US09919328B2
A fluid container comprises at least two fluid dispensing paths, wherein the fluid container comprises a container body and a fluid dispenser, and the fluid dispenser comprises a dispenser body connected to the container and a bottom portion enclosing the container. The dispenser body comprises a flow path extending through the bottom portion to a flow path exit, and a conduit aperture extending through the bottom portion and configured to accept a flexible conduit therein. A dispenser cap is operably connected to the dispenser body, wherein the dispenser cap comprises a fluid pump configured to pump fluid from the container via the flexible conduit. The dispenser cap is operable between a closed configuration in which the flow path exit is sealed and an open configuration in which the flow path exit is open, enabling fluid to flow out of the container via the flow path.
US09919324B2
Various embodiments provide a bicycle hydration and misting system or apparatus. Example embodiments include a manual (e.g., trigger-activated) or automated (e.g., valve-activated) system that is self-contained, small, and light-weight. Various embodiments improve safety, allow convenient interchangeability of the fluid reservoir, and enable easy installation on a bicycle with or without a mounting system on the bicycle itself. Embodiments also allow the rider to select a variety of spray types, stream, spray, or mist depending on the intended use or amount of fluid desired for each release. The various embodiments provide for an improved cooling fluid delivery system of design simplicity, ease of use, and interchangeability that allows a cyclist an evaporative cooling concept safely, efficiently and conveniently, while riding in conditions of elevated or extreme temperatures.
US09919323B2
A refillable fluid container for a fluid dispenser is provided. The refillable fluid dispenser includes a body, an output port and a dispensing mechanism. The body includes at least one wall that defines a reservoir for storing fluid therein. The output port is in fluid communication with the reservoir. The dispensing mechanism is associated with the output port. The dispensing mechanism is selectively operable between a closed position and an opened position. A fluid dispenser is also provided.
US09919309B2
A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample into first and second phases within a collection container is disclosed. The mechanical separator may have a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, with the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. The separator body includes a float, having a first density, and a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density. A portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast. Optionally, the float may include a first extended tab adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second extended tab adjacent the second opening of the through-hole. In certain configurations, the separator body also includes an extended tab band disposed about an outer surface of the float. The separator body may also include an engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body.
US09919308B2
A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample into first and second phases within a collection container is disclosed. The mechanical separator may have a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, with the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. The separator body includes a float, having a first density, and a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density. A portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast. Optionally, the float may include a first extended tab adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second extended tab adjacent the second opening of the through-hole. In certain configurations, the separator body also includes an extended tab band disposed about an outer surface of the float. The separator body may also include an engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body.
US09919307B2
A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample into first and second phases within a collection container is disclosed. The mechanical separator may have a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, with the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. The separator body includes a float, having a first density, and a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density. A portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast. Optionally, the float may include a first extended tab adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second extended tab adjacent the second opening of the through-hole. In certain configurations, the separator body also includes an extended tab band disposed about an outer surface of the float. The separator body may also include an engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body.
US09919304B2
Sulfonyl-containing polymeric materials and methods of making these materials are provided. More specifically, the sulfonyl-containing polymeric materials are prepared by treating a precursor polymeric material with a sulfonyl-containing compound. The precursor polymeric material is formed from a polymerizable composition that contains a free-radically polymerizable spirobisindane monomer. The sulfonyl-containing polymeric material is porous. The size of the pores can be in the microporous region, mesoporous region, or both depending on the particular monomers and reaction conditions used to form the precursor polymeric material.
US09919295B2
The present invention relates to a high-performance polyoxometalate catalyst and a method of preparing the same. More particularly, the present invention provides a high-performance polyoxometalate catalyst, the activity and selectivity of which may be improved by controlling the content of vanadium and the like and which has superior reproducibility and may unsaturated carboxylic acid from unsaturated aldehyde in a high yield for a long time, a method of preparing the same, and the like.
US09919290B2
A novel carbon absorption material is described which is formed from anaerobic digestate. The material has a hollow tubular structure and is particularly advantageous in converting hydrogen sulfide in biogas and in absorbing the converted sulfur and sulfur compounds from biogas into its structure. The material after use as a hydrogen sulfide absorbent has value as a horticultural or agricultural product or as a sulfur impregnated activated carbon. The process for producing this novel carbon absorption material is described. In an embodiment, the process described uses in particular, a humidified inert gas over a temperature range of between about 500° C. to 900° C. to convert anaerobic digestate to an active carbon absorbent. The thermal treatment is relatively mild and retains the fibrous structure of the source material while removing cellulosic and hemicellulosic components from the anaerobic digestate.
US09919289B2
The present invention relates to a zeolite-based adsorbent comprising at least one zeolite of FAU structure of LSX type and comprising barium and/or potassium, in which the outer surface area of said zeolite-based adsorbent, measured by nitrogen adsorption, is between 20 m2·g−1 and 100 m2·g−1, limits inclusive. The present invention also relates to the use of such a zeolite-based adsorbent as an adsorption agent, and also to the process for separating para-xylene from aromatic isomer fractions containing 8 carbon atoms.
US09919285B2
A sorbent is described, suitable for removing heavy metals, particularly mercury, from fluid streams including 20-75% by weight of copper (expressed as copper (II) oxide) in the form of one or more copper sulphides, the sorbent having a sulphur to copper atomic ratio in the range 0.7 to 0.95:1.
US09919271B2
The disclosure relates to efficient methods of controlling biological conversions while simultaneously removing and converting some of the generated products. More specifically, and, for example, the disclosure discloses electrochemical processes to remove and capture potentially toxic ammonium during anaerobic digestions and to remove and capture carboxylic acids during bioethanol production. The disclosure can, thus, be used to enhance bioproduction processes via controlling pH and/or reduction/oxidation, in combination with in situ product recovery.
US09919264B2
A method for making a graphene oxide membrane and a resulting free-standing graphene oxide membrane that provides desired qualities of water permeability and selectivity at larger sizes, thinner cross sections, and with increased ruggedness as compared to existing membranes and processes.
US09919261B2
A method for separating carbon dioxide (CO2) from a gas stream is provided. The method includes reacting at least a portion of CO2 in the gas stream with a plurality of liquid sorbent particles to form a plurality of solid adduct particles and a first CO2-lean gas stream; the solid adduct particles entrained in the first CO2-lean gas stream to form an entrained gas stream. The method includes separating at least a portion of the plurality of solid adduct particles from the entrained gas stream in a separation unit to form an adduct stream and a second CO2-lean gas stream. The method further includes heating at least a portion of the adduct stream in a desorption unit to form a CO2 stream and a regenerated liquid sorbent stream. A system for separating CO2 from a gas stream is also provided.
US09919252B2
An air purifier device is provided including a fan unit including a fan arranged to produce an air flow through the air purifier device, and a filter unit including a filter arranged to filter the air flow produced by the fan. The filter unit is adapted to stand on a support surface when the air purifier device is positioned for use. The air purifier device further includes a coupling mechanism arranged to secure the fan unit on top of the filter unit. The coupling mechanism includes two release means arranged on opposite outer sides of the fan unit, and the fan unit is releasable from the filter unit by actuating the two release means. The filter unit may be removed from the fan unit by a single action (or movement) by the user, whereby filter replacement of the air purifier device is facilitated.
US09919246B2
A filter device for fluids with a fluid inlet (14) and a fluid outlet (24). A filter element (9) is enclosed by an end cap (21) on its lower end facing a bottom part (5) of the filter housing (1). The end cap has a passage (29) forming a fluid connection to the filter element inner filter cavity (17) and can be fixed to an element retainer (23) of the filter housing (1). The element retainer (23) includes a retaining piece (35) open towards the filter element (9) with a fluid channel (37) leading to a housing connection (24). The end cap (21) has a connecting piece (27) in the retaining piece (35). The retaining piece (35) forms an opening (43) connected to the fluid channel (37) leading to the element retainer (23). A sealing (45, 47) seals the opening from the open end of the retaining piece.
