beam with a second value of the beam property, which comprises a displacement element configured for displacement responsive to the parameter of interest and the environmental noise.
US09835480B2
A multiturn rotary encoder includes: a single-turn unit, including a code carrier that is able to be scanned by a single-turn scanner in order to generate single-turn position signals, and a single-turn evaluation unit for processing the single-turn position signals to form at least one single-turn code word that indicates the absolute position of an input shaft within one revolution; a first multiturn unit dependent on a power supply, including at least a first multiturn code carrier that is able to be scanned by a first multiturn scanner in order to generate first multiturn position signals, and a first multiturn evaluation unit for processing the first multiturn position signals to form a first multiturn code word that indicates the number of revolutions executed by the input shaft; and a second multiturn unit independent of a power supply, including at least a second multiturn code carrier that is able to be scanned by a second multiturn scanner in order to generate second multiturn position signals, and a second multiturn evaluation unit for processing the second multiturn position signals to form a second multiturn code word which likewise indicates the number of revolutions executed by the input shaft. The value of the first multiturn code word of the first multiturn unit in an initialization phase after the power supply of the multiturn rotary encoder has been switched on is able to be referenced with the value of the second multiturn code word.
US09835475B2
An inductive sensor for measuring the position of a shaft of a vehicle in a first direction (X) and a second direction (Y), from a target mounted on the shaft. The sensor (20) includes a printed circuit board (21) including at least one first receiving coil (23), at least one second receiving coil (24) and at least one transmitting coil (22) surrounding the first receiving coil and the second receiving coil. The first receiving coil and the second receiving coil each include a plurality of N portions (23A, 23B, 23C, 24A, 24B, 24C) that are electrically connected to one another and are disposed side by side on the printed circuit in the second direction, each portion extending on the printed circuit in the first direction in such a way as to determine the position of the target both in the first direction and in the second direction.
US09835474B2
A sensor for detecting a position of an encoder magnet in a direction of motion, including: a first coil extending in the direction of motion, a second and third coil, which are aligned with the first coil and which are arranged symmetrical to each other with respect to a point of symmetry as observed in the direction of motion and which accordingly form a first and second transformer with the first coil, the transformation ratio of which transformers depends on the position of the encoder magnet, and a magnetic asymmetry, which changes the transformation ratio of one of the transformers with respect to the other transformer.
US09835471B2
Disclosed are a sensor module and a method for operating the same. The sensor module includes a module unit including a first body having a cavity and a module substrate received in the first body; and a sensor unit including a second body detachable from the cavity of the module unit and a sensor received in the second body, wherein the module unit reads an output signal from the sensor unit to generate sensing information and wirelessly outputs the sensing information.
US09835458B2
A ship assignment device acquires voyage schedule information including an operation time schedule and a sailing route of a voyage. The ship assignment device acquires, from a database, weather information related to the operation time schedule and the sailing route included in the schedule information. The ship assignment device acquires information regarding variations in fuel consumption rate from a database that stores the information for each of plural ships. On the basis of the acquired weather information and acquired information regarding each ship, the ship assignment device calculates the fuel consumption for when each ship sails on the sailing route included in the acquired voyage schedule information in accordance with the operation time schedule included in the voyage schedule information. On the basis of the calculation result, the ship assignment device outputs information identifying plural ships.
US09835457B2
Embodiments are disclosed to calculate and store rock climbing navigational data using a rock climbing watch including a sensor array configured to measure an orientation of the rock climbing watch and a processor configured to calculate an angle between two rock face locations along a rock climbing route based upon an orientation of the rock climbing watch when it is pointed from a current rock face location towards another rock face location. A processor may determine route segments for traversing the rock climbing route. A processor may convert route climbing navigational data into a three-dimensional wireframe rock climbing navigational map including rock face locations, calculated distances and angles between rock face locations, and a rock climbing route. The rock climbing watch may present information to guide the user along a rock climbing route by displaying a graphical directional indicator and a distance to the next rock face location.
