US09882226B2
The compact fuel cell which can efficiently perform heating and can be repeatedly used includes a solid electrolyte, an anode that is formed on one surface of the solid electrolyte, a cathode that is formed on another surface of the solid electrolyte, an anode fuel material, a heating portion for heating and maintaining the solid electrolyte and the anode fuel material at a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined level, and a sealing portion that is installed in the solid electrolyte, forms a sealed space sealing the anode and the anode fuel material together with the solid electrolyte and the heating portion, and can repeatedly open and close, in which a helium leak rate of the sealed space is maintained at 1×10−2 Pa·m3/sec or a lower rate.
US09882224B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single battery ribbon and vacuum packaging. The single battery ribbon includes a first portion, a second portion, and an interconnecting portion between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes a first block. The second portion includes a second block. The first portion, the second portion, and the interconnecting portion form a continuous single layer including an anode and a cathode. The vacuum packaging surrounds the single battery ribbon. The vacuum packaging includes a middle connecting portion configured to contact a first side of the interconnecting portion and a second opposite side of the interconnecting portion.
US09882217B2
A negative electrode slurry composition includes a negative active material, a binder, and a dispersant. The dispersant includes a polyacrylic acid (PAA) having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) greater than 10 and less than 10,000. A negative electrode and a lithium battery include the negative electrode slurry composition.
US09882216B2
A binder composition for a lithium ion secondary battery electrode, including a particulate polymer and a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer includes an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer unit in an amount of 20% by weight to 85% by weight, a carboxylic acid amide monomer unit in an amount of 0.1% by weight to 10% by weight, and a crosslinkable monomer unit in an amount of 0.1% by weight to 2.0% by weight.
US09882215B2
The disclosed technology relates generally to devices comprising conductive polymers and more particularly to electrochemical devices comprising self-compensating conductive polymers. In one aspect, electrochemical energy storage device comprises a negative electrode comprising an active material including a redox-active polymer. The device additionally comprises a positive electrode comprising an active material including a redox-active polymer. The device further comprises an electrolyte material interposed between the negative electrode and positive electrode and configured to conduct mobile counterions therethrough between the negative electrode and positive electrode. At least one of the negative electrode redox-active polymer and the positive electrode redox-active polymer comprises a zwitterionic polymer unit configured to reversibly switch between a zwitterionic state in which the zwitterionic polymer unit has first and second charge centers having opposite charge states that compensate each other, and a non-zwitterionic state in which the zwitterionic polymer unit has one of the first and second charge centers whose charge state is compensated by mobile counterions.
US09882208B2
A particulate active material for a power storage device positive electrode having a higher energy density is provided, which includes particles of an electrically conductive polymer and a conductive agent, wherein the electrically conductive polymer particles each have a surface coated with the conductive agent.
US09882202B2
Provided are a positive electrode for a lithium-sulfur secondary battery and a method of forming the same, the positive electrode being capable of maintaining battery characteristics such as a specific capacity and a cycling characteristic while achieving a high rate characteristic in particular when being applied to a lithium-sulfur secondary battery. A positive electrode of a lithium-sulfur secondary battery includes a positive electrode current collector and carbon nanotubes grown on a surface of the positive electrode current collector and oriented in a direction orthogonal to the surface. At least the surface of each of the carbon nanotubes is covered with sulfur with a certain interstice left between neighboring ones of the carbon nanotubes.
US09882201B2
An electrochemical device including a stack of solid thin layers formed on a substrate, the stack successively including, a first current collector covering a part of the substrate, first electrode defining a pattern having bottom surface, top surface and side walls, the bottom surface of the pattern covering at least part of the first current collector, electrolyte layer configured to cover at least the top surface and at least part of the side walls of the pattern of the first electrode, a second electrode totally covering the electrolyte layer, the thickness of the electrolyte layer arranged between the walls of the pattern of first electrode and the second electrode being substantially equal around the pattern to within 20%, a second current collector totally covering the second electrode, the second current collector and the second electrode being electrically insulated from the first current collector and from the first electrode.
US09882200B2
A battery has an anode, a separator adjacent the anode, and a cathode adjacent the separator opposite the anode, the cathode comprising interdigitated stripes of two different types, one of the types forming pore channels or porous structure and one of the types being more compressible than others type.
US09882198B2
Disclosed are methods and processes for producing electrochemical devices having well-organized nanostructures or microstructures. In one aspect, the present invention discloses a simple, cheap, and fast nanotechnology-based manufacturing process for fabricating high performance electrodes. The present processing technique is highly versatile and can be applied to diverse materials systems for anode and cathode electrodes.
US09882196B2
A multi-electrode device that includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a gate electrode situated between the anode and cathode, and having an electrolyte. The multi-electrode device can be a secondary (rechargeable) electrochemical cell. The gate electrode is permeable to at least one mobile species which is redox-active at at least one of the anode and cathode. The gate electrode has a resistance that is lower than that of a conductive non-uniform morphological feature that could be grown on the anode. The gate electrode provides the ability to avoid, recognize, and remove the presence of such non-uniform morphological features, and provides an electrical electrode that can be used to remove such non-uniform morphological features.
US09882191B2
The present invention provides a laminated porous film and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The laminated porous film is a laminated porous film in which a heat-resistant layer comprising a binder resin and a filler is laminated on one or both of the surfaces of a porous film substrate mainly comprising a polyolefin, wherein a part occupied by at least one out of the binder resin and the filler is formed in the porous film substrate so as to touch the heat-resistant layer, and the total thickness of the occupied part is not less than 1% and not more than 20% of the overall thickness of the porous film substrate. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises the laminated porous film according as a separator.
US09882185B2
A battery cell assembly having first, second, and third battery cells and a unitary wrapping sheet is provided. The unitary wrapping sheet is disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the first battery cell. The unitary wrapping sheet is further disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the second battery cell. The unitary wrapping sheet is further disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the third battery cell. The unitary wrapping sheet is further disposed on and encloses a portion of a combined periphery of the first, second, and third battery cells such that the top surface of the first battery cell, the top surface of the second battery cell, and the top surface of the third battery cell are held substantially parallel to one another.
US09882184B2
Disclosed herein is a rechargeable battery capable of maintaining alignment among a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator of an electrode assembly even in the case in which a form thereof is changed or bent. The rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly formed by stacking a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode, and having an alignment groove formed therein; a case having flexibility and accommodating the electrode assembly therein; and an alignment guide protruding from the case and partially coupled to the alignment groove so as to accommodate and guide a change in a length of the electrode assembly depending on bending.
US09882179B2
An electronic device having a novel structure is provided. Specifically, an electronic device having a novel structure that can change its form into various appearances is provided. In a secondary battery, a foldable portion from which part of the components is removed by forming openings in a current collector becomes thin and can be more likely to be bent than the other regions. A cylindrical cushioning material overlapping with the foldable position of the secondary battery is provided. The provision of this cushioning material makes it possible to fix the minimum radius of curvature of the secondary battery at the foldable position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the exterior body from being broken due to bending along a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature than a diameter of the cushioning material.
US09882177B2
The invention relates to an energy storage module for a device for supplying voltage, in particular, of a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of in particular prismatic storage cells, which are stacked together at least in one row, are arranged one behind the other and are braced between at least two end plates by means of at least one tie rod or a wrapping, wherein at least one of the end plates comprises a layer structure of at least three layers and/or the tie rod consists of a fiber composite material.
US09882173B2
A method for fabricating an organic electro-luminescence device, comprising: forming a first conductive layer comprising a first electrode and a contact pattern on a substrate; foil ling a first mask on the first conductive layer, the first mask comprising an opening for exposing a portion of the first electrode and a portion of the contact pattern; forming a patterned organic functional layer by shielding of a second mask, the patterned organic functional layer covering the first mask and the first electrode exposed by the first mask, and the second mask being disposed over the first mask to shield the portion of the contact pattern exposed by the opening; forming a second conductive layer and patterning the second conductive layer by removing the first mask and a portion of the second conductive layer on the first mask to form a second electrode electrically connected to the contact pattern.
US09882154B2
A solid-state imaging element including a phase difference detection pixel pair that includes first (2PA) and second (2PB) phase difference detection pixels is provided. In particular, each phase difference detection pixel of the first and second phase difference detection pixels includes a first photoelectric conversion unit (52, 53b, 53c) arranged at an upper side of a semiconductor substrate (12) and a second photoelectric conversion unit (42, 43) arranged within the semiconductor substrate. The first photoelectric conversion film (52) may be an organic film. In addition, phase difference detection pixels may be realized without using a light shielding film.
US09882147B2
A delayed fluorescence material in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise a compound having a molecular structure including an electron donor unit and an electron acceptor unit coupled to the electron donor unit, wherein the electron donor unit includes an acridine furan derivative formed by acridine being bonded to dibenzofuran. The delayed fluorescence material may allow high structural and thermal stabilities and improved quantum efficiency.
US09882143B2
An amine-based compound and an organic light-emitting diode including the amine-based compound.
US09882137B2
The present invention provides an organic semiconductor composition which makes it possible to prepare an organic thin film transistor having excellent insulation reliability while inhibiting the deterioration of mobility, and to provide an organic thin film transistor prepared using the composition. Furthermore, the present invention provides electronic paper and a display device which contain the organic thin film transistor. The organic semiconductor composition according to the present invention contains an organic semiconductor material and at least one kind of migration inhibitor selected from a compound represented by the following Formula (I), a compound represented by the following Formula (II), and a compound represented by the following Formula (III).
US09882136B2
An organic electroluminescent device having a capping layer composed of material having a high refractive index that involves only small differences in refractive indices measured in the blue, green, and red wavelength regions, excelling in thin film stability and durability and having no absorption in the respective wavelength ranges of blue, green, and red is provided to improve device characteristics of the organic electroluminescent device, particularly to greatly improve the coupling-out efficiency.The organic electroluminescent device includes at least an anode, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, a cathode, and a capping layer in this order, wherein the capping layer contains a phthalic acid derivative represented by the following general formula
US09882111B2
This disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing devices capable of functioning as thermoelectric generators and related objects by the process of additive manufacturing or by 3-D printing or by casting. This disclosure also particularly relates to the uses of the thermoelectric generators and related objects produced by these methods.
US09882110B2
A thermoelectric device for use with solar cells or other heat sources. A substrate has a manufactured surface with a plurality of highland features and lowland features. Each highland feature defines a peak adjacent to which there is an interface of two different film regions (formed of two different metals, two different semiconductors, or one metal and one semiconductor). The two film regions diverge away from each other with increasing distance from the interface and terminate at distal end regions. In response to a temperature difference between the interface and the distal end regions, the device produces a voltage.
US09882105B2
An LED module A1 includes an LED chip 1, a lead group 4 including a lead 4A on which the LED chip 1 is mounted and a lead 4B spaced apart from the lead 4A, a resin package 2 covering part of the lead group 4, and mounting terminals 41 and 42 provided by part of the lead group 4 that is exposed from the resin package 2 and spaced apart from each other in direction x. The LED module further includes a mounting terminal 43 spaced apart from the mounting terminal 41 in direction y, and a mounting terminal 44 spaced apart from the mounting terminal 42 in direction y. This arrangement allows the LED module A1 to be mounted at a correct position on a circuit board.
US09882104B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device package and a lighting system. The light emitting device package includes a first cavity in a first region of the body; a second cavity in a second region of the body; first and second lead frames spaced apart from each other in the first cavity; a third lead frame spaced apart from the second lead frame in the second cavity; a first light emitting device on the first and second lead frames in the first cavity; a second light emitting device on the second and third lead frames in the second cavity; and a molding member in the first and second cavities.
US09882102B2
A light-emitting diode including a semiconductor stack including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first and second semiconductor layers, wherein the second semiconductor layer and the active layer provide a contact region exposing the first semiconductor layer, a first bump arranged on a first side of the semiconductor stack and being electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer via the contact region, a second bump arranged on the first side of the semiconductor stack and being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer, a first insulation layer disposed covering a side surface of the first bump, and a wavelength converter disposed on a second side of the semiconductor stack. The wavelength converter laterally extends beyond the semiconductor stack. The first insulation layer includes a side surface that is flush with a side surface of the wavelength converter.
US09882098B2
An embodiment provides a light-emitting device package comprising: a first lead frame; a second lead frame; a light-emitting device electrically connected to the first lead frame and the second lead frame; a molding unit arranged to surround the light-emitting device; and an oxynitride-based phosphor represented by chemical formula LXMYOaNbAcBd:zR (1≦X≦3, 3≦Y≦7, 0.001≦Z≦1.0, 0≦a≦5, 0.1≦b≦9, 0.001≦c≦0.3, 0.001≦d≦0.3), and the light-emitting device package of the present embodiment can implement a white color light having excellent luminance and color rendering index.
US09882094B2
A light-emitting device having an inner reflective body and an outer non-reflective body is disclosed. The inner reflective body defines a reflector configured to reflect light. In one embodiment, the outer non-reflective body encloses the inner reflective body to minimize reflectivity of the light-emitting device. When assembled into an infotainment display system, the outer non-reflective body may be configured to reduce reflection of ambient light and hence, increase contrast ratio of the display. Reliability performance of the light-emitting device may be improved by using interlocking aperture at the lead frame, interlock structure and interlock geometries defined by the inner reflective body and the outer non-reflective body.
US09882088B2
A long-life III nitride semiconductor light emitting device and a method of producing the same. A III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer; a light emitting layer containing at least Al; and a p-type semiconductor layer obtained by sequentially stacking an electron blocking layer, a p-type cladding layer, and a p-type contact layer, in this order. The electron blocking layer is made of AlxGa1-xN (0.55≦x≦1.0), the p-type contact layer is made of AlyGa1-yN (0≦y≦0.1), the p-type cladding layer is made of AlzGa1-zN having an Al content z which gradually decreases over the whole thickness of the p-type cladding layer from the electron blocking layer side toward the p-type contact layer side, and the reduction rate of the Al content z of the p-type cladding layer in the thickness direction is 0.01/nm or more and 0.025/nm or less.
US09882085B2
The present invention relates to a method for separating epitaxial layers and growth substrates, and to a semiconductor device using same. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device is provided which comprises a supporting substrate and a plurality of semiconductor layers provided on the supporting substrate, wherein the uppermost layer of the semiconductor layers has a surface of non-uniform roughness.
US09882079B2
A system and method for collecting and distributing generated and/or solar radiation. A pulsed distribution subsystem combining a generated radiation source with a solar radiation collector is provided. Radiation from the pulsed distribution subsystem is provided to one or more discrete distribution systems; the discrete distributions systems transmit and distribute radiation, such as visible light, to one or more end use points in a facility.
US09882075B2
Light sensors are described that include a trench structure integrated therein. In an implementation, the light sensor includes a substrate having a dopant material of a first conductivity type and multiple trenches disposed therein. The light sensor also includes a diffusion region formed proximate to the multiple trenches. The diffusion region includes a dopant material of a second conductivity type. A depletion region is created at the interface of the dopant material of the first conductivity type and the dopant material of the second conductivity type. The depletion region is configured to attract charge carriers to the depletion region, at least substantially a majority of the charge carriers generated due to light incident upon the substrate.
US09882073B2
A composite photonic device comprises a platform, a chip, and a contact layer. The platform comprises silicon. The chip is made of a III-V material. The contact layer has indentations to help control a flow of solder during bonding of the platform with the chip. In some embodiments, pedestals are placed under an optical path to prevent solder from flowing between the chip and the platform at the optical path.
US09882072B2
Provided is a solar cell including a pair of electrodes, and a photoelectric conversion layer of chalcopyrite structure sandwiched between the pair of electrodes. At least one of the pair of electrodes, adapted to serve as a transparent electrode, has a nitrogen-containing layer composed with the use of an organic compound containing a nitrogen atom, and an electrode layer containing a metal of the Group 11 of the periodic table, which is provided to be laminated on the nitrogen-containing layer, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency.
US09882070B2
A photodetector structure comprises a semiconductor substrate extending substantially along a horizontal plane and having a bulk refractive index and a front surface defining a front side of the photodetector structure. The front surface comprises high aspect ratio nanostructures forming an optical conversion layer having an effective refractive index gradually changing towards the bulk refractive index to reduce reflection of light incident on the photodetector structure from the front side thereof. Further, the semiconductor substrate comprises an induced junction.
US09882067B2
A solar panel array is formed of a plurality of solar panels juxtaposed with one another along an array axis, and has a support element having first and second support terminations disposed substantially orthogonal to the array axis, with an unobstructed spatial region intermediate of the first and second support terminations. A vehicle transports the solar panels and has wheels arranged on opposing sides thereof. First and second track structures extend along the array axis and are coupled to respective ones of the first and second support terminations. The track structures each have an elongated portion for engaging and supporting respective ones of the vehicle wheels, whereby the vehicle travels along the tracks while carrying a solar panel, and at least a portion of the vehicle is disposed within the unobstructed spatial region. One of the tracks accommodates the wiring for the solar panel array.
US09882065B2
An atmometer system based on an analog floating-gate structure and circuit. The floating-gate circuit includes a floating-gate electrode that serves as a gate electrode for a transistor and a plate of a storage capacitor. A conductor element exposed at the surface of the integrated circuit is electrically connected to the floating-gate electrode; reference conductor elements biased to ground are also at the surface of the integrated circuit. In operation, the transistor is biased and moisture is dispensed at the surface. The drain current of the transistor changes as the floating-gate electrode discharges via the surface conductors and a conduction path presented by the moisture. The elapsed time until the drain current stabilizes indicates the evaporation rate.
US09882057B2
A low temperature poly-silicon thin film transistor and its manufacturing method, an array substrate and a display device are provided. The method comprises: forming a poly-silicon film on a base substrate (1) and patterning the poly-silicon film to form an active layer (3); forming a gate insulation layer (4) on the active layer (3) and performing hydrogenation process to the gate insulation layer (4) and the active layer (3). By this method, the diffusion distance of hydrogen is largely shortened, the time for the hydrogenation process is reduced, and thus the process cost for the thin film transistor is largely lowered down.
US09882055B2
A manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure is provided, in which a graphene layer is formed on a semiconductor layer and after the formation of a second metal layer, the second metal layer is used as a shielding mask to conduct injection of fluoride ions into the graphene layer to form a modified area in a portion of the graphene layer that is located on and corresponds to a channel zone of the semiconductor layer. The modified area of the graphene layer shows a property of electrical insulation and a property of blocking moisture/oxygen so as to provide protection to the channel zone. Portions of the graphene layer that are located under source and drain electrodes are not doped with ions and preserve the excellent electrical conduction property of graphene to provide electrical connection between the source and drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer.
US09882051B1
Fin Field Effect transistors (FETs) (FinFETs) employing dielectric material layers to apply stress to channel regions are disclosed. In one aspect, a FinFET is provided that includes a substrate and a Fin disposed over the substrate. The Fin includes a source, a drain, and a channel region between the source and drain. A gate is disposed around the channel region. To apply stress to the channel region, a first dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to one side of the Fin. A second dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to another side of the Fin. The dielectric material layers apply stress along the Fin, including the channel region. The level of stress applied by the dielectric material layers is not dependent on the volume of each layer.
US09882046B2
A method includes forming a drain region in a first layer on a semiconductor substrate. The drain region is formed comprising a drain rectangular portion having a first end and a second end, a first drain end portion contiguous with the drain rectangular portion and extending from the first end of the drain rectangular portion away from a center of the drain region, and a second drain end portion contiguous with the drain rectangular portion and extending from the second end of the drain rectangular portion away from the center of the drain region. The method also comprises forming a source region free from contact with and surrounding the drain region in the first layer. The first drain end portion and the second drain end portion are formed having a same doping type and a different doping concentration than the drain rectangular portion.
US09882044B2
Edge termination for super-junction MOSFETs. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a super-junction metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) includes a core super-junction region including a plurality of parallel core plates coupled to a source terminal of the super-junction MOSFET. The super-junction MOSFET also includes a termination region surrounding the core super-junction region comprising a plurality of separated floating termination segments configured to force breakdown into the core super-junction region and not in the termination region. Each termination segment has a length dimension less than a length dimension of the core plates.
US09882043B2
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device in which a trench termination structure is applied. There is disclosed a semiconductor device of which structure is partially improved so that a P body area is not formed in an adjacent area of a gate pad. The semiconductor device includes a gate pad formed on a substrate, an active area formed in the substrate and comprising trenches, an isolation area to isolates the gate pad and the active area, and a section of the active area adjacent to the gate pad where a P-body is not formed. According to such the semiconductor device, it is possible to minimize a drain-source leakage current and to stably secure a drain-source breakdown voltage.
US09882041B1
A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) includes an active layer on a substrate, and a Group IIIA-N barrier layer on the active layer. An isolation region is through the barrier layer to provide at least one isolated active area including the barrier layer on the active layer. A gate is over the barrier layer. A drain includes at least one drain finger including a fingertip having a drain contact extending into the barrier layer to contact to the active layer and a source having a source contact extending into the barrier layer to contact to the active layer. The source forms a loop that encircles the drain. The isolation region includes a portion positioned between the source and drain contact so that there is a conduction barrier in a length direction between the drain contact of the fingertip and the source.
US09882032B2
A method includes forming isolation features on a substrate, thereby defining an active region on the semiconductor substrate; recessing the active region to form a fin trench; forming a fin feature on the fin trench by growing a first semiconductor layer on the substrate and a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer; performing a first recessing process; forming a dummy gate stack over the fin feature and the isolation feature; performing a thermal oxidation process to selectively oxidize the first semiconductor layer to form a semiconductor oxide feature on sidewalls of the first semiconductor layer; performing a second recessing process such that a portion of the isolation feature is recessed to below the second semiconductor layer, resulting in a dented void overlying the semiconductor oxide feature and underlying the second semiconductor layer; and forming a gate stack including a gate dielectric layer extending to the dented void.
US09882023B2
A semiconductor device and method for fabricating such a device are presented. The semiconductor device includes a first gate electrode of a transistor, a first sidewall spacer along a sidewall of the gate pattern, a first insulating layer in contact with the first sidewall spacer and having a planarized top surface, and a second sidewall spacer formed on the planarized top surface of the first insulating layer. The second sidewall spacer may be formed over the first sidewall spacer. A width of the second sidewall spacer is equal to or greater than a width of the first sidewall spacer.
US09882008B2
A method for forming a graphene FET includes providing a graphene layer having a surface. A first metal layer having a work function <4.3 eV is deposited on the graphene surface. The first metal layer is oxidized to form a first metal oxide layer. The first metal oxide layer is etched to provide open surface contact regions including a first and a second region of the graphene layer for providing a graphene surface source and drain contact. A second metal layer is deposited including a second metal layer portion providing a source with a source contact over the graphene surface source contact and a second metal layer portion providing a drain with a drain contact over the graphene surface drain contact. A grown-in graphitic interface layer is formed at an interface between the source contact and graphene surface source contact and the drain contact and graphene surface drain contact.
US09882007B2
Methods for mounting and dismounting thin and/or bowed semiconductor-on-diamond wafers (401) to a carrier (407) are disclosed that flatten said wafers and provide mechanical support to enable efficient semiconductor device processing on said semiconductor-on-diamond wafers.
US09882001B2
Disclosed herein is an isolable colloidal particle comprising a nanoparticle and an inorganic capping agent bound to the surface of the nanoparticle, a method for making the same in a biphasic solvent mixture, and the formation of structures and solids from the isolable colloidal particle. The process can yield photovoltaic cells, piezoelectric crystals, thermoelectric layers, optoelectronic layers, light emitting diodes, ferroelectric layers, thin film transistors, floating gate memory devices, phase change layers, and sensor devices.
US09881997B2
A first parallel pn layer having a first n-type region and a first p-type region junctioned alternately and repeatedly is disposed in an element active portion. The first parallel pn layer has a striped planar layout. A second parallel pn layer having a second n-type region and a second p-type region junctioned alternately and repeatedly is disposed in a high voltage structure. The second parallel pn layer has a striped planar layout in a direction identical to that of the first parallel pn layer. An intermediate region having a third parallel pn layer and a fourth parallel pn layer of a lower impurity quantity than the first parallel pn layer is disposed between the first and second parallel pn layers, and formed by diffusing impurity implanting regions becoming the first and the second parallel pn layers formed separated from each other to a region in which no impurity is ion-implanted.
US09881994B2
An insulated gate bipolar transistor (100) is provided. A substrate (10) of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (100) is of an N type. A P-type region (16) is disposed on a back of the N-type substrate. A back metal structure (18) is disposed on a back of the P-type region (16). A terminal protection ring is disposed in a terminal structure. A polysilicon gate (31) is disposed on a front surface of the substrate (10) in an active region. Sidewalls (72) are disposed at two sides of the polysilicon gate (31) on the substrate (10). An interlayer medium (81) covered with the polysilicon gate (31) and the sidewalls (72) is disposed on the substrate (10). The interlayer medium (81) is covered with a metal lead wire layer (91). An N-type carrier enhancement region (41) is disposed in the substrate (10) in the active region. A P-type body region (51) is disposed in the carrier enhancement region (41). An N-type heavily doped region (61) is disposed in the P-type body region (51). A P-type heavily doped region (71) is disposed in the N-type heavily doped region (61). An inward recessed shallow pit (62) with a depth of 0.15 to 0.3 micrometers is formed on a surface of the P-type heavily doped region (71). By disposing the carrier enhancement region (41), the carrier concentration of a channel can be increased and a forward voltage drop can be reduced; in addition, the shallow pit (62) can make a device obtain good impurity distribution and a large metal contact area, thereby improving the performance of the device.
US09881984B2
An organic EL display device includes an inorganic insulating film including a contact part as an opening where a contact electrode made of a conductive film is exposed, a TFT circuit layer provided on the inorganic insulating film and including a circuit including a thin film transistor, an organic EL element layer provided on the TFT circuit layer and including an organic EL element whose light emission is controlled by the circuit, and a sealing layer covering the organic EL element layer and made of an inorganic insulating material.
US09881983B2
An OLED display is disclosed. A plurality of signal lines are formed over a substrate, and a plurality of pixels are formed over the substrate in a matrix form and electrically connected to corresponding signal lines. The signal lines include a plurality of scan lines configured to transmit a scan signal, a plurality of initialization lines configured to transmit an initialization signal, and a plurality of data lines configured to transmit a data signal. An n-th row pixel includes a switching thin film transistor (TFT) electrically connected to an n-th row scan line and a corresponding data line among the data lines. A driving TFT is electrically connected to a drain of the switching TFT, an OLED is electrically connected to a drain of the driving TFT, and an initialization TFT is configured to be turned on based on an initialization signal transmitted via an n-th row initialization line.
US09881977B2
An embodiment of the present invention relates to the technical field of display. Particularly, there is provided a flexible screen and a bend identifying method thereof, as well as a flexible display apparatus. The flexible screen comprises a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate which are oppositely disposed; the flexible screen further comprises a first electrode which is disposed on one side close to the second flexible substrate of the first flexible substrate and a second electrode which is disposed on one side close to the first flexible substrate of the second flexible substrate, as well as a detection system connected with the first electrode or the second electrode; wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be in positional correspondence; in a case where the flexible screen is bent, the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected. The present invention is used for fabrication of a display apparatus. The present invention may be used for determining whether the flexible screen is excessively bent or flexed.
US09881976B2
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel and a display device are provided. A pixel unit of the OLED display panel includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel and a third sub-pixel and further includes an anode layer, a cathode layer and an organic function layer. The organic function layer includes: a first emission layer (EML1) configured to cover at least two adjacent sub-pixels comprising the first sub-pixel; a carrier blocking layer (CBL) configured to cover the second sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel; a second emission layer (EML2) arranged at an area provided with the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel and configured to at least cover the second sub-pixel; and a third emission layer (EML3) configured to cover at least two adjacent sub-pixels comprising the third sub-pixel. The OLED display panel can improve the pixel density.
US09881975B2
An image device includes a plurality of red sub-pixels, a plurality of green sub-pixels, a plurality of blue sub-pixels, a plurality of white sub-pixels, and a plurality of yellow sub-pixels. A ratio of the total number of red sub-pixels to the total number of green sub-pixels to the total number of blue sub-pixels to the total number of white sub-pixels and to the total number of yellow sub-pixels is about 3:3:3:1:2.
US09881973B2
Some embodiments include a construction having a first memory array deck and a second memory array deck over the first memory array deck. The second memory array deck differs from the first memory array deck in one or more operating characteristics, in pitch, and/or in one or more structural parameters; with the structural parameters including different materials and/or different thicknesses of materials. Some embodiments include a construction having a first series and a third series of access/sense lines extending along a first direction, and a second series of access/sense lines between the first and third series and extending along a second direction which crosses the first direction. First memory cells are between the first and second series of access/sense lines and arranged in a first memory array deck. Second memory cells are between the second and third series of access/sense lines and arranged in a second memory array deck.
US09881965B2
A color back-side illuminated image sensor including, on the side of the thin semiconductor layer opposite to the illuminated surface, periodic thickness unevennesses forming an optic network having characteristics which make it capable of reflecting a given wavelength chosen within the range of the wavelengths of an illuminating incident beam.
US09881957B2
A photoelectric conversion device includes a first semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion unit for generating a signal charge in accordance with an incident light, and a second semiconductor substrate including a signal processing unit for processing an electrical signal on the basis of the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit. The signal processing unit is situated in an orthogonal projection area from the photoelectric conversion unit to the second semiconductor substrate. A multilayer film including a plurality of insulator layers is provided between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate. The thickness of the second semiconductor substrate is smaller than 500 micrometers. The thickness of the second semiconductor substrate is greater than the distance from the second semiconductor substrate and a light-receiving surface of the first semiconductor substrate.