US09919239B2
A multiple downcomer tray and a tray column comprising the same are provided. The multiple downcomer tray comprises: a tray body; at least one anti-jump plate disposed on the tray body to divide the tray body into at least two sections; and at least two downcomer assemblies disposed corresponding to the at least two sections respectively, in which each of the at least two downcomer assemblies comprises at least one tray floor, at least one downcomer and at least one liquid receiving pan which are disposed parallel to each other, and the liquid receiving pan and the downcomer are positioned at two sides of the tray floor respectively.
US09919236B1
A BMX starting gate includes a frame with a gate opening; a slider bar attached to a bottom surface of the frame; a gate pivotally attached to the frame at a connection point such that the gate aligns with the gate opening; a linkage bar attached to the gate proximate to the connection point; a lever attached to the linkage bar distal from the gate, wherein both the linkage bar and the lever are slidably attached to the slider bar; a strike plate attached to the lever distal from the linkage bar; an electromagnet attached to the frame, wherein the electromagnet is positioned to releasably engage with the strike plate; and a spring connecting the gate to the slider bar. Activating the electromagnet causes the electromagnet to engage the strike plate and cause the gate to extend outwardly from the frame. Deactivating the electromagnet allows the spring to return the gate to a non-obstructing position.
US09919228B2
A track section for a ride having a vehicle, divided into a first block segment and a second block segment. The first block segment has a first high point and ends at a second high point. The second block segment begins at the second high point. A first linear drive is situated before the first high point, and a second linear drive is situated between the first high point and the second high point. The positions of the high points relative to one another and the design of the linear drives are coordinated so the vehicle can be brought to a standstill in the first block segment if entry into the second block segment is not enabled. A method for traveling over the track section is provided, wherein a change in direction of travel of the vehicle is produced if the second block segment is not enabled for entry.
US09919227B2
Localization system for mounting game in portable storage device on game console and method therefor
A method of mounting a game for a localization system including a portable storage device and a game console includes steps of searching for a targeted word unit in the portable storage device and game information in a small database of the portable storage device after the game console is connected with the portable storage device. When any cover information or setup-file information corresponds to a correspondence code in the small database, the cover information or setup-file information are returned to the application-program menu and displayed on a screen. Next, a game can be performed to read a first file, including a game main program, in the portable storage device.
US09919217B2
Embodiments of systems presented herein may perform automatic granular difficulty adjustment. In some embodiments, the difficulty adjustment is undetectable by a user. Further, embodiments of systems disclosed herein can review historical user activity data with respect to one or more video games to generate a game retention prediction model that predicts an indication of an expected duration of game play. The game retention prediction model may be applied to a user's activity data to determine an indication of the user's expected duration of game play. Based on the determined expected duration of game play, the difficulty level of the video game may be automatically adjusted.
US09919216B2
A video game processing program product causes a user terminal to realize functions to control progress of a video game in response to an operation of a user. The functions include: an updating function configured to update a position of a character on a virtual space on the basis of a moving operation by a user; a first displaying function configured to display a normal screen corresponding to the user on the basis of an update result; a second displaying function configured to display a photographing screen, on which an object other than a user character carries out a photographing action when the photographing operation is carried out, on the basis of a photographing operation; and a storing function configured to store at least a part of the photographing screen in a predetermined storage region on the basis of a storing operation.
US09919213B2
Zoom controls for virtual environment user interfaces are provided herein. In one embodiment a computing system includes a processor and memory configured to provide a virtual gaming environment. The virtual game environment when executed includes a graphical user interface that has a radial zoom controller. The radial zoom controller is configured to allow a user to selectively control a zoom view and the radial zoom controller has an arcuate slider that is placed into concentric relationship with an activation button that allows the user to control an action within the virtual game environment.
US09919206B2
An apparatus for executing a computer game are provided. The apparatus includes an output unit configured to transmit a first image generated based on a form of a first user participating in the computer game and a second image generated based on a form of a second user participating in the computer game to a display apparatus, and a control unit configured to predict a possibility of a collision between the first user and the second user, and to control transmitting warning information indicating the possibility of the collision to the display apparatus via the output unit, according to a result of the predicting.
US09919203B1
A mahjong tile includes a main body, a cover, a magnet, an induction chip, and a transparent board. The main body has a chip trough at an inner side thereof, connecting poles protruding from a top surface thereof, and a tile face trough at a bottom thereof. The cover corresponds to the main body and has connecting holes and an accommodation trough at a bottom thereof. The magnet is accommodated in the accommodation trough. Upper and lower ends of the magnet are magnet poles of the magnet. The induction chip is for a sensor to read the suite and numeric of the mahjong tile. The magnet of the mahjong tile supplies magnetism, enabling the mahjong tile to be delivered for playing a computer game with the amusement of the real mahjong tile. This can prevent the players from touching the tiles and increase the fairness of the game.
US09919202B2
A modular pinball game truss system provides for lighting and other pinball game features, such as targets, ramps, ball pathways, bumpers, and ball-reactive game or decorative elements, features that move, make sounds, flash, display score, register points, illuminate, or otherwise react to a given pinball movement, to be easily added to existing games and changed at any time by individual game owners.
US09919200B2
A wearable motorized device comprising a shoe bracket, which can be fastened to a shoe; wheels that are installed on the left and right sides of the shoe bracket in parallel to support the wearer's lateral skating and longitudinal walking; a driving motor for rotationally driving the wheels; and a battery pack for powering the driving motor. The wheels are not coaxially installed on the two sides of the shoe bracket to drive the wearer's longitudinal skating, but instead are installed on the two sides of the shoe bracket in parallel to drive the wearer's lateral skating; the wearer can position his/her legs apart during skating, so the skating stability is improved. Its general contour does not significantly exceed the contour of the shoe in the longitudinal direction, thus and it will not strain the wearer when ascending or descending stairs.
US09919186B2
Example embodiments may relate to a system, method, apparatus, and computer readable media configured for monitoring a user performing an exercise and generating a avatar of the user and a virtual shadow, wherein the virtual shadow illustrates proper form of the exercise. The example embodiments may further be configured for determining an amount of overlap between the virtual avatar and the virtual shadow, and generating a feedback score based on the amount of overlap.
US09919185B1
An exercise chair is disclosed that includes a backrest, four legs, and a ball frame, which is configured to nestably receive an inflated ball, such that a top surface of the inflated ball may receive a sitting person. The chair includes a pressure sensor that is positioned beneath a bottom surface of the inflated ball, which is configured to detect pressure exerted by the inflated ball and calculate force measurements resulting from such pressure. The chair also includes an electronic controller/transmitter that is configured to receive the force measurements from the pressure sensor; calculate whether a person sitting on the chair jumped from the chair based on such force measurements during a defined period of time; and communicate a total number of calculated jumps by the person over a defined period of time to the person.
US09919184B2
An air-cleaning fitness device has a main frame, a housing, a driving assembly, a fan device and at least one filter. The housing, the driving assembly and the fan device are mounted on the main frame. The housing has a confined space and an airflow passage. The driving assembly and the fan device are located inside the housing and connect to each other. The fan device has a second inlet and a second outlet. The second inlet and the second outlet are respectively aligned with two ends of the airflow passage. The at least one filter is mounted on the housing and is capable of covering either end of the airflow passage. The driving assembly has at least one driving member which extends out of the housing and drives the fan device. When the user operates the air-cleaning fitness device, the air-cleaning fitness device purifies the air at the same time.
US09919181B1
Provided is a detachable kinetic chain energy movement (KEM) board for posture when using a Pilates reformer. The KEM board is configured to be detachably mounted to a foot bar or a footstool board of the Pilates reformer in order to provide flexion and extension, which are not conventionally possible, wherein the KEM board is configured to be easily and conveniently mounted to and detached from all kinds of Pilates reformers, is configured to derive much better muscle exercise effects during reformer exercises through the motion of the ankle and the hip joint within a full range of motion (ROM) and elastic resistance, and is configured to enable various kinds of exercises to be performed.