US09835449B2
A surface measuring device includes a rotary platform, a shifting lever, a measuring module, and a control module. The rotary platform carries an object under test and rotates the object under test at a rotating speed. The shifting lever is above the rotary platform. The measuring module disposed on the shifting lever moves to measurement positions on the shifting lever and performs a surface height measurement at a sampling frequency to sampling points on a surface of the object under test when located at one measurement position. The control module selectively adjusts the rotational speed for the rotary platform or the sampling frequency for the measuring module according to the measurement position of the measuring module on the shifting lever in order to fit a distance between the sampling points on at least one part of the surface of the object under test to a sampling rule.
US09835447B2
A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic structures are detected to provide an output signal. The misalignment between the overlying or interlaced periodic structures may then be determined from the output signal.
US09835442B2
A method for determining a shape of a substantially cylindrical specular reflective surface includes the step of obtaining calibration data and the step of obtaining target data about a target structure. The method further includes the step of defining a target line from the target data, where the target line represents a feature of the target structure and the step of capturing a reflected image of the target structure in the specular reflective surface. The method further includes the step of obtaining reflected data from the reflected image and the step of defining a reflected line from the reflected data, where the reflected line represents a reflection of the feature of the target structure. The method also includes the step of determining a correspondence between the target line and the reflected line and using the correspondence and the calibration data to determine the shape of the specular reflective surface.
US09835440B2
Methods for monitoring a components include locating a plurality of naturally occurring surface features on the component, locating at least one reference point, measuring a plurality of first distances between the plurality of naturally occurring surface features and the at least one reference point.
US09835439B2
The invention relates to a method for the electric control of a measurement stand (11) having a drive movement of at least one measurement probe (26) from an initial position (31) into a measurement position (32), in particular for the measurement of the thickness of thin layers in which a motor (34) is controlled for the drive movement of the measurement probe (26), said motor (34) moving a ram (23), to which the measurement probe (26) is fastened, back and forth via a drive device (35) at least for the implementation of a measurement, wherein before a first measurement with the measurement probe (26), a learning routine is carried out, and for the subsequent implementation of one or more measurements, the measurement probe (26) is transferred from the initial position (31) into the measurement position (32), and the drive path of the measurement probe (26) from the initial position (31) into the measurement position (32) is divided into a fast speed and, before the setting of the measurement probe (26) on the measurement object (14), a slow speed, wherein the number of pulses for the fast speed is reduced by the number of pulses for the slow speed, originating from the total number of the determined pulses of the drive path and the number of pulses for the drive path at the fast speed is a multiple of the number of pulses of the drive path at the slow speed.
US09835429B2
A shock attenuation device is used to reduce the effect of a blast shock by both disrupting the propagation of the shock and by spreading, deflecting, and/or redirecting the shock. The device includes multiple layers of different materials, having different shock transmission impedances, stacked in a direction in which the blast shock travels through the device. At least one of the layers includes a material that crumples in response to the shock, undergoing an inelastic deformation in response to the shock. Also, at least one of the layers includes a material that has a directional shock transmission impedance that provides different shock transmission impedance within different directions within the material. The directional shock transmission material may be oriented such that the preferred direction of shock transmission within the material is oriented away from the direction of in which the multiple layers of material are stacked.
US09835423B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge having a wicking texturing at the projectile aperture.
US09835420B2
The invention relates to an optronic device (16) capable of emitting a plurality of wavelengths comprising: an observation camera (24), and a laser unit (26) for each wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths, wherein each laser unit (26) comprises a laser source (36) capable of emitting a laser beam at the wavelength and an optical system (38) having a maximal transmission coefficient for the wavelength.
US09835418B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to composite materials. In one embodiment, a composite material comprises an inorganic ceramic matrix comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first outer surface and generally parallel to the first outer surface. At least one open weave fiber glass fabric is disposed in the inorganic ceramic matrix between the first surface and the second surface. In another embodiment, a composite material comprises a first inorganic ceramic matrix comprising pieces of stone, a second inorganic ceramic matrix attached adjacent to the first inorganic ceramic matrix, and at least one open weave fiber glass fabric disposed in the second inorganic ceramic matrix.
US09835408B2
The invention is a two-point firearm carrying apparatus attachable to a long gun having a first arm and a second arm. A spring with hooked ends attached to D rings on the arms is covered by a canvass sheath. The spring compresses and expands to allow sighting and use of the gun, and also to hold the sling against the chest when being transported. The first and second arms are adjustable in length depending upon the height and girth of the user.