US09881953B2
Disclosed are a pixel array, an image sensor including the same, and a method of driving the same. In a WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) pixel employing a storage region (FD node) including a varactor, a reset voltage, which is less than a voltage applied to a reset transistor according to the related art, that is, a partial reset voltage is applied to the reset transistor to read out a reset signal level for a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) operation, thereby adjusting the operating voltage range of the storage region. The operating voltage range of the storage region is shifted into a range suitable for remarkably varying the capacitance of the varactor, thereby expanding the dynamic range.
US09881951B2
An image sensor may include an image pixel array with both image pixels to gather image data and phase detection pixels to gather phase information. The phase detection pixels may be arranged in pairs, with two adjacent pixels covered by a single microlens. The phase detection pixel pairs may be arranged in dashed lines, with image pixels interposed between each phase detection pixel pair. There may be only one image pixel interposed between each phase detection pixel pair. The phase detection pixels may all include color filter elements of the same color. The phase detection pixels may all include green color filter elements. The image pixels in the interrupted lines may include color filter elements that match the surrounding color pattern. The image pixels in the interrupted lines may all include color filter elements of the same color.
US09881950B2
The solid-state image sensor includes image sensing pixels, first and second focus detection pixels configured to respectively detect lights passing through different regions of a pupil of an image sensing lens. The sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including photoelectric converters of the image sensing pixels, a photoelectric converter and a first well contact region of the first focus detection pixel, and a photoelectric converter and a second well contact region of the second focus detection pixel, a first contact plug electrically connected to the first well contact region, and a second contact plug electrically connected to the second well contact region. The relative position of the first well contact region in the first focus detection pixel differs from a relative position of the second well contact region in the second focus detection pixel.
US09881948B2
The present disclosure provides an array substrate. The array substrate includes a substrate; and at least one ultraviolet (UV) detection structure. The UV detection structure includes a photosensitive pattern on the substrate, and a first electrode pattern and a second electrode pattern for providing an operating voltage for the at least one UV detection structure.
US09881947B2
An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, comprising a base substrate, and a gate, a gate insulating layer, an active layer and a source/drain arranged on the base substrate, the array substrate further comprising an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting wireless signals, the antenna being arranged on the base substrate. By arranging the antenna on the base substrate of the array substrate, the antenna is integrated directly in the display panel. Thus, not only the area of the PCB circuit board in the display device can be reduced, but also the spare area in the array substrate can be utilized sufficiently, thereby improving the integration level of the display device and reducing the total volume of the display device.
US09881940B2
An array substrate and a display device, the array substrate comprises a fan-out area, an edge area and a display area for performing display, the fan-out area and the edge area are connected with the display area and located on two non-adjacent sides of the display area respectively; a plurality of wirings are arranged on the array substrate, and the wirings are routed through the display area and extend into the edge area, the input end of each wiring is located in the fan-out area; pads are configured for the wirings respectively are located on the side far away from the input end of each wiring, and the pads are located in the edge area.
US09881937B2
A semiconductor structure includes a first strained fin portion and a second strained fin portion, a pair of inactive inner gate structures upon respective strained fin portions, and spacers upon outer sidewalls surfaces of the inactive inner gate structures, upon the inner sidewall surfaces of the inactive inner gate structures, and upon the first strained fin portion and the second strained fin portion end surfaces. The first strained fin portion and the second strained fin portion end surfaces are coplanar with respective inner sidewall surfaces of the inactive inner gate structures. The spacer formed upon the end surfaces limits relaxation of the first strained fin portion and the second strained fin portion and limits shorting between the first strained fin portion and the second strained fin portion.
US09881929B1
A first tier structure including a first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. First support openings and first memory openings, filled with first support pillar structures and sacrificial pillar structures, respectively, are formed through the first tier structure. A second tier structure including a second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second sacrificial material layers is formed thereabove. Second support openings and second memory openings are formed through the second tier structure such that the second support openings do not overlap with the first support pillar structures and the second memory openings overlie the sacrificial pillar structures. Inter-tier memory openings are formed by removal of the sacrificial pillar structures. Memory stack structures and second support pillar structures are formed in the inter-tier memory openings and the second support openings, respectively.
US09881916B2
To improve a tradeoff between ON voltage and ON/OFF loss while maintaining short-circuit tolerance, provided is a semiconductor device including an IGBT element; a super junction transistor element connected in parallel with the IGBT element; and a limiting section that limits a voltage applied to a gate terminal of the IGBT element more than a voltage applied to a gate terminal of the super junction transistor element.
US09881914B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.
US09881911B2
An embodiment of an electronic system may be provided so as to have superior coupling by implementing a communication mechanism that provides at least for horizontal communication for example, on the basis of wired and/or wireless communication channels, in the system. Hence, by enhancing vertical and horizontal communication capabilities in the electronic system, a reduced overall size may be achieved, while nevertheless reducing complexity in PCBs coupled to the electronic system. In this manner, overall manufacturing costs and reliability of complex electronic systems may be enhanced.
US09881909B2
A method for fabricating an electronic device includes providing a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip has a first semiconductor die and a first solder interconnect layer applied to a main face of the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor chip has a second semiconductor die, an insulating layer applied to a main face of the second semiconductor die, and a second solder interconnect layer applied to the insulating layer. The method further includes attaching the first semiconductor chip with the first solder interconnect layer to a first carrier and attaching the second semiconductor chip with the second solder interconnect layer to a second carrier.
US09881908B2
An embodiment package includes a first package; a thermal interface material (TIM) contacting a top surface of the first package, and a second package bonded to the first package. The second package includes a first semiconductor die, and the TIM contacts a bottom surface of the first semiconductor die. The package further includes a heat spreader disposed on an opposing surface of the second package as the first package.
US09881901B2
A method for fabricating a stacked package device is provided. A second substrate is adhered onto a first substrate. The first substrate includes a plurality of first bonding pads, and the second substrate includes a plurality of second bonding pads. A three-dimensional (3D) printing is performed to form an encapsulating layer covering the first substrate and the second substrate and to form a plurality of bonding wires in the encapsulating layer. Each bonding wire includes a first portion connected to one of the plurality of first bonding pads. The disclosure also provides a stacked package device formed by such a method.
US09881891B1
The invention provides a method of bonding wire between first and second bonding points with a bonding tool. It comprises the steps of forming a first bond at the first bonding point with the bonding tool, forming a first kink located over the first bond, and moving the bonding tool to a first position spaced from the first kink by a predetermined distance to release a length of wire from the bonding tool. It further comprises the step of moving the bonding tool in a direction away from the second bonding point to a second position which is outside a plane comprising the first bonding point, the second bonding point, and the first kink. It also comprises the steps of forming a second kink which lies outside the plane, and moving the bonding tool to the second bonding point to form a second bond.
US09881884B2
A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a first semiconductor substrate having a first surface, a second surface, and a recess. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. The recess passes through the first semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first wiring layer over the second surface. The semiconductor device structure includes a first bonding pad in the recess and extending to the first wiring layer so as to be electrically connected to the first wiring layer. The semiconductor device structure includes a nickel layer over the first bonding pad. The semiconductor device structure includes a gold layer over the nickel layer.
US09881878B2
A semiconductor device provided on a semiconductor substrate includes an element region including an element, a moisture-resistant frame surrounding the element region, an insulating layer provided between the moisture-resistant frame and an outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor device and on the semiconductor substrate, a first metal line extending along the outer peripheral edge and provided in the insulating layer, and a groove provided in the insulating layer.
US09881858B2
Apparatuses and methods for formation of a bond site including an opening with a discontinuous profile are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may at least include a substrate, a contact on the substrate, and a mask layer formed on the substrate and at least a portion of the contact. The mask layer may also include an opening formed therein, with the opening having a discontinuous profile from a top surface of the mask layer to the contact.
US09881850B2
Package structures and methods of forming package structures are described. A method includes placing a first package within a recess of a first substrate. The first package includes a first die. The method further includes attaching a first sensor to the first package and the first substrate. The first sensor is electrically coupled to the first package and the first substrate.
US09881842B1
A first and second vertical fin are formed on a substrate structure. A dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate structure and the first and second vertical fins. A work function metal (WFM) layer is disposed on the dielectric layer. A first sidewall spacer and a second sidewall space are formed proximate to the first vertical fin and the second vertical fin, respectively. A lithographic mask is applied to a first area proximate to the first vertical fin including the first vertical fin, and a portion of the WFM layer proximate to the first vertical fin. A portion of the WFM layer proximate to the second sidewall spacer is recessed below an upper surface of the second sidewall spacer. The lithographic mask is removed. A portion of the dielectric layer is removed to produce a wimpy vertical transport device and a nominal vertical transport device on the substrate structure.
US09881840B2
A hard mask layer with a limited thickness is formed over a gate electrode layer. A treatment is provided on the hard mask layer to transform the hard mask layer to be more resistant to wet etching solution. A patterning is provided on the treated hard mask layer and the gate electrode to from a gate structure.
US09881838B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first region and a second region, a plurality of first gate structures in the first region, the first gate structures being spaced apart from each other by a first distance, a plurality of second gate structures in the second region, the second gate structures being spaced apart from each other by a second distance, a first spacer on sidewalls of the first gate structures, a dielectric layer on the first spacer, a second spacer on sidewalls of the second gate structures, and a third spacer on the second spacer.
US09881834B1
A method includes performing an implantation on a portion of a first layer to form an implanted region, and removing un-implanted portions of the first layer. The implanted region remains after the un-implanted portions of the first layer are removed. An etching is then performed on a second layer underlying the first layer, wherein the implanted region is used as a portion of a first etching mask in the etching. The implanted region is removed. A metal mask is etched using the second layer to form a patterned mask. An inter-layer dielectric is then etched to form a contact opening, wherein the patterned mask is used as a second etching mask.
US09881832B2
A method is provided for preparing a high resistivity silicon handle substrate for use in semiconductor-on-insulator structure. The handle substrate is prepared to comprise thermally stable charge carrier traps in the region of the substrate that will be at or near the buried oxide layer (BOX) of the final semiconductor-on-insulator structure. The handle substrate comprising the stable carrier traps is manufactured by hydrogen ions implantation occurring using at least two different energies, followed by a 2-step thermal treatment. The thermally stable defect structures prepared thereby is stable to anneal at temperatures of at least 1180° C. The defect structure comprises 3-dimensional network of nano-cavities interconnected by dislocations. This wafer can be used as a handle wafer for fabricating silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and further fabricating radio frequency (RF) semiconductor devices.
US09881831B2
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, the semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate, a fin shaped structure and a shallow trench isolation. The fin shaped structure is disposed on the silicon substrate and includes a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer extending from bottom to top in the fin shaped structure. The shallow trench isolation covers a bottom portion of the fin shaped structure.
US09881830B2
Semiconductor structures and fabrication methods are provided which includes, for instance, fabricating a semiconductor fin structure by: providing a fin structure extending above a substrate, the fin structure including a first fin portion, a second fin portion disposed over the first fin portion, and an interface between the first and the second fin portions, where the first fin portion and the second fin portion are lattice mismatched within the fin structure; and modifying, in part, the fin structure to obtain a modified fin structure, the modifying including selectively oxidizing the interface to form an isolation region within the modified fin structure, where the isolation region electrically insulates the first fin portion from the second fin portion, while maintaining structural stability of the modified fin structure.
US09881825B2
A substrate transport apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a casing and a door. The casing is adapted to form a controlled environment therein. The casing has supports therein for holding at least one substrate in the casing. The casing defines a substrate transfer opening through which a substrate transport system accesses the substrate in the casing. The door is connected to the casing for closing the substrate transfer opening in the casing. The casing has structure forming a fast swap element allowing replacement of the substrate from the apparatus with another substrate without retraction of the substrate transport system and independent of substrate loading in the casing.
US09881820B2
A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate. A door is mated to the front opening and includes retention assembly for securing consumable parts in the pod, when received in the pod.
US09881816B2
A method of cleaning a substrate such as semiconductor substrate for IC fabrication is described that includes cleaning the semiconductor substrate with a mixture of ozone and one of an acid and a base. Exemplary acids and bases include HCl, HF, and NH4OH. The cleaning mixture may further include de-ionized water. In an embodiment, the mixture is sprayed onto a heated substrate surface.
US09881810B2
Structures and methods are provided for nanosecond electrical pulse anneal processes. The method of forming an electrostatic discharge (ESD) N+/P+ structure includes forming an N+ diffusion on a substrate and a P+ diffusion on the substrate. The P+ diffusion is in electrical contact with the N+ diffusion. The method further includes forming a device between the N+ diffusion and the P+ diffusion. A method of annealing a structure or material includes applying an electrical pulse across an electrostatic discharge (ESD) N+/P+ structure for a plurality of nanoseconds.
US09881803B2
The present disclosure relates to a method of performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process with a high germanium-to-oxide removal selectivity and a low rate of germanium recess formation. The method is performed by providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of germanium compound regions including germanium interspersed between a plurality of oxide regions including an oxide. A slurry is then provided onto the semiconductor substrate. The slurry has an oxidant and an etching inhibitor configured to reduce a removal rate of the germanium relative to the oxide. A CMP process is then performed by bringing a chemical mechanical polishing pad in contact with top surfaces of the plurality of germanium compound regions and the plurality of oxide regions.
US09881800B2
Large grain polysilicon films can be exfoliated on a handle substrate, such as a glass or glass-ceramic substrate. The large grain polysilicon can have high mobility for device formation, and can be used for backplane of a display or a sensor array for x-ray detection.
US09881799B2
Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including a processing liquid storage unit that stores a processing liquid; a processing liquid supply unit that supplies the processing liquid to the processing liquid storage unit; a processing liquid circulation unit that circulates the processing liquid inside the processing liquid storage unit; a processing liquid discharge unit that discharges the processing liquid; a concentration sensor that measures a concentration in the processing liquid; and a controller that controls the processing liquid supply unit. The controller controls the processing liquid circulation unit to circulate the processing liquid, the processing liquid discharge unit to discharge the circulated processing liquid intermittently at a predetermined timing or continuously for a predetermined period of time, the processing liquid supply unit to newly supply the processing liquid, and the concentration sensor to measure the concentration in the processing liquid at a predetermined timing.
US09881798B1
A middle-of-line interconnect structure including copper interconnects and integral copper alloy caps provides effective electromigration resistance. A metal cap layer is deposited on the top surfaces of the interconnects. A post-deposition anneal causes formation of the copper alloy caps from the interconnects and the metal cap layer. Selective removal of unalloyed metal cap layer material provides an interconnect structure free of metal residue on the dielectric material layer separating the interconnects.
US09881792B2
Processes for shaping one- and two-dimensional nanomaterials, and thereby inducing local strains therein preferably to control one or more of their material properties. The processes include providing a substrate comprising a three-dimensional surface feature thereon, locating a nanomaterial on the substrate and over the surface feature, and directing a laser beam toward the nanomaterial such that the nanomaterial experiences laser shock pressure sufficient to deform the nanomaterial to conform at least partially to the shape of the surface feature and adhere to the surface feature either directly or via an intermediate layer therebetween.
US09881785B2
A method of preventing a charge accumulation in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes: forming a material layer on a substrate; patterning (or processing) the material layer; and forming a graphene layer before patterning the material layer, wherein the graphene layer is formed on a surface of the material layer or on a surface of the substrate under the material layer. The substrate may be an insulation substrate. In addition, the substrate may have a stacked structure including a plurality of layers.
US09881775B2
This disclosure describes systems and methods for regulating the density and kinetic energy of ions in a sputtering deposition chamber. A pulsed DC waveform with a modulated RF signal is generated and applied to the sputtering chamber. Upon termination of a cycle of the pulsed DC waveform, a reverse voltage spike is generated. This reverse voltage spike reverses the polarity of the cathode and anode of the sputtering chamber for some period of time. A reverse voltage limiting circuit is provided so as to limit the reverse voltage spike to a selected reverse voltage threshold. A controller may be employed to control the timing and duration of the application of the DC waveform, the timing and duration of the RF waveform, and the engagement of the reverse limiting circuit.
US09881768B2
A charged particle beam system capable of reducing contamination has a sample chamber (15) in which the sample (S) is irradiated with a charged particle beam and a receptacle chamber (21) which is connected into the sample chamber (15) via an isolation valve (25) and is connected to the ambient via a door (26). A transport mechanism (22) conveys the sample (S) from the ambient via the door (26) into the receptacle chamber (21) and via the isolation valve (25) into the sample chamber (15). A cleaning portion supplies active oxygen into the receptacle chamber which can then be evacuated by a vacuum pump.
US09881758B2
A contact device includes: a contact block including a plurality of fixed terminals on which fixed contacts are formed, and a movable contactor on which movable contacts contacting and leaving the fixed contacts are formed; and a driving block that drives the movable contactor. Moreover, it is made possible to extinguish arcs, which are generated in an event where the contacts contact and leave each other, by arranging permanent magnets on a periphery of the contact block. Then, at least one fixed terminal among the plurality of fixed terminals is formed so that the fixed contact and the movable contact can abut against each other in a region other than a side opposite to the other fixed terminal.
US09881755B1
A high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch suspended by an electric power line conductor wherein the switch includes a rotating switch blade that is operated by a communication system controlled motor that may include a switch mounted radio which is controlled by another radio located in a hand-held portable controller that is battery powered to provide a secure way to open and close a switch without traditional padlockable manual operators that are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. The communication system controlled motorized in-line air break disconnect switch is battery operated and solar charged.
US09881749B1
A lockout system includes a hasp assembly and a plurality of tags. The hasp assembly has a back plate defining slots each sized and shaped to receive a tag. The back plate and tags each have openings that align when a tag is received in a slot. A first hasp portion on the back plate defines part of a closed loop. A longitudinal locking bar is slidable along the back plate and has notches shaped to receive ends of the tags. Moving the locking bar between an unlocked position and a locked position operates the second hasp portion between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the first and second hasp portions complete and define the closed loop, where one or more tags can be installed in slots with the first end of the tag engaging a notch to lock closed the hasp portion.
US09881744B2
An improved method for forming a capacitor is provided as is a capacitor, or electrical component, formed by the method. The method includes providing an aluminum containing anode with an aluminum oxide dielectric thereon; forming a cathode on a first portion of the aluminum oxide dielectric; bonding an anode lead to the aluminum anode on a second portion of the aluminum oxide by a transient liquid phase sintered conductive material thereby metallurgical bonding the aluminum anode to the anode lead; and bonding a cathode lead to said cathode.
US09881740B2
A monolithic ceramic capacitor includes an element body having therein a multilayer portion formed of a plurality of conductor layers and a plurality of ceramic dielectric layers alternately stacked in a thickness direction; and a first outer electrode and a second outer electrode provided on an outer portion of the element body. The element body is divided in the thickness direction into a thickness-direction first outer layer portion, a thickness-direction second outer layer portion, and a thickness-direction inner layer portion located between the thickness-direction first outer layer portion and the thickness-direction second outer layer portion and including the multilayer portion. A first conductor layer and a second conductor layer, which are outermost layers among the plurality of conductor layers, have lower conductor densities than any of conductor densities of the other conductor layers.
US09881738B2
Capacitor structures having first electrodes at least partially embedded within a second electrode, and fabrication methods are presented. The methods include, for instance: providing the first electrodes at least partially within an insulator layer, the first electrodes comprising exposed portions; covering exposed portions of the first electrodes with a dielectric material; and forming the second electrode at least partially around the dielectric covered portions of the first electrodes, the second electrode being physically separated from the first electrodes by the dielectric material. In one embodiment, a method further includes exposing further portions of the first electrodes; and providing a contact structure in electrical contact with the further exposed portions of the first electrodes. In another embodiment, some of the first electrodes are aligned substantially parallel to a first direction and other of the first electrodes are aligned substantially parallel to a second direction, the first and second directions being different directions.
US09881732B2
A contactless power transfer system is proposed. The power transfer system comprises a field-focusing element comprising a dielectric material. The dielectric material includes an oxide material including (Mg1-xSrx)yTiO(2+y), wherein x can vary between the value of zero and 1 such that 0≦x≦1, and y can be 0, 1, or 2. A power transfer system further including a first coil coupled to a power source and a second coil coupled to a load is disclosed. In this system, the field-focusing element including the dielectric material is disposed between the first coil and the second coil.
US09881725B2
In one implementation, an apparatus is configured to aid in the manufacturing or assembling of electronic surface mount packages. The apparatus includes a common mode choke base configured to support a common mode choke. The apparatus includes terminal contacts coupled to the common mode choke base. The terminal contacts are aligned with wires connected to the common mode choke. The apparatus includes a support member including a wire supporting portion aligned with the wires connected to the common mode choke and a central portion configured to support the common mode choke base.
US09881718B2
A continuous processing system and method for the continuous processing of an electrical conductor cable having aluminum strands encasing a steel core directly from a puller or from a puller and reel, simultaneously or on-the-fly during substantially the entirety of a reconductoring or re-stringing of the cable, wherein such cables are used for power lines or for static wires. The system is adapted to cooperate with a pulling machine. The pulling machine may be formed integrally within the system or may be a conventional pulling machine which cooperates with the system. The processing system runs continuously, substantially without interruption, during the pull of all of the cable from the pull zone of the reconductoring or restringing.
US09881716B2
A composite cable includes a first twisted-pair wire formed by twisting a pair of first electric wires, a second twisted-pair wire formed by twisting a pair of second electric wires, a pair of third electric wires arranged between the first and second twisted-pair wires in a circumferential direction, each third electric wire having a larger outer diameter than the first and second electric wires, and a tape member spirally wound around an assembled article that is formed by twisting the first twisted-pair wire, the second twisted-pair wire and the pair of third electric wires together. The two twisted-pair wires have the same twist direction, the twist direction of the two twisted-pair wires is different from a twist direction of the assembled article, and the twist direction of the assembled article is different from a winding direction of the tape member.
US09881710B2
An achromatic phase-contrast imaging apparatus for examining an object of interest is provided which comprises two different phase gratings which have different pitches. Thus, the imaging apparatus yields phase-contrast information for two different energies. Thus, phase-information over a wider energy band can be used.
US09881708B1
A radiation area monitor device/method, utilizing: a radiation sensor; a rotating radiation shield disposed about the radiation sensor, wherein the rotating radiation shield defines one or more ports that are transparent to radiation; and a processor operable for analyzing and storing a radiation fingerprint acquired by the radiation sensor as the rotating radiation shield is rotated about the radiation sensor. Optionally, the radiation sensor includes a gamma and/or neutron radiation sensor. The device/method selectively operates in: a first supervised mode during which a baseline radiation fingerprint is acquired by the radiation sensor as the rotating radiation shield is rotated about the radiation sensor; and a second unsupervised mode during which a subsequent radiation fingerprint is acquired by the radiation sensor as the rotating radiation shield is rotated about the radiation sensor, wherein the subsequent radiation fingerprint is compared to the baseline radiation fingerprint and, if a predetermined difference threshold is exceeded, an alert is issued.
US09881705B2
A system for fighting a fire includes a plurality of containers containing liquid nitrogen. Thermally activated release mechanisms are each connected to one of the containers. Each thermally activated release mechanism is configured to release the liquid nitrogen from a connected container when a predetermined safety threshold temperature is reached, so that the released liquid nitrogen produces an expanding volume of cold nitrogen vapor. A central storage container stores liquid nitrogen. The central storage container is connected to each of the plurality of containers. A sensor system activates refilling of a respective container with liquid nitrogen from the central storage container when the amount of liquid nitrogen in the respective container is below a predetermined threshold.
US09881702B2
A method of shutting down a nuclear reactor may include compressing a scram gas that is in fluid communication with a scram accumulator. The scram accumulator defines a chamber therein and contains bellows within the chamber. The bellows are configured to hold a scram liquid in isolation of the scram gas. The scram gas exerts a compressive force on the bellows in a form of stored energy. The method may additionally include releasing the stored energy in response to a scram signal such that the scram gas expands into the chamber of the scram accumulator to compress the bellows and expel the scram liquid from the scram accumulator to insert control rods into a core of the nuclear reactor.
US09881701B2
A spacer grid includes intersecting straps defining cells with springs and dimples arranged to hold fuel rods passing through the cells. The springs are dual cantilevered springs with a bridge section between the distal end of the spring and the base. The distal portion of the spring is less stiff than the bridge section. The bridge section creates a bump which acts as a stop or travel limiter to prevent loss of grip force due to excessive spring deflection.
US09881699B2
A method for fabricating a cellular tritium breeder component includes obtaining a reticulated carbon foam skeleton comprising a network of interconnected ligaments. The foam skeleton is then melt-infiltrated with a tritium breeder material, for example, lithium zirconate or lithium titanate. The foam skeleton is then removed to define a cellular breeder component having a network of interconnected tritium purge channels. In an embodiment the ligaments of the foam skeleton are enlarged by adding carbon using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) prior to melt-infiltration. In an embodiment the foam skeleton is coated with a refractory material, for example, tungsten, prior to melt infiltration.
US09881693B2
Apparatuses including an interface chip that interfaces with dice through memory channels are described. An example apparatus includes: an interface chip that interfaces with a plurality of dice through a plurality of memory channels, each of the dice comprising a plurality of memory cells, and the interface chip comprising a test circuit. The test circuit includes: first and second terminals corresponding to the first and second memory channels respectively; a test terminal and a built in self test (BIST) circuit common to the first and second memory channels; and a selector coupled to the first and second terminals, the test terminal and the BIST circuit, and couples a first selected one of the first terminal, the test terminal and the BIST circuit to the first channel and a second selected one of the second terminal, the test terminal and the BIST circuit to the second channel.
US09881692B2
The electronic memory device comprises a non-volatile memory matrix organized in rows and columns, an address decoder with address input lines for selecting a row according to a particular address given on the address input lines. Additional address mask input lines are provided, each address mask input line being assigned to an address input line, wherein an address mask input line in activated state has the effect of ignoring the assigned address input line. The method for testing said electronic memory device is performed with a significant lower number of read/write operations, since by ignoring a particular address line a plurality of write operations can be performed simultaneously.
US09881690B2
A shift register unit having a pulse width modulation module is provided. The pulse width modulation module includes a first input submodule, a first pull-down submodule, a second input submodule, a second pull-down submodule, a third input submodule, and a third pull-down submodule.
US09881689B2
An emission driver and a display device having the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the emission driver includes a plurality of stages each configured to output an emission control signal, wherein each of the stages includes first and second driving blocks and a buffer block. The buffer block is configured to selectively output an emission control signal so as to operate in a sequential emission mode or in a simultaneous emission mode, the stages being configured to sequentially output a plurality of the emission control signals in the sequential emission mode and substantially simultaneously output the emission control signals in the simultaneous emission mode. The buffer block is further configured to determine a duration in which the emission control signal has a first voltage level based on an interval between time points when first and second intermediate signals have low voltage levels.
US09881686B2
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a memory cell string including memory cells located in different levels of the apparatus and a data line coupled to the memory cell string. The memory cell string includes a pillar body associated with the memory cells. At least one of such apparatus can include a module configured to store information in a memory cell among memory cells and/or to determine a value of information stored in a memory cell among memory cells. The module can also be configured to apply a voltage having a positive value to the data line and/or a source to control a potential of the body. Other embodiments are described.
US09881665B2
An apparatus includes a first terminal configured to communicate data with an outside of the apparatus, a second terminal configured to receive a first power source potential, a third terminal configured to receive a second power source potential lower than the first power source potential, a fourth terminal configured to be coupled to a calibration resistor, an output buffer including first to third nodes coupled to the first to third terminals respectively, and a replica circuit including fourth and fifth nodes coupled to the second and third terminals respectively, and sixth node coupled to the fourth terminal.
US09881662B2
A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period.
US09881660B2
A magnetic memory according to an embodiment includes: a conductive layer including a first and second terminals; a plurality of magnetoresistive elements separately disposed on the conductive layer between the first and second terminals, each magnetoresistive element including a reference layer, a storage layer between the reference layer and the conductive layer, and a nonmagnetic layer between the storage layer and the reference layer; and a circuit configured to apply a first potential to the reference layers of the magnetoresistive elements and to flow a first write current between the first and second terminals, and configured to apply a second potential to the reference layer or the reference layers of one or more of the magnetoresistive elements to which data is to be written, and to flow a second write current between the first and second terminals in an opposite direction to the first write current.
US09881632B1
A system and method that enhances speech through reinforcement includes capturing an audio signal generated by the audio sources by one or more microphones; decomposing the audio signals into a plurality of virtual audio sources where the number of audio channels delivered by the audio sources is equal to the number of the plurality of virtual audio sources; estimating the echo paths from each of the plurality of virtual audio sources to the one or more microphones; and processing the captured audio signal in response to the estimated echo paths by subtracting the echo contributions of each of the virtual sources to the one or more microphones.
US09881626B2
A vector joint encoding/decoding method and a vector joint encoder/decoder are provided, more than two vectors are jointly encoded, and an encoding index of at least one vector is split and then combined between different vectors, so that encoding idle spaces of different vectors can be recombined, thereby facilitating saving of encoding bits, and because an encoding index of a vector is split and then shorter split indexes are recombined, thereby facilitating reduction of requirements for the bit width of operating parts in encoding/decoding calculation.