US09919172B2
Systems and methods for determining the accuracy of a foam addition system on a firefighting vehicle are disclosed. The methods may include measuring the amount of a test water stream flowing through a foam metering device.
US09919171B2
A nozzle for use in dispensing a fluid, such as water or a foaming agent to extinguish a fire, comprises a longitudinal body that comprises a plurality of helical shaped cam paths. The cam paths allow the operator of the nozzle to adjust a flow setting for the nozzle by moving a flow adjustment mechanism that is operatively associated with the cam paths.
US09919169B2
An integrated cargo-fire-suppression agent distribution system is disclosed. The integrated cargo-fire-suppression agent distribution system comprises a shut-off valve operable to close such that an airflow is blocked, and vehicle ventilation means operable to distribute a fire-suppression agent if the airflow is blocked.
US09919168B2
A method and apparatus are provided for treating connective tissue. The method and apparatus includes elongating connective tissue including septa and/or fascia to achieve a lasting improvement (e.g., a long term, durable and/or substantially irreversible treatment of the connective tissue) to improve the appearance of cellulite.
US09919165B2
Various embodiments disclose systems and methods for tracking regions (e.g., tumor locations) within living organisms. Some embodiments provide real-time, highly accurate, low latency measurements of tumor location even as the tumor moves with internal body motions. Such measurements may be suitable for closed-loop radiation delivery applications where radiation therapy may be continuously guided to the tumor site even as the tumor moves. Particularly, the system may dynamically identify planned to actual fiducial correspondences by iterating through the possible assignment permutations. A successful permutation may be recorded and used to orient the patient during follow up treatment sessions.
US09919155B2
A method is described for delivering stimulation signals in an implantable multichannel neuro-stimulating device such as a cochlear implant. A stimulation channel is selected for delivering a data stimulation signal. One or more desensitization channels spatially adjacent to the stimulation channel are also selected. One or more non-data desensitization signals are delivered on the desensitization channels during a desensitization period before delivery of the data stimulation signal, and then the data stimulation signal is delivered on the stimulation channel. The stimulation channel may be blanked to prevent stimulation signals during a sensitization period before delivering the data stimulation signal.
US09919152B2
Systems and methods for gastrointestinal electrical stimulation to treat abnormalities in gastrointestinal motility are provided. In some embodiments, a system for relieving ileus includes an intraluminal catheter comprising: a catheter body having a proximal tip and a distal tip and a duodenal portion proximal to the distal tip of the catheter; and at least one electrode pair disposed along the duodenal portion of the intraluminal catheter, the at least one electrode pair being configured to detect a sensing information indicative of myoelectric activity of a patient and to provide stimulation energy; a sensing system in communication with the at least one electrode pair to receive the sensing information; and an energy delivery system in communication with the at least one electrode pair and the sensing system, the electrical energy delivery system being configured to delivery energy to the patient through the at least one second electrode pair based on the sensing information from the sensing system.
US09919146B2
The present application is directed to devices and methods that can treat dementia or other brain disorders via electrical stimulation. Embodiments disclosed herein utilize brain stimulation of brain areas involved in memory and cognition through an intraventricular approach. Brain stimulation is combined with CSF flow in an intraventricular electrode having one or more passageways to permit fluid to flow therethrough. For example, an intraventricular electrode shunt catheter can be safely placed in any part of the ventricular system and through any foramen or aqueduct of the ventricular system without fear of obstruction to CSF flow.
US09919145B2
Connector assemblies that are separate from medical lead extensions provide features such as bores for receiving both a medical lead and a medical lead extension and provide electrical connections between connectors of the leads and connectors of the lead extensions. Connector assemblies may include additional features such as contours and wings that reduce subcutaneous erosion. Connector assemblies may also include retention structures such as movable clips that are moved into engagement with leads and lead extensions to retain them within the connector assembly. Integrated lead extension connectors may also include contours and wings as well as retention structures including movable clips.
US09919141B2
A method for manufacturing a needle-shaped body, including supplying a first aqueous solution to an intaglio plate, supplying a second aqueous solution to the intaglio plate, drying the first and second aqueous solutions in the intaglio plate such that a dried body is formed on the intaglio plate, and separating the dried body from the intaglio plate such that a needle-shaped body including a needle-shaped projection and a support base which supports the needle-shaped projection is obtained. The intaglio plate includes a recess corresponding to the needle-shaped projection, the first aqueous solution is supplied to fill at least a portion of the recess, the first aqueous solution and the second aqueous solution are immiscible, the first aqueous solution forms a projection side layer in the needle-shaped body, and the second aqueous solution forms a support base side layer on the projection side layer in the needle-shaped body.
US09919137B2
An inflation system having two pressure vessels integrated into a balloon catheter. A pressurized chamber and a vacuum chamber are integrally attached to proximal end of the balloon catheter and activated by a common valve or switch. Pressure or vacuum is selectively transmitted to the balloon depending on the valve/switch position. The working fluid may be air, or a combination of air and saline with an intermediate piston/cylinder assembly. The balloon catheter may be a part of a heart valve delivery system with a balloon-expandable heart valve crimped onto the balloon.
US09919135B2
The present invention provides a sheath for gastrostoma (1), a sheathed dilator, a gastrostomy catheter kit and a method of splitting a sheath for gastrostoma. The sheath for gastrostoma (1) includes a sheath body (11) in which a gastrostomy catheter (2) is inserted and a handle (12). The sheath for gastrostoma (1) lowers the insertion resistance of a gastrostomy catheter when inserted in a fistula before insertion of the gastrostomy catheter in the fistula for replacement in the patient's body. According to the invention, a sheath for gastrostoma, a sheathed dilator, a sheath for gastrostoma with insertion aid, a gastrostomy catheter kit and a method of splitting a sheath for gastrostoma which can lower the insertion resistance during placement of a catheter in the patient's body, facilitate air supply control of an endoscope and stabilize endoscopic visual field during surgery are provided.
US09919128B2
A catheter can efficiently transmit an operator's pushing force to a distal end of the catheter with a reduced risk of getting caught at a curved region of a lumen (e.g., a blood vessel, bile duct, pancreatic duct or the like). The catheter includes a first core wire and a second core wire disposed between an inner tube and an outer tube. The second core wire can move to an optimal position depending on external forces exerted at a curved region of the lumen when the catheter is inserted into the curved region. Therefore, there is a reduced risk that the first core wire and the second core wire will interfere with each other, which would prevent the catheter from bending along the lumen and potentially break one or both of the first core wire and the second core wire.
US09919118B2
Systems and methods for compensating long term sensitivity drift of catalytic type electrochemical gas sensors used in systems for delivering therapeutic nitric oxide (NO) gas to a patient by compensating for drift that may be specific to the sensors. In at least some instances, the long term sensitivity drift of catalytic type electrochemical gas sensors can be addressed using calibration schedules, which can factor in the absolute change in set dose of NO being delivered to the patient that can drive one or more baseline calibrations. The calibration schedules can reduce the amount of times the sensor goes offline. Systems and methods may factor in actions occurring at the delivery system and/or aspects of the surrounding environment, prior to performing a baseline calibration, and may postpone the calibration and/or rejected using the sensor's output for the calibration.
US09919115B2
Methods and devices for delivering a dose, such as a medicament, for inhalation. A dose may be stored by a delivery device and dispersed and delivered in a metered fashion to a subject, such as by the subject inhaling via a mouthpiece of the delivery device. One or more chambers of the device may have a toroidal shape and may be arranged to be selectively opened for fluid communication with a flow path of the delivery device, such as by sliding the chamber relative to a portion of the flow path. The flow path may include a restriction that permits air to bypass the chamber, and/or the chamber may be arranged so that fluid entering the chamber interacts with fluid exiting the chamber so as to enhance dispersion of the dose.