US09835406B2
A toy gun includes: a nail arm which is rotated around a nail arm rotating shaft placed in a position opposite to the cartridge with a trigger rotating shaft in between and is substantially in an L shape; a guide as a long hole which is provided in the nail arm and guides a terminal; a nail which is attached to a tip of the nail arm and can be engaged with a cartridge loading portion; and a link which is attached to a cover capable of being abutted against a cartridge loading portion and slides the cover to the cartridge side or the side opposite to the cartridge by bringing the terminal into or out of abutment.
US09835400B2
An integrally suppressed barrel in one embodiment includes a rear barrel portion defining an axial projectile bore and forwardly extending sleeve affixed to thereto. The sleeve includes vertically stacked tubular upper and lower longitudinal chambers holding a complementary configured horizontal stack of sound suppression baffles. The chambers are in fluid communication via a waist, which may be smaller in width than the chambers. A rod extending from a front end cap on the sleeve to and threadably the rear barrel secures the baffles inside the sleeve. The stack of baffles is removable from the sleeve as a self-supporting unit in one embodiment. The baffles may include upper and lower chambers which are in fluid communication to provide additional volume for gas expansion and sound suppression. The upper chambers include an asymmetrically shaped flow cone configured to direct gas from the upper to lower chambers.
US09835379B2
A cooling tower with a hot water distribution system includes a distribution lateral disposed above a hot water basin. The distribution lateral discharges fluid into the hot water basin, which in turn, releases the fluid through a plurality of orifices. As the fluid is released, it falls on heat-exchanging fill material that assists in increasing the cooling rate of the fluid. The distribution lateral is configured structurally to discharge the fluid through a plurality of outlets at one or more angles (as compared to the horizontal) into the hot water basins. In one embodiment, the outlets are arranged into one or more rows that extend along a substantial length of the distribution lateral. Discharging the fluid in this manner enhances and promotes a more even fluid flow within the hot water basin, which results in a more even fluid flow over and onto the fill material, thereby increasing thermal efficiency.
US09835377B2
A support device that has a central axis and includes three uprights extending substantially parallel to the central axis, a plurality of series of support members spaced along the central axis, each series of support members comprising three support members adapted to support one wafer of the plurality of wafers and extending in different essentially longitudinal directions transverse to the central axis, each support member being mounted directly on a separate upright, this support device being remarkable in that the directions of the three support members of each series of support members are concurrent at a point on the central axis.
US09835376B2
The invention relates to a station for transferring a metal melt from a melting furnace into a transport crucible. The station includes a docking chamber, which has a docking opening and is designed to be docked to a filling opening of the transport crucible a suctioning device, which is designed to suction a gas from the docking chamber or from the transport crucible docked to the docking chamber, and a suction pipe, which has a suction channel extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is arranged outside the docking chamber and the outlet opening is arranged in such a way that a metal melt flowing through the suction channel and exiting from the outlet opening passes through the docking opening.
US09835375B2
Grain flow paths have an upper portion which is a mixed flow portion and which includes a preheat zone and a lower portion which is an undulating moisture equalizer portion and which includes a heat zone. Mixed flow grain diverters extend across the grain flow path substantially perpendicular to longitudinal side walls, and substantially parallel to transverse end walls of the grain flow path. Upper airflow openings are associated with each of the upper diverters. Moisture equalizer lower grain diverters extend along the longitudinal sides grain flow path substantially parallel to the longitudinal side walls, and substantially perpendicular to the transverse end walls of the grain flow path. The burner is positioned outside the airflow path to feed ambient air into the recirculating airflow path, without recirculating airflow passing through the burner.
US09835373B2
Methods and systems for vaporizing and recovering LNG are provided. One method includes: a) heating at least a portion of the LNG to provide a boil-off gas stream and a liquid quench stream; b) routing the boil-off gas stream and the liquid quench stream to a quench system, wherein the quench system cools the boil-off gas stream to provide a quenched stream; and c) compressing the quenched stream to provide a compressed quenched stream.
US09835372B2
A refrigerator is provided that includes a crisper system having one or more moveable and removable drawers. The drawers include rollers extending downwardly and outwardly from the drawers to provide maximum storage volume. The rollers are configured to work with channels formed in a support system, which may be integrally formed with a bottom floor of a compartment of the refrigerator. Therefore, the rollers and channels of the support system provide easy access and removability of the drawers of the crisper system.