US09881615B2
A speech recognition apparatus and method. The speech recognition apparatus includes a first recognizer configured to generate a first recognition result of an audio signal, in a first linguistic recognition unit, by using an acoustic model, a second recognizer configured to generate a second recognition result of the audio signal, in a second linguistic recognition unit, by using a language model, and a combiner configured to combine the first recognition result and the second recognition result to generate a final recognition result in the second linguistic recognition unit and to reflect the final recognition result in the language model. The first linguistic recognition unit may be a same linguistic unit type as the second linguistic recognition unit. The first recognizer and the second recognizer are configured in a same neural network and simultaneously/collectively trained in the neural network using audio training data provided to the first recognizer.
US09881612B2
Portable recording devices used by a person, such as a law enforcement officer, may be automatically activated to capture data assets. A dispatch request may be sent from a server to a computing device used by person equipped with a portable recording device. Subsequently, the server may determine whether the portable recording device is activated by the computing device to record a data asset. In response to a determination that there is a lack of activation of the portable recording device by the computing device to record the data asset following the dispatch request, the server may activate the portable recording device of the person to record the data asset.
US09881609B2
A method of recognizing continuous digits uttered by a speaker using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes receiving continuous digits via a microphone as speech from a user; detecting that recognition of one or more of the continuous digits falls below a predetermined confidence threshold; prompting the user to identify the continuous digits using a body gesture; detecting the body gesture made by the user; and identifying one or more of the continuous digits based on the body gesture.
US09881606B2
A first communication path for receiving a communication is established. The communication includes speech, which is processed. A speech pattern is identified as including a voice-command. A portion of the speech pattern is determined as including the voice-command. That portion of the speech pattern is separated from the speech pattern and compared with a second speech pattern. If the two speech patterns match or resemble each other, the portion of the speech pattern is accepted as the voice-command. An operation corresponding to the voice-command is determined and performed. The operation may perform an operation on a remote device, forward the voice-command to a remote device, or notify a user. The operation may create a second communication path that may allow a headset to join in a communication between another headset and a communication device, several headsets to communicate with each other, or a headset to communicate with several communication devices.
US09881599B2
The present invention relates to a sound absorbing and insulating material with improved heat resistance and moldability and a method for manufacturing the same, more particularly to a sound absorbing and insulating material having, as a surface layer, a heat-resistant material prepared by impregnating a binder into a nonwoven fabric formed of a heat-resistant fiber stacked on one side of a base layer formed of a conventional sound absorbing and insulating material, and a method for manufacturing the same.The sound absorbing and insulating material of the present invention is a conventional sound absorbing and insulating material has improved sound-absorbing property, flame retardancy, heat-insulating property and heat resistance as compared to the conventional sound absorbing and insulating material, is applicable to parts maintained at high temperatures of 200° C. or higher due to the surface layer and is moldable into a desired shape during the curing of the binder impregnated into the surface layer. Therefore, the sound absorbing and insulating material of the present invention can be widely used in industrial fields requiring sound absorbing and insulating materials, including electric appliances such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a lawn mower and the like, transportation such as an automobile, a ship, an airplane and the like, construction materials such as a wall material, a flooring material and the like, and so forth.
US09881593B2
A modular apparatus and method of varying the playability and tonal characteristics of a stringed instrument such as an acoustic or electric guitar which is commonly provided with a body and a fretboard to the instrument's neck. The modular apparatus includes a longitudinal rail, accessible fasteners, intermediary spacer blocks and a plurality of adjustable and removable frets. The rail is configured to connect with the neck of the stringed instrument and to provide a base for the frets. The frets are configured to move as needed within apertures within the rail. The frets are also configured to receive and support the instrument's strings. The frets are selectively adjustable relative to the rail by the user to change the tonal and playability characteristics of the instrument.
US09881591B2
Embodiments of a display apparatus of an energy management system are presented. The display apparatus may include: a first screen updating unit including a drawing unit configured to determine a screen to be output based on a screen operation input and update data and an object included in the determined screen to configure an output-scheduled screen and a first temporary storage unit configured to store the configured output-scheduled screen; and a second screen updating unit configured to receive the stored output-scheduled screen and output the received output-scheduled screen through a screen output unit.
US09881589B2
There are disclosed a backlight source driving circuit and a display apparatus. The backlight source driving circuit comprises a switch field effect transistor (Q1), a freewheeling field effect transistor (Q2), a power supplying module, a control module, a LED group (Z) and a feedback module, the power supplying module is configured to supply power to the LED group (Z), the control module is configured to control turn-on timings of the switch field effect transistor (Q1) and the freewheeling field effect transistor (Q2) to be opposite, and the feedback module is configured to provide a feedback voltage to the control module. The backlight source driving circuit is disposed in the display apparatus. By utilizing the field effect transistor as the freewheeling device in the backlight source driving circuit, the power consumption of the driving circuit is decreased effectively and an efficiency of the driving circuit is enhanced.
US09881582B2
A semiconductor device having a normal function means is provided, in which the amplitude of an output signal is prevented from being decreased even when a digital circuit using transistors having one conductivity is employed. By turning OFF a diode-connected transistor 101, the gate terminal of a first transistor 102 is brought into a floating state. At this time, the first transistor 102 is ON and its gate-source voltage is stored in a capacitor. Then, when a potential at the source terminal of the first transistor 102 is increased, a potential at the gate terminal of the first transistor 102 is increased as well by bootstrap effect. As a result, the amplitude of an output signal is prevented from being decreased.
US09881581B2
A method for the distribution of audio and visual media includes: receiving at least one visual content item to be displayed, and an audio content item and at least one trigger condition for each of the at least one visual content item; storing, in a database, the received at least one visual content item and corresponding audio content item and at least one trigger condition; identifying at least one display condition of a plurality of display conditions; identifying, in the database, a specific visual content item, wherein the at least one trigger condition corresponding to the specific visual content item is met based on the identified at least one display condition; displaying, by a light projection display device, the identified specific visual content item; and wirelessly transmitting the audio content item corresponding to the specific visual content item for audible emission by a mobile communication device.
US09881578B2
A display device includes a plurality of gate lines extended in a first direction, a plurality of common electrodes extended in the first direction, a gate scanning circuit that scans the plurality of the gate lines, and a common scanning circuit that scans the plurality of the common electrodes. The common scanning circuit includes a shift register unit, an interconnection connecting unit, and a switch unit. The gate scanning circuit and the common scanning circuit are configured of single channel thin film transistors. The gate scanning circuit is disposed between the shift register unit and the interconnection connecting unit, and the interconnection connecting unit is disposed between the gate scanning circuit and the switch unit in a planar view.
US09881571B2
An image display control unit in a three-dimensional image display apparatus is configured to drive gate lines and the data lines so as to provide the display panel with a left eye image signal during a first frame in which a right eye image signal is displayed on the display panel, and with the right eye image signal during a second frame in which the left eye image signal is displayed on the display panel. During the first frame, each of the pixels provides a second capacitor with the right eye image signal, and a first capacitor with the left eye image signal. During the second frame, each of the pixels provides the first capacitor with the right eye image signal, and the second capacitor with the left eye image signal. A backlight unit maintains a turn-on state during the first and second frames.
US09881563B2
A light emitting diode driver (LED) circuit and method are provided. The light emitting diode driver circuit includes an LED array; a LED driving circuit configured to supply current to the LED array through switching operations of a plurality of switches; and a driving controller configured to control the plurality of switches to supply current, corresponding to a dimming signal, to the LED array using a clock signal of a preset frequency. The driving controller may be further configured to control the plurality of switches to alternately perform switching operations.
US09881556B2
The present disclosure provides a shift register circuit, which includes a first switch unit connecting an input end to a first node when a positive-phase clock signal is at a first level; a second switch unit applying a negative-phase clock signal to an output end when the first node is at the first level; a positive feedback unit enabling the second node to be at a second level when the first node is at the first level and enabling the first node to be at the second level when the second node is at the first level; a third switch unit enabling a third node to be at the first level when the positive-phase clock signal is at the first level; a fourth switch unit connecting the second node to the third node when the negative-phase clock signal is at the first level; and a fifth switch unit.
US09881555B2
Disclosed is an OLED display device capable of sensing and correcting a progressive bright point defect and a method of driving the same. The OLED display device includes a data driver for supplying an off-driving voltage to a driving transistor for driving a light emitting element in each sub-pixel, and sensing a voltage corresponding to a leakage current of the driving transistor, and a bright point estimator for estimating a progressive bright point of a sub-pixel by comparing a voltage value sensed through the data driver with a reference value, and darkening and correcting the sub-pixel estimated to have the progressive bright point.
US09881551B2
A drive circuit for a light emitting element which can correct a threshold voltage of a drive transistor between two reference voltages without a reset power supply. The drive circuit includes a light emitting element, a drive transistor for controlling an amount of current, a first switching element that is arranged between the light emitting element and the drive transistor, a second switching element that is arranged between the drive transistor and the second reference voltage, a third switching element that is arranged between a gate, and one of a source and a drain of the drive transistor, a fourth switching element that is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the drive transistor, and controls input of signal voltage, and a first capacitor connected to the gate of the drive transistor.
US09881550B2
Disclosed are a pixel Circuit, a driving method thereof, and a display apparatus. The pixel circuit comprises a driving transistor, a capacitor connected between the source and the gate of the driving transistor, a light-emitting element, a light-emitting control module, a data writing module and a compensating module. By cooperation among the various modules, the drift of the threshold voltage of the driving transistor can be compensated. Accordingly, the driving current which is provided by the driving transistor to drive the light-emitting element to emit light only relates to the voltage of the data signal and the reference signal, while does not relate to the threshold voltage of the driving transistor and the first reference voltage source, and thus the effect on the current flowing through the light-emitting element raised due to the threshold voltage and due to the IR drop can be avoided. The operating current which drives the light-emitting element to emit lights can remain uniform, thereby improving the uniformity of the image luminance of the whole display area of the display apparatus.
US09881548B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes at least one first data line, at least one second data line, a plurality of driving transistors, and a plurality of light emitters. Each driving transistor has a driving gate electrode connected to the at least one first data line and the at least one second data line, and the light emitters are respectively connected to the driving transistors. Emission regions of the light emitter do not overlap the at least one first data line, the at least one second data line, and the driving transistors. A shielding portion overlaps an end of the at least one first data line and an end of the at least one second data line.
US09881545B2
A light emitting diode (LED) display apparatus, including: a plurality of LED lines including a plurality of LEDs; a plurality of switches connected to respective LED lines among the plurality of LED lines; a controller configured to sequentially supply power to the plurality of LED lines by sequentially turning on and off the plurality of switches; and an LED driver configured to detect an error state of an LED from the plurality of LEDs by estimating current flowing through the plurality of LED lines, and to provide the controller with a result of the detection.
US09881543B2
A shift register unit includes a first shift register module and a second shift register module. The first shift register module includes a first input module configured to input a start signal to a first control node, a second input module configured to input a first level to a second control node, a first output control module configured to input a second level to the first control node, a second output control module configured to input a first clock signal to the second control node, a first output module configured to input the first clock signal to a first output end, and a second output module configured to input the first level to the first output end. The second shift register module includes a second output end, third and fourth input modules, third and fourth output control modules, and third and fourth output modules.
US09881540B2
A gate driver includes first and second shift registers and a selector. The first shift register outputs first pulses. The second shift register outputs second pulses different from the first pulses. The selector selects one of the first pulses or the second pulses. When the selector selects the first pulses, the gate driver generates a first gate signal including first and second high periods, and output the first gate signal to a first gate line. The second high period is apart from the first high period by a first interval. When the selector selects the second pulses, the gate driver generates a second gate signal including the first high period and a third high period, and output the second gate signal to the first gate line. The third high period is apart from the first high period by a second interval different from the first interval.
US09881527B1
A banner is made of a flexible sheet material with a casing. A resilient, flexible rod extends through the casing and has first and second ends anchored at fixed, spaced-apart positions so that the resilient, flexible rod forms an arcuate shape and holds the flexible sheet material in tension to form a flexible, arcuate-shaped, tensioned banner.
US09881526B2
Material for a sign support structure, such as a signpost, providing greater visibility an added awareness to the sign comprising a film or sheeting on which is printed contrasting colored segments or contrasting colored designs, words, or letters replicated repeatedly on or within and along the length of the material. The material, when attached to the sign support structure or an independent substrate that is subsequently attached to the sign support structure, provides a higher visibility pattern drawing awareness to the sign.
US09881520B2
In the field of virtual reality, virtual tool manipulation systems and related methods and software are described in the present disclosure. One implementation of a virtual tool manipulation system, among others, comprises a motion tracking system configured to generate motion information related to the position of a part of a user's body. The virtual tool manipulation system also comprises a haptic feedback system configured to provide a haptic sensation to the user based on the motion information, the position of a virtual tool, and characteristics of the virtual tool.
US09881519B2
A system and method for simulating another apparatus provides simulated readings by controlling a simulated display provided to portable simulator clients, such as via a wireless interface. Each simulator client provides detector reading displays for selected environments and allows for two-way interactive response with a master control unit. Simulator clients are configured as modular units comprising a smartphone or similar mass-produced wireless computing device removably integrated with a detector simulator housing and/or keypad interface. The master control unit allows direct control of individual detector displays and scenarios for the simulation.
US09881516B1
A server, method and computer program product for identifying online usage of honeypots by test-takers during administration of online assessments is disclosed. The server includes at least one computer processor coupled to a network interface and configured to receive a pool of test questions used for a learning assessment. The server converts each question in the pool into a watermarked question comprising a unique string of characters; creates a corresponding web beacon for each watermarked question in the pool; loads available PHP server header information; propagates each watermarked question onto at least one seed site domain to create a cluster of seed sites; and detects when a test-taker visits at least one of the seed sites during an online assessment.
US09881500B2
An information processing device has a display control section and a state detection section. The display control section instructs a display device to display road information regarding a roadway on which a vehicle runs. The display device is arranged inside of the vehicle. The state detection section detects at least one of cases A and B. In the case A, it is detected whether or not the vehicle is in a first state as a roundabout entry motion estimation in which the vehicle will enter a roundabout. In the case B, it is detected whether or not the own vehicle is in a second state in which the own vehicle is running on the roundabout. The display control section reduces information's visibility to the driver displayed on the display device when the state detection section detects at least one of the first state and the second state.
US09881489B2
An instant alert network system may transform a mobile communication device, such as a smart phone, into a “panic button” whereby a user may instantly broadcast an alert or alarm to users forming a defined group to a threat or emergency situation as opposed to relying on a single person or entity to initiate the alert. An instant alert network system may permit users to become the perimeter defense through activation and distribution of alerts via various forms of electronic communication. This will dramatically reduce the amount of time that may be needed to inform users of an impending threat, and it may allow defensive countermeasures to be deployed in virtually real-time in order to reduce the threat and possibly save lives.
US09881486B2
A portion of data is received from each sensor of a plurality of sensors. An emergency level corresponding to each metric of a plurality of metrics is calculated, where the calculated emergency level is determined based on the portion of data received from the sensors. A total emergency level corresponding to the current situation is calculated, where the calculation of the total emergency level is based on the emergency level calculated for each metric. It is determined whether the total emergency level is above a critical threshold, where the critical threshold is selected by the user. If it is determined that the total emergency level is above the critical threshold, an alert is sent to a party such as one or more local authorities.
US09881483B2
An illustrative example embodiment of a system for assisting a driver with personal items includes a plurality of detectors that detect a signal from a transmitter that has been previously associated with a personal item; and a processor configured to: determine at least one characteristic of a journey, receive an indication from at least one of the detectors regarding a detected signal, identify a personal item and determine its location based on the detected signal, provide an indication if the determined location is different than an expected location based on the at least one characteristic of the vehicle journey, determine whether at least one other personal item is expected to be located based on the at least one characteristic of the vehicle journey, and provide an indication that the other personal item is expected but not detected.
US09881482B2
Systems and methods for displaying information of a system use at least one control unit to detect and communicate system information to a mobile terminal device within a predetermined range of the system. Information about a state of the system may be displayed on a display unit of the system and transmitted to the mobile terminal device via a communication channel established between the control unit and the mobile terminal device. The system may be a vehicle and the system information a status of the automatic driving mode of the vehicle.
US09881481B2
A method for a mobile device to prevent loss including monitoring environmental parameters by a mobile device; storing the environmental parameters in the mobile device to form a history of the environmental parameters; applying statistical analysis to a current set of environmental parameters as compared to the history of the environmental parameters to determine a probability that the mobile device is lost; and responsive to determining the probability that the mobile device is lost exceeds a threshold, performing an action to prevent loss of the mobile device.
US09881478B1
A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.
US09881470B2
Various embodiments involving a smart-home device are presented. It may be determined that the power supply interface has ceased receiving power from the structure's wired electrical system. In response to determining that a power supply interface of the smart-home device has ceased receiving power from a structure's wired electrical system, a power loss indication may be stored that comprises a timestamp. A network connection may be determined to be available. A notification may be transmitted of information from the stored power loss indication to a remote server via the available network connection.
US09881467B2
A method and system for avoiding haptic effects conflict is presented. A haptic enabled device configured to generate haptic effects associated with a first signature is used by a user. The system detects an additional source of haptic effects and determines a second signature associated with the haptic effects produced by the source. The system determines a preferred set of haptic configurations and modifies either the first or second signature based on the preferred set of haptic configurations to achieve a minimal conflict between the first and second signatures.
US09881457B2
Electronic card game devices and methods incorporate progressive jackpot operations controlled by a central server computer. If a system game device is selected by the central server computer to win a progressive jackpot award, the system game device is programmed to display secondary game outcome symbols on playing cards being displayed during game play to indicate winning of the award.
US09881454B2
A multifaceted application resource interleaved wagering system is disclosed, including an interactive controller configured to: communicate application telemetry; receive application resource instructions; communicate additional application telemetry; receive application resource availability instructions; a wager controller constructed to: receive wager request instructions; determine a wager outcome; and communicate wager outcome data to the application controller; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller and the wager controller, the application controller constructed to: receive the application telemetry; determine whether a wager is triggered; generate wager request instructions; instruct the wager controller by communicating the wager request instructions to the wager controller; receive the wager outcome data; determine application resources to award; generate application resource instructions; communicate the application resource instructions; receive the additional application telemetry; determine whether to make the application resource available to the user; generate application resource availability instructions; and communicate the application resource availability instructions.
US09881448B2
An electromechanical gaming machine constructed to receive real credits from a user, and having an entertainment game controller connected to a game world controller, and a real world controller which together communicate game world information; receive a request to aggregate information; aggregate game world information; receive a gambling outcome; display gambling outcome; receive a wager request; determine gambling outcome; communicate gambling outcome; determine whether or not to generate an aggregation request; generate an aggregation request; disaggregate game world information, communicate wager request; receive gambling outcome; and communicate gambling outcome.
US09881439B2
A container and a system for the processing of bank notes which are present as separate units. Beginning with a container for the processing of bank notes which are present as separate units, having a housing, open on one side, for the receiving of bank notes standing on their longitudinal edges, the container can be subdivided by means of separator elements, and the separator elements have free gaps toward the interstices formed therebetween.
US09881436B1
A coin escrow apparatus, which is installed in a machine, and controlled by a processor of the machine, includes a base, on which a plurality of coin barrels, a motor, a coin separator, and a plurality of gate devices are provided. The motor and the coin barrels are connected in series, so that the motor drives all the coin barrels to work. The coin separator is above the coin barrels to guide the coins to different coin barrels according to their sizes. The gate devices are provided under outlets of the coin barrels respectively to be controlled by the processor to open and close the outlets of the coin barrels respectively.
US09881434B2
The invention relates to an intelligent portable personal security object including graphical personalization data visible from a face of the object, wherein the graphical personalization data are presented by electronic display. The invention also relates to a use of the portable object in the carrying out of secure electronic transaction; and/or in the authentication and visual monitoring of at least one person; and/or in logical access control for at least one user; and/or in the displaying of data other than graphical personalization data.
US09881431B2
An aspect of the disclosure includes a security system and method having a key with nanoscale features. The key includes a body. At least one pattern member disposed on the body, the pattern member formed using a directed self-assembly polymer to define a pattern of random feature structures thereon, the feature structures having a width of less than 100 nanometers.
US09881423B2
An augmented reality-based hand interaction apparatus and method using image information. The augmented reality-based hand interaction apparatus using image information includes an object recognition module configured to extract feature points from an input color image, recognize an object which is a target of interest based on the extracted feature points, and estimate a three-dimensional (3D) posture of the recognized object, and an interaction module configured to extract 3D mesh information from an input depth image, match 3D coordinates of the extracted 3D mesh information with 3D coordinates of the object recognized by the object recognition module to extract 3D position information of the recognized object in 3D space, and detect whether or not an augmented 3D object and the recognized object collide with each other based on relative positional relationship information between the recognized object and the augmented 3D object.
US09881408B2
A processor-implemented method and system of this disclosure are configured to correct or resolve artifacts in a received digital image, using a selection of one or more encompassment measures, each encompassing the largest artifact and an optional second smaller artifact. The processor herein is configured to calculate difference in Gaussians using blurred versions of the input digital image and optionally, the input digital image itself; to composite the resulting difference in Gaussians and the input digital image; and to determine pixels with properties of invariant values, also referred to as invariant pixels. The values in the properties of the invariant pixels are then applied to the artifacts regions to correct these artifacts, thereby generating the modified digital image in which the artifact regions are more or less differentiable to a human eye when compared with the digital image.
US09881401B2
A transaction elimination hardware unit controls the writing to a frame buffer in a memory of tiles generated by a tile-based graphics processor. The transaction elimination hardware unit has a signature generator that generates a signature representative of the content of the tile for each tile. A signature comparator then compares the signature of a new tile received from the graphics processor with the signatures of one or more tiles already stored in the frame buffer to see if the signatures match. If the signatures do not match, then the signature comparator controls a write controller to write the new tile to the frame buffer. On the other hand, if the signatures match, then no data is written to the frame buffer and the existing tile is allowed to remain in the frame buffer. In this way, a tile is only written to the frame buffer if it is found by the signature comparison to differ from the tile or tiles that are already stored in the frame buffer that it is compared with.
US09881393B2
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for determining a color of an interface control, which can enhance visual attraction of a user interface and improve user experience. The method includes: acquiring at least one pixel from a desktop wallpaper; acquiring a color value of the at least one pixel; and determining a color value of each pixel in the interface control according to the color value of the at least one pixel. At least one pixel is determined from a desktop wallpaper, and a color of an interface control is determined according to a color value of the at least one pixel, so that color and style matching between the desktop wallpaper and the interface control can be implemented, thereby enhancing visual attraction of a user interface and improving user experience.
US09881388B2
It is provided a computer-implemented method for compressing a three-dimensional modeled object, wherein the method comprises providing a boundary representation of the modeled object; determining first data, that describe a mapping from the range of a reference function to the range of another function, and second data, that describe a mapping from the domain of the other function to the domain of the reference function which, when composed with the reference function and the mapping from the range of the reference function to the range of the other function, leads to the same result as applying the other function; and replacing in the geometrical data the other function by the first data, the second data and a pointer to the reference function. Such a method improves the compression of a 3D modeled object.
US09881384B2
An approach is provided for providing one or more road conditions based on aerial imagery. The road condition platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of one or more road segments on an aligned image including an aerial image frame of an area and a reference map of the area to determine one or more non-road elements. The road condition platform also determines one or more characteristics of the one or more non-road elements disposed within the one or more road segments. The road condition platform further determines one or more road conditions based on the one or more characteristics.
US09881382B2
Methods for real time motion capture for controlling an object in a video game are provided. One method includes defining a model of a control object and identifying a marker on the control object. The method also includes capturing movement associated with the control object with a video capture device. Then, interpreting the movement associated with the control object to change a position of the model based on data captured through the video capture device, wherein the data captured includes the marker. The method includes moving the video game object presented on the display screen in substantial real-time according to the change of position of the model.
US09881381B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a region-of-interest setting unit configured to set a region of interest in an image; a linear convex region extracting unit configured to extract, from the region of interest, a linear region having a predetermined number or more of continuously-arranged pixels whose pixel values are higher than pixel values of neighboring pixels; an intra-region curvature feature data computing unit configured to compute curvature feature data based on curvatures of one or more arcs along the linear region; and an abnormality determining unit configured to determine whether there is an abnormal portion in the region of interest, based on a distribution of the curvature feature data.
US09881377B2
An apparatus and method for determining the distinct location of an image-recording camera within an environment, using visually detectable structures includes the image-recording camera, a measuring camera permanently mounted thereon, and an evaluation unit configured to ascertain the distinct location of the image-recording camera from the measuring camera image structures. The two cameras are oriented to record a common detail from the environment, containing structures that are visually detectable by the two cameras in their images. The measuring camera is connected to the evaluation unit, which is designed to ascertain the distinct location of the image-recording camera from the environment structures detected by the measuring camera. The evaluation unit is configured to locate these structures in the image-recording camera image and to correct the location of the image-recording camera, ascertained from the measuring camera image, using the position of the structures from the image-recording camera image.
US09881375B2
A structured light projector includes an optical mask and a light emitter. The light emitter can be capable of illuminating the optical mask, and the optical mask can be capable of transforming the light from the emitter so as to provide structured light bi-dimensional coded light pattern that includes a plurality of feature types formed by a unique combination of feature elements. The projected light pattern includes one or more markers which include pairs of feature elements between which the epipolar distances are modified relative to distances between respective feature elements in non-marker areas of the pattern, and an appearance of feature elements within the marker and across the marker's edges is continuous.
US09881373B2
An image generating apparatus generates an edge image that is an image for which an edge has been enhanced or extracted from an original image obtained by imaging a subject. The image generating apparatus has a viewpoint image generating unit configured to generate a viewpoint image from the original image; and an edge processing unit configured to generate the edge image by applying edge processing to enhance or extract an edge with respect to the viewpoint image generated by the viewpoint image generating unit.
US09881369B2
A smartphone that includes a microprocessor, a battery operably coupled to the microprocessor, a single button operably coupled to the microprocessor, a communication subsystem that receives messages from and sends messages to wireless networks in accordance with Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a digital infrared sensor operably coupled to the microprocessor, the digital infrared sensor having ports that provide a digital signal representing a temperature, and a display device operably coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor receives from the ports the digital signal that is representative of the temperature and the microprocessor generates a body core temperature from the digital signal that is representative of the temperature and the microprocessor also operably coupled to the display device displays the body core temperature.
US09881362B2
An image processing device includes a point-image restoration processing unit 40 which receives a photographic image as input, and subjects the photographic image to a point-image restoration process based on point-image restoration information to generate a restored image, an area information output unit 45 which outputs area information relating to a specific area in the restored image where restoration strength of the point-image restoration process based on the point-image restoration information is equal to or greater than a threshold value, a display control unit 50 which receives the restored image and the area information as input and performs display control to highlight the specific area in the restored image based on the area information, and a display unit 55 which highlights at least the specific area based on the display control by the display control unit 50.
US09881361B2
A setting circuit sets a quantization value per input image on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image, and a quantization circuit performs quantization on first image data to generate second image data. Quantization value based on the noise value the whole input image can realize appropriate denoising depending on the noise level of the whole input image.
US09881354B2
Described is a technology by which an image such as a stitched panorama is automatically cropped based upon predicted quality data with respect to filling missing pixels. The image may be completed, including by completing only those missing pixels that remain after cropping. Predicting quality data may be based on using restricted search spaces corresponding to the missing pixels. The crop is computed based upon the quality data, in which the crop is biased towards including original pixels and excluding predicted low quality pixels. Missing pixels are completed by using restricted search spaces to find replacement values for the missing pixels, and may use histogram matching for texture synthesis.
US09881351B2
Resource processing, such as shader translation, during run time of an application on an emulated platform, can be performed asynchronously from emulation of the application. One or more server computers can be configured to perform such processing remotely from the computers executing the emulation. The one or more server computers can receive resources for processing from multiple computers. The one or more server computers aggregate the resources received from the multiple computers for different applications and process those resources. For example, multiple shaders, discovered from multiple different emulations of an application on multiple computers, are translated and organized by the one or more server computers. The translated shaders can be packaged as an update to the application and redistributed to the computers using the application. Such an update can be installed on the computers as a set of translated shaders for use in the emulation of the application.
US09881348B2
Techniques are described for generating a license for software installed on a device. An entitlement certificate is generated including one or more entitlements describing license characteristics of the software. The one or more entitlements are determined in accordance with first information about the software. The first information includes at least one of a purchase token and package information. A binding certificate in accordance with a binding type for the software is generated. A license in accordance with said binding certificate and said entitlement certificate is generated. The binding certificate identifies an entity to which the license is bound.
US09881346B2
Disclosed is a system to validate promotional offers in the nature of a reduction or rebate of certain travel expenses through a network of local merchants who offer to offset travel costs in exchange for patronage. The system allows verification of the travel and the purchases.
US09881344B2
A system may include a network interface, a user interface, and a recommendation engine. The user interface may be configured to receive a company characteristic of a company profile of a company posted to the social network and a company bid from an entity related to company to the social network. The recommendation engine may be configured to determine an aggregate company score for the user based on a relevance of the company characteristic to a user characteristic and the company bid. The network interface may be configured to transmit a message related to the company to the user based, at least in part, on the aggregate company score.
US09881332B2
A recommendation system can be configured to customize search results and/or recommendations of content (e.g., customized products, products, advertising, layouts, etc.) using online and/or offline activity captured on a user population. The system can be configured to customize the content returned to users to achieve specific behaviors and/or influence the current user's behavior, responsive to modeling previous users. For example, the system can capture and aggregate user behavior/activity and score content based on the actions taken with respect to the content. In some examples, the scoring can be filtered or augmented by matching current user characteristics to characteristics of the previous users. The scoring can be generated independent of the language in which the activity/user behavior occurred. According to one embodiment, the system is configured to generate language independent models and utilize the language independent modeling to deliver customized content (e.g., recommendations and/or search results) without conventional constraints.