US09919114B2
A cutting element for a retracting needle syringe having a plunger with a cuttable distal end and a spring biased needle held by a cuttable support and a cutting element capable of cutting the cuttable distal end and the cuttable support includes a body portion having a proximal end, a distal end side wall therebetween and a passageway therethrough. The distal end of the body portion includes a cutting edge and a raised distally projecting tapered cutting tooth having distally converging edges. At least one tooth edge includes a sharp side wall for cutting the distal end of the plunger and the needle support.
US09919111B2
Penetrating systems and devices are described herein which include a penetrating portion having a fluid reservoir portion formed from two concentric hollow cylinders joined at one end with a substantially ring-shaped first end piece and associated at the other end with a substantially ring-shaped second end piece, the outer hollow cylinder including a plurality of pores in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir portion, the inner hollow cylinder defining a lumen in fluid communication with a second fluid reservoir portion, and the substantially ring-shaped second end piece forming a deformable barrier.
US09919100B2
A safety needle device comprising a body piece including a rear end connected to a cannula and a front end having a needle for connecting to a patient, a sliding gap at the front end of the body piece, a lock button at a rear end of the body piece, a sliding piece adopting a locked position wherein the sliding piece is folded and locked onto the body piece and a sliding position wherein the sliding piece is unfolded and unlocked from the body piece; retaining flaps at a bottom of the sliding piece for receiving the fingers of a hand of a user when the needle device must be disconnected from the patient, and locking parts in the sliding piece to lock the sliding piece and the body piece in a position wherein the needle is removed from the patient and protected by walls of the sliding piece.
US09919090B2
A balancing unit for medical fluids includes at least one balancing chamber and at least one conveying unit for filling the balancing chamber, in which the conveying unit is a pressure controlled conveying unit and/or is designed and provided for being operated in at least one operating state as a constant-pressure source. An external medical functional unit, a treatment apparatus and methods are also described.
US09919088B2
The present invention provides devices, systems, and methods for control of ventricular assist devices. The invention includes an implantable controller that is operatively programmed to direct physiological flow through a ventricular assist device that is substantially synchronized to the cardiac cycle of the subject. The implantable controller is also communicatively connected to an external control unit, such that the implantable controller can transmit data to the external control unit, and instructions can be sent from the external control unit to the implantable controller.
US09919083B2
A device for controlling blood flow occurring in a haemorrhagic zone of a biological tissue, includes a flexible plate arranged to be placed opposite this zone, the flexible plate including: substantially leaktight peripheral supporting elements, for applying on the tissue so that the zone is surrounded; a back wall delimiting, with the supporting elements, opposite the zone, a hollow space; connecting elements connecting the hollow space, externally to the flexible plate, to an external aspiration source for creating a vacuum in the hollow space for aspirating and tightly applying the surface of the tissue against the peripheral supporting elements; and a hollow stud placed between the zone and the back wall and hollowed out in its center on the side of the zone along an axis substantially perpendicular to the back wall, and arranged to be in contact with the zone when the vacuum is created in the space.
US09919079B2
Cardiovascular prostheses for treating, reconstructing and replacing damaged or diseased cardiovascular tissue that are formed from acellular extracellular matrix (ECM). The cardiovascular prostheses comprise various compositions, such as ECM based compositions, and structures, such as particulate structures, mesh constructs, encasement structures, coated structures and multi-sheet laminate structures.
US09919078B1
A tympanic construct fabricated from at least one amniotic membrane, at least one chorionic membrane, or at least one amniotic membrane and at least one chorionic membrane obtained from human birth tissue is provided. Methods of preparing a tympanic construct, methods of repairing tympanic membrane defects and surgical sites, as well as kits for the same are also provided.
US09919076B2
Biodegradable single-phase cohesive hydrogels useful, e.g., for the formulation of viscosupplementation compositions or compositions for filling wrinkles, contain a homogeneous blend of x polymers, which may be identical or different, crosslinked prior to the interpenetration thereof by mixing in the form of a single-phase hydrogel, wherein such crosslinked polymers are insoluble in water and miscible with one another, and x ranges from 2 to 5; in one embodiment, the hydrogels are such that the x polymers have identical or different degrees of crosslinking, at least one of the x polymers having a degree of crosslinking x1 and at least one of the x polymers having a degree of crosslinking x2, with x1 being greater than or equal to x2.
US09919070B2
A fragrance dispenser, in particular for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, with a fragrance container with a connection opening and with a container cover with an air inlet channel and an air outlet channel, further, with a movable operating element, and a movable valve element by means of which the air inlet channel and the air outlet channel can be opened and closed, wherein the valve element can be actuated by the operating element, and wherein further a bypass channel can be controlled by the operating element.
US09919062B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed methods that include a thymidine kinase deficient vaccinia virus. The methods include administering the vaccinia virus at increased viral concentrations. Further aspects of the invention include methods for inducing oncolysis or collapse of tumor vasculature in a subject having a tumor comprising administering to a subject at least 1×108 infectious viral particles of a TK-deficient, GM-CSF-expressing, replication-competent vaccinia virus vector sufficient to induce oncolysis of cells in the tumor.
US09919061B2
This invention relates to CD19 binding agents and methods of using such CD19 binding agents for treating disease.
US09919060B2
The invention relates to novel compounds for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of cancers and other proliferative conditions that are for example characterized by cells that express cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) and allelic variants thereof. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more such compounds for use in medical therapy, for example in the treatment of prophylaxis of cancers or other proliferative conditions, as well as methods for treating cancers or other conditions in human or non-human animal patients. The invention also provides methods for identifying novel compounds for use in the treatment of prophylaxis of cancers and other proliferative conditions that are for example characterized by cells that express CYP1 B1 and allelic variants thereof. The invention also provides a method for determining the efficacy of a compound of the invention in treating cancer.
US09919057B2
Provided are compounds comprising a self-immolative group, and the compounds comprising a self-immolative group according to the present invention may include a protein (for example, an oligopeptide, a polypeptide, an antibody, or the like) having substrate-specificity for a target and an active agent (for example, a drug, a toxin, a ligand, a detection probe, or the like) having a specific function or activity.
US09919056B2
Conjugates of an isolated humanized, anti-CD22 antibody with PBD dimers.
US09919045B1
Vaccine compositions are disclosed for vaccinating a human or animal against herpes simplex virus infections. Also provided are methods of producing vaccines against herpes simplex virus and methods of using such vaccines to prevent or ameliorate herpes simplex virus-associated disease such as genital herpes.
US09919042B2
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods related to mutant viruses, and in particular, mutant influenza viruses. The mutant viruses disclosed herein include a mutant M2 sequence, and are useful in immunogenic compositions, e.g., as vaccines. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions and cells for propagating the viral mutants, and methods, devices and compositions related to vaccination.
US09919041B2
An improved method for recovering the protein expressed by open reading frame 2 from porcine circovirus type 2 is provided. The method generally involves the steps of transfecting recombinant virus containing open reading frame 2 coding sequences into cells contained in growth media, causing the virus to express open reading frame 2, and recovering the expressed protein in the supernate. This recovery should take place beginning approximately 5 days after infection of the cells in order to permit sufficient quantities of recombinant protein to be expressed and secreted from the cell into the growth media. Such methods avoid costly and time consuming extraction procedures required to separate and recover the recombinant protein from within the cells.
US09919039B2
A Partner of Sld Five 1 (PSF1)-derived peptide that can induce a Cytotoxic T-Cell (CTL) response useful for a specific immunotherapy for cancer patients and a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing cancer, which contains the peptide according to the present invention are described.
US09919038B2
The present invention provides recombinant Listeria strains comprising an angiogenic factor, recombinant polypeptides comprising an angiogenic factor operatively linked to a polypeptide comprising a PEST-like sequence, recombinant nucleotide molecules encoding same, related vaccines, and immunogenic and therapeutic methods utilizing same.