US09835367B2
A cooler includes a main body which includes a base, an upper rim, and one or more cooler walls extending therebetween. The cooler in some embodiments further includes a removable wheel assembly which includes two coaxial wheels, and an axle. The two coaxial wheels are removably securable to the axle. The cooler still further comprises a wheel fastening system configured to secure the removable wheel assembly to the base of the main body which includes a mount, a clip hingedly connected to the mount, and a locking clasp configured to lock the clip into a closed position to secure the wheel assembly. The cooler yet further comprises a lid including two wheel storage recesses, each being sized and dimensioned to receive and retain one of the coaxial wheel of the wheel assembly, and an axle storage recess sized and dimensioned to receive and retain the axle of the wheel assembly.
US09835366B2
The present invention provides for a system for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A measuring device measures an operating parameter of the HVAC system at a position where the measuring device is mounted on a refrigerant line of the HVAC system. The measuring device switches states when the value of the measured operating parameter reaches a switching value. A controller estimates a value of the first operating parameter at the position where the first measuring device is mounted on the refrigerant line, and the controller determines whether the estimated first operating parameter is within a threshold percentage of the switching value.
US09835354B2
An adjustable regulator and lock device for a pivotally rotatable damper adapted for installation in an air duct of an HVAC system is disclosed, which includes a pivot rod rotatably attached to the air duct and arranged for rotation with the damper. The pivot rod has coupled to it, a lockdown member having a plurality of radially extending teeth extending outwardly therefrom. A plate member is fixedly spaced from the air duct and has a plurality of correspondingly shaped and dimensioned tooth-shaped cutouts adapted to receive the teeth of the lockdown member to selectively lock the rotational position of the pivot rod and the damper in a selected angular orientation. The teeth of the lockdown member are biased by a coil spring toward engagement with the cutouts of the plate member, and yet selectively releaseable therefrom. The invention provides secure and locked positioning of the damper.
US09835352B2
Techniques for saving energy efficient setpoints are described herein. A computing device can detect a change in a setpoint schedule based on setpoint data from a client computing device. The computing device can determine that the change in the setpoint schedule decreases energy consumption for a corresponding utility customer associated with the client computing device. The computing device can generate a notification including an indication that the change in the setpoint schedule decreases energy consumption for the corresponding utility customer. The computing device can further send the notification to the client computing device to cause a prompt to be displayed on a user interface of the client computing device, in which the prompt includes the sent notification. The computing device may cause a prompt to be displayed on the client computing device that includes options including an option to adopt the change in the setpoint schedule using the setpoint data.
US09835351B1
An air conditioner controlling method includes: deciding on a supply-air temperature Ts and a return-air temperature Tr as specified design values; deciding that the total heat-exchange efficiency η is zero; selecting two or more stepped levels of the outdoor-air volume percentage α; deriving a linear function which expresses a relation between an outdoor-air temperature To and a mixed-air temperature Tm for each level of the outdoor-air volume percentage α by using the return-air temperature Tr and the total heat-exchange efficiency η; and deciding on the range where the mixed-air temperature Tm is lower than the supply-air temperature Ts for each of the linear functions and the range where the mixed-air temperature Tm in each linear function comes closest to the supply-air temperature Ts as compared with the mixed-air temperatures Tm in the other linear functions.
US09835349B2
A method for controlling an economizer in a building HVAC system includes providing a manipulated variable as an input to a control process, holding the manipulated variable at a first extremum during a first portion of an evaluation period, and applying a dither signal to the manipulated variable during a second portion of the evaluation period. The dither signal causes the manipulated variable to deviate from the extremum. The method further includes monitoring a variable of interest output by the control process during the first and second portions of the evaluation period and switching the manipulated variable to a second extremum opposite the first extremum in response to the variable of interest moving toward an optimal value during the second portion of the evaluation period.