US09881329B1
A method, a computer system and a computer program product to facilitate comparison-price shopping over a data network, such as the Internet, is provided that includes a price availability feature guaranteeing a price of a product associated with product-related information stored on a server. To that end, information that concerns a product is rendered on a display in a browser window. The information rendered typically includes offered price data. A server is provided that includes a plurality of addresses in an address space, and a subportion of the plurality of addresses is associated with an identification code. Acceptance to the offered price data is achieved by storing the information in the subportion, defining agreed price data. The agreed price data is maintained in the absence of a predetermined system event.
US09881322B2
Transferring data between mobile computing device by converting contact information stored in a proprietary format on the first mobile computing device to a nonproprietary graphical format, transferring the contact information in the nonproprietary graphical format from the first mobile computing device to a second mobile computing device and storing the contact information in the nonproprietary graphical format on the second mobile computing device. The contact information stored in the nonproprietary graphical format on the second mobile computing device can be converted to the proprietary format and stored on the second mobile computing device. The transfer of the contact information can be performed in response to an indication that the users of the first and second mobile computing devices have had contact with one another.
US09881317B2
An information processing apparatus includes a customer guiding information management unit configured to obtain a content ID used to identify an application introduction source site and an individual identification ID used to identify a user terminal which has accessed the introduction source site and manage the content ID and the individual identification ID as customer guiding information, and a result measurement unit configured to obtain information including an individual identification ID of a user terminal which has downloaded an application, compare the information with the customer guiding information managed by the customer guiding information management unit, and measure a result of the introduction source site identified by the content ID included in the customer guiding information.
US09881312B2
According to various embodiments, a radio communication system may be provided. The radio communication system may include: a portable device; a beacon receiving device; and a server. The portable device may include: a transmitter configured to repeatedly transmit signals; and a receiver configured to receive data from the server. The beacon receiving device may include: a receiver configured to receive signals from the portable device; and a transmitter configured to transmit an indication to the server based on the received signal. The server may include: a receiver configured to receive the indication from the beacon receiving device; and a transmitter configured to transmit data to the portable device based on the indication.
US09881311B2
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a request for a product. Two or more fingerprints are selected, where each fingerprint includes digital data describing a corresponding virtual customer. By a computer processor, a first fingerprint is loaded to emulate a first virtual customer. A first price query is submitted to a vendor's web service for the product, where the first price query uses the loaded first fingerprint. A second fingerprint is loaded to emulate a second virtual customer. A second price query is submitted to the vendor's web service for the product, where the second price query uses the loaded second fingerprint. Two or more prices are received from the vendor's web service, including a first price received in response to the first price query and a second price received in response to the second price query. A lowest price is selected from among the prices received.
US09881309B2
The systems and methods described herein may be used to recommend an item to a consumer. The methods may comprise determining, based on a collaborative filtering algorithm, a consumer relevance value associated with an item, and transmitting, based on the consumer relevance value, information associated with the item to a consumer. A collaborative filtering algorithm may receive as an input at least one of: a transaction history associated with the consumer, a demographic of the consumer, a consumer profile, a type of transaction account, a transaction account associated with the consumer, a period of time that the consumer has held a transaction account, a size of wallet, a share of wallet, and/or the like.
US09881305B1
Introduced here is a technology that enables effective fraud detection and protection in financial transactions by use of a communication signal capability associated with payment cards. The technology eliminates the uncertainty inherent in card transactions as to the authenticity of a payment card. In various embodiments, methods and systems are disclosed for placing context-based restrictions on the payment card to assist in eliminating the uncertainty in card transactions. The payment card can include any electronic card having an embedded smart chip (e.g., BLE, WiFi, GPRS, 4G, LTE, etc.). The context-based restrictions can include a geographical restriction, a timing restriction, a purchase amount restriction, a merchant-category-code restriction, a particular merchant restriction, or a proximity restriction. The context-based restrictions can be placed on the payment card through communication with a computing device (e.g., smartphone, computing tablet, laptop, desktop, etc.).
US09881295B1
A method for making a payment using a mobile device. The method includes capturing a facial image of a payee using a camera of the mobile device, wherein the payment is due from the user of the mobile device to the payee, retrieving an identifier of the payee based on the facial image, retrieving payment recipient identification information of the payee from a registered payee list based on the identifier, displaying, on the mobile device, a composite image comprising the facial image of the payee and the payment recipient identification information of the payee, receiving an input from the user authorizing the payment from a financial account of the user to the payee, and initiating the payment from the financial account to the payee based on the payment recipient identification information.
US09881285B1
A method and system for automated settlement and on-line debiting of a financial transaction, such as an emergency-cash transaction, is provided. A bank customer enters a foreign-branch bank and indicates a need for emergency cash. The customer is given a telephone by which the customer communicates with an interactive-voice response system in the customer's language. The system bridges the customer with the customer's home bank, which approves the requested emergency cash. A network in communication with the voice response system and with the issuer automatically initiates an on-line debiting of an account of the customer. The network also initiates and carries out settlement between the acquirer and the issuer by way of settlement accounts.
US09881283B2
A service data record system and a POS system with the service data record system are provided. The service data record system transmits a data of an electronic device to a remote monitoring device. The electronic device includes plural electronic units and a power unit. The service data record system includes a power device, a remote monitoring interface and a micro processing unit. The micro processing unit is connected with the electronic device, the remote monitoring interface and the power device. By the micro processing unit, the electronic data set of the electronic unit may be externally transmitted to the remote monitoring device. Moreover, the pre-designate event of the electronic device may be externally transmitted to the remote monitoring device. According to the pre-designate event, it is convenient for a service engineer to make the preparation before repair or maintenance.
US09881270B2
A time range setting unit (110) sets an operation startable time point at which an operation can be started and a target operation end time point which is the latest time point among time points at which the operation is to be ended, with respect to each of plural power demanding objects (20). A necessary operation time setting unit (120) sets a necessary operation time with respect to each of the plural power demanding objects (20). A shape information acquisition unit (130) acquires shape information from a schedule management device (40). The shape information indicates an assumed shape of a transition line that represents transition in the amount of supplied power in a target period. A demand transition setting unit (140) sets power demand transition information indicating transition in an electric energy demand in the target period so that the necessary operation time is obtained and so that the transition in the electric energy demand generated by the plural power demanding objects (20) being operated accords with the assumed shape.
US09881268B1
A mobile computerized apparatus configured to provide membership status in a roadside assistance program after occurrence of a roadside event is disclosed. The apparatus executes instructions that cause/allow the apparatus to receive input related to an electronic membership card, retrieve from a data store membership information associated with the vehicle, and dynamically update the electronic membership card for display on the apparatus.
US09881266B2
A system for computing personal protective equipment (PPE) recommendations, including a plurality of client computers, where each client computer in the plurality of client computers, uses a processor, for receiving and storing corporate information of a corporate organization and PPE needs associated with the corporate organization; and for receiving and storing a plurality of benchmark data describing a current PPE usage for at least one application of the PPE within the corporate organization; and a server, remotely located from the plurality of client computers and connected to the plurality of client computers via a network, for identifying a selected PPE by performing an analysis based on the corporate information and the benchmark data wherein the analysis compares characteristics of a plurality PPE against characteristics of the at least one application and provides a priority ranking of importance for the plurality of characteristics required for the at least one application.
US09881261B2
Systems and methods are provided for facilitating remote check-in and associated proxy shopping operations. A proxy customer of a merchant may be a friend of a remote customer that is making a purchase at the merchant on behalf of the remote customer. A beacon may alert the proxy customer to check-in to the merchant. The proxy customer may forward the alert to the remote customer. The remote customer may request remote check-in responsive to the alert. A payment provider or service provider may perform a remote check-in of the remote customer and a proxy check-in of the proxy customer. When the proxy customer wishes to make a proxy purchase for the remote user, the merchant may verify the proxy customer's identity and charge the payment provider. The payment provider may then transfer funds from remote customer's account to the merchant's account.
US09881258B1
Systems and methods for generating notifications are described. One of the methods includes identifying a selection to invite users to become members of a social network and generating prompt data to allow invitations to be sent to the users based on the selection. The method further includes determining whether indications of becoming members of the social network are received from one or more of the users. The method includes transmitting notification data to inform a member that the one or more users have become members of the social network in response to determining that the indications of becoming members are received.
US09881242B2
The present printing system obtains a transparency of a sheet to be subjected to printing, and based on the obtained transparency of the sheet, restricts execution of post-processing by a discharging portion.
US09881241B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that prints an image on a transfer medium based on image data; a conveyance unit that conveys the transfer medium; a duplex printing mechanism that inverts and conveys the transfer medium on one surface of which an image is formed, and conveys the transfer medium to a conveyance direction upstream side of the image forming unit; and a control unit that controls the image forming unit and the conveyance unit, the control unit has a function of printing a first additional image outside an image forming area of the transfer medium by the image forming unit, and when printing the first additional image, the control unit is capable of control of inhibiting printing of the first additional image on one or both of a leading transfer medium and a final transfer medium in a bundle of piled up transfer media.
US09881240B2
An image processing device includes a dithering circuit, a gradation correction pattern generating circuit, and a gradation correction pattern correcting circuit. The dithering circuit performs a dithering process on image data to generate dithered image data. The gradation correction pattern generating circuit sets, in multi-valued data, gradation information of each of pixels of the generated dithered image data, and generates a gradation correction pattern imitating the dithered image data. The gradation correction pattern correcting circuit performs pattern matching on the generated gradation correction pattern, and corrects the generated gradation correction pattern in accordance with a result of the pattern matching.
US09881229B2
One or more representative images extracted from an image group comprising a plurality of images is/are displayed. A part or all of the representative image or images, such as a main subject region or a background region including a search target, is/are selected from the representative image or images, and used for setting search conditions. The image group is searched for an image or images agreeing with the search conditions having been set.
US09881227B2
An image analysis unit of an image processing apparatus acquires a distribution condition of feature points in an entire input image and in each of a plurality of small regions in the input image. A target point number setting unit sets a target point number for each small region based on the distribution condition of feature points in the entire input image. An expected point number setting unit sets an expected point number for each small region based on the distribution condition of feature points in the small region. A comparison unit compares the target point number and the expected point number. A sensitivity setting unit sets detection sensitivity based on the comparison result. A feature point detection unit performs feature point detection according to the detection sensitivity.
US09881218B2
A location calculation system that includes circuitry that stores vector information regarding a plurality of first vectors each connecting a specific point-relevant location, that is associated with each of a plurality of specific points set along a road, with a location of a predetermined feature, in relation to position information regarding each position of the plurality of specific points; stores predetermined feature location information regarding the location of the predetermined feature; obtains image data ahead of a moving body; calculates a location of the predetermined feature in an image of the image data as obtained by the circuitry; calculates a location of the moving body based on the location of the predetermined feature as calculated by the circuitry and the vector information; and outputs the location of the moving body as calculated by the circuitry.
US09881216B2
An integrated surveillance system combining video surveillance and data from other sensor-based security networks is used to identify activities that may require attention.
US09881214B1
Systems and methods for scalable comparisons between two pixel maps are provided. In an embodiment, an agricultural intelligence computer system generates pixel maps from non-image data by transforming a plurality of values and location values into pixel values and pixel locations. The non-image data may include data relating to a particular agricultural field, such as nutrient content in the soil, pH values, soil moisture, elevation, temperature, and/or measured crop yields. The agricultural intelligence computer system converts each pixel map into a vector of values. The agricultural intelligence computer system also generates a matrix of metric coefficients where each value in the matrix of metric coefficients is computed using a spatial distance between to pixel locations in one of the pixel maps. Using the vectors of values and the matrix of metric coefficients, the agricultural intelligence computer system generates a difference metric identifying a difference between the two pixel maps. In an embodiment, the difference metric is normalized so that the difference metric is scalable to pixel maps of different sizes. The difference metric may then be used to select particular images that best match a measured yield, identify relationships between field values and measured crop yields, identify and/or select management zones, investigate management practices, and/or strengthen agronomic models of predicted yield.
US09881205B2
As the use of facial biometrics expands in the commercial and government sectors, the need to ensure that human facial examiners use proper procedures to compare facial imagery will grow. Human examiners have examined fingerprint images for many years such that fingerprint examination processes and techniques have reached a point of general acceptance for both commercial and governmental use. The growing deployment and acceptance of facial recognition can be enhanced and solidified if new methods can be used to assist in ensuring and recording that proper examination processes were performed during the human examination of facial imagery.
US09881202B2
Implementations relate to providing visual effects for images. In some implementations, a method includes detecting one or more objects in an image. The method identifies one or more important objects of the objects, where the important objects are determined to have an importance measurement satisfying a predetermined threshold indicating their importance to a viewer of the image. The method determines an application of a visual image effect to the image based on the important objects.
US09881201B2
Disclosed embodiments are directed to systems and methods for linking more than one electronic device together to enable collection of an electronic signature or other information on a first device and incorporation of that signature or information into a document on a second device.
US09881200B2
The present invention provides a self-capacitive fingerprint recognition touch screen, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device comprising the self-capacitive fingerprint recognition touch screen. The self-capacitive fingerprint recognition touch screen comprises a plurality of fingerprint recognition electrodes, and a plurality of connecting lines which are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of fingerprint recognition electrodes directly. The connecting lines are used for transmitting driving signals and detection signals needed by the fingerprint recognition electrodes.
US09881199B2
A fingerprint identification device includes a backlight module and a sensing module. The sensing module is disposed on the backlight module. The sensing module includes a plurality of light sensing units and a plurality of light converting units. Each of the light converting units is disposed on a respective one of the light sensing units. The backlight module emits a first color light, the first color light passes through gaps between the light sensing units and then is reflected to the light converting unit, and the light converting unit converts the first color light into a second color light, such that the light sensing unit senses the second color light.
US09881194B1
A mark reader apparatus has a lens and an autofocus system that manipulates the lens in accordance with control signals. An image acquisition system measures a distance from the lens to a dot peened mark. A processor is programmed to: calculate a focus position for the autofocus system that focuses the lens on the dot peened mark; apply an offset to the calculated focus position to produce an offset focus position; control the autofocus system by positioning the autofocus system to the offset focus position; and via the image acquisition system, acquire an image of the mark with the autofocus system set to the offset focus position.
US09881174B2
A metadata layer management system is presented. Layers of metadata objects can be constructed where each metadata layer object comprises a rights policy. As entities interaction with the metadata layer objects, possibly by navigating links among the objects, each entity's access rights to the objects are governed by the rights policy. Further, the disclosed techniques provide for resolving rights conflicts among the rights policies of the metadata layer objects.
US09881168B2
Sanitizing a virtual machine image of sensitive data is provided. Labeling dependencies and sanitization dependencies between a plurality of software components in the virtual machine image are identified based on labeling execution policies located in a labeler module and sanitization execution policies located in a sanitizer module, respectively. The labeler module and the sanitizer module are inserted in the virtual machine image. A sensitivity level label of a plurality of sensitivity labels is attached to identified sensitive data from the sensitive data contained in the virtual machine image based on the identified labeling dependencies. In response to receiving an input to perform a sanitization of the identified sensitive data having attached sensitivity level labels contained in the virtual machine image, the sanitization of the identified sensitive data having the attached sensitivity level labels contained in the virtual machine image is performed based on the identified sanitization dependencies.
US09881164B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for securing data. One of the methods includes receiving, by the map reduce framework, data for analysis. The method includes identifying, by the map reduce framework, private data in received data. The method includes encrypting the private data. The method includes storing the encrypted private data in a location separate from the received data. The method includes obfuscating the private data by adding a reference to the location of the encrypted private data in the received data.
US09881162B2
A mechanism for automatically enrolling option ROMs into the system security database used for a UEFI Secure Boot is discussed. A request is received by a computing device to auto-enroll one or more option ROMs for one or more respective devices on the next boot of the system. Upon receiving the request, a flag or other type of indicator indicative of an auto-enroll status is changed to an active mode. The indicator is stored in non-volatile memory and may be stored as a UEFI Authenticated Variable. Following the changing of the indicator, the system is either reset or shut down. During the next boot only, after identifying the indicator indicative of an active mode auto-enroll status, the signatures for the option ROMs of all discovered devices whose signatures do not exist in the system security database are calculated (hashed) and added to the UEFI Secure Boot database without user interaction.
US09881159B1
In one embodiment, a method is executed by a computer system. The method includes receiving information related to a platform-portable workload, the information comprising a data security policy expressed as digitally signed metadata. The data security policy specifies one or more data security features that any platform executing the platform-portable workload should implement. The method further includes validating the digitally signed metadata as originating from an issuer of the platform-portable workload. In addition, the method includes, responsive to successful validation of the digitally signed metadata, automatically determining whether a particular platform can satisfy the data security policy based, at least in part, on a comparison of the digitally signed metadata with data security attributes of the particular platform. Further, the method includes, responsive to a determination that the particular platform cannot satisfy the data security policy, automatically preventing execution of the platform-portable workload on the particular platform.
US09881139B2
Managing and accessing media items, including: a plurality of domains configured to provide access to media items; a plurality of clients associated with the plurality domains, and providing a pathway for accessing the media items; and a spanning application configured to track and aggregate accessible media items from the plurality of domains based on authentication and registration information and associated rights of the plurality of clients and the plurality of domains, wherein the spanning application enables accessing of the media items across the plurality of domains.
US09881138B2
A method for digital content protection comprises generating a plurality of frame keys, retrieving a plurality of frames from digital content, and at least one of encrypting and decrypting the digital content with a different frame key that dynamically changes for each frame of the plurality of frames. A storage device comprises a computer-readable medium including encrypted digital content stored thereon, wherein the encrypted digital content is encrypted with a frame key that is different for each frame of the encrypted digital content. A content player comprises a computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, that when executed cause a processor to decrypt encrypted digital content by reconstructing a plurality of frame keys that are different from each other that are used to decrypt each frame of the encrypted digital content.
US09881132B2
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described herein that are configured to provide remote access to a workstation operating in a medical domain via a zero configuration protocol. In some example embodiments, a method is provided that comprises activating a viewing application that is configured to connect to a remote workstation, via a zero configuration protocol, and enable a view of medical application data. The method of this embodiment may also include receiving an indication of a current patient context. In some example embodiments, the current patient context identifies the medical application data that is currently being viewed at the remote workstation relating a particular patient that is available for viewing in the viewing application. The method of this embodiment may also include accessing the medical application data in the viewing application based on the current patient context.
US09881127B2
A system for automated conversion and delivery of medical images, comprising: a communication interface; a data storage system configured to store data relating to the medical images; a server coupled with the data storage system and the communication interface, the server configured to: receive a medical image file via the communications interface, the medical image file comprising medical data and meta data, determine what fields are present in the meta data, correlate the determined fields with a modality in order to determine a modality associated with the medical image file, determine whether the data recorded in the fields has been altered, identify a recipient associated with the medical image file based on the meta data, and transmit a message to the recipient via the communication interface.
US09881123B1
A method and system are provided for timing analysis of an electronic circuit design. A timing graph defines a plurality of timing paths through different subsections of the electronic circuit design. A timing window is defined for each of the nodes included in a timing path. At least one preliminary round of a predetermined signal integrity analysis is executed on the circuit design based on the timing windows to identify at least one pair of crosstalk-coupled victim and aggressor nodes. Each victim node's timing window is adaptively adjusted according to a predetermined timing property thereof. At least one primary round of the predetermined signal integrity analysis is executed on the electronic circuit design based in part on this adaptively adjusted timing window for each victim node to generate a delay, which is annotated to the timing graph. A predetermined static timing analysis is executed based on the delay-annotated timing graph.
US09881122B2
Method and apparatus for reducing overlay measurements and predicting overlay in unmeasured regions of a wafer are provided. Embodiments include providing a wafer having sets of four fields sharing a common vertex; measuring overlay values near each corner of each field, except for a corner near the common vertex of a first field and a corner near the common vertex of a second field of each set; decomposing the measured overlay values into measured interfield and intrafield correctable and non-correctable errors; forming a virtual stack of all fields; determining an average intrafield correctable error and intrafield non-correctable error for each corner of the virtual stack based on the measured intrafield correctable and non-correctable errors, respectively; and predicting the overlay values for the unmeasured corners of each set based on combinations of the measured interfield correctable and non-correctable errors and the average intrafield correctable and non-correctable errors.
US09881120B1
Various embodiments implementing a multi-fabric mixed-signal electronic system design spanning across multiple design fabrics with electrical and/or thermal analysis awareness. A schematic design may be extracted from and a power delivery network (PDN) model may be determined from a plurality of layouts in multiple design fabrics in a multi-fabric design environment platform. A PDN-aware, multi-fabric full system schematic may be constructed by assembling the PDN model and the schematic design into the PDN-aware, multi-fabric full system schematic. For a schematic generated for a circuit block of interest, chip power models may be determined for the remaining portion of the multi-fabric mixed-signal electronic system design, and the PDN-aware, multi-fabric full system schematic may be updated by accounting for the chip power models. The circuit block of interest may then be electrically and/or thermally analyzed within the context of the remaining portion.
US09881118B2
A method for routing a circuit device having an array of bump pads includes identifying a routing direction associated with a bump, generating a power strap and a ground strap based on the routing direction, forming a routing channel in accordance with the routing direction, setting a start point and an endpoint in the routing channel, and connecting the start point and the endpoint using a wire within the routing channel. The method further includes placing the start point to a power or ground strap in response to a target power/ground ratio.
US09881116B2
A restricted region transform method and a restricted region transform device are disclosed. The method includes following steps: reading out bare board information of a printed circuit board and layout information of a plurality of components, wherein the layout information of the plurality of components corresponds to a plurality of physical restricted regions; setting a first region according to edge information in the bare board information; setting a plurality of second regions according to projections of the plurality of physical restricted regions on a surface of the printed circuit board; selecting every two second regions, which overlap each other, among the plurality of second regions, and the selected second regions constituting a restriction conflict set; and selectively amending the second regions in the restriction conflict set to remove one or more overlaps from the second regions in the restriction conflict set.
US09881115B2
One aspect includes identifying via groups that each includes a ratio of a plurality of signal vias to one ground via based on a design file defining a layout of a multi-layer circuit board. A genetic via placement solver iteratively evaluates potential placement solutions that adjust a placement of one or more of the signal vias until at least one solution is identified that meets one or more placement criteria of the signal vias. The genetic via placement solver performs a mutation and recombination of one or more solutions that do not meet the one or more placement criteria and re-evaluates the one or more solutions that do not meet the one or more placement criteria. The design file is modified to include at least one shifted signal via position based on identifying the at least one solution that meets the one or more placement criteria.
US09881108B2
A method of modeling the spatial variation in wind resource at a prospective wind farm site. The method involves a simplified analysis of the Navier-Stokes equation and utilizes data from all of the met sites simultaneously to develop site-calibrated models. The model coefficients, mUW and mDW, describe the sensitivity of the wind speed to changes in the upwind and downwind terrain exposure and are defined for downhill and uphill flow. The coefficients are a function of terrain complexity and, since terrain complexity can change across an area, the estimates are performed in a stepwise fashion where a path of nodes with a gradual change in complexity is found between each pair of sites. Also, coefficients are defined for each wind direction sector and estimates are performed on a sectorwise basis. The site-calibrated models are created by cross-predicting between each pair of met sites and, through a self-learning technique, the model coefficients that yield the minimum met cross-prediction error are found.
US09881107B2
A simulation method includes acquiring a processing condition for performing predetermined processing on a processing target with use of plasma, calculating a solid angle corresponding to a field-of-view region through which plasma space is viewable from a predetermined evaluation point in the predetermined evaluation point on a surface of the processing target based on the processing condition, and calculating an incident radical amount entering the evaluation point by a flux method with use of a function which takes a reaction probability between the solid angle and the evaluation point of a radical entering the evaluation point as an argument.
US09881104B2
A simulation method to cause an information processing device to calculate, including: reversely tracing a first flux incident on any position on a surface of a workpiece subject to processing treatment from the position; when the first flux strikes another position on the workpiece surface as a result of the reverse tracing of the first flux, calculating a second flux to be the first flux by scattering at the another position and reversely tracing the second flux from the another position; and, by repeating calculation and reverse tracing of flux, when the reversely traced flux no longer strikes the workpiece surface, carrying out comparison of the flux with an angular distribution of a flux incident on the workpiece, and when the current flux is within the angular distribution, obtaining an amount of flux having contributed to the scattering for a flux group from the first flux to the current flux.
US09881099B2
According to one aspect of the present disclosure a method and technique for managing data transfer is disclosed. The method includes comparing, by a processor unit of a data processing system, data to be written to a memory subsystem to a stored data pattern and, responsive to determining that the data matches the stored data pattern, replacing the matching data with a pattern tag corresponding to the matching data pattern. The method also includes transmitting the pattern tag to the memory subsystem.
US09881093B2
Systems and methods for photograph mapping are disclosed herein. In one embodiment a first digital image and at least one user-generated datum is received from at least one user. The first image is geographically organized according to the at least one datum. The first image is associated with at least one location and at least one direction. The first image is provided from a first person perspective to a user in response to a request.
US09881092B2
An example approach is provided for providing recommendations to a user based on user's role derived from the context information and an advanced user profile. A recommendation platform processes context information to determine one or more roles associated with a user. Next, the recommendation platform calculates at least one level of similarity between the one or more roles and one or more other roles associated with one or more other users. Then, the recommendation platform determines recommendation information associated with the one or more other users based, at least in part, on the at least one level of similarity. Next, the recommendation platform processes the recommendation information to generate one or more recommendations for the user.
US09881089B2
A user device may: receive a search selection; and display a search box concurrently with application or page from which the search selection was received. The search box may be displayed without the user device navigating to another application or another page. The user device may output a search query based on search terms inputted into the search box; receive search results to the search query; and display or outputting the search results.
US09881084B1
Various embodiments may obtain an image representation of an object for use in image matching and content retrieval. For example, an image matching system processes video content items to determine one or more scenes for one or more video content items. The image matching system can extract, from at least one video frame for a scene, feature descriptors relating to one or more objects represented in the at least one video frame. The image matching system indexes the feature descriptors into a feature index storing information for each of the feature descriptors and respective corresponding video frame. The image matching system correlates the feature descriptors of the feature index to determine one or more groups having similar feature descriptors. The image matching system indexes the one or more groups into a correlation index storing information for each of the one or more groups and respective corresponding feature descriptors.
US09881081B2
Disclosed embodiments include apparatus, method and storage medium associated with recipe identification. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a recipe identification function configured to receive or retrieve a text document, analyze the text document to identify a recipe, and return the identified recipe. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09881080B2
An electronic document analysis method receiving N electronic documents pertaining to a case encompassing a set of issues including at least one issue and establishing relevance of at least the N documents to at least one individual issue in the set of issues, the method comprising, for at least one individual issue from among the set of issues, receiving an output of a categorization process applied to each document in training and control subsets of the at least N documents, the output including, for each document in the subsets, one of a relevant-to-the-individual issue indication and a non-relevant-to-the-individual issue indication; building a text classifier simulating the categorization process using the output for all documents in the training subset of documents; and running the text classifier on the at least N documents thereby to obtain a ranking of the extent of relevance of each of the at least N documents to the individual issue. The method may also comprise evaluating the text classifier's quality using the output for all documents in the control subset.
US09881077B1
News documents from one or more sources are aggregated. The news documents are grouped into a plurality of news collections. Each of the news collections includes a sub-set of the news documents having related content. Objects described by the news collections are determined. The objects collectively form a set of objects. A relevance of each of the news collections is measured with respect to the objects respectively described by the news collections and one or more news collections are determined from the plurality of news collections to be associated with a first object included in the set of objects based on the relevance of the one or more news collections to the first object.
US09881075B2
Geo-referenced and oriented media items may be used to determine a location of one or more points of interest depicted by the media items. A difference between an actual capture location and orientation and a reported location and orientation may be modeled according to one or more distributions, which distribution(s) may be used to assign one or more weights to each location in the world where such weight(s) may be considered to be a likelihood that a point of interest might have been seen by a capturing device. A density map may be acquired by superimposing the derived likelihoods, and a maximum, e.g., local maximum, may be determined to represent a location of a point of interest.
US09881069B2
Managing and validating a project using an information landscape. Embodiments include providing an information landscape including a topology of landscape elements for the project, linking the topology of landscape elements to a plurality of solution artifacts, and validating at least one of the plurality of solution artifacts and semantics of the information landscape.
US09881066B1
Implementations for searching and analyzing large, object-oriented data sets in an efficient manner involving innovative user interface features and/or search algorithm functionality are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a system may search for information and/or relationships based on specified search criteria and return results that may be displayed dynamically and further filtered or analyzed. Systems may involve object oriented database(s) and a software layer including a specialized user interface between the user and the database(s). The user interface may comprise various tools as well as predefined and configurable features that enable effective search of the data as well as display of search results that are configurable and readily managed to provide immediate and useful search results. The user interface may display the search results and various associated graphical representations and models, and/or provide tools enabling dynamic manipulation and display of search results or underlying object models, among other things.
US09881065B2
Disclosed are various embodiments that involve selecting supplemental content to be included with search results in a network page. At least one search result is generated by executing a search based at least in part on relevance to a search query. Supplemental content is selected based at least in part upon relevance to the search query without regard to the at least one search result. A subset of the supplemental content is selected in response to determining that the subset is permitted to be presented together in a search results page as defined by at least one compatibility rule. The search results page is generated to include the subset of the supplemental content and the search results.