US09919033B2
The present invention relates to dry compositions of rhGH polymer prodrug containing a lyoprotectant and, optionally, one or more than one excipient. Such compositions are stable for at least 1 year, when stored at 2-8° C. The invention further relates to methods of manufacturing said compositions, containers comprising such composition as well as a kit of parts.
US09919031B2
The invention relates to the use of a Mechano Growth Factor (MGF) polypeptide or a polynucleotide encoding an MGF polypeptide in the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention or limitation of myocardial damage in response to ischemia or mechanical overload of the heart by preventing or limiting apoptosis in the myocardium.
US09919030B2
In certain aspects, the present invention provides methods for dosing a patient with a follistatin antagonist and methods for managing patients treated with a follistatin antagonist.
US09919020B2
This disclosure is directed to a novel bioactive compound obtained from oil palm based materials and compositions containing said bioactive compound. The bioactive compound obtained in accordance with the present invention has a molecular mass of 482. The bioactive compound also has potent HIV reverse transcriptase activity and antioxidant activity.
US09919015B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition when used for inhibiting a herpesviridae infection and/or providing relief from a herpesviridae infection in a subject. The composition includes an effective amount of an extract from a plant in the Asteraceae family.
US09919014B2
Extracts obtained from the genus Hippophae or other plant sources or compositions produced by chemical or molecular biological techniques each having in common certain moieties in amounts effective when combined with reproductive cells to reduce the loss of function.
US09919004B2
Embodiments described herein provide a dialysate comprising a polyglycerol. The polyglycerol may be of a molecular weight between about 0.15 kDa and about 60 kDa. Also provided herein is the use of the dialysate as a diffusion agent and as an osmotic agent.
US09918996B2
Methods of treating renal failure are described. In particular, methods of treating renal failure by administration of pharmaceutical composition including a mixture of nicotine and salicylic acid are described.
US09918995B2
The invention relates to the field of medicine, in particular to the field of veterinary medicine. The invention relates to glucocorticoids, especially ciclesonide or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, for the treatment of airway disease in horses, such as pulmonary disease, preferably recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), Summer Pasture Associated Obstructive Pulmonary disease (SPAOPD), and inflammatory airway disease (IAD).
US09918982B2
Dosage forms and drug delivery devices suitable for administration of pharmaceutical compounds and compositions, including the oral drug administration of compounds.
US09918977B2
The present disclosure relates to crystalline solid forms of [(4-hydroxy-1-methyl-7-phenoxy-isoquinoline-3-carbonyl)-amino]-acetic acid, the process of preparing the forms, and pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof.
US09918975B2
It is desired to provide a pharmaceutical composition containing a compound represented by formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, which exhibits an inhibitory effect on activated blood coagulation factor X, and is useful as an agent for preventing and/or treating thrombosis, wherein the pharmaceutical composition exhibits favorable dissolution properties. The present invention provides a method for producing a pharmaceutical composition containing a compound represented by formula (I), comprising the step of mixing a compound represented by formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, one or more excipients selected from the group consisting of a sugar alcohol and a water-swelling additive, a disintegrant, and a binder under conditions for keeping the maximum water content of the granules during granulation at 10% or less.
US09918974B2
This invention relates to novel compounds which are inhibitors of the Rearranged during Transfection (RET) kinase, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation, and to their use in therapy, alone or in combination, for the normalization of gastrointestinal sensitivity, motility and/or secretion and/or abdominal disorders or diseases and/or treatment related to diseases related to RET dysfunction or where modulation of RET activity may have therapeutic benefit including but not limited to all classifications of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) including diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant or alternating stool pattern, functional bloating, functional constipation, functional diarrhea, unspecified functional bowel disorder, functional abdominal pain syndrome, chronic idiopathic constipation, functional esophageal disorders, functional gastroduodenal disorders, functional anorectal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, proliferative diseases such as non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, brain tumors, peritoneal cavity cancer, solid tumors, other lung cancer, head and neck cancer, gliomas, neuroblastomas, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome and kidney tumors, breast cancer, fallopian tube cancer, ovarian cancer, transitional cell cancer, prostate cancer, cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction, biliary cancer, adenocarcinoma, and any malignancy with increased RET kinase activity.
US09918973B2
A pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a aminopyridine dispersed in a release matrix, including, for example, a composition that can be formulated into a stable, sustained-release oral dosage formulation, such as a tablet which provides, upon administration to a patient, a therapeutically effective plasma level of the aminopyridine for a period of at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours or more and the use of the composition to treat various neurological diseases.
US09918961B2
The present invention provides a cannabinoid inhaler, compositions, and methods for delivering a cannabinoid composition to a subject. The cannabinoid composition is delivered in the form of inhaled droplets of respirable size via pulmonary administration. The invention may be used in the treatment of a condition or disorder selected from the group consisting of neuropathic pain, cannabis addiction, nausea, motion sickness, arthritis, and neurodegenerative disease.
US09918960B2
Topical alcohol-free thermo labile oily foam composition comprising (i) at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient or ectoparasitic active ingredient; (ii) at least about 20% w/w of at least one lipophilic component; (iii) at least about 10% w/w of at least one non-ionic surfactant; (iv) at least about 0.5% w/w of at least one fatty alcohol or fatty acid or ester thereof with melting point above 30° C., and; (v) at least about 7% w/w of propellant selected from propane, butane, isobutane and combinations thereof; said composition optionally comprising at least about 5% to about 70% w/w of a hydrophilic component, optionally comprising up to about 5% w/w hydrogenated oil and optionally comprising a penetration enhancer.
US09918959B2
A TLR-independent adjuvant compound that corresponds in structure to Formula I, below, or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt is disclosed in which X, Y, Z, n, R1, R2, R3, R4 and W are defined within. Also disclosed are a method of its preparation and use, as well as a pharmaceutical composition containing the same.
US09918956B2
The present invention provides a chlorogenic acid powder-injection. The chlorogenic acid powder-injection is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 1-120 parts of chlorogenic acid, 1-320 parts of a bracket agent and 1-8 parts of an antioxidant. The present invention further provides a preparation method of the powder-injection. The chlorogenic acid powder-injection provided in the present invention is good in stability, strong in re-solubility and safe in clinical use.
US09918950B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical cocktail and methods of treatment involving said cocktail, in particular, a combination of effective amounts of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, in combination with effective amounts of an angiogenesis inhibitor, including a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor such as bevacizumab for the treatment of cancer. In other embodiments, it relates to compositions and methods of treating cancer involving effective amounts of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating cancer (eliminating the tumor, shrinking the tumor, prolonging the life of the patient, increasing quality of life by decreasing the grade of adverse events seen with other cancer treatments, and/or preventing/reducing the likelihood of the tumor's metastases) are additional aspects of the present invention. In addition, the present invention may be used to favorably impact the therapeutic result of patients who have not responded to alternative, traditional anti-cancer therapy.
US09918947B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the use of a therapeutically-effective amount of Olivetol to reduce, eliminate, inhibit or alleviate the psychoactive effects of THC in users of Cannabis. Further embodiments of the present invention relate to a softgel, tablet or capsule of Olivetol in combination with an edible oil.
US09918944B2
A method of forming a membrane on a patch of skin using a gel, for the purpose of protecting the skin area or administering pharmacologically active substances to or through the skin area. The main ingredients of the gel are an alkyl acrylate crosspolymer such as Carbopol Ultrez 20 and a water soluble polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The gel may also contain other ingredients such as water, ethanol, antioxidants, lubricants, and neutralizers. The gel has the properties of being colorless and clear, low skin and nose irritability, easy to administer, fast membrane forming time, and removable by washing with water.
US09918943B2
Systems and methods are provided for the removal of endotoxins from fluids. The methods can include the use of polymeric nanoparticles for binding endotoxins present in a fluid. The polymeric nanoparticles can be associated with a support member. The polymeric nanoparticles can have an endotoxin removal capacity of at least 1×109 endotoxin units per gram of polymeric nanoparticle (EU/g) and/or a removal efficacy per unit surface area of the polymeric nanoparticles of at least 1×106 EU/cm2.