US09835348B2
An HVAC system has a plurality of humidity sensors and a controller configured to selectively control which of the plurality of humidity sensors affects operation of the HVAC system. A method of controlling humidity includes providing a plurality of humidity sensors, assigning one of the plurality of humidity sensors as a humidity priority sensor, and affecting a humidity in response to feedback from the humidity priority sensor. A system controller for an HVAC system has an interface configured to present a plurality of humidity sensors and the system controller is configured to allow a user to select which of the plurality of humidity sensors affects operation of the HVAC system.
US09835346B2
The present disclosure provides an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a compressor; a sensor for measuring the compressors state configured to detect compressor state information that includes at least one of a pressure value and a saturation temperature of the compressor; and a controller configured to control air flow on the side of an indoor unit by comparing the compressor state information measured from the sensor and a threshold.
US09835333B2
A system for utilizing cooling air within a combustor includes a fuel nozzle having an axially extending center body, a burner tube that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the center body and a premix passage defined between the center body and the burner tube. The system further includes a combustor cap assembly having a first cooling air plenum defined between a cap plate and a first partitioning plate, a second cooling air plenum defined upstream from the first cooling air plenum between a second partitioning plate and the first partitioning plate, and a tube that provides for fluid communication from the first cooling air plenum, through the second cooling air plenum and through the second partitioning plate. The system provides a method for utilizing the cooling air within the combustor.
US09835329B2
The present invention is an improvement in a number of ways of two issued patents identified in the preamble of the Specification which follows. Such improvement will yield a more reliable process that uses coal and other hydrocarbons but avoids the discharge of hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere and lowers investment costs. This invention offers a unique and comprehensive solution that makes possible the prevention of the ill-effects to health and environment while at the same time would also prevent the closure of badly needed power generation facilities that still provide some 40% of the electricity generated in this country. The herein comprehensive solution converts six pollutants into valuable co-products while low-cost, efficient, electric power is generated to result in attracting industries that will help keep badly needed jobs. This invention is also applicable to other disciplines.
US09835325B2
An evaporative gas generating device and a method for producing evaporative gas. A hydrogen bromide production device and a method for producing hydrogen bromide are also disclosed. The hydrogen bromide production device is provided with an evaporative gas generating device (1) that generates bromine gas, and a reactor (3) that reacts the bromine gas with hydrogen gas to form hydrogen bromide. The evaporative gas generating device (1) is provided with a container (10) that accommodates liquid bromine (B), and heating jackets (35, 36) that supply heat to a wall surface of the container (10), and heat and evaporate the liquid bromine (B) within a liquid accommodating part (15) of the container (10) to raise the temperature of the bromine gas within the evaporative gas accommodating part (16).
US09835323B1
A device for an illuminated balloon includes a light emitting diode. A holder is connected to the light emitting diode, the holder having a first side, an opposite second side, and a hole which receives the light emitting diode, the hole extending from the first side to the second side. The holder is connectable to the inside surface of the balloon, so that the light emitting diode points out from the balloon. When so connected to the balloon, the longitudinal axis of the light emitting diode is oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the balloon. In an embodiment the holder is disc shaped, is fabricated from foam, and is connected to the inside surface of the balloon by an adhesive.
US09835318B2
A luminaire is provided that includes a power circuit that supplies power to a light source, an antenna that at least one of transmits and receives a wireless signal, and a metal housing that contains the antenna and the power circuit. The metal housing has an opening, such that the antenna and the opening are arranged to cause a polarization plane of an electric wave most strongly radiated from the antenna, and a polarization plane of an electric wave most strongly radiated from the opening, to substantially coincide with each other.
US09835317B2
According to one aspect, an optical waveguide comprises a plurality of coupling cavities for directing light into a waveguide body spaced from a particular point. Further, each of the coupling cavities comprises a dimension that varies with distance from the particular point.
US09835302B1
The Sun Sky/Electric Hybrid Lighting System (SEHLS) is the fully integrated sun lighting system that can be connected through out multiple rooms to bring natural sun stereophonic lighting into a home or office. SEHLS is a dual capable system that was designed for energy savings with both sun power and low energy lighting. The SEHLS system has four major lighting systems that fit any room's needs. Each unit has been designed with the same common usage and capability. In this Patent, the Sun Sky/Electric Reflective Lite System (SERLS) will be Patented as an example. The SERLS is a dual usage system that can be placed in medium-spaced room such as a bedroom, hallway or office to provide sun light luminance capability.