US09881057B2
A stream computing application may permit one or more jobs to connect to a data stream of a different job. As more jobs connect to the data stream, the likelihood that two or more operators are performing redundant operations on a data stream may increase. A stream manager may monitor an operator graph to identify two operators performing a redundant operation. If the stream manager determines that there are redundant operators in the operator graph, the stream manager may modify the operator graph to remove the redundant operators.
US09881052B2
Data within a database object are accessed based on a query with a predicate including a plurality of conditional expressions. Elements of the database object are stored among a plurality of different storage regions along with range values for element values within each storage region. Each conditional expression of the query predicate is applied to the range values for each storage region to produce evaluation results of that conditional expression for each storage region. The evaluation result of each conditional expression for a corresponding storage region is combined to produce aggregated results for each of the storage regions, where the aggregated result for a corresponding storage region indicates results of a tri-state evaluation (e.g., true/false or unknown) of the conditional expressions for that storage region. One or more corresponding individual storage regions are scanned based on the aggregated results for those storage regions when the tri-state evaluation is unknown.
US09881045B2
Disclosed are a system and method for processing data. The system for processing data according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a determiner configured to receive one or more sets of input data and a set of metadata about a structure of each of the sets of input data and to determine whether the input data is normal data or abnormal data based on the metadata; a first storage configured to store the normal data; a second storage configured to store the abnormal data; and a data processor configured to correct the abnormal data stored in the second storage such that the abnormal data has the same structure as the normal data and store the corrected abnormal data in the first storage.
US09881044B2
A method and system for ensuring consistency in data updates transactions in a distributed storage system (DSS) are provided. The method includes receiving an aggregated transaction request comprising monotonous transaction requests, wherein each monotonous transaction request is initiated by at least one computing node of a plurality of computing of nodes in the DSS, wherein the root computing node and the plurality of computing nodes are arranged in a tree structure; generating a range of transaction indexes based on the aggregated transaction request; and passing the generated range of transaction indexes along the plurality of computing nodes according to their respective level in the tree structure hierarchy, wherein each of the plurality of computing nodes initiating the monotonous transaction request is allocated with a unique portion of the aggregated transaction indexes, thereby ensuring time-order access to at least one storage device in the DSS.
US09881042B2
Technologies are described herein for determining popularity of an individual. A popularity profiling server is used to receive information of the individual, analyze a quantitative data portion of the information, and analyze a qualitative data portion of the information using sentiment analysis. The sentiment analysis uses natural language parsing to separate the qualitative data into parts of speech. The popularity profiling server calculates an initial set of scores for the popularity of the individual based on the analysis of the quantitative data portion and the qualitative data portion of the information, update a ranking for the popularity of the individual in a database, and determine, after waiting a predetermined amount of time, if new data has been updated to the information on the information server. If new information has been updated, an updated set of scores are calculated.
US09881017B2
A method for synchronizing a file system (FS) and a remote file system (RFS) includes monitoring the FS for FS events, generating FS event records, receiving RFS event records of RFS events, generating file system operations (FSOs) based on the FS and RFS event records, and communicating the FSOs to the FS and RFS to synchronize them. A method for generating the FSOs includes accessing a plurality of FS and/or RFS event records, processing the accessed records to generate processed event records, generating the FSOs based on the processed event records, and outputting the FSOs to cause synchronization of the FS and RFS. Systems are also described. The invention facilitates event-based, steady-state synchronization of local and remote file systems.
US09881016B1
Examples are generally directed towards a file server having a unified file system associated with a unified slice map volume. In one example, the unified file system stores file system metadata and sparse volume metadata within the unified slice map volume. The unified file system performs a unified set of functions using the file system metadata and sparse volume metadata in the unified slice map volume.
US09881014B1
A data protection technique maintains replicas of both a data object and its snaps by conducting replication operations on the data object between a source and a destination. The technique includes generating a pair of content-consistent snaps, one snap of the data object at the source and one snap of its replica at the destination. A common snap signature identifies both snaps of the pair of content-consistent snaps. Orchestration of replication ensures that both snaps of the pair share the same content. The two snaps may thus be used interchangeably, with the snap of the replica at the destination providing essentially a backup of the snap of the data object at the source.
US09881005B2
Log files include log file content, some of which (especially a non-runtime portion) is in human-readable language. Translation of log file content is accomplished by: (i) generating first log content in a first human-readable language using a first resource bundle related to data translation; and (ii) translating the first log content to second log content, which corresponds to the first log content but is in a second human-readable language, using the first resource bundle. The translated log content may have annotations and/or processing rules applied to it. The translation of the present invention can help to keep the translation accurate and uniform so that the translated log content may be more effectively used in various ways.
US09881002B1
A localization service may be provided to manage distribution of content including text overlays according to language codes. In some examples, the language codes include regional identifiers and language identifiers. The localization service may provide the content including translated text overlays for reproduction by client devices in accordance with descriptive data associated with the images. In some examples, the descriptive data may describe the text overlays, placement of the text overlays with respect to the content, and characteristics of the text overlays.
US09881000B1
Provided are techniques for avoiding sentiment model overfitting in a machine language model. A current list of keywords in a current sentiment model can be updated to create a proposed list of keywords in a proposed sentiment model. Machine-generated sentiment results, based on the proposed sentiment model, are presented to identify model overfitting, without revising the current set of keywords. The proposed set of keywords can be edited, and when overfitting is not present, the current list of keywords is replaced by the proposed list of keywords.
US09880992B2
Tools and techniques for providing multi-client collaboration to access and update structured data elements are disclosed. Client systems may present user interfaces that provide libraries of published data elements that are available for collaboration. The clients may request selected data elements, while referencing unique identifiers associated with the selected data elements. Those clients that publish data elements for collaboration by others may present user interfaces that provide representations of candidate structured data elements, and receive selections of those data elements chosen for publication. The publishing clients may then send the selected data elements for publication. The client systems may interact with servers or collaboration services, which may receive structured data elements that the clients have published for access by others. The servers may define respective unique identifiers for the published data elements, and may send the structured data elements and corresponding unique identifiers to various client systems.
US09880986B2
Provided are an information display apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a display control program, and a display control method. An information display apparatus includes a display section configured to display an object thereon, an operation section configured to operate the object, and processing section configured to control the display section and the operation section. The processing section is configured to operate the display section to display a first screen showing the object and a second screen showing a screen transition diagram, into a display area of the display section. The screen transition diagram represents change in display of the first screen and shows first screen-transition and second screen-transition to be recognizable, where the first screen-transition represents change in display of the first screen, and the second screen-transition represents another change in display of the first screen starting at a certain point in the first screen-transition.
US09880985B2
Document revision via social media includes receiving a portion of a document and contact information of a reviewer to be notified for reviewing the portion of the document. The contact information of the reviewer corresponds to a social network. Document revision via social media also includes storing the portion of the document and the contact information of the reviewer into a memory, generating a link referencing the portion of the document stored into the memory, and publishing the link to the reviewer for the reviewer to access the portion of the document for reviewing via the social network.
US09880984B2
Document revision via social media includes receiving a portion of a document and contact information of a reviewer to be notified for reviewing the portion of the document. The contact information of the reviewer corresponds to a social network. Document revision via social media also includes storing the portion of the document and the contact information of the reviewer into a memory, generating a link referencing the portion of the document stored into the memory, and publishing the link to the reviewer for the reviewer to access the portion of the document for reviewing via the social network.
US09880980B2
A method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of document transformation processes is disclosed. For example, more efficient XML transformations may be performed against a source document that has incurred minor or incremental changes. Rather than apply a transform (e.g., an XSLT document) to a complete document each time any fragment of the source document is modified, a document management system may be configured to apply the transform only to the modified portions of the document.
US09880976B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including a system for transforming sparse elements into a dense matrix. The system includes a data fetch unit that includes a plurality of processors, the data fetch unit configured to determine, based on identifications of the subset of the particular sparse elements, a processor designation for fetching the subset of the particular sparse elements. The system includes a concatenation unit configured to generate an output dense matrix based on a transformation that is applied to the sparse elements fetched by the data fetch unit.
US09880945B2
An approach is provided for suggesting data for deletion from an electronic data storage medium. An external device detects initiation of transfer of data from first storage medium to second storage medium. Next, the external device determines an available storage in the second storage medium for the data. Then, the external device generates a list to suggest content for deletion within the second storage medium to accommodate the data.
US09880936B2
A system includes a database that stores data on one or more memory devices and a business object layer that receives a request for data associated with a user stored on the database. The system includes a first cache that reads and stores the requested data from the database in response to the request from the business object layer, where the first cache is partitioned into different segments and the different segments are stored across multiple different computing devices. The system includes a second cache that reads and stores the requested data from the first cache. The business object layer filters and applies business logic to the data before the second cache reads the requested data from the first cache. The second cache is stored on a single computing device that received the request. The business object layer delivers the requested data from the second cache.
US09880932B2
A processor includes a memory management unit and a front end including a decoder. The decoder includes logic to receive a flush-on-commit (FoC) instruction to flush dirty data from a volatile cache to a persistent memory upon commitment of a store associated with the FoC instruction. The memory management unit includes logic to, based upon a flush-on-fail (FoF) mode, skip execution of the flush-on-commit instruction and to flush the dirty data from the volatile cache upon a subsequent FoF operation.
US09880926B1
A circuit may be configured to store data to a reserved zone of a non-volatile solid state memory (NVSSM) in a log structured manner and to use information stored in the reserved zone to restore data as needed. In some embodiments, a reserved area of a NVSSM may include die from one or more non-volatile memory modules, which can be divided into blocks and the blocks can be combined to form frames. In some examples, the frames may contain frame headers that can contain a unique identifier which can indicate which frame is to be used to restore data structures, such as during power up or for other restore events.
US09880924B2
A processing device indexes source code that include test functions that test corresponding functions in the source code. The processing device determines a function in the source code that contains a change, determines a set of functions in the source code that are affected by the change in the function, identifies one or more test functions in the set of functions, and creates a list of identified test functions. The list of identified test functions is a subset of the plurality of test functions to execute for testing the change.
US09880921B2
A computer system may identify a source code for a program. The source code may include one or more instructions. The computer system may then receive a selection of two or more assessment metrics for evaluating the source code. The computer system may then generate an assessment score for each instruction in the source code based on the two or more assessment metrics. The computer system may then provide an assessment score indicator to for each instruction in the source code.
US09880913B2
An apparatus comprises a storage controller coupled to at least one multi-region storage device. The at least one multi-region storage device comprises two or more storage regions, the two or more storage regions comprising a first storage region associated with a first set of failure characteristics and at least a second storage region associated with a second set of failure characteristics different than the first set of failure characteristics. The storage controller is configured to replicate in the second storage region at least a portion of data that is stored in the first storage region.
US09880911B2
The invention relates to a method for handling faults in a central control device, wherein the control device comprises a distributed computer system (100), to which distributed computer system (100) sensors (112, 113, 122, 123) are connected or can be connected, wherein the distributed computer system (100), particularly all the components of the computer system, is distributed to a first fault containment unit FCU1 (101) and a second fault containment unit FCU2 (102), wherein FCU1 (101) and FCU2 (102) are each supplied with power via a separate, independent power supply, and wherein FCU1 (101) and FCU2 (102) interchange data solely via galvanically separated lines, and wherein some of the sensors are connected at least to FCU1 (101) and the remainder of the sensors are connected at least to FCU2 (102), and wherein FCU1 (101) and FCU2 (102) are connected to a redundantly designed communication system (131, 132) having one or more actuators, so that, if FCU1 fails, FCU2 will maintain a limited functionality using the sensors assigned to FCU2, and if FCU2 fails, FCU1 will maintain a limited functionality using the sensors assigned to FCU1.
US09880906B2
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for managing resources in a physical storage library behind a virtual storage library. In one embodiment, priorities are assigned to copy applications and rules determine which when applications are assigned to resources in the physical storage library.
US09880901B2
A memory device incorporates a serial data bus coupled to the control circuit of the memory device to provide direct access to the error correction control circuit and to the error correction event notification information and error correction function configuration information stored in mode registers of the control circuit. The serial data bus enables access to the error correction control functions and to the error correction event notification information without requiring modifications to the memory controller used to control and communicate with the memory device.
US09880900B2
In one embodiment, a method for updating a DRAM memory array is disclosed. The method comprises: a) transitioning the DRAM memory array from an idle state to a self-refresh state after a period of inactivity; b) initiating a refresh on the DRAM memory array using DRAM internal control circuitry; and c) during the refresh, performing an Error Correction Code (ECC) scrub operation of selected bits in an activated row of the DRAM memory array.
US09880896B2
Error checking and correcting (ECC) may be performed in an on-chip memory where an error is corrected by a controller and not the on-chip memory. The controller may be flagged to show that an error has occurred and where it has occurred in the memory. The controller may access ECC bits associated with the error and may fix incorrect data. The error checking may be done in parallel with read operations of the memory so as to lower latency.
US09880894B2
Examples for an intelligent watchdog timer for a computing device are described herein. The watchdog timer operates a watchdog counter that repetitively counts a watchdog count interval from an initial value to a final value. The watchdog counter is continually reset if the device is functioning properly. If the watchdog timer is allowed to reach a final count value, a processor reset is initiated. Several components operate to detect the current mode of operation of the processor or an operating system, and predict, in part based on user context, when different power states may occur. The components also forecast when the watchdog timer is scheduled to reach the final count value. Based on the forecasts of when the watchdog timer will reach the final count value and the predictions of future power states of the processor or operating system, the watchdog counter is selectively disabled or reset.
US09880892B2
A method of managing semiconductor manufacturing defects, the method including: determining a cumulative aging parameter for each of a plurality of first IC products produced with a particular manufacturing line, the cumulative aging parameter being dependent on a product operating condition; calculating an observed defect rate for the plurality of first IC products based on a difference between a predicted value of a aging parameter and the cumulative aging parameter for each of the plurality of first IC products; and adjusting a manufacturing reliability model for the particular manufacturing line in response to the observed defect rate being different from an initial predicted defect rate for the plurality of first IC products wherein the manufacturing reliability model reestablishes the initial predicted defect rate.
US09880891B2
Included are embodiments for assignment and failover of resources. More specifically, at least one embodiment of a method includes assigning, to a user of an access device (202), at least one primary resource (210, 212). Some embodiments include assigning, to the user of the access device (202), at least one backup resource (210, 212).
US09880889B2
A virtual application may be configured with several extension points within a host operating system. The virtual application may be configured with a private namespace in which various components, such as registry settings, dynamic linked libraries, and other components may reside. During configuration, links may be placed in the host operating system that may point to objects in the virtual application's private namespace so that the operating system and other applications may launch, control, or otherwise interact with the virtual application. The links may be located in a file system, registry, or other locations and may be available to other applications, including other virtual applications. A configuration routine may place the links into the host operating system at the time the application may be configured.
US09880887B2
A method and device for allocating computer resources of a cluster for carrying out at least one job controlled by the cluster is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes determining the placement of the job from physical features of the job and from physical features and availability of the computer resources of at least one processing area of the cluster. The method further includes receiving energy state features of the computer resources of at least the processing area; determining a recommended placement of the at least one job by correlating the physical features of the job, the physical features, availability and energy state of the computer resources on the basis of predetermined rules; and deducing, from the predetermined recommended placement, a recommended allocation list of the computer resources for carrying out the job in the cluster.
US09880885B2
A method in a server end station is described. The method includes performing an iteration of a rebalancing computation by selecting a set of one or more service sets for rebalancing, wherein the selecting the set of one or more service sets is based on service set constraints and host constraints; generating candidate solutions, wherein each candidate solution includes a randomized one-to-one mapping of each of the service sets to one of the hosts; performing one or more crossover operations on the candidate solutions; performing one or more mutation operations on the additional candidate solutions; selecting as a solution one of the candidate solutions that has a best fitness score, wherein a fitness score for a candidate solution is calculated based on the distribution of resources resulting from and number of migrations needed for the candidate solution; and repeating the iteration of the rebalancing computation an additional number of times.
US09880880B2
A computing resource monitoring service receives a plurality of measurements for a metric associated with an auto-scale group. Each measurement is associated with metadata for the measurement, which specifies attributes for the measurement. The computing resource monitoring service determines, for each measurement and based at least in part on the metadata, a fully qualified metric identifier for the measurement. The service partitions the plurality of measurements into a plurality of logical partitions associated with one or more in-memory datastores. The service transmits the measurements from the plurality of logical partitions to the one or more datastores for storage of the measurements. These measurements are provided to one or more computing resource managers for the auto-scale group to enable automatic scaling of computing resources of the group based at least in part on the measurements.
US09880878B2
A method and system for distributing tasks from an external application among concurrent database application server instances in a database system for optimum load balancing, based on consensus among the instances. Each application instance identifies a task partition ownership by those in a membership group based on a time window and generates a new membership group and partition ownership based on the current partition ownership. The instance makes the new membership group and partition ownership known to other members by recoding them in the membership table and partition map. Each participation by an instance in the membership group is identified by a random number. The new membership group and partition ownership are generated and adjusted based on an average partition allocation to achieve consensus among the instances.
US09880868B2
An installer installing an operating system on a host computer system detects that the operating system is to be run under a hypervisor, and causes at least one configuration parameter of the operating system to be adjusted based on the hypervisor. A migration tool migrating a virtual machine from one hypervisor to another hypervisor, identifies the types of the two hypervisors, the operating system used by the virtual machine, and causes at least one configuration parameter of the operating system to be adjusted based on the target hypervisor.
US09880865B2
A control component of a computing environment activates a virtual adapter hosted on a physical adapter of a host system of the computing environment. The virtual adapter is for use by a guest of the host system in performing data input and output. The activating activates the virtual adapter absent involvement of the guest. Based on activating the virtual adapter, the control component obtains configuration information of the activated virtual adapter from the physical adapter, the configuration information generated based on the activating. The control component ascertains a configuration of the activated virtual adapter based on the obtained configuration information.
US09880862B2
A method and system for applying a system change in an automated fashion and verifying the correct operation of a computing device after the system change includes allowing the computing device an opportunity to at least temporarily apply the system change, determine whether the system change is successful, and discard the system change if not successful, using operating system and BIOS components.
US09880860B2
Architecture that includes an asynchronous library which remembers the synchronization context that initiated an asynchronous method call and when the request is completed, the library restores the synchronization context of the calling thread before executing a callback. This ensures that the callback executes on the same thread as the original asynchronous request. The callback to the asynchronous operation that asynchronous library provides automatically “jumps threads” to maintain thread affinity.
US09880859B2
Technologies for managing image discovery includes a server controller to cause a server to enter a pre-boot state. The server controller communicates with the server while the server maintains the pre-boot state to determine identification data of the server in response to a transitioning the server to the pre-boot state. The server controller identifies a boot image of the server based on the identification data of the server and associates the server with the identified boot image.
US09880858B2
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include during boot of an information handling system, obtaining from a management controller integral to the information handling system information regarding resource requirements for one or more peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the one or more processor sockets integral to the information handling system and the management controller. The method may also include determining whether a default allocation of resources for the one or more peripheral devices among the one or more processor sockets by a basic input/output system integral to the information handling system satisfies the resource requirements. The method may further include, in response to determining the default allocation does not satisfy the resource requirements, rebalancing resources among the one or more processor sockets to satisfy the resource requirements prior to enumeration of the one or more peripheral devices.
US09880857B2
A method or system comprises reading content of a plurality of system files from storage media of a storage device, generating a master storage device system file, and storing the master storage device system file on the storage media at a master system file location. The location of the master system file is provided to boot firmware or hardware. As a result, when the system boots up, the master system file is read into a temporary cache.
US09880854B1
A method, computer program product, and computing system for initiating a computing device includes setting a master reboot flag to no reboot required. A first software component in an initiation component stack is executed. Upon completing execution of the first software component, a determination is made concerning whether the computing device requires: an immediate reboot, a deferred reboot, or no reboot.
US09880851B2
A system, method, and computer program product for generating executable code for performing large integer operations on a parallel processing unit is disclosed. The method includes the steps of compiling a source code linked to a large integer library to generate an executable file and executing the executable file to perform a large integer operation using a parallel processing unit. The large integer library includes functions for processing large integers that are optimized for the parallel processing unit.
US09880846B2
In one embodiment, a micro-processing system includes a hardware structure disposed on a processor core. The hardware structure includes a plurality of entries, each of which are associated with portion of code and a translation of that code which can be executed to achieve substantially equivalent functionality. The hardware structure includes a redirection array that enables, when referenced, execution to be redirected from a portion of code to its counterpart translation. The entries enabling such redirection are maintained within or evicted from the hardware structure based on usage information for the entries.
US09880845B2
Vector processing engines (VPEs) employing format conversion circuitry in data flow paths between vector data memory and execution units to provide in-flight format-converting of input vector data to execution units for vector processing operations are disclosed. Related vector processor systems and methods are also disclosed. Format conversion circuitry is provided in data flow paths between vector data memory and execution units in the VPE. The format conversion circuitry is configured to convert input vector data sample sets fetched from vector data memory in-flight while the input vector data sample sets are being provided over the data flow paths to the execution units to be processed. In this manner, format conversion of the input vector data sample sets does not require pre-processing, storage, and re-fetching from vector data memory, thereby reducing power consumption and not limiting efficiency of the data flow paths by format conversion pre-processing delays.
US09880842B2
A mechanism for tracking the control flow of instructions in an application and performing one or more optimizations of a processing device, based on the control flow of the instructions in the application, is disclosed. Control flow data is generated to indicate the control flow of blocks of instructions in the application. The control flow data may include annotations that indicate whether optimizations may be performed for different blocks of instructions. The control flow data may also be used to track the execution of the instructions to determine whether an instruction in a block of instructions is assigned to a thread, a process, and/or an execution core of a processor, and to determine whether errors have occurred during the execution of the instructions.
US09880841B2
A computation method includes: obtaining one or more first performance values of one or more instructions in a specific code for each of a plurality of first combinations of behavior result of a cache memory when a plurality of accesses to a memory area are executed; obtaining a second combination of behavior result of the cache memory when the plurality of accesses are executed based on an execution result of behavior simulation of the cache memory for a case where a processor executes a program including the specific code; and computing, by a computer, a third performance value when the processor executes the specific code based on one or more second performance values of the one or more instructions corresponding to the second combination among the one or more first performance values when the second combination is included in the plurality of first combinations.
US09880839B2
A processor is described having an instruction execution pipeline. The instruction execution pipeline has an instruction fetch stage to fetch an instruction specifying multiple target resultant registers. The instruction execution pipeline has an instruction decode stage to decode the instruction. The instruction execution pipeline has a functional unit to prepare resultant content specific to each of the multiple target resultant registers. The instruction execution pipeline has a write-back stage to write back said resultant content specific to each of said multiple target resultant registers.
US09880836B2
A method for deploying a software program on a target computing device includes receiving late-binding configuration actions; combining the late-binding configuration actions with a target computing device-specific model to produce a final configuration model; and providing the final configuration model to the target computing device. The final configuration model is executed by the target computing device to configure the target computing device with the software program.
US09880835B2
Initialization status of a register to be used as a pointer to a reference data structure is used to determine how a stub is to be generated to access the reference data structure. The register is one type of pointer configuration to be used to access the reference data structure, which is used to resolve a symbol associated with a function of a program. An indication is obtained as to whether the register has been initialized with a reference data structure pointer. Based on obtaining the indication, a stub is generated that is to be used to access the function. The generating depends on whether the register has been initialized. If the register has not been initialized, then the stub is generated to include another type of pointer configuration to be used to access the reference data structure.
US09880834B2
A matching portion detector detects matching portions the respective contents of which match each other, in a source program. A similar portion detector detects, on the basis of the matching portions detected by the matching portion detector, similar portions each containing a part that matches a part of another similar portion and another part that does not match, and each satisfying a criterion, in the source program. A non-matching portion analyzer analyzes the similar portion detected by the similar portion detector, and outputs an index indicating a degree of similarity between the similar portion and another similar portion that partially match each other.
US09880829B2
A method in a first network device of performing a software update of a line card of a second network device without disruption to data traffic. The method includes causing a redundant control plane component of the second network device to be updated according to the software update. The method continues with causing the second network device to instantiate, based on the software update, a line card virtual machine (LC VM) as a redundant data plane component for the line card. The method further includes causing a third network device to forward data traffic to both the line card and the LC VM of the second network device, and causing the second network device to update the line card according to the software update while processing the received data traffic using the LC VM.
US09880828B2
Techniques for managing an upgrade operation comprising multiple upgrade process executing on multiple host machines (or hosts) for upgrading software applications on the multiple hosts. Techniques are disclosed for managing notifications that are generated by the multiple upgrade processes during execution, and more particular, techniques for reducing the number of notifications that are sent to a user. The techniques include: only sending a subset of the generated notifications to a user, the subset being selected at the host machines based upon notifications level criteria specified by the user for the host machines; consolidating multiple generated notifications into a fewer number of consolidated notifications and only sending consolidated notifications to the user; combination of criteria-based selection and notifications consolidation.
US09880825B1
A system for package management includes an interface and a processor. The interface is to receive an indication to install a package. The processor is to determine a configured package using a set local configuration properties and using the package and to launch, using a metascheduler, a set of subschedulers to install a plurality of applications of the configured package.
US09880823B1
This invention relates to a method and system for creating applications that can be executed on homogeneous big data platforms. The applications can be executed on a particular platform, such as SAPRK or UIMA-AS, but the method and system are able to translate the input to these targeted platforms without the developer needing to tailor the application specifically to the platform. The method and system are based on the use of an execution dependency graph and a cluster configuration. The execution dependency graph can include interdependencies in the data. Furthermore, the system optimizes for different analytics modules that have varying execution times. The output of the method is an application suitable for the target big data platform.
US09880822B2
Systems and methods for use in parallelization of computer program code are provided. One method includes determining line dependency data indicating a dependency of a plurality of lines of the sequential computer program code. The method further includes determining time data indicating a time required for the execution of a plurality of functions of the sequential computer program code and determining parallelizability of the sequential computer program code using the line dependency data and the time data. The method further includes generating parallel executable computer program code by inserting program instructions in the sequential computer program code based on the determined parallelizability. The step of generating the parallel executable computer program code includes identifying and routing at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of functions to different processors to achieve parallelization of sequential computer program code using the line data and time dependency data.
US09880813B2
Disclosed is an RTE code generating method including: extracting information of an application by analyzing a plurality of template files; analyzing an operation time for the information of the application with reference to a database of operation times for Run Time Environment (RTE) generation codes; and generating RTE code generation information for the application based on the analysis result. According to the present invention, application software in which operation timing and operation stability are secured can be developed by generating RTE code generation information for an application in consideration of an actual operation time of the application.
US09880802B2
A processing path may include a controller and a plurality of processing paths including a first processing path and a second processing path. The first path may be configured to generate a first digital signal based on an analog input signal and the second path may be configured to generate a second digital signal based on the analog input signal, wherein the first path has a lower gain and a higher noise floor than the second path. The controller may be configured to determine that a transition between the first path and the second path needs to occur based on the analog input signal crossing a threshold or a prediction that the input signal will cross the threshold and in response to determining the transition between the first path and the second path needs to occur, blend the transition during or near zero cross points of the analog input signal.
US09880799B1
A mobile communication device promoting an extendable display. The mobile communication device comprises a software application stored in a memory of the electronic device, when executed by a processor of the electronic device in response to detecting the second proximate display screen, communicates with the second display screen and ad hoc collaborates with the second display screen. The software application further adapts a graphic to display it on the first display screen and the second display screen, with one part of the graphic displayed on the first display screen and the rest of the graphic displayed on the second display screen, without displaying an opaque bar at an edge where display screens touch, wherein the graphic is scaled based on a size of the combined single display screen.
US09880792B2
A management system includes: a setting unit that performs administrator setting; a storage unit that stores therein administrator setting information, program information specifying a program corresponding to an image processing device, and customization information indicating how to change a setting of the program in accordance with an administrator setting; a generation unit that generates a program file based on the administrator setting information and the program information, and generates a customization file based on the administrator setting information and the customization information; and an installation control unit that installs the program in an information processing device based on the program file, and changes the setting of the program to adapt to the administrator setting based on the customization file.
US09880788B2
The assignment of data storage resources in a data storage arrangement having a plurality of pools, where each pool includes a plurality of data storage resources arranged in tiers, can be optimized. A gap analysis can be performed for each tier of each pool to determine that tier's excess capacity or demand. The effect of switching data storage resources between tiers of different pools can be modeled to determine the effect of the switch on excess capacity and demand. An improved arrangement of data storage resources in the tiers can be determined that reduces excess capacity and demand, from the modeling of the effect of switching data storage resources between pools. At least one data storage resource can be switched from the tier of the first pool to the tier of the second pool to match the determined improved arrangement of data storage resources.
US09880785B2
A measurement sampling facility takes snapshots of the central processing unit (CPU) on which it is executing at specified sampling intervals to collect data relating to tasks executing on the CPU. The collected data is stored in a buffer, and at selected times, an interrupt is provided to remove data from the buffer to enable reuse thereof. The interrupt is not taken after each sample, but in sufficient time to remove the data and minimize data loss.
US09880776B1
A backup storage system and methods implemented by the backup storage system are disclosed. The backup software performs a plurality of backup operations to backup one or more data objects according to a backup schedule. The backup operations may be alternated across a plurality of backup storage devices, and each of the backup operations may operate to store a respective backup data set on one of the backup storage devices. In performing the plurality of backup operations, the backup storage system may create the backup data sets such that each respective backup storage device can be used independently of the other backup storage device(s) to perform a complete recovery of the one or more data objects to any point in time that corresponds to any respective backup data set stored on the respective backup storage device.