US09918940B2
A stable, controlled release formulation for oral dosing of vitamin D compounds is disclosed. The formulation is prepared by incorporating one or more vitamin D compounds into a solid or semi-solid mixture of waxy materials. Oral dosage forms can be prepared by melt-blending the components described herein and filling gelatin capsules with the formulation.
US09918928B2
A method for dyeing keratin fibers, in particular human hair, in which, after a thickened pretreatment agent (M1) including at least one oxidation dye precursor has been applied and left to act, directly thereafter and without rinsing a coloring agent (M2) is applied and left to act. By virtue of this method, in one dyeing step the hair can be colored and at the same time a multi-tonal dyeing with lighter (“highlights”) or darker (“lowlights”) sections (strands) can be produced.
US09918922B1
The present disclosure relates to leave-on hair styling compositions comprising: (a) calcium carbonate: (b) one or more sugar alcohols; (c) one or more thickening polymers; and (d) water. The leave-on hair styling compositions do not require synthetic film-forming polymers nor do they require silicones. The leave-on hair styling compositions are particularly useful in methods for imparting durable styling or shaping benefits, providing volume and fullness, and imparting frizz control to hair.
US09918909B2
A composition comprising a film or a plurality of film fragments entrained in a carrier is disclosed. The film or plurality of film fragments can comprise a functional material. The film or plurality of film fragments can comprise repeated shapes. Also disclosed is a composition comprising a plurality of discernable lamellar fragments entrained in a carrier. Also disclosed is a method for administering a functional material to a human or animal subject in need thereof, the method comprising applying to the subject a composition comprising a film or a plurality of film fragments entrained in a carrier, wherein the film comprises the functional material.
US09918907B2
A method in which a tube assembly is configured to be used in conjunction with an electromagnetic tube assembly guidance system. The tube assembly includes a first connector, a feeding tube connected to the first connector, a second connector connected to the feeding tube, and a suctioning tube connected to the second connector. The suctioning tube is configured to receive the feeding tube. The feeding tube is configured to allow enteral feeding while the suctioning tube is configured to allow suctioning or decompression of a patient's stomach.
US09918903B2
A container suitable for the preparation, storage and dispensing of compounded suppositories is provided. Methods of preparing, storing and dispensing compounded suppositories utilizing such a container and related kits are also provided.
US09918896B2
A footbath has a base member defining a platform. A flexible continuous side wall extends from a proximal end region connected about a periphery of the base member to a distal end region. The side wall has a collapsed position and an extended position. The platform of the base member and the side wall cooperate to define a bath chamber for retaining water with the bath chamber sized to receive a body part. A retention member is supported by the base member to extend from the base member to the distal end region of the side wall to retain the side wall in the extended position.
US09918890B2
A system for securing and manipulating a patient during a medical procedure comprises a support assembly coupled to a bed and configured to support a patient's leg. In addition the system comprises a rail coupled to the support assembly. The rail has a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. In addition, the system comprises a perineal post movably mounted to the rail and oriented in a generally vertical direction. The post assembly is configured to move axially along the rail between a first position and a second position.
US09918879B2
An improved skin substitute is presented comprised of a silicone layer backed up with a woven nylon fabric layer, the silicone layer possessing a regular pattern of slits that permit the porosity of the skin substitute to be adjusted by clinicians by means of applying tension to the skin substitute that differentially opens the slits. A variety of therapeutic substances can be applied to the skin substitute to promote healing, including aloe and other medicinal preparations. The skin substitute is directed at chronic wound treatment and hernia repair.
US09918878B2
The present invention describes an earwax removal device having varying structures to provide different earwax removal capabilities. In all designs, the overall contour of the earwax-extracting member resembles the dimensions of the external auditory canal and is flexible enough to conform to it during insertion. Each engages and collects wax using the pressure of insertion and rotation effects. Embodiments include a club-like member having multiple protrusions and extractions to collect wax along its sides, and an opening in the tip that leads to a channel to collect wax; a flexible spiral member to compress when the device is inserted in an ear and thereby extract wax as it expands when the device is removed; a screw-like structure to laterally move wax and grind as it rotates; a multi-channel structure to cut and collect wax simultaneously; and a shovel-like structure to effectively shear and scrape wax from an ear canal.
US09918872B1
A system for treating uterine atony, and promoting contraction of a uterus includes a heat transference article having a chilled surface in contact with an inner or outer surface of the uterus for a length of time sufficient to promote contraction while avoiding tissue damage. A heat transference medium such as a chilled saline solution, or cold gel is introduced to the article by injection, pre-filling, immersion or other suitable means, and is circulating or non-circulating.
US09918869B2
Catheter assemblies for draining urine from the urinary system of the user are disclosed herein. The catheter assemblies include an outer sleeve that houses the catheter tube and a deployable flexible container. The container is deployable through a slot in the sleeve wall and can be retracted back into the sleeve after use.
US09918866B2
A bikini brace has an inner surface that corresponds to a digital representation of an injured limb. The bikini brace can wrap around a length of the limb in a helical manner. The body of the bikini brace may be a single piece structure that is fenestrated to provide air circulation to the injured limb.
US09918858B2
An endoluminal stent and associated methods for placing the endoluminal stent in a lumen of a trachea of a patient. The stent includes an elongate framework having a first open end, a second open end opposite the first open end, and a lumen extending from the first open end to the second open end. The elongate framework includes a first edge extending from the first open end to the second open end, a second edge extending from the first open end to the second open end, and an opening between the first edge and the second edge extending from the first open end to the second open end such that the stent has a C-shaped cross-section. The stent may be implanted in a trachea with the opening positioned along a posterior wall of the trachea adjacent the trachealis muscle.
US09918853B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for treating a proximal humeral fracture. A system according to one embodiment includes a longitudinal member configured to be received within the humeral shaft. The system includes a jig assembly configured to be coupled to the longitudinal member, wherein the jig assembly includes at least one hole defined therethrough that is configured to guide placement of at least one hole in the humeral shaft, and wherein the hole formed in the humeral shaft is configured to align with at least one hole in the humeral implant such that the jig assembly is configured to locate the position of the humeral implant in the humeral shaft.
US09918844B2
A tibial prosthesis has a bearing component configured for an anterior-medial insertion, which advantageously avoids the extensor mechanism of the knee. A tibial tray may include a banana-shaped boss that corresponds to a notch formed in the bearing component. After the bearing component is inserted along the anterior-medial path, the boss is received within the notch by rotating the bearing component with respect to the tibial tray. This rotation seat the bearing component upon the tibial tray in the manner of a fixed-bearing prosthesis. Alternatively, the boss and notch may define angled central axes which allow straight anterior-medial insertion of the bearing component and locking engagement to the tibial tray.
US09918842B1
Femoral and/or tibial knee implant component includes a body and an elongate stem. The stem, at least for a substantial portion, has a polygonal shape when taken in cross-section generally perpendicular to its length. Modularity can be provided.
US09918826B2
A construct is disclosed that may be used to repair or replace a natural ligament. The construct may be formed of materials for biocompatibility and/or resorbtion. The construct may be provided or connected to a soft anchor for connection to a bone portion.
US09918822B2
A method of stimulating a renal nerve in a human patient comprising, selecting a span of renal artery in the patient for implantation of a self-expanding stent, the artery having a first internal diameter, an artery wall, and being surrounded by peri-adventitial space through which at least one renal nerve extends; measuring the first internal diameter; selecting a self-expanding stent configured to be capable of expanding to have a second diameter that, in an expanded condition once implanted within the artery, is between 2 mm and 4 mm larger than the first diameter; implanting the stent in the span of the renal artery, whereby the stent eventually expands to the second diameter and thereby passes through the artery wall to become embedded in peri-advential space; and at least partially blocking the renal nerve or modulating a function of the nerve.
US09918819B2
Various embodiments of sling or implant systems are provided. The sling or implant systems can be employed to treat incontinence, prolapse, and like conditions. A needle delivery device can be included, wherein the delivery device includes a needle and a rotatable sheath. The rotatable sheath can rotate upon actuation relative to the needle to selectively deploy or disengage an implant anchor from the distal end of the needle.
US09918801B2
A treatment device rotates a second rotation portion by operating an operation element. The second rotation portion switches between a first rotation position and a second rotation position. A direction of the end effector relative to the distal end of the sheath is changed in the first rotation position. A position of the end effector relative to the distal end of the sheath is maintained in the second rotation position.
US09918800B2
A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system may include a base, a column connected to the base, a boom connected to the column, a surgical instrument manipulator arm connected to the boom, and an obstacle indication system comprising an illumination source that directs light in a path of the boom. Various exemplary embodiments also encompass methods of providing obstacle indication via a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system, including directing light onto an object in a path of the boom to indicate that the object is located in a path of the boom, and methods of determining a predetermined height to be stored in a patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system, including illuminating an object in the path of the patient side cart and storing a current height of the patient side cart as the predetermined height.
US09918797B2
A patient positioning system associated with an electromagnetic field generator includes a patient fixation unit for fixing a patient or a part of the patient's body so as to be immobile with respect to the patient positioning system. The patient fixation unit and the electromagnetic field generator are installed so as to retain their position with respect to each other. A method for navigating a patient or a part of the patient's body by means of a medical navigation system is provided, wherein the patient or part of the patient's body is positioned by such a patient positioning system.
US09918793B2
An ablation device and methods for use thereof including a support structure adapted to support an ablation structure within an alimentary tract of a patient are provided. The support structure includes a longitudinal support with a longitudinal axis and a rotational support. The rotational support is adapted to permit at least part of the ablation structure to rotate with respect to the longitudinal support's longitudinal axis.
US09918781B2
A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft extending from the housing, and end effector, a drive plate, and a knife member. The shaft defines a rectangular configuration. The end effector includes first and second jaw members coupled to one another via a pivot pin extending between long sides of the shaft and movable about the pivot pin between spaced-apart and approximated positions. The drive plate is configured such that translation of the drive plate through the shaft and relative to the end effector assembly pivots the jaw members. The drive plate defines surfaces that are parallel to the long sides of the shaft. The knife member is configured to translate through the shaft and relative to the end effector assembly between retracted and extended positions. The knife member defines surfaces that are parallel to the surfaces of the drive plate and the long sides of the shaft.
US09918776B2
A multi-pole synchronous pulmonary artery radiofrequency ablation catheter may comprise a control handle, a catheter body and an annular ring. One end of the catheter body may be flexible, and the flexible end of the catheter body may be connected to the annular ring. The other end of the catheter body may be connected to the control handle. A shape memory wire may be arranged in the annular ring. One end of the shape memory wire may extend to an end of the annular ring and the other end of the shape memory wire may pass through a root of the annular ring and be fixed on the flexible end of the catheter body. The annular ring may be provided with an electrode group. The device possesses advantages of simple operation, short operation time and controllable precise ablation. The device can be used to treat pulmonary hypertension with pulmonary denervation.
US09918772B2
An ablation applicator for an ablation device, the ablation applicator comprising a tubular body defining an inner lumen to which an ablation medium is conductible, wherein the tubular body comprises a matrix accommodating a plurality of particles.
US09918768B2
A method for augmenting a tissue including introducing into the tissue a first thermoplastic material at a first condition; treating the first thermoplastic material to achieve a second condition that includes an at least partially crystalline skin; and introducing a second material into the tissue whereby the first thermoplastic material and the second material are contained by the at least partially crystalline skin. Also a method of fracture reduction in a tissue including exposing to gamma radiation a mass of polycaprolactone characterized by a first shape; heating the mass of irradiated polycaprolactone above its melting temperature; introducing the heated mass of polycaprolactone into the tissue annulus to deform it from the first shape; allowing the material to return to the first shape.
US09918764B2
An anchoring implant to be screwed into a hole and self-lock therein with secure stability. The implant, which may be used in dental, orthopedic or any of several non-medical applications, has a conically tapered profile with an aggressively-threaded, self-tapping apical end. A central region of the implant is formed with a plurality of burnishing edges each configured to apply a circumferentially sweeping compressive strain to the interior surface of the hole with a burnishing action while the implant is being screwed into position. A coronal end of the implant includes a corking feature to avert mushrooming around the perimeter of the hole. A central thread profile may extend through and intersect the burnishing edges to provide either enhanced self-tapping or enhanced corking functionality. The extreme coronal end comprises a platform for receiving an abutment or other fastening element via an internal connect feature.
US09918759B2
Springs for use in bone implant assemblies where the spring is assembled to a bone implant body. The spring comprises first and second bands, biased against each other, by a spring leaf which extends between the bands, and resists compression of the bands toward each other. Securement of the spring to the implant body can provide for initial transverse movement of the entire length of the spring leaf, when one of the bands is urged toward the other. When assembled to an implant body, the bands extend into fastener receiving apertures in the implant body. A stud is installed in the implant body and extends into an aperture in the spring. A stud-receiving aperture in the spring is optionally elongate, with the length of such aperture extending along the width of the spring, thereby enabling distributing an external compressive force through substantially the entire body of the spring leaf.
US09918755B2
An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of implants including a barrel, a magazine, and a driver. The barrel has a longitudinal passage and a lateral passage intersecting the longitudinal passage adjacent a distal end of the barrel. The magazine has a housing defining a chamber for holding a plurality of implants. The housing is slidably connected to the barrel and movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein a slot of the housing is aligned with the lateral passage of the barrel. A pusher member connected to the housing is caused to push one of the implants through the slot and the lateral passage and into the longitudinal passage. The driver is disposed in the longitudinal passage to be axially and rotatably movable to apply a rotational force to the implant.
US09918747B2
Various exemplary methods and devices are provided for fixing bone anchors to bone. In general, the methods and devices can allow for a bone anchor to be fixed to a bone at a desired angle to a receiver member. In an exemplary embodiment, a bone anchor assembly is provided that includes a bone anchor configured to engage bone, a receiver member that polyaxially seats a spherical head of the bone anchor, and a compression member seated within the receiver member, proximally of the head of the bone anchor. The compression member can have a distal end with gripping features thereon configured to create at least one line contact and/or one band contact with the head of the bone anchor, thus providing a firm grip on the head of the bone anchor and reducing a risk of slippage of the bone anchor with respect to the receiver member.
US09918741B2
The present disclosure relates to an anchoring group for an external fixator, that comprises a connecting body designed to be coupled to a bar of an external fixator. A locking device is connected to the connecting body at a fastening point thereof and comprises a pin locking arm provided with two seats suitable for locking a corresponding number of uni-cortical pins. A connection base is intended to be coupled to a connecting body of the anchoring group. An additional member, also associated with the connecting body, comprises at least one auxiliary seat, not aligned with the seats of the locking device, for locking an additional uni-cortical pin. In an additional embodiment, the connection base of the locking device extends in an angled relationship with respect to the pin locking arm and away from both the seats. The connection base has a point for fastening to the connecting body which is not aligned with said seats.
US09918740B2
A method for preparing surgical kits for use during a surgery includes preparing a pre-operative surgical plan for a patient and selecting a set of surgical instruments based on the pre-operative surgical plan. The set of surgical instruments includes at least a general instrument, a first size-specific instrument, a patient-specific instrument, and a surgeon-specific instrument. The general instrument is selected from a predetermined group of off-the-shelf instruments. The first size-specific instrument has a first size selected from predetermined sizes. The patient-specific instrument includes a three-dimensional contoured engagement surface configured to nest into a portion of a native anatomy in a single location. The surgeon-specific instrument is selected based on a surgeon preference and is a different instrument than the selected general instrument, first size-specific instrument, and patient-specific instrument. The method further includes preparing a surgeon instrument kit containing the set of surgical instruments in sterilized form.