US09880770B2
Techniques and systems are provided for tracking commands. Such methods and systems can include maintaining a meta page in a volatile memory to track commands. The meta page can comprise information associated with a non-volatile memory superblock. When an invalidation command is received for a first logical address, the first logical address can be stored along with an indication that the data associated with the first logical address is invalid, in a first location in the meta page.
US09880766B2
According to an embodiment, when data read from a first storage unit which is a backup source is not identical with data indicated by a first function, the read data is written to a second storage unit which is a backup destination. When the data read from the first storage unit is identical with the data indicated by the first function, the read data is not written to the second storage unit and a deletion notification is sent to the second storage unit.
US09880759B2
A data storage array may be made up of several storage devices, each of which may contain array metadata that may allow portions of the storage array to be used. A system may have a file system manager that may receive and respond to file system commands and a storage device manager that may store data on the several storage devices. Array metadata defining where data is stored within the storage array is stored on each device within the array. A policy engine may identify data to be stored on the array and determine if the data contains array metadata or other types of data and may store the data on every device, devices having specific characteristics, two or more devices, or one device.
US09880755B2
Techniques for improved copy on write functionality within an SSD are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for providing improved copy on write functionality within an SSD including providing, in memory of a device, an indirection data structure. The data structure may include a master entry for cloned data, the master entry having a reference to one or more indexes and a clone entry for the cloned data, the cloned entry having at least one of: a reference to a master index, a reference to a next index, and a value indicating an end of a data structure. The techniques may include traversing, using a computer processor, one or more copies of the cloned data using one or more of the references.
US09880753B2
Example data storage systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method identifies data to be written to a shared storage system that includes multiple storage nodes. The method communicates a write operation vote request to each of the multiple storage nodes. The write operation vote request is associated with a data write operation to write the identified data to the shared storage system. A positive response is received from at least a portion of the multiple storage nodes. The data write operation is initiated in response to receiving positive responses from a quorum of the storage nodes.
US09880751B2
There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for operating a cloud computing storage system. The cloud computing storage system allocates and manages virtual disks. A virtual disk provides a logical data storage. The cloud computing storage system divides data stored in the virtual disks into chunks and allocates the chunks to physical data storage devices. The cloud computing storage system monitors I/O access patterns and user requests to change data storage capacities and throughputs of the virtual disks in real time. The cloud computing storage system dynamically reconfigures an allocation of the chunks to the physical data storage devices.
US09880750B1
Described is an improved storage architecture. In a particular aspect an improved storage architecture with increased throughput to Ethernet storage modules due to elimination of data path handling from a main control CPU is set forth. Other method and apparatus are described therein, including a scalable Ethernet storage module particularly suited for usage with the improved storage architecture described herein.
US09880737B2
A system and method for automatically reconfiguring a keyboard layout display to facilitate entry of password characters. The system analyzes the password while setting it, and will save a required keyboard layout for each character. A method includes obtaining an encoded sequence of keyboard layouts mapped to a corresponding characters sequence of a user password, receiving input of a password character and determining whether the character input is correct. If the character entered is correct: decoding the keyboard layout sequence to obtain a correct keyboard layout associated with a next password character to be entered; and automatically displaying the correct keyboard layout associated with a next character to be entered; or if the character entered is not correct: decoding the keyboard layout sequence to obtain one of: a correct or incorrect keyboard layout associated with a next password character to be entered; and automatically displaying the correct or incorrect keyboard layout on the device.
US09880735B2
A device concurrently displays a background user interface and a first version of a notification associated with a first application. The device detects a first contact at a location that corresponds to the first version of the notification. In response to the detection, and upon a determination that the contact meets application-launching criteria, the device initiates a process to launch the first application. In response to the detecting, and upon a determination that the contact meets notification-expansion criteria, where the notification-expansion criteria require that the characteristic intensity of the contact meet a preview intensity threshold, the device displays a second version of the notification, where the second version of the notification has a size larger than the first version, includes expanded notification content that is not displayed in the first version, and is overlaid on the background user interface.
US09880728B2
Systems and methods for controlling a virtual interactive surface in a scene include a surface for displaying information and one or several virtual sensors positioned with respect to the surface. The virtual sensor includes data representing a geometric form, data representing a position in the scene, and data representing one or several trigger conditions. A data representation of the scene is captured and a determination whether a virtual sensor trigger condition is fulfilled is made, based on an analysis of the captured data representation in an area corresponding to the geometric form and position of the virtual sensor.
US09880727B2
In some examples, a gesture configuration component provides for different ways to interpret gestures made by a user to specify various parameters of control settings to modify system or application settings. For instance, a user may change display settings for one or more display devices, such as resolution, orientation, and display arrangements. Further, in some cases, the gesture configuration component may perform configuration changes while providing a live preview of the changes being made.
US09880707B2
Methods and system pertaining to displaying vehicle data parameters (VDP) are described. A vehicle service tool (VST) with a display can receive vehicle data messages or signals from a vehicle to receive the VDP. Some of the VDP can be associated with a PID. The VST can display VDP thresholds and indicators when a received VDP has breached a VDP threshold. The VST can determine being changed from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation or vice versa and responsively change the presentation of VDP graphs displayed by the display. The display can receive various inputs such as a drag-and-drop or pinch-and-expand input to alternatively change the presentation of the VDP graphs being displayed. Changing a VDP presentation of graphs can include resizing or repositioning one or more VDP graph windows including a VDP graph.
US09880689B2
Disclosed is a touch screen panel including: a touch sensing electrode; and a pixel part disposed on a bottom of the touch sensing electrodes, wherein the touch sensing electrode includes: sensing patterns which include first patterns formed in a first direction and second patterns formed in a second direction; bridge electrodes which electrically connect separated unit patterns of the second patterns; and at least one auxiliary pattern which is provided on a top or a bottom of at least one of the first patterns and second patterns, the pixel part includes a plurality of unit pixels, and the auxiliary patterns respectively satisfy Equation 1, thereby having excellent touch sensitivity due to significantly decreased resistance of a touch screen panel.
US09880687B2
A touch screen panel integrated display device includes a first substrate divided into a display area and a non-display area disposed outside the display area, a gate driving circuit positioned in the non-display area of the first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, detection electrodes formed on the second substrate, and electrode wires formed on the second substrate and electrically connected with the detection electrodes. The detection electrodes and the electrode wires are formed without overlapping the gate driving circuit.
US09880679B2
An electronic apparatus includes a display unit that displays predetermined information and an electrostatic capacitive touch panel unit through which display of the display unit passes and that determines a two-dimensional coordinate indicated by an instructing object which has some conductivity. In the electronic apparatus, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, a two-dimensional coordinate corresponding to the instructing object is caused to be effective and the effective two-dimensional coordinate is changed depending on movement of the instructing object, and when the effective two-dimensional coordinate is changed in a predetermined range for a predetermined time, the effective two-dimensional coordinate is caused to be ineffective.
US09880668B2
A method for identifying input information, an apparatus for identifying input information and an electronic device are provided. The method for identifying input information is applied to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a first panel and a second panel, and further includes a collimated light generator arranged on the first panel and two or more optical detection devices arranged on the first panel. In the method, firstly an information input operation is acquired; then a variation of shadow of the information input operation blocking collimated light beams generated by the collimated light generator is acquired via the optical detection device; and the input information corresponding to the information input operation is acquired according to the variation of shadow.
US09880667B2
A touch screen display device includes a first touch electrode, a second touch electrode and a conductive pattern. The first touch electrode receives a touch driving signal. The second touch electrode is positioned so as to be spaced apart from the first touch electrode. The conductive pattern is positioned so as to overlap with the first touch electrode, and receives a boost signal for boosting the touch driving signal. Accordingly, the touch driving signal is boosted, thereby improving touch sensitivity.
US09880666B2
A flexible display apparatus is provided. The flexible display apparatus includes: a display configured to display an object on a screen; an actuator configured to provide shape deformation to the display; and a controller configured to determine deformation information for reconfiguring and displaying the object, control the actuator to provide the shape deformation according to the determined deformation information, and control the display to reconfigure the displayed object and display the reconfigured object.
US09880665B2
The present disclosure relates to field of display technique and discloses a touch screen and a touch-sensitive apparatus to prevent light rays outside a display region of the touch-sensitive apparatus from being reflected toward the display region through a silver paste layer, thereby reducing a light leak of the touch-sensitive apparatus and thus improving display effect and yield rate thereof. The touch screen comprises a first transparent substrate layer and a first tin indium oxide layer and a silver paste layer formed on the first transparent substrate layer. The silver paste layer is electrically connected with the first tin indium oxide layer and arranged within a non-display region of the touch screen. The touch screen further comprises a shielding layer arranged on a side of the silver paste layer where the first transparent substrate layer is located and configured for shielding the silver paste layer.
US09880664B2
Noise in sensor panel measurements can be reduced using a common pixel correction algorithm. Noise can be introduced into touch or force sensor panel measurements, for example, by circuitry of a transmit (Tx) section or a receive (Rx) section coupled to one or more sensing nodes of a sensor panel. For example, a digital-to-analog converter in the transmit section or an analog-to-digital converter in the receive section can introduce low-frequency correlated noise. Additionally, transmit and receive sections can introduce uncorrelated noise into the system. Reference nodes, coupled between Tx and Rx sections, can sense correlated and uncorrelated noise from the Tx and Rx sections. The noise measured at reference nodes can be subtract from signals measured at other sensing nodes coupled to the same Rx channel. The measurement at the reference node can be scaled using a scaling parameter to account for differences between reference nodes and sensing nodes.
US09880663B2
A piezoelectric sensor with configurable sensitivity thresholds in response to at least one sensitivity threshold command received from a host (28) over a serial data bus (27). The piezoelectric sensor (2) is improved by configuring its microcontroller (26) such that after receiving the sensitivity threshold command, to continue using the at least one actual sensitivity threshold until the sensitivity threshold command has been completely processed and the sensitivity threshold register (30) has been updated by the microcontroller (26), and then to swap to using the updated sensitivity threshold register with the adjusted sensitivity thresholds, and after receiving the sensitivity threshold command, to discard any signals from all piezoelectric sensor elements (20) or at least from such piezoelectric sensor elements (20), to the sensitivity threshold of which the sensitivity threshold command relates, until the microcontroller (26) has completely processed the sensitivity threshold command and updated the sensitivity threshold register (30).
US09880656B2
An information terminal includes a first housing and a second housing interconnected for opening/ closure, a first display unit and a first touch panel stacked one upon the other on the first housing, and a second display unit and a second touch panel stacked one upon the other on the second housing. The information terminal also includes a detection unit which, in a closed state with the first and second display units superposed one upon the other and facing outwards, detects actuations on one of the first touch panel and the second touch panel that happens to be back-facing as seen from a user. The information terminal further includes a controller that controls an onscreen display on the first display unit or the second display unit that happens to be front-facing as seen from the user, based on information regarding the actuations detected by the detection unit.
US09880647B2
A stylus device for capacitive-based touch screens may include a hook or other attachment device that allows the stylus to attach to a user's glove, or another piece of a garment to reduce the likelihood of the stylus being lost. Such a stylus may be easily accessed by the user to provide input on a capacitive-based touch screen without removing the glove or other garment, such that work disruptions by the capacitive-based touch screen are reduced or minimized. For example, the stylus may have a hook sized to attach to a glove finger, in which the stylus can be quickly accessed with a twist of the wrist and then allowed to hang from the glove when the stylus is not in use, such as when a worker is operating equipment.
US09880645B2
In one embodiment, a stylus has one or more sensors that detect the movement of the stylus, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer. The stylus wirelessly transmits signals to a device based on the movement of the stylus.
US09880639B2
[Object] To provide a pointing system capable of presenting an intuitive operational feeling to a user.[Solving Means] A pointing device includes a casing, a tactile sense presentation section, and a sensor section. The sensor section detects an operation for the casing and outputs an operation signal for controlling a movement of a pointer on a screen. The control apparatus includes an area setting section and a signal generation section. The area setting section sets a first area that belongs to an inside of a display area of an object on the screen, a second area that belongs to an outside of the display area of the object, and a third area that belongs to a boundary portion between the first area and the second area. The signal generation section calculates a position of the pointer based on the operation signal to generate, when the pointer is located in the first area, a control signal by which the tactile sense presentation section is driven in a first drive mode and generates, when the pointer is located in the third area, a control signal by which the tactile sense presentation section is driven in a second drive mode.
US09880632B2
Systems, devices, and methods adapt established concepts from natural language processing for use in gesture identification algorithms. A gesture identification system includes sensors, a processor, and a non-transitory processor-readable memory that stores data and/or instructions for performing gesture identification. A gesture identification system may include a wearable gesture identification device. The gesture identification process involves segmenting signals from the sensors into data windows, assigning a respective “window class” to each data window, and identifying a user-performed gesture based on the corresponding sequence of window classes. Each window class exclusively characterizes at least one data window property and is analogous to a “letter” of an alphabet. Under this model, each gesture is analogous to a “word” made up of a particular combination of window classes.
US09880628B2
A system is provided that automatically converts an input into one or more haptic effects in near real-time. The system senses the input in near real-time. The system automatically converts the sensed input into one or more haptic signals in near real-time. The system generates the one or more haptic effects based on the one or more haptic signals.
US09880618B2
Systems, methods and apparatus for presenting information using idle time slot. In an aspect, when a standby or idle device detects that a user gazes at it, it starts showing contents on its display automatically. In another aspect, when a standby or idle device detects that a user shakes or taps on it, it starts gaze sensing. If the user gazes at the device, it begins to show contents automatically. The contents may include advertisements.
US09880614B2
An operating method for controlling a wearable electronic device is provided. The operating method obtains an environmental variable (which is indicative of the current environment) and determines an appearance variable (e.g., a user's favorite color) based on the environment variable, by referring to information about different appearances predetermined to be suitable for different environmental conditions. The operating method also generates a control signal for adjusting the appearance of at least one non-panel region of the wearable electronic device based on the appearance variable. This causes the adjusted appearance of the non-panel region of the wearable electronic device to change based on the current environment.
US09880612B2
An execution control apparatus detects a character process of a character variable included in a program. The character variable allocates a first memory region capable of storing a character code of a specific length to each of one, two, or more characters. When detecting a character process of a character variable, the execution control apparatus allocates a second memory region corresponding to the first memory region to each character. The execution control apparatus processes a character expressed by a second character code that is longer than the specific length, using the first and second memory regions.
US09880602B2
A mass data storage system includes a plurality of communicatively coupled storage drives powered by one or more power supplies. A power map defines the relationships between the storage drives and the power supplies and power rules/policies define the maximum permissible power load on each power supply at any point in time.
US09880599B1
A mechanism is provided for throttling power utilized by a set of power consumption devices using priority-aware power capping. Responsive to unassigned power budget remaining in the overall power budget after a minimum power budget value has been assigned to the child device based on an associated priority of the child device, an additional power budget value equal to a remaining priority-based exposed power demand value of the child device is assigned to the child device in response to the remaining unassigned power budget being greater than or equal to the remaining priority-based demanded power value thereby forming a total power budget for the child device. Responsive to design limitations of power distribution equipment in the data processing system or contractual limits of the data processing system being reached, a throttling is implemented by each child device based on the total power budget assigned to the child device.
US09880598B2
A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) device (200) for use in a PoE system is described. The PoE device (200) comprising a first PoE port (210) for connecting the device to an upstream PoE device or a central control unit, a second PoE port (220) for connecting the device to a downstream device or PoE device and a control unit (240) for controlling data (335) and/or power communication (400) between the first (210) and second (220) PoE port. The control unit (240) further comprises a first power input terminal (305) connected to the first PoE port (210) to receive electrical power (320) for powering the control unit (240).
US09880595B2
The present invention is notably directed to a cooling device, e.g., for computer hardware. The device comprises a deformable, outer chamber, having at least one thermally conducting section, the latter suited for thermally contacting a heat source of a computer hardware. The outer chamber is deformable upon a pressure increase therein. The cooling device further comprises at least one inner chamber nested in the outer chamber, the inner chamber expandable in volume upon a pressure increase therein. The invention is further directed to a computer hardware apparatus comprising such a cooling device, or stacks of such cooling devices paired with respective set of electronic components.
US09880594B2
A device structure includes a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a thermal conduction plane, at least one heat generating component thermally connected to the thermal conduction plane, and a first frame portion thermally connected to the thermal conduction plane and at least partially enclosing the at least one heat generating component. The thermal conduction plane thermally connects the at least one heat generating component to the first frame portion by way of a plurality of vias from a surface of the PCB to the thermal conduction plane.
US09880593B2
One embodiment provides an apparatus, including: a processor; a housing including a plurality of slots; and a single piece card retainer, comprising: a back surface; a front surface comprising a plurality of independent projections, wherein each of the plurality of independent projections is flexible and aligns with a slot of the plurality of slots; and at least two connection points that connect the single piece card retainer to the housing, where the single piece card retainer rotates about the at least two connection points to open and close with respect to the plurality of slots. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09880591B2
An electronic device and a display control method are provided that won't make a user's operation troublesome even if a cover component is arranged in the electronic device so that the user's experience is improved. The display control method includes obtaining a parameter that represents a separation level of a cover component separating from a first surface of the electronic device by one or more sensors arranged in the electronic device; determining first display content to be displayed on a display, according to the parameter; and displaying the first display content by the display.
US09880583B2
A low power autonomous peripheral operative to receive configuration or command data and to perform the designated operation(s) without interaction of a processor.
US09880579B2
A controller for controlling electrical devices in a dwelling is configured to display an energy-saving mode setting screen on a display that is a touch panel or the like in accordance with an operation by a user. Then, the controller is configured to receive a designation of a condition for an energy-saving control on the electrical devices in the dwelling on the energy-saving mode setting screen. Then, the controller is configured to set the respective energy-saving modes of the electrical devices via a home network based on the received condition.
US09880577B2
A system and method are disclosed for dynamically learning the optimum energy consumption operating condition for a building and monitor/control energy consuming equipment to keep the peak demand interval at a minimum. The dynamic demand limiting algorithm utilized employs two separate control schemes, one for HVAC loads and one for non-HVAC loads. Separate operating parameters can be applied to the two types of loads and multiple non-HVAC (control zones) loads can be configured. The algorithm uses historical peak demand measurements in its real-time limiting strategy. The algorithm continuously attempts to reduce peak demand within the user configured parameters. When a new peak is inevitable, the algorithm strategically removes and/or introduces loads in a fashion that limits the new peak magnitude and places the operating conditions within the user configured parameters. In an embodiment, the algorithm that examines the previous seven days of metering information to identify a peak demand interval. The system then uses real-time load information to predict the demand peak of the upcoming interval, and strategically curtails assigned loads in order to limit the demand peak so as not to set a new peak.
US09880576B2
A plurality of interactive electrical loads defines an aggregation connected with an electrical power grid. A scheduler generates a baseline power consumption schedule for the aggregation, determines frequency regulation capacity of the aggregation, and controls actual power consumption of the aggregation based on the baseline power consumption and an Automated Generation Control (AGC) signal of the electrical power grid to operate the aggregation as an ancillary frequency control device of the electrical power grid with the determined frequency regulation capacity. The controlling may comprise generating baseline dispatch signals for implementing the baseline consumption schedule, adjusting the baseline dispatch signals based on the AGC signal to generate adjusted dispatch signals, transmitting the adjusted dispatch signals to the plurality of interactive electrical loads defining the aggregation, and generating an AGC response log based on differences between the adjusted dispatch signals and the baseline dispatch signals.
US09880575B2
A power converter includes a power supply node, an output node, a plurality of driving units, a feedback unit, a comparator, and a control unit. Two or more of the plurality of driving units are configured to be activated or to be deactivated responsive to a plurality of control signals. The feedback unit is configured to provide a feedback voltage based on an output voltage at the output node. The comparator is configured to provide an indication signal. The control unit is configured to generate the plurality of control signals based on the indication signal. The control unit is configured to, through the plurality of control signals, increase or decrease a number of activated driving units of the plurality of driving units by one or more predetermined increments at a time.
US09880571B2
In a sanitary installation part (1) which, along with a functional unit (7), forms a flow volume regulator, it is proposed that a regulating element (13), which can be adjusted along an adjustment path, be coupled to a temperature-sensitive drive unit (15) such that different regulating positions of the regulating element (13) are set in dependence on the temperature of the medium flowing through the installation part (1), wherein the different regulating positions realize in each case different volume-flow dependencies (11, 12, 45, 48) and/or flow resistances.
US09880559B2
A method of and arrangement for monitoring the collection of plant material includes the following steps and apparatus for executing these steps, respectively: collecting plant location and attribute data with respect to plant material, before and/or during and/or after harvesting the plant material, providing the plant location and attribute data on a collecting vehicle adapted to collect the harvested plant material, moving the collecting vehicle to the harvested plant material based on the plant location data, collecting the harvested plant material, sensing attribute data of the harvested plant material before and/or during and/or after the collecting, and comparing the sensed attribute data with the plant attribute data and generating an output dependent on the result of the comparison.
US09880556B2
A system and method for testing a test vehicle or a system on the test vehicle for warning the presence of an object proximate the test vehicle or a system to avoid a collision includes a self-powered, independently movable target configured to be positioned proximate the test vehicle, the target comprising a support frame having wheels, a motor operably coupled to one or more wheels, brakes operably coupled to each wheel and a control system coupled to the motor, brakes and wheels and configured to control acceleration, braking and steering of the wheels, and a collision avoidance system operable with the control system and configured to control the target to avoid a collision with the test vehicle.
US09880551B2
The proposed method outlines a new control mechanism well-suited for small, unmanned aerial vehicles traversing in a GPS-denied areas. It has the strong advantage of simplifying the interface, so that even an untrained operator can handle the difficult, dynamic problems encountered in closed quarters. The proposed system seamlessly integrates point-and-click control with way-point navigation, in an intuitive interface. An additional advantage of the proposed system is that it adds minimal hardware to the payload of the UAV, and can possibly, strongly diminish the bandwidth and delay effects of the communication channel.
US09880540B2
A user interface system for a process plant includes a graphic display editor to configure a process graphic display having a graphic display element representative of a process plant element of the process plant. The process graphic display is specified via configuration information set forth in a declarative language. A graphics rendering engine generates a depiction of the process graphic display during runtime based on commands derived from the configuration information set forth in the declarative language. The configuration information for the process graphic display may be stored as an object, which, for instance, may include first and second portions to define a graphical parameter and identify a data source, respectively. The graphical parameter may be directed to defining a graphical depiction of the process plant element and, to this end, may be set forth in a formal in accordance with the declarative language. The data source may specify a location or path for data indicative of on-line operation of the process plant element to be displayed via the graphical depiction.
US09880534B2
An occupancy sensor is disclosed including a passive infrared (PIR) sensing element, a temperature sensing element, and a processor. The processor receives temperature signals from the temperature sensing element and configures the occupancy sensor into a selected operating mode based the received temperature signal. The operating mode may be associated with a predetermined sensing threshold of the PIR sensing element. The processor controls an associated load based on the selected operating mode and the received occupancy signals. The occupancy sensor can alternatively include an occupancy sensing element and a photodetector. Based on the amount of light detected by the photodetector over time, the occupancy sensor can calculate a rough estimate of time of day, and can automatically adjust one or more sensing and/or operational characteristics based on that time of day determination. A photosensor may implement daylight harvesting based on different light levels associated with different times of day.
US09880532B2
Described herein is a method for controlling a network-type actuator module, and provides a method for controlling a plurality of network-type actuator modules which are connected to a main controller through a multi-drop scheme including the steps of: the main controller transmitting to the actuator module one instruction packet comprising a plurality of IDs; and an actuator module, which corresponds to the ID, transmitting a status packet to the main controller, wherein the actuator module transmits the status packet according to the order of the ID, which is expressed on the instruction packet. Accordingly, unlimited information required from the plurality of actuators can be read from a single transmission of the packet instruction by flexibly expanding limitations due to limitations on the length of each field in accordance with an instruction set and a definition of a parameter.
US09880519B2
A transfer apparatus includes a transfer unit, a detector, a supplying unit, and a controller. The transfer unit transfers a toner image onto an object onto which transfer is to be performed. The detector detects humidity. The supplying unit includes a constant voltage supplying unit that supplies a transfer voltage that is a constant voltage to the transfer unit, and a constant current supplying unit that supplies a transfer current that is a constant current to the transfer unit. The controller controls the supplying unit such that the transfer voltage is supplied from the constant voltage supplying unit to the transfer unit when transfer is performed in a case where the detected humidity is not greater than a threshold, and the transfer current is supplied from the constant current supplying unit to the transfer unit when transfer is performed in a case where the detected humidity exceeds the threshold.
US09880515B2
In a case where a developer bottle is not attached to a bottle attachment portion, a movable support portion is kept to be at a support position, by an elastic force of a second spring, at which to support the bottle attachment portion to be higher than a reference level in position. In a case where the developer bottle is attached to the bottle attachment portion, a movable arm portion extending from the movable support portion toward an attachment space contacts the developer bottle and is displaced to outside the attachment space, which causes the movable support portion to be displaced from the support position to a release position at which to release a support of the bottle attachment portion. A control portion prohibits an image forming process when the position of the bottle attachment portion is not equal to or lower than the reference level.
US09880513B2
In an image forming apparatus provided with a cover opening and closing mechanism, a cover opening and closing mechanism includes a button, an operating pin, and a belt-like elastic body that takes a first posture and a second posture, both of which have shape stability, by a snap-through buckling phenomenon. The belt-like elastic body takes the first posture in a state in which the cover has been closed and prevents the operating pin from being pressed to a side of the image forming apparatus body, and is pushed by a pushing operation of the button to take the second posture, operates the operating pin to be pressed to the side of the image forming apparatus body, and opens the cover by reaction force thereof.
US09880508B2
A drive transmission device includes a first rotary body coupled to a drive source, a second rotary body that receives a drive force transmitted from the drive source, a coupling that couples the first rotary body and the second rotary body, and a spring that presses the coupling toward the second rotary body. Each of the first rotary body and the second rotary body includes a plurality of grooves. The coupling has axially opposed first end and second end coupled to the first rotary body and the second rotary body, respectively. The coupling includes a plurality of couplers on a circumferential surface of each of the first end and the second end. The plurality of couplers are axially movable into and out of the plurality of grooves of each of the first rotary body and the second rotary body. The coupling has a spherical end face at the second end.
US09880507B2
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit; an image forming unit; a conveying unit; sheet detectors disposed on a conveyance path to detect a sheet; a sheet ejection unit which, if a jam occurs on the conveyance path, ejects a remaining sheet on the conveyance path after a sheet that has caused the jam is removed; and a control unit which stores, in a storage unit, information representing a confirmed section of the conveyance path, the confirmed section being a section confirmed to have no remaining sheet as a result of ejection of the remaining sheet, and which, if one of the sheet detectors detects a first sheet that has reached the confirmed section after recovery from the jam, allows the sheet feeding unit to feed second and subsequent sheets.
US09880505B2
A sheet feeding device includes: a main assembly; a holding unit detachably mountable to the main assembly; a portion-to-be-engaged provided on the main assembly; a rotatable member, provided in the holding unit, for feeding a sheet; and a guiding member for guiding feeding of the sheet. The guiding member is provided in the holding unit and includes an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged. The guiding member is movable between an engaging position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are engaged with each other to guide the sheet and a guiding position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are disengaged from each other to guide demounting and mounting of the holding unit.
US09880504B2
Provided is an image forming apparatus including a storage portion that stores liquid developer where toner is dispersed in a carrier liquid, an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording medium with the liquid developer supplied from the storage portion, a recovery path that recovers the liquid developer from the image forming portion and returns the liquid developer to the storage portion, a dispersing mechanism that is provided in the recovery path and disperses recovered liquid developer by causing the recovered liquid developer to pass through a net member, and a replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer or the carrier liquid on the net member at least while the image forming portion does not form an image.
US09880499B2
A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
US09880498B2
An image formation apparatus includes: one or more image formation units; one or more heaters; a first voltage converter which generates a direct first voltage based on an alternating external input voltage inputted from outside of the first voltage converter; a second voltage converter which generates an alternating second voltage based on the first voltage, the second voltage supplying alternating-current power to the one more heaters; a third voltage converter which generates a third voltage based on the first voltage, the third voltage being used to drive at least the one or more heaters; a controller which performs an operation control of reducing power consumption in at least the one or more heaters when the external input voltage decreases to a range of a first threshold or lower and higher than a second threshold and/or when a load change of the first voltage converter is lower than a third threshold.
US09880488B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; an electric charging device charging the photoconductor; an exposure device exposing a portion of the photoconductor charged by the electric charging device to light based on image information, to form an electrostatic latent image; a first charge eliminating device emitting light to the photoconductor so as to eliminate an electric charge on a surface of the photoconductor; a second charge eliminating device emitting light to the photoconductor so as to eliminate an electric charge on a surface of the photoconductor, a wavelength of the light emitted by the first charge eliminating device being different from a wavelength of the light emitted by the second charge eliminating device; and a controller selectively operating the first and second charge eliminating devices depending on an image content of the electrostatic latent image in an image forming process.
US09880485B2
An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of image forming units that respectively form an image, and a plurality of voltage generation circuits that respectively generate voltages for driving the plurality of image forming units. Each of the plurality of voltage generation circuits comprises a voltage generation circuit having a transformer, and generates a voltage by a switching operation that is driven by changing an input voltage of primary side of the transformer, an oscillation circuit that generates a clock signal of a frequency that becomes a reference frequency of the switching operation and a setting unit that sets the frequency of the clock signal that the oscillation circuit generates. The setting units of the plurality of voltage generation circuits set the frequencies of the respective clock signals.
US09880480B2
An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles containing a binder resin and a release agent and an external additive containing fatty acid metal salt particles and abrasive particles, wherein a ratio (B/A) of an isolation amount B of the abrasive particles isolated from the toner particles after an ultrasonic isolation treatment to an isolation amount A of the fatty acid metal salt particles isolated from the toner particles after the ultrasonic isolation treatment is from 0.3 to 2.0.
US09880464B2
According to one embodiment, an imprint pattern forming method includes providing a substrate with a pattern formation region and a peripheral region, the peripheral region having a surface lower than a surface of the pattern formation region, located at a periphery of the pattern formation region. The method includes forming an auxiliary pattern with a predetermined height on at least a portion of the peripheral region, providing a resist layer on at least the pattern formation region, and imprinting the resist layer using a template by locating the template in a region which includes a portion of the pattern formation region and a portion of the peripheral region.
US09880463B2
A method of performing an imprint process on each of a plurality of shot regions of a substrate, wherein each shot region includes at least one of at least one valid chip area and at least one invalid chip area, the invalid chip area including an inhibited area in which resin coating is inhibited, the imprint process for a shot region including both the invalid chip area and the valid chip area includes coating the valid chip area of the shot region with the resin, bringing a pattern surface of a mold into contact with the resin, and curing the resin, and in the step of coating, at least the inhibited area of the invalid chip area is not coated with the resin.
US09880457B2
Apparatus for the automatic positioning of at least two, or for the automatic selection from at least three cameras (K), coupled for three-dimensional image recording, including a device for distance measurement (EM), which is configured to measure the distances of relevant points (0) in the object space (OR) relative to the recording apparatus (A) and to supply corresponding output signals, wherein the relevant points (0) can be selected manually or automatically; a computer unit (RE), which is configured to calculate the parameters such as stereo base, swivel angle, correction parameters and internal parameters of the cameras (K) and/or a positioning device (P), to adjust the cameras (K) depending on the calculated parameters; and a switching apparatus (S), which together with the computer unit (RE) can form a single unit which can effect a selection of camera bundles depending on the size of the stereo base.
US09880453B2
A projector laser light source includes two laser point sources, two lens groups, a color wheel, a reflector, a yellow reflector, a green reflector, and an integration rod. The color wheel includes a yellow phosphor layer, a reflective layer, and a green phosphor layer. The integration rod collects light focused on a third position. The positions of yellow phosphor layer and the reflective layer respectively correspond to a fourth position in a first timing and a second timing. Laser emitted by the laser point sources is focused on the third position and the fourth position by two optical Fourier transforms performed by the lens groups, and the laser point sources and the lens groups are combined with the specially designed optical configuration of the green phosphor layer, the reflector, the yellow reflector, and the green reflector. Therefore, two sets of three primary light sources are focused on the third position.
US09880428B2
According to one embodiment, a display device includes a first substrate including a first pixel electrode disposed in a red color pixel, a second pixel electrode disposed in a green color pixel, and a third pixel electrode disposed in a blue color pixel, a second substrate including a common electrode having a first slit opposed to the first pixel electrode, a second slit opposed to the second pixel electrode, and a third slit opposed to the third pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein at least one of an area and an area ratio of the third slit is greater than that of the first slit and the second slit.
US09880425B2
A smart window, and production method therefor, uses glass beads made from glass material instead of a polymer matrix of the conventional smart window. This makes the liquid crystal's size, shape and arrangement constant by placing the liquid crystal outside the glass beads, thereby securing high stability and chemical resistance, avoiding haze, having low operating voltage, and having improved optical, for example, broad variable range of light transmittance between OFF (light impermeable) and ON (light permeable) states.
US09880424B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a sealant and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes a switching element and a pixel electrode. The second substrate includes a first organic insulating film in which a first trench portion is formed, a projection formed beneath the first organic insulating film, and a first barrier layer. The first barrier layer is formed continuously from an inside of the first trench portion to under the projection.
US09880419B2
Provided is an optical laminate for a front surface of an in-cell touch panel liquid crystal element in which the thickness can be reduced while necessary functions are ensured, and a liquid crystal screen becoming cloudy can be prevented.The optical laminate for a front surface of an in-cell touch panel liquid crystal element comprises a phase difference plate, a polarizing film, and a surface protective film in this order, and further comprises a conductive layer. The surface protective film has optical anisotropy that scatters linear polarized light emitted from the polarizing film, and a thickness of the optical laminate is in a range of 90 μm to 450 μm.
US09880411B2
A display device includes a substrate, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate, where the thin film transistor includes a drain electrode, a passivation layer disposed on the substrate covering the thin film transistor, a common electrode disposed on the passivation layer, where the common electrode receives a common voltage, a liquid crystal layer disposed in a microcavity layer on the common electrode, a roof layer disposed covering the liquid crystal layer, and a pixel electrode disposed on the roof layer, and a method of manufacturing the display device is provided.
US09880405B2
An optical modulator is described. This optical modulator may be implemented using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. In particular, a semiconductor layer in an SOI platform may include a photonic crystal having a group velocity of light that is less than that of the semiconductor layer. Moreover, an optical modulator (such as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer) may be implemented in the photonic crystal with a vertical junction in the semiconductor layer. During operation of the optical modulator, an input optical signal may be split into two different optical signals that feed two optical waveguides, and then subsequently combined into an output optical signal. Furthermore, during operation, time-varying bias voltages may be applied across the vertical junction in the optical modulator using contacts defined along a lateral direction of the optical modulator.
US09880401B2
Techniques and mechanisms for providing access to an accommodation-capable eye-mountable device via a user interface of an auxiliary device. In an embodiment, the user interface provides prompts for a user of the eye-mountable device to perform various viewing actions, where the eye-mountable device receives from the auxiliary device communications indicating respective times of the viewing actions. Based on the communications, the eye-mountable device generates configuration information indicating a correspondence of respective states of the eye-mountable device to respective characteristics of the viewing actions. In another embodiment, operational modes of the eye-mountable device are defined based on the configuration information.
US09880381B2
A varifocal-type optical scanning probe including an optical fiber scanner and a varifocal lens is provided. The varifocal lens includes: a first membrane lens comprising a first lens surface with a variable curvature and a first pressure surface configured to induce a curvature variation of the first lens surface; a second membrane lens including a second lens surface with a variable curvature and a second pressure surface configured to induce a curvature variation of the second lens surface; a first pressure member disposed to apply a pressure to the first pressure surface; a second pressure member disposed to apply a pressure to the second pressure surface; and a motor configured to transmit a driving force to at least one of the first pressure member and the second pressure member.
US09880377B1
A system microscopy system and method that enable obtaining high resolution 3D images in a single shot are presented. The system is an ultra-high speed, real time multi wavelength phase shift interference microscopy system that uses three synchronized color CCD cameras. Each CCD is equipped with a precision achromatic phase mask which in turn allows obtaining π/2 phase shifted signals in three different wavelengths simultaneously.
US09880369B2
This document discloses novel conduits for telecommunications lines, such as optical fibers. In an aspect, a conduit might have a body defining one or more channels into which optical fibers can be inserted. In another aspect, the body might have a first face that is substantially planar and a second face opposing the first face. The second face might a low-rise arc profile and/or might be configured to be installed into a depression in a material. Also disclosed are methods and tools for installing, using, and/or removing such conduit.
US09880355B2
The present relates to a spatially modulated cladding mode stripper and to an optical fiber comprising a spatially modulated cladding mode stripper. The spatially modulated cladding mode stripper comprises a series of alternating high cladding light extracting regions and low cladding light extracting regions located along a portion of a cladding to modulate extracting of cladding light therefrom.
US09880346B2
A light guide plate includes a light guide layer and a metal reflective layer. The light guide layer has a light emitting surface, a bottom surface and a light incident surface. The light incident surface is located between the light emitting surface and the bottom surface. The metal reflective layer is coated on the bottom surface of the light guide layer. Additionally, an average reflectance of the metal reflective layer for light in a wavelength range of 400 to 550 nanometers is greater than an average reflectance of the metal reflective layer for light in a wavelength range of 550 to 700 nanometers.
US09880345B2
A lighting module may be provided that includes: a first and a second light source units which are disposed to face each other; a first case in which the first light source unit is disposed; a second case in which the second light source unit is disposed; a first plate of which one side is connected to the first case, of which the other side is connected to the second case and which includes a first hole through which light emitted from the first and the second light source units passes; a second plate which is disposed to face the first plate and includes a second hole through which the light emitted from the first and the second light source units passes; and a first and a second optical sheets which are disposed on the first and the second plates.
US09880337B2
Disclosed herein is an optical fiber assembly comprising a launching fiber having a receiving end and a transmitting end; an illuminating fiber having a receiving end and a transmitting end; where the receiving end of the launching fiber is operative to receive light from a light source and the transmitting end of the launching fiber is operative to transmit light to the receiving end of the illuminating fiber; where the launching fiber contacts the illuminating fiber in a manner so as to be offset from a center of a cross-sectional area of the illuminating fiber; and where the launching fiber has a diameter that is ⅛ to ½ of a diameter of the illuminating fiber; and a lens that is operative to contact the transmitting end of the illuminating fiber.
US09880335B2
A light source unit includes a light source configured to emit a light, a first case including a first groove configured to receive the light source therein, a first sealing member disposed in the first groove and covering the light source, a second case disposed on the first case and including a first opening portion overlapping with the first groove, and a quantum dot member disposed between the first case and the second case and including a light conversion area configured to convert the light to a white light and a defect area surrounding the light conversion area. The first opening portion is disposed through the second case, a portion of the light conversion area overlaps with the first opening portion and the first groove, and the light source unit is configured such that the white light exits therefrom through the first opening portion.
US09880333B2
There is provided a display device including a lens which guides light from a light source to a display surface, and a compensation member, having an inside surface opposite to a lens surface of the lens divided into a plurality of two-dimensional regions, in which a direction of an advance axis or a delay axis is controlled for each of the regions.
US09880323B2
Method of production of a photochromic composite material, in which, starting from a photochromic ruthenium complex with nitrosyl ligand, with a silica matrix by a sol-gel process or with a biodegradable matrix, in particular of starch or of agar-agar, so that the photochromic ruthenium complex with nitrosyl ligand, in the crystalline state and in the form of nanoparticles, is inserted into the nanopores of the matrix.
US09880319B2
Techniques for calculating metrics for reservoir quality based on light oil and total organic carbon in tight oil reservoirs are described. The techniques include calculating quantities of light oil and total organic carbon from logging data and generating therefrom a continuous log for reservoir quality metric. Additionally new reservoir quality indices are presented that more accurately predict reservoir quality in tight oil plays.
US09880315B2
A system and associated method for isolating intended radiation signals for determining target characteristics includes multiple detectors for detecting radiation signals having varying energies, delay modules for delaying the detected radiation signals and a discriminator associated with the multiple detectors for determining if detected radiation signals include unintended radiation signals, e.g., x-rays, and provided blanking signals to a switch in order to effectively remove the unintended radiation signals from the data that is presented to the processor for determining target characteristics.
US09880314B2
The present specification describes methods and systems for inspecting objects by means of penetrating radiation where objects are conveyed through the penetrating radiation and subsequent images of objects are reviewed by an operator. Specifically, the present specification describes a system that decouples the synchronization between cessation of image generation on the display and image acquisition through conveyance of the article. Further, the present specification discloses methods for compensating for image acquisition inefficiencies involving article separation by the queuing conveyor and the post-stop back belt process, resulting in throughput enhancement.
US09880313B2
A system and apparatus for configuring a well logging assembly having an elongate sub with a bore therethrough, a leading end connection and a trailing end connection, a plurality of sets of recesses in an exterior wall of the sub to receive a plurality of sets of inserts, each having a threaded exterior surface, a plurality of internally threaded retainer rings, and a plurality of well logging devices securable to the exterior wall of the sub using the retainer rings to threadably engage the inserts received in the recesses. The system enables convenient configuration and reconfiguration of the well logging assembly by enabling convenient securing of a first well logging instrument to the sub at a variety of spacings from a second well logging instrument to provide a variety of depths of investigation into a geologic formation penetrated by a drill string containing the well logging assembly.
US09880312B2
A system for spectral induced polarization measurement of a formation is provided. The system provides an intelligent module to be utilized in performing spectral induced polarization (SIP) measurements for geophysical studies or otherwise. The system includes a instrument that includes a housing configured to be inserted into a surface opening. The housing houses a signal generator that generates an excitation signal. A drive electrode directs the excitation signal into the material adjacent the housing. A plurality of electrodes sense the voltage and/or current in the material adjacent the housing and a processor processes the sensed voltage and/or current to measure a property of the material. The system also provides a configuration in which a plurality of instruments configured for spectral induced polarization measurements are interconnected to provide communication, synchronization, a common reference signal or power.
US09880309B2
A high-Q human-portable, battery-powered self-correcting tunable resonator in a transmitter apparatus for inducing alternating currents of high quality in buried conductors to facilitate their location is disclosed. The transmitter apparatus may employ an FET-driven capacitive tuning circuit and a coil design that achieves high precision, high-quality transmission signals, and which may be equipped with a high-voltage booster for facilitating fault-localization applications.
US09880291B2
The invention relates to a detecting unit for detecting ionizing radiation. The device comprises a converter unit for the amplification of ionizing radiation and a read-out unit, wherein the converter unit comprises a converter and a gas-electron multiplier, wherein said converter comprises a substrate with an ionizing radiation-receiving major surface and an electron-emitting major surface and a stack of accelerator plates in contact with the electron-emitting major side, wherein said stack comprises a plurality of perforated accelerator plates wherein the perforations of the perforated accelerator plates are aligned to form a matrix of blind holes.
US09880287B2
A method of imaging analyte elements in an organic sample includes providing the sample as a layer on a substrate and reacting the sample on the substrate to produce one or more volatile products that leave the sample while the one or more elements remain in the sample. A majority of the sample layer by weight is removed from the substrate by the reaction and the remaining sample layer is enriched in the one or more elements which are not spatially disturbed by the reaction. The method including subsequently detecting the one or more elements in the concentrated sample layer using an imaging elemental analyzer.
US09880286B2
A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) chipset embedded within the cellular device is accessed. The GNSS chipset calculates raw pseudoranges. The raw pseudoranges are extracted from the GNSS chipset for processing elsewhere in the cellular device outside of the GNSS chipset. A position fix is determined based on the raw pseudoranges. Locally measured cellular device movement information is obtained from at least one sensor that is in a known physical relationship with the cellular device. The locally measured cellular device movement information is applied to the position fix.
US09880277B2
For synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing, a SAR receives a plurality of SAR signals. The SAR generates a piecewise approximation of the plurality of SAR signals over a coherent processing interval. The piecewise approximation may mitigate phase reflection components of each SAR signal. The SAR further generates an estimate of the scene from the piecewise approximation.
US09880270B2
A test device includes a plurality of transceivers that respectively transmit a wave to a test target point of a test object, respectively receive a wave reflected, scattered, or refracted from the test object, and respectively output a signal generated in response to the received wave; a combiner that combines the plurality of received signals generated by the plurality of transceivers; and a plurality of switches that are opened or closed to transfer the plurality of received signals to the combiner or block the plurality of received signals from being transferred to the combiner.
US09880268B2
A method is presented for correcting errors in a 3D scanner. Measurement errors in the 3D scanner are determined by scanning each of a plurality of calibration objects in each of a plurality of sectors in the 3D scanner's field of view. The calibration objects have a known height, a known width, and a known length. The measurements taken by the 3D scanner are compared to the known dimensions to derive a measurement error for each dimension in each sector. An estimated measurement error is calculated based on scans of each of the plurality of calibration objects. When scanning target objects in a given sector, the estimated measurement error for that sector is used to correct measurements obtained by the 3D scanner.
US09880252B2
A method of calibrating and debugging a testing system is provided. First, values of different electrical path segments are calibrated, and parameters of the electrical path segments while being calibrated are saved. After calibration, electrical tests can be processed on a DUT. If the testing system malfunctions, the values of the electrical path segments are calibrated again to compare the current parameters to the previously saved parameters. The component which goes wrong can be found out quickly in this way.
US09880251B2
Disclosed herein are cerebrospinal diffusion phantoms which include a housing having a shape and size configured for insertion into a magnetic resonance coil in one or more preselected poses. A scaffold support structure is mounted on an interior of said housing and a plurality of elongated diffusion mimicking members supported on the support array. The elongated diffusion mimicking members are affixed to the scaffold support structure such that elongated diffusion mimicking members extend in directions needed to substantially emulate a 3 dimensional arrangement of cerebrospinal diffusion fiber tracts in a living organism; as well as modules for elimination of resolution based-bias, angular accuracy evaluation, diffusion rate calibration, and quality assurance image referencing. Each elongated diffusion mimicking member includes an aqueous component which can undergo diffusion along the elongated diffusion mimicking member. The phantom includes a cerebrospinal tissue mimic matrix material contained in the housing enveloping the array of elongated diffusion mimicking members. The housing is made of a material whose magnetic susceptibility substantially matches that of the cerebrospinal mimic matrix material.
US09880243B2
A method includes applying a pulse train to a spin system in a scanner. The pulse train has a plurality of discontinuities in a time domain. The method includes receiving a response from the spin system. The response corresponds to a gated signal. The method includes accessing a correction factor corresponding to the scanner. The method includes calculating a correction to the response based on the correction factor. The method includes generating an output based on the correction.
US09880241B2
A patch resonator for nuclear magnetic resonance device includes a ground plane, a conductive element, a dielectric element positioned between the ground plane and the conductive element, the resonator being able to transmit a circularly polarized radiofrequency signal when the resonator is supplied by a first transmission line connected to the conductive element via a first connection point and able to receive alternatively a radiofrequency signal circularly polarized in the opposite direction when the resonator is connected to a second transmission line via a second connection point, the resonator including a switch mounted in parallel on each transmission line at a distance from the ground plane corresponding to (2n+1)λ/4 with n a natural integer, and λ the wavelength of the guided wave in the transmission line at the operating frequency of the resonator, the switch making it possible to electrically connect/disconnect the transmission lines from the conductive element.
US09880238B2
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) receiver includes a receiver coil on a substrate. The receiver coil includes one or more capacitors. The construction of the capacitors allows for the use of very flexible substrates and allows the capacitors themselves to be highly flexible. The increased flexibility permits the MRI receiver to be conformed to the body of a patient and accordingly improves the MRI process.
US09880231B2
A gear detection switch apparatus may include a detection unit into which a magnetization target is inserted at a front part thereof, the detection unit having a printed circuit board (PCB), a front housing having an open front end and into which the detection unit is inserted so that a frontal end of the PCB is exposed through the open front end, a rear housing connected to a rear side of the front housing, wherein a connection boundary between the front and rear housings is molded with a molding material, a Hall sensor device coupled to the exposed frontal end of the PCB, and a finishing closure molded over the open front end of the front housing.
US09880227B2
An electrical device includes a memory storing a value indicative the remaining available rated capacity of one or more batteries. The stored value is changed in use to reflect reducing capacity. The initial stored value is chosen so that there is a very high (e.g. >99.9%) confidence that the one or more batteries will provide at least the capacity indicated by the initial stored value. This reduces the chance of failure during emergency procedures. The one or more batteries may be integral to the electrical device. An override facility is provided.
US09880225B2
This battery state determination device (10) is provided with: a voltage detection unit (13) that detects the voltage (V) of a rechargeable battery (M) to be evaluated; a current detection unit (12) that detects the current of the rechargeable battery (M); a charge state detection unit (11) that detects the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery (M); and a determination unit (11) configured so as to calculate the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G), which indicates the change in voltage with respect to the discharge amount (Ah), when the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery (M) is less than 40%, compare the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G) to a pre-set upper limit value (Gmax), and, when the absolute value of the voltage gradient (G) is greater than the upper limit value (Gmax), determine that a small short circuit has occurred in the rechargeable battery (M).
US09880223B2
A method of estimating stator resistance of an induction motor is provided. The method includes applying voltage pulses through two phase paths of the motor for a plurality of electrical cycles to inject current in the motor, wherein the voltage pulses are applied until rotor flux of the motor is substantially stabilized and measuring stator voltage and stator current in response to the applied voltage pulses for each of the plurality of electrical cycles. The method also includes calculating the stator resistance based upon the measured stator voltages and the stator currents.
US09880220B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of detecting edge cracks in a die under test is provided. The method includes the following operations: receiving a command signal; providing power from the command signal; providing a response signal based on the command signal; and self-destructing based on the command signal.
US09880209B2
An input device comprises a first plurality of sensor electrodes, a second plurality of sensor electrodes, and a processing system. The processing system comprises a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, and a central controller. The first integrated circuit is coupled to the first plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to receive first resulting signals therewith. The second integrated circuit is coupled to the second plurality of sensor electrodes and configured to receive second resulting signals therewith. The central controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second integrated circuits. The central controller is configured to receive the first resulting signals from the first integrated circuit and the second resulting signals from the second integrated circuit and is configured to determine positional information from the first resulting signals and the second resulting signals and to communicate the positional information to a host processor.
US09880208B2
A technique is provided for determining information about efficiency of an inductive charging system having a primary coil embedded in a road infrastructure and a secondary coil located in a vehicle moving on the road infrastructure. A first inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to the road infrastructure is determined from a total efficiency depending on a second inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to a position of the secondary coil relative to the primary coil and of a third inductive coupling efficiency component attributed to an electric circuit comprising the secondary coil.
US09880190B2
A method and apparatus for monitoring the structural health of a stock of columns such as lighting columns and/or columns within that stock each of which is connected to receive power from an external source or otherwise. The method comprises the steps of locating on an upper surface of each or a plurality of columns within the stock to be monitored a micro controller connected to receive power from the electrical source of the respective column. The micro controller includes an electronic chip or board which includes, in circuit, an accelerometer, a Wi-Fi/RF or 3G/4G component or the like and a global positioning system (GPS) component or the like. The micro controller is operable to detect and monitor the magnitude and direction of forces imposed on the respective column and the direction from which such forces are derived, and to transmit the received data to a remote server for analysis.
US09880182B2
An automatic analysis device is provided with a reagent container disk, a reagent loader (6), a reagent loader position sensor, an RFID antenna, a memory unit, a reagent loading switch (26), and reagent load position LEDs (21-25). The reagent loader (6) has a plurality of slots for inserting reagent containers (4) and moves between the outside and the reagent container disk. The reagent load position LEDs (21-25) display determination results for each slot indicating whether the reagent accommodated in the reagent container inserted into the slot or the slot can be used on the basis of the presence of a reagent container in the slot and the reagent state of the inserted reagent or the state of the slot.
US09880180B2
Provided are methods of detecting the presence or amount of a vitamin D metabolite in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally are directed to ionizing a vitamin D metabolite in a sample and detecting the amount of the ion to determine the presence or amount of the vitamin D metabolite in the sample. Also provided are methods to detect the presence or amount of two or more vitamin D metabolites in a single assay.
US09880176B2
The invention relates to a method for detecting the binding of an antibody to an Fc receptor present on the surface of a cell as well as to a method for determining the level of glycosylation of an antibody.The invention also relates to a reagent kit for carrying out these methods.
US09880175B2
Methods are disclosed for identifying one or more proteins or polypeptides comprised by a sample. The methods comprise determining binding of each polypeptide with respect to each binding pool of a plurality of binding pools, wherein each binding pool comprises one or more probes which bind a structure comprised by a protein or polypeptide. In some aspects, polypeptides can be denatured and separated into individual polypeptide strands and immobilized on a solid support prior to determining binding of the binding pools. A protein, polypeptide or polypeptide strand can be identified by searching, in at least one database, for a protein or polypeptide sequence comprising binding pool targets either identical to or most similar to the binding pool targets comprised by the protein, polypeptide or polypeptide strand to be identified. Kits for identifying proteins, polypeptides and polypeptide strands are also disclosed.
US09880171B2
Described herein are methods of evaluating metastatic potential of a cancer based on the phosphorylation state and/or intracellular localization of iASPP. Therapeutic regimens designed based on the results of the diagnostic methods are also provided.
US09880168B2
The invention refers to a method for diagnosing an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα or TNF) treatment to asses the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment which comprises the detection of immunoglobulin(s) against one or more biomarker proteins in a bodily fluid or an excrement of said patient, and sorting the individual into one of two categories based on detection of said immunoglobulin(s), wherein individuals are classified as NON-responder or responder. The invention refers to diagnostic kits comprising said one or more biomarker proteins and the use of these kits for assessing the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment of an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-TNFα treatment.
US09880164B2
A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an immunochromatographic test strip and a detection method using immunochromatography avoiding aggregation of colloidal gold conjugates while red blood cells in whole blood are agglutinated and then separated and removed in the case of using polybrene as a blood-agglutinating agent and the colloidal gold conjugates as a detection reagent. To solve the problem, the present inventers reviewed a past reagent configuration itself from a completely different viewpoint rather than selecting type and amount of polyanions and, as a result of extensive study on each element, the inventers surprisingly found that aggregation of colloidal gold can be suppressed by using a certain buffer solution without using neutralization by polyanions.
US09880159B2
Disclosed is a cartridge-based detection system to prepare an injected sample to be investigated for determination of a microbial pathogen or another analyte of interest using a detector features a field-safe cartridge. The system features a plurality of reagent chambers located within the cartridge. The system features a rotating cylindrical dial that facilitates a sequential introduction of various fluids contained in each reagent chamber into the dial whereby the fluid washes internally for contact therein. A dial channel is located through the dial. A dual window region of interrogation is centrally located in the dial. The dial is pivoted into position to fluidly connect each mated anterior and posterior reagent chamber via the dial channel. Methods of used are also disclosed.
US09880157B2
Provided herein are apparatuses and methods related to a notification-affecting service on a wearable electronic device configured to set a quiet time mode preventing a user-alerting action selected from, for example, a haptic vibration, a visual effect, and an audible effect from alerting a user of the wearable electronic device.
US09880154B2
Acetylcholine and its receptors appeared in evolution before development of a nervous system. Cholinergic agonists functions include proliferation, differentiation, and cell-to-cell contact in protozoa] as well as vertebrate cells. Animal models for infection by Apicomplexan parasites require cell-to-cell contact followed by differentiation of parasite and host cells to produce clinical disease. Experimental infections are produced by introducing parasite infected leukocytes into a host. Binding cholinergic receptors on the parasites and leukocytes with levamisole HCl induces non-progressive infections and absence of signs of disease.
US09880145B2
A sensor includes a detection portion and an output portion. The detection portion is made of a material that changes in accordance with a ratio of an actual amount of water to an amount of water causing a phase separation in an alcohol containing fuel. The output portion is configured or programmed to output a signal in accordance with a change of the detection portion.
US09880144B2
Disclosed is an electrochemical probe system and an electrical excitation method, used to identify the composition of metals and alloys.
US09880129B2
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a FAIMS device comprising two parallel electrodes (9a, 9b) in series with an ion mobility separator (12) forming part of a mass spectrometer. Ions are separated in the FAIMS device (9a, 9b) according to their rate of change of ion mobility with electric field strength. The ions which are onwardly transmitted from the FAIMS device (9a, 9b) are then passed to an ion separator device (12) comprising a plurality of electrodes (12) and an optional ion trapping region (33). Ions are radially confined with the ion separator by application of an AC or RF voltage to the electrodes (12) and ions are separated according to their ion mobility by applying an axial DC voltage gradient which may remain constant as a function of time or which may vary with time.
US09880122B2
An electrochemical system with reduced limiting-current behavior is disclosed. The electrochemical system is useful for fuel cells and bio-sensors. In part, the invention relates a method of reducing or eliminating limiting-current behavior in the operation electrochemical systems, in particular those with ion-selective membrane or electrochemical electrodes, by spatially reducing the convection near the membrane or the electrode. The invention further relates to electrochemical systems in which micropores, microarrays or pillar arrays are used to reduce convection in comparison to conventional systems without microarrays, micropores or pillar arrays.
US09880111B2
An X-ray imaging system includes a plurality of electronic cassettes having FPDs. One of the plural electronic cassettes for use in imaging is selected by input operation. Control is performed in a first mode operation being normal for the electronic cassette selected in the selecting step. Control is performed in a second mode operation being auxiliary of which driving power is lower than in the first mode operation for one of the electronic cassettes in an unselected state in the selecting step. Assuming that irradiation of the radiation is detected in the second mode operation, error information is displayed in relation to selecting the electronic cassette in the selecting step. For example, the first and second mode operations are pixel reset in which charge stored in pixels are swept in an FPD.
US09880105B2
A fiber optic connector inspection display system including: a input unit which receives fiber end-face images; a display mode selection unit which allows a user to select at least one of an image capture mode or an image review mode; a capturing unit which captures the fiber end-face images; a storing unit which stores the captured images as a first still image and a second still image; a display unit which displays the received fiber end-face images from the input unit or the stored first and second still images, and a control unit which stores each of the first and second still images with a user defined identification label, and the control unit may further label the each of the first and second still images with a preset image pair mode label if the user selects a preset image pair mode.
US09880099B2
Apparatus for carrying out spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is described. The apparatus comprises a rotatable prism arranged such that a spatial offset between an entry region and a collection region at a sample is dependent upon an angle of rotation of the prism.
US09880089B2
An array chip design is provided where the chip includes a field region arranged with sites according to a first pitch and at least one track region having a one-dimensional site pattern arranged according to a second pitch that is less dense and is an integer multiple of the first pitch so that observation through pixel-based sensors using one-dimensional quad-cell averaging can be applied in the track region, thereby to attain alignment of the chip to pixel-based optical instrumentation with a higher density of sites.
US09880088B2
The disclosed subject matter relates to a force-clamp spectrometer that enables operation in constant force mode and allows for automated data acquisition and analysis, using feedback electronics and software. The disclosed subject matter also relates to methods of using the force-clamp spectrometer for the measurement of the dynamics of chemical reactions. The methods may include, but are not limited to, the measurement of the dynamics of substrate folding and unfolding, as well as bond cleavage and bond formation.
US09880086B2
Non-overlapping visualization of data records of a scatter plot is provided by providing rows and columns in a visualization screen containing cells representing respective data records. The rows correspond to value ranges of a first attribute, and the columns correspond to value ranges of a second attribute. The value ranges are automatically generated for the rows and columns from data values of the data records.
US09880080B2
Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having enhanced a dynamic storage modulus, which correlates to low composite backface signature.
US09880079B2
The invention relates to a method in the preparation of samples for microscopic examination onto which a coverslip is applied. The method is notable for the fact that the coverslipping quality is checked automatically and at least partly optically. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method, and to an apparatus for checking the coverslipping quality of samples onto which a coverslip is applied.
US09880076B2
A compound sampling system has a guiding assembly extending along a sampling path and a shuttle unit having a displacement mechanism engageable to the guiding assembly and configured to displace the shuttle unit onto the guiding assembly. The shuttle unit also includes at least one sampling component configured to monitor a gaseous substance and collect sampling data relative to the compound in the gaseous substance. The sampling system further includes a control system in communication with the shuttle unit. The control system includes a controller communicably coupled to the displacement mechanism and controlling the displacement of the shuttle unit along the sampling path. A method of sampling a compound uses the sampling system.
US09880071B2
A mobile body corrosion measuring apparatus having a corrosion sensor installed in at least one portion of a mobile body, the corrosion sensor measuring a corrosion state at the portion and outputting corrosion data; a vehicle (mobile body) running speed sensor installed in the mobile body, the running speed sensor measuring a running speed of the mobile body and outputting the running speed data; and a data collection unit that acquires the corrosion data from the corrosion sensor and the running speed data from the vehicle speed sensor at the same time and collects the corrosion data and the running speed data with the corrosion data and the running speed data associated with each other. Due to above structure, a corrosion state specific to the mobile body can be accurately measured.
US09880066B2
An ideal multi-axis transducer will respond properly to forces and moments that are applied in intermediate directions. The transducer calibration apparatus described herein can detect transducers that have incorrect off-axes response. One calibration apparatus includes a base, a pair of end stanchions fixed on the base, force actuators mounted between the base, the pair of end stanchions, and a transducer holder, the force actuators arranged to exert forces and moments on a transducer mounted in the transducer holder, and force reaction sensors fixed between the base, the pair of end stanchions, and the transducer holder for measuring forces and moments experienced by the transducer holder.
US09880065B1
Exemplary embodiments provide a packing leak detection system for leaks or discharge of a volatile material which discharge into the environment is subject to regulation. The system contains a compressor apparatus including a compressor cylinder, a compressor piston, a compressor piston rod positioned in a packing case, wherein a volatile material being compressed by the compressor apparatus leaks from the packing case. Also provided is a leak detector sized and configured to detect and monitor leaks of the volatile material from the packing case, as well as an apparatus for capturing and collecting volatile material which may leak from said leak detector. Methods of assessing leaks of a volatile material subject to environmental regulation are also provided.
US09880064B2
A measuring arrangement with a ceramic measuring cell and a metal process connection for connecting the measuring cell to a measuring environment, with the measuring cell being fastened in the process connection without gaskets and in a diffusion-resistant fashion, with the measuring cell being fastened at a ceramic ring, which is arranged at a metal ring for fastening in the process connection.
US09880061B2
The internal temperature of an electrochemical device may be probed without a thermocouple, infrared detector, or other auxiliary device to measure temperature. Some methods include exciting an electrochemical device with a driving profile; acquiring voltage and current data from the electrochemical device, in response to the driving profile; calculating an impulse response from the current and voltage data; calculating an impedance spectrum of the electrochemical device from the impulse response; calculating a state-of-charge of the electrochemical device; and then estimating internal temperature of the electrochemical device based on a temperature-impedance-state-of-charge relationship. The electrochemical device may be a battery, fuel cell, electrolytic cell, or capacitor, for example. The procedure is useful for on-line applications which benefit from real-time temperature sensing capabilities during operations. These methods may be readily implemented as part of a device management and safety system.
US09880054B2
A method for designing a spectral sensing device. The method includes: (1) performing computational operations on a computer, wherein the computational operations determine the positions of diffracted orders of an optical system model that models at least an array of light modulating elements and a diffraction grating, wherein the diffracted orders correspond to respective spectral components of input light to the optical system model, wherein the positions of the diffracted orders are determined at a target plane of the optical system model; and (2) storing the positions of the diffracted orders in a memory, wherein the positions determine corresponding locations for light detectors in the spectral sensing device. The spectral sensing device may be assembled by modifying an existing single pixel camera, i.e., by adding the diffraction grating and adding the light detectors respectively at said positions of the diffracted orders.
US09880045B2
An apparatus includes a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a transmission-line assembly having an electrical transmission-line parameter configured to change, at least in part, in response to reception, at least in part, of a vehicular load of a moving vehicle moving relative to a vehicular roadway to the transmission-line assembly positionable, at least in part, relative to the vehicular roadway.
US09880022B1
A point layout system is described that identifies points and their coordinates, using laser transmitters that are attached to at least three base units. The laser transmitters rotate about the azimuth and emit vertical laser planes. After being setup using control points, the projection lines of the laser planes will intersect on the floor of a jobsite at any point of interest, under command of the user with a remote unit. Once the first two base units are registered with the virtual floor plan, the third base unit can be automatically setup, using an automatic procedure that creates alignment axes with the first two base units. Once all three base units are registered with the floor plan, any one of the three base units can then be moved to a new physical location on the jobsite floor, and the automatic setup routine can be used to register its new position.
US09880013B2
Methods and systems are provided for improving urea fluid usage on a vehicle. Based on when a urea tank needs to be refilled relative to when a fuel tank needs to be refilled during a vehicle journey, one or more alternate driving routes are suggested based on the range of the fluid getting depleted. The suggested driving routes include refilling stations where the depleting fluid can be refilled.
US09880003B2
A method to level an inertial reference system of a helicopter with reference to the local vertical frame is provided. The method includes powering up the helicopter; outputting sensor data from at least one gyroscope and at least one accelerometer to a mode-selecting processor; executing a fast Fourier transform algorithm on the sensor data at the mode-selecting processor; and selecting one of a plurality of operation modes of the helicopter as a current-operation mode based on the execution of the fast Fourier transform algorithm.
US09879998B2
An angular velocity sensor includes a mass body; a first frame provided outside of the mass body; a first flexible part connecting the mass body and the first frame to each other; a second flexible part connecting the mass body and the first frame to each other; a second frame provided outside of the first frame; a third flexible part connecting the first frame and the second frame to each other; and a fourth flexible part connecting the first frame and the second frame to each other, wherein the mass body is fixed to the first frame by the second flexible part so as to be rotation-displaceable and translation-displaceable, and the first frame is connected to the second frame by the fourth flexible part so as to be rotation-displaceable.
US09879996B2
A system and method for electrostatic carouseling for inertial sensor gyrocompassing is disclosed. For performing such electrostatic carouseling for inertial sensor gyrocompassing, a three-rotational degree of freedom spring-mass system is provided that includes a proof mass suspended by a plurality of support springs and having three rotational degrees of freedom, a plurality of driving electrodes, and a controller operably connected to the plurality of driving electrodes. The control applies an excitation voltage to the driving electrodes to generate an electrostatic force, with the controller selectively applying the excitation voltage to the plurality of driving electrodes to generate an electrostatic force that varies an orientation of a gyroscope sensitivity axis for carouseling of the three-rotational degree of freedom spring-mass system.
US09879995B2
A system and method for superimposing a virtual aiming mechanism with a projected system beam in a compact laser-based rangefinding instrument such as a laser-based tape measure which employs a laser rangefinding system beam and visible light beam to enable a user to merely pick up the instrument and, if the visible beam can be seen, merely aim the device without sighting by placing the resultant visible light dot on the target itself. Alternatively, if the beam cannot be seen, the user can sight through the instrument viewing aperture and see a virtual visible dot and superimpose it upon his view of the target.
US09879994B2
A method for locating a position determining device in an interior construction site of a building to provide line-of-sight access to a plurality of construction points in the interior construction site, includes accessing a three-dimensional model of the site by a computer system, the model including coordinates of construction points in the site to be located with a position determining device. The method further includes determining a location for placing a position determining device by the computer system, in which no obstructions at the site preclude line-of-sight access by the position determining device to the plurality of construction points. The method may further include receiving spatial data by the computer system, and deriving the three dimensional model by the computer system based upon the spatial data. The position determining device may comprise a robotic total station or other such device. The method is implemented on a computer system. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has computer-readable instructions embodied thereon which, when executed, cause the computer system to implement the method.
US09879992B2
An apparatus for acquiring image and location information includes an antenna comprising an element configured to receive signals for determining the location information, and an imaging device coupled to the antenna and configured to acquire the image information. A virtual perspective center of the imaging device is coincident with the element of the antenna.
US09879983B2
A virtual laser projection system and method includes one or more measuring laser projectors, one or more non-measuring laser projectors, an array of reference targets, and a computing system. The one or more measuring laser projectors and one or more non-measuring laser projectors operate under common control of the computing system to register their respective locations using the array of reference targets, detect and locate features of a work object to be illuminated, convert all location information into a common coordinate system, and illuminate the work object with laser light beams using the common coordinate system.
US09879981B1
A system and related methods for evaluating a component using a reference feature and a replicate of the reference feature. The component has an exterior surface with a reference feature thereon. The method includes determining an initial condition of the reference feature, subjecting the component to at least one duty cycle after determining the initial condition, determining a subsequent condition of the reference feature after the at least one duty cycle while the component is in a service position, and forming a replicate of the reference feature while the reference feature is in one of the initial condition or the subsequent condition. One of the initial condition or the subsequent condition may be determined based on the replicate of the reference feature.
US09879977B2
Methods and systems for achieving a small measurement box size specification across a set of metrology system parameters are presented. The small measurement box size specification is achieved by selectively constraining one or more of the sets of system parameters during measurement. A subset of measurement system parameters such as illumination wavelength, polarization state, polar angle of incidence, and azimuth angle of incidence is selected for measurement to maintain a smaller measurement box size than would otherwise be achievable if the full, available range of measurement system parameters were utilized in the measurement. In this manner, control of one or more factors that affect measurement box size is realized by constraining the measurement system parameter space. In addition, a subset of measurement signals may be selected to maintain a smaller measurement box size than would otherwise be achievable if all available measurement signals were utilized in the measurement.
US09879975B2
A method for scanning and obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates is provided. The method includes providing a 3D measuring device having a projector, a first camera and a second camera. The method records images of a light pattern emitted by the projector onto an object. A deviation in a measured parameter from an expected parameter is determined. The calibration of the 3D measuring device may be changed when the deviation is outside of a predetermined threshold.
US09879972B2
A displacement sensor includes: an first yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic body and is annular-shaped; an second yoke that is formed of a soft magnetic body and is annular-shaped, the second yoke having an inner circumferential surface which faces an outer circumferential surface of the first yoke via a gap and arranged coaxially with the first yoke; a magnet that is arranged to be capable of moving in an axial direction in a radial-direction central portion of the first yoke and is magnetized in the axial direction of the first yoke; and a detection element that detects a magnetic flux density which is generated in the gap and is arranged in the gap so that the magnetic flux density is detected along the radial direction of the first yoke.
US09879969B2
A roundness and/or dimension measuring device for in-process measurement of crank pins during a machining operation on a grinding machine having a base body, and a measuring head, which is connected to the base body via a rod assembly and which is movable between a neutral position and a measuring position. The measuring head has a measuring probe for contacting the crank pin, and the rod assembly is designed and configured in such a way that the measuring head in the measuring position follows orbital rotations of the crank pin. At least one oscillation damping element is operatively associated with the measuring head for holding it in engagement with the crank pin during the orbital rotation.
US09879965B2
A mobile manufacturing and delivery platform that is adapted to provide in a blasthole an explosive composition comprising a liquid energetic material and sensitizing voids, the sensitizing voids being present in the liquid energetic material with a non-random distribution. The platform comprises a storage tank for the liquid energetic material; at least two delivery lines for conveying respective streams of the liquid energetic material from the storage tank; a void delivery system for producing sensitizing voids in at least one of the streams of liquid energetic material; a mixer for mixing the streams of liquid energetic material to produce the explosive composition; and a blasthole loading hose. The mixer may be provided at the end of the loading hose. A blasting method employs the platform to manufacture and deliver the explosive composition into a blasthole, which composition is subsequently detonated.
US09879964B1
A remote detonator system is provided. The remote detonator system includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver includes a transducer configured to receive an ultrasonic acoustic signal. The transducer is electrically coupled to a first controller, the first controller having a processor responsive to executable computer instructions for detonating a charge in response to the transducer receiving the ultrasonic acoustic signal. A transmitter is provided having a transmitter configured to selectively emit the ultrasonic acoustic signal in response to an actuation by an operator.
US09879962B2
A blast treatment method whereby a smoke grenade is blast treated inside an explosion-proof container, said method comprising: a blast step in which the smoke grenade (20) is exploded inside the explosion-proof container (10); and a dissolving step in which gas or micro particles generated when the smoke grenade (20) was exploded are dissolved inside the explosion-proof container (10), in a liquid (W) including a greater volume of water than the volume of water generated by the explosion of the smoke grenade (20).
US09879958B2
Haptic feedback system that simulates a detonation or explosive event. The system includes a power supply, an energy storage circuit, a switching circuit, and a conductor operatively connected to said energy storage circuit through said switching circuit whereby said conductor causes a haptic event when said energy storage circuit is electrically connected to said conductor by operation of said switching circuit. The system creates shock waves and pressure waves in a safe manner for use in a simulator.
US09879955B2
An expandable broadhead includes an elongated ferrule and a blade. The ferrule includes a forward ferrule tip and an aft shank operable to connect the broadhead to an arrow shaft. The blade presents an elongated cutting edge that extends along the length of the blade. The blade is shiftably mounted relative to the ferrule to shift into and out of a retracted position where the blade extends alongside the ferrule. The blade extends forwardly beyond the ferrule tip in the retracted position so that the blade presents a forward facing edge of the broadhead.
US09879949B2
A portable, moving target system that generates variable movements and mimics movements of prey. Movement of the target system may be varied in speed and pattern.
US09879948B1
A biodegradable target disk device for hunters which breaks apart into edible pieces of food for small and larger animals in the hunting zone when struck by a shell from a shotgun.
US09879947B2
A ballistic composite armor article includes a multi-layer hard armor sheet that has at least first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers. The second unidirectional yarn monolayer is transversely oriented with respect to the first unidirectional yarn monolayer, and there is at least one polymeric binder layer arranged adjacent to and stabilizing at least one of the first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers. The yarns of the first and second unidirectional yarn monolayers include respective fiber bundles that have a lateral spread factor ranging from negative lateral spread to a positive lateral spread of less than 306%.
US09879937B2
In at least one embodiment, a crossbow comprises a stock, a first limb, a first rotatable member, a second limb and a second rotatable member. A bowstring and a first cable extend between the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member. The crossbow defines a shooting axis and comprises a cable positioner comprising a roller.
US09879935B2
Quick take-down firearms and methods of using quick-take down firearms. The quick-take down includes an upper receiver coupling and a barrel coupling. The quick take-down can be unlocked by sliding a sliding lock collar in a translational motion to an unlocked position to release locking elements from a locked configuration. In the unlocked position, a barrel and handguard may be installed onto and removed from the upper receiver of the firearm. Releasing the sliding lock collar returns it to a locked position, securing the barrel and handguard to the upper receiver.
US09879932B2
A battery-powered trigger-locking device, which is configured to be disposed on a gun with a trigger for firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as data stored in the memory. If a data match is indicated, the logic device causes an electromagnetic device to move a trigger-locking member to an unlocked position, permitting the gun to be fired. A separate electronic gun key is provided to transmit gun unlock data to the data receiver of the trigger-locking device. This gun unlock data may be a password, a long pseudo-random number or biologic data identifying the gun owner or some other person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to fire the gun.
US09879931B2
Various embodiments of multi-caliber machine gun systems are described. A multi-caliber machine gun system can include a receiver assembly, a first ammunition feed tray, and a second ammunition feed tray. The first ammunition feed tray can be configured to removably attach to the receiver assembly and to feed a first type of ammunition to the receiver assembly. The second ammunition feed tray can be configured to removably attach to the receiver assembly and to feed a second type of ammunition to the receiver assembly. The receiver assembly can be configured to fire the first type of ammunition when the first ammunition feed tray is removably attached to the receiver assembly. The receiver assembly can be configured to fire the second type of ammunition when the second ammunition feed tray is removably attached to the receiver assembly.
US09879929B2
A slide for a rifle with a slide operating mechanism, which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rifle, and a slide element, which can be moved by the slide operating mechanism between a locked position and an unlocked position. The slide operating mechanism is connected to the slide element via a control element, which is movable transversely to the slide element and is designed as a connector that cooperates with the slide element for its displacement between the upper, locked position and the lower, unlocked position.
US09879928B2
Implementations of the present invention relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods for firing a belt-fed closed-bolt firearm by delivering an impulse from an impulse source along a first axis to a firing pin on a second axis. The first axis and second axis are not coaxial, allowing the impulse source to be disposed away from and not in direct contact or alignment with the firing pin.
US09879923B2
A face plumbing adapter having a block portion and a camber portion is provided for a manifold of a heat exchanger assembly. The block portion includes an external planar face, a first mating surface opposite that of the planar face, and an aperture having a B-axis extending through the planar face and first mating surface. The camber portion extends integrally from the block portion in a direction away from the planar face and curving inward toward the B-Axis. The camber portion is biased toward the block portion such that the face plumbing adapter would clinch onto the manifold. The block and camber portions include respective mating surfaces that are complementary to the exterior surface area of the manifold onto which the mating surfaces are affixed.
US09879918B2
Configurations and related processing schemes of specific inter-plants and hybrid, intra- and inter-plants waste heat recovery schemes for thermal energy consumption reduction in integrated refining-petrochemical facilities synthesized for grassroots medium grade crude oil semi-conversion refineries to increase energy efficiency from specific portions of low grade waste heat sources are described. Configurations and related processing schemes of specific inter-plants and hybrid, intra- and inter-plants waste heat recovery schemes for thermal energy consumption reduction in integrated refining-petrochemical facilities synthesized for integrated medium grade crude oil semi-conversion refineries and aromatics complex for increasing energy efficiency from specific portions of low grade waste sources are also described.
US09879917B2
Heat exchange apparatus comprises a plurality of thermally conductive, moisture impervious sheets. Each sheet comprises a plurality of corrugations. The plurality of sheets are disposed in a stack such that each alternate sheet has its corrugations affixed to and disposed at an angle to the corrugations of an adjacent sheet to provide a plurality of separate flow pathways. The plurality of separate flow pathways comprises first predetermined pathways and second predetermined pathways. The stack of sheets have first end portions disposed to provide a first inlets and a first outlets for the first predetermined pathways and second end portions to provide second inlets and second outlets for the second predetermined pathways. The corrugations forming the second predetermined pathways comprise a wettable surface. The first predetermined pathways are adapted for a first fluid flow and the second predetermined pathways are adapted for a countercurrent second fluid flow.
US09879915B2
A combustion tube mounting system releasably mounts a combustion tube to an aperture in the floor of a furnace housing. The combustion tube has a base assembly with a cam and can be manually or automatically unlocked by cam pins in the floor for selectively engaging the cam for lowering the combustion tube from the floor of the furnace. When a new combustion tube is placed on the lower seal assembly and raised, it automatically aligns and engages the upper furnace seal and engages cams on the floor of the furnace housing which lock the combustion tube in place as it is introduced into the furnace.
US09879897B2
Safe, stable, non-toxic and recyclable cooling compositions comprising solid particulate compounds undergo an endothermic process when mixed with water such that the resulting mixture is useful for cooling surfaces, liquids and solids. The compositions always include one or more compounds from a group consisting of endothermic compounds that contain potassium; one or more compounds from a group of endothermic compounds that contain nitrogen; and at least one compound from a group consisting of ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium pyrophosphate and ammonium metaphosphate such that the compound or mixture of compounds in this group is at least 1% by weight of the final composition.
US09879895B2
An ice maker assembly and a method for operating an ice maker are provided. The method includes measuring a temperature of the ice maker and determining a first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. An operating state of the ice maker is established based at least in part on the temperature of the ice maker and the first derivative of the temperature of the ice maker with respect to time. Knowledge of the operating state of the ice maker can assist with preventing damage to a motor of the ice maker and with detecting super-cooled liquid water in a mold body of the ice maker.
US09879894B2
A compressor crankcase heating control method for a heat pump system includes selectively actuating a first switching device to connect and disconnect first and second power lines to and from second and third switching devices, respectively, the first and second power lines receive a first voltage. The compressor crankcase heating control method further includes, when the first and second power lines are disconnected from the second and third switching devices via the first switching device, actuating the second and third switching devices thereby connecting third and fourth power lines to ends, respectively, of at least one winding of a stator of an electric motor of a compressor. The at least one winding of the stator of the electric motor heats the crankcase of the compressor. The third and fourth power lines receive a second voltage that is less than the first voltage.
US09879892B2
The invention relates to a method for configuring, on a control unit, operating parameters of a plurality of devices of a refrigeration system. A user selects on the control unit, among the plurality of devices of the refrigeration system, a first device to configure. Information of valid configurable operating parameters of the first device is provided on the control unit. The user selects at least one of the valid configurable operating parameters of the first device, thereby configuring the first device. Information stored about operating parameters of other devices of the refrigeration system, based on the configuration of the first device, is then provided on the control unit. Finally, the user confirms, on the control unit, one or more operating parameters of one or more of the other devices, thereby configuring the one or more other devices. The invention also relates to a control unit and a refrigeration system.
US09879879B2
The cogeneration system includes: a cogeneration apparatus which generates electric power using supplied fuel gas and supplies the electric power and heat; a heat accumulator which accumulates the heat supplied by the cogeneration apparatus; a controller which controls at least start and stop of the cogeneration apparatus; and a display unit that displays a remaining power generation duration which is a length of time for which the cogeneration apparatus can continue power generation. The controller further calculates the remaining power generation duration based on a remaining heat accumulation capacity which is a difference between (a) a maximum accumulable heat amount which is the amount of heat the heat accumulator is capable of accumulating and (b) a current accumulated heat amount that is the amount of heat currently accumulated in the heat accumulator, and causes the display unit to display the calculated remaining power generation duration.
US09879871B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that involve detecting a flammable refrigerant associated with a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In one instance a damper covers an access port allowing a single sensor to monitor at least two separate spaces. In another instance, a multi-probe sensor allows a single sensor to monitor at least two separate spaces. Other systems and methods are presented.
US09879868B2
A stabilizer has a tip portion at a boundary between the stabilizer and a nozzle, and a projection on the lower side of the tip portion, and a first recess is formed between the projection and the tip portion in a continuously recessed shape in the longitudinal direction of the cross flow fan.
US09879859B2
In a suction fan type combustion apparatus, when an air supply/exhaust path of a combustion and heating unit is clogged, a combustion fan has a degraded fan current for the same fan rotation speed. Furthermore, the suction fan type configuration has the combustion and heating unit's internal pressure reduced as the combustion fan rotates faster. A combustion burner supplies fuel gas with a pressure applied thereto, which is regulated by a gas proportional valve. A degree of opening of the gas proportional valve is corrected in a direction allowing the pressure to be reduced, in accordance with a rate of degradation of a fan current relative to a reference current following a reference current characteristic. This control for correction is done with the fan current degradation rate smoothed (or low-pass filtered) in a time base direction.
US09879857B2
The combustion and flue gas treatment system includes a furnace for combusting a fuel with an oxidizer generating a flue gas, ducting for the flue gas connected to a NOx removal unit and a SOx removal unit, and a recirculation line for recirculating a part of the flue gas back to the furnace. The SOx removal unit is located upstream of the NOx removal unit with reference to the flue gas flow. The recirculation line is connected to the ducting downstream the SOx removal unit.
US09879854B2
A method of fueling a flame, a fuel, and a fuel burning system is provided. The system has a melted wax reservoir, a fuel, a melting grate, and a wick. The fuel has a body, a priming section, a front wall, and a bottom surface. The priming section is vertically spaced from the bottom surface and extending from the front wall to create an overhang. The priming section extends along less than the entire length of the front wall. The melting grate is configured to support the fuel. The melting grate extends above the melted wax reservoir so that fuel melted on the melting grate can be received into the melted wax reservoir. The wick has an at least partially hollow core forming a burn chamber extending above the melting grate. The fuel is configured to be positioned so the overhang is located over or adjacent to the wick.
US09879851B2
An LED lamp is equipped with a plurality of light source units each having a mounting board on which a light emitting element is mounted, on a front surface of a substrate, the plurality of light source units are disposed around an axis C of the LED lamp with back surfaces of the respective substrates facing inside, and gaps G1 left from one another, and heat radiation fins that are disposed to be inclined with respect to an axial direction of the axis C are provided on the back surface of the substrate.
US09879829B2
The combination of a reservoir having an interface defining an aperture, the interface including a wall extending into the reservoir, the reservoir having a recessed groove in an upper surface about the aperture, the recessed groove including a plurality of recesses thereon: a head unit having an exterior shape complementary to the shape of the aperture, the head unit being positioned within the aperture; the head unit having an inwardly extending rim corresponding to the aperture circular wall, the head unit including a lug, the head unit lug engaging one of recesses, the head unit having a seal ring about an outer periphery of the head unit inwardly extending rim, the seal ring engaging the aperture wall and the head unit inwardly extending rim.
US09879823B2
A reclosable strap assembly includes an elongate strap having a first end including a plurality of engaging segments. A clasp includes a frame that defines a frame opening for receiving the first end. Each of the plurality of engaging segments is sized to create an interference fit between the individual engaging segment and the frame when the individual engaging segment is inserted into the frame opening.
US09879822B2
Disclosed herein is a fixing structure. The fixing structure comprises a seat and at least a fixing device, the fixing device including a connecting part and a sucking disc, on end of the connecting part being connected to the seat while the other end of the connecting part being connected to the sucking disc, and the sucking disc being used to be sucked on a surface of a mounting base. There is also provided a display device having the fixing structure in the disclosure. With the fixing structure mounted on the display device, the display device can be prevented from toppling down when an external force is applied thereto, thus improving the stability of the display device. Further, the fixing structure according to the disclosure is able not to damage the surface of the mounting base and can be reused.
US09879808B2
Formation of a sterile connection includes inserting a first aseptic coupling device into a second aseptic coupling device, removing a first membrane from the first aseptic coupling device and a second membrane from the second aseptic coupling device, and rotating a locking clip on the first aseptic coupling device to compress a first seal member of the first aseptic coupling device with a second seal member of the second aseptic coupling device to form a sterile fluid passageway.
US09879800B2
The present disclosure provides advantageous systems/methods for the design and use of patching systems having one or more bracket members (e.g., Z-shaped bracket members) configured to facilitate cable management. In exemplary embodiments, the bracket members allow a panel assembly to move relative to the bracket members for cable management purposes. The improved systems/assemblies of the present disclosure provide users with the ability to install multiple media connections (e.g., copper-based and/or fiber optic connections) in the same patching system/enclosure.
US09879796B2
An automated thermally actuated valve utilizing a thermally expansive substance to substantially close the valve at a first temperature and a spring to open the valve at a second, lower temperature. A method of utilizing an automated thermally actuated valve to balance and manage hot water supply in a piping system.
US09879793B2
A control valve (4) for controlling pressure medium flows of a camshaft adjuster which includes a substantially hollow cylindrical valve housing (6), a control piston (12), which is guided axially displaceably inside the valve housing (6), and a non-return valve (22) which can be hydraulically released. In a region of a pressure medium inlet, the valve housing (6) includes a housing shaft (28) with an axial inflow bore (30) which widens in funnel-like manner towards the inlet side.
US09879792B1
A relief valve for use in coupling to a vessel is disclosed. The valve includes a valve body having an inlet passage connected to a valve inlet, an outlet passage connected to a valve outlet, and an internal chamber. A valve seat is engageable with the inlet passage to close the valve inlet. A poppet is coupled to the valve seat, and a spring in the internal chamber is coupled to the poppet, the spring having a predetermined spring force. A vent passage in the valve body has a first end connected to the internal chamber and a second end connected to the outlet passage to permit release of pressure from the internal chamber through the valve outlet. The vent passage is formed at an oblique angle to both the inlet passage and the outlet passage.
US09879791B2
A swing check valve with a combination of a flapper and a spring return mechanism is provided. The spring return mechanism includes a spring housing removeably coupled to a valve cover affixed to a valve body. The spring return mechanism also include at least two springs separated by a spring pivot guide for engaging the flapper to bias the flapper in the closed position against a valve seat.