US09918738B2
[Problem]Provided are: an ultrasound-guided puncture assist device that is capable of preventing occurrence of operational mistakes or the like when a nerve block or vascular puncture is performed under ultrasonography, an ultrasound-guided puncture method using the ultrasound-guided puncture assist device, and the like.[Solution]An ultrasound-guided puncture assist device with an object of preventing narrowing or the like of a puncture target site for a nerve block or vascular puncture under ultrasonography to thereby assist the puncture by comprising a pulling mechanism for pulling the surface of the puncture target site, such as skin. The use of the ultrasound-guided puncture assist device of the invention can increase the width of the target site tissue where a nerve block or vascular puncture is performed, and thus occurrence of mispuncture is preventable.
US09918716B2
A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body is disclosed. A plurality of staple cavities are defined in the cartridge body. The cartridge body compriese a deck. The staple cartridge further comprises a plurality of staples removably positioned in the staple cavities, an implantable first layer of material supported by the deck, an implantable deflectable support extending from the implantable first layer of material, and an implantable second layer of material supported by the implantable deflectable support.
US09918715B2
A long articulating steerable clip applier affixed to a user-operated handle. A surgical jaw assembly is attached to the other end of the clip applier. The clip applier is composed of articulating phalanges that are connected end to end by pivoting links and capable of angulations relative to one another when subjected to a tensile force. Each phalange has opposing s-shaped exterior grooves that form two continuous spiral-shaped channels for holding tension wires once the phalanges are assembled. Multiple tension wires are attached to opposite ends of adjacent phalanges. When each wire is pulled, this tensile force causes the phalanges to pivot at equivalent angles with each other. As each individual phalange pivots by an equivalent angle, the sum of these angles causes the free end of the clip applier to pivot by a large angle or a cascading actuation effect.
US09918714B2
Medical devices and related methods for closing a perforation in a bodily wall are provided. The medical device generally includes an introducer device having a base defining a plurality of recesses formed therein. Visceral staples are disposed within the recesses in a delivery state and are biased toward a deployed state. A holding mechanism retains the staples in the delivery state, and the holding mechanism is moveable relative to the base to allow the staples to extend out of the recesses. The biased nature of the staples will cause them to transition into the deployed state after the staples have been released, such that the staples will thereby pierce adjacent tissue and remain closed. The holding mechanism can be retractable or pivotable out of engagement with the staples. The introducer device can include upper and lower jaws or a slidable cover relative to the base.
US09918711B2
A method and apparatus for the stabilization of the trapeziometacarpal joint following the removal or partial resection of the trapezium includes an assembly for securing a first metacarpal relative to a second metacarpal. The assembly includes a suture guide having a suture anchor plate that is frangibly connected to a guide stem.
US09918706B2
A device for closing at least one opening leading to an anatomical cavity is delivered via a catheter positioned in a first opening leading to the anatomical cavity. An orientation control unit is positioned within the anatomical cavity. The orientation control unit defines an orientation of a portion of a tissue surface within the anatomical cavity that is skewed with respect to the first opening and orients a closure member of the device with the tissue surface. An occluding member and a constricting unit of the device are positioned within the anatomical cavity with the occluding member blocking a portion of an opening that is constricted by the constricting unit. An intermediate member of the device is positioned within the anatomical cavity and a closure unit employing at least one piercing element pierces through the intermediate member into a tissue wall surrounding the anatomical cavity.
US09918704B2
An end effector for stapling and cutting tissue is disclosed. The end effector comprises a housing, staples removably stored in the housing, a cutting portion configured to cut the tissue, and a collapsible ring. The ring is deployable between a first configuration and a second configuration to engage the tissue. The end effector further comprises an actuator configured to deploy the ring between the first configuration and the second configuration and pull the tissue within the cutting portion after the ring has been engaged with the tissue.
US09918702B2
A medical kit for analysis of vaginal biological samples includes a sample collector, an extractor, and an assay cartridge. The sample collector is compressible and insertable in a vaginal canal for collecting biological samples, and includes a cup-shaped head configured to cradle a cervical os. The extractor includes a sample receptacle configured to receive the sample collector via an open end. The extractor includes a compression mechanism with a compression element that is movable inwards into the open end of the sample receptacle to apply a compression force in response to activation of a release element. The extractor further includes a reservoir in fluid communication with the sample receptacle, the reservoir receiving the biological samples from the sample collector in response to the compression force being applied within the sample receptacle. The assay cartridge has a docking mechanism configured to fluidly communicate with the reservoir of the extractor.
US09918701B2
The present invention relates to method and system for automatic control of image quality in imaging of an object using, for example, an ultrasound system. The method comprises transmitting image generating signals into the object using selected system parameter sets of the imaging system. The imaging system has a number of different system parameter sets based on an image ranking measure reflecting a subjective expert opinion of a pre-defined set of images. The captured images are analyzed with respect to at least one image quality feature to determine an image quality metric for each image. The respective image quality metric for each image are analyzed to identify an image associated with a highest image quality metric and the system parameter set used for generating the image associated with the highest image quality metric can be selected as system parameter set for imaging of the object.
US09918698B2
Described here are systems and methods for ultrasound processes using shear wave attenuation and velocity derived from k-space analysis by analyzing spatial frequency domain data.
US09918696B2
Existing gas pocket detection approaches are based on visual observations of B-mode ultrasound images showing comparisons between normal soft tissue and gas pockets, which are time-consuming and dependent on operator experience. The present invention proposes an ultrasound system and a method of detecting a gas pocket. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound probe (110) for transmitting an ultrasound signal toward the ROI and acquiring an ultrasound echo signal reflected from the ROI along a plurality of scanning lines; an obtaining unit (130) for obtaining a second harmonic component of the ultrasound echo signal for each depth of a plurality of depths along each scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines; and a deriving unit (140) for deriving a change in a center frequency of the second harmonic component along with the depth.
US09918694B2
Methods and systems for acoustically treating material using a continuous process in which material may be caused to flow in a continuous or intermittent fashion into/out of an acoustic treatment chamber where the material is exposed to focused acoustic energy. The methods and systems may be arranged to permit continuous processing for extended periods while an acoustic energy source operates at a relatively high power output. Treatment chambers may include features such as an acoustic window and/or a chamber wall which may comprise an acoustically reflective material or a gas/wall interface that serves to reflect acoustic energy to form one or more secondary focal zones. Treatment system configurations relating to arrangements of a treatment chamber relative to an acoustic source and coupling medium, material flow paths, and others are provided.
US09918690B2
In hemodynamic determination in medical imaging, the classifier is trained from synthetic data rather than relying on training data from other patients. A computer model (in silico) may be perturbed in many different ways to generate many different examples. The flow is calculated for each resulting example. A bench model (in vitro) may similarly be altered in many different ways. The flow is measured for each resulting example. The machine-learnt classifier uses features from medical scan data for a particular patient to estimate the blood flow based on mapping of features to flow learned from the synthetic data. Perturbations or alterations may account for therapy so that the machine-trained classifier may estimate the results of therapeutically altering a patient-specific input feature. Uncertainty may be handled by training the classifier to predict a distribution of possibilities given uncertain input distribution. Combinations of one or more of uncertainty, use of synthetic training data, and therapy prediction may be provided.
US09918680B2
The present invention relates to structural analysis of the optic nerve head (ONH). In one approach, a 3D volume of intensity data which includes the optic nerve head is acquired using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The vitreoretinal interface (VRI) and the optic disc margin are identified from the 3D data. The minimum area of a surface from the optic disc margin to the VRI is determined. This minimum area can be displayed as an image or in the alternative, a value corresponding to this minimum area can be displayed. The minimum area measurement provides relevant clinical information to determine the health of the eye.
US09918676B2
An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles includes an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface and a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds. A first electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially below the first location to receive EMG signals primarily from below the vocal folds. A second electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location to receive EMG signals primarily from above the vocal folds. The first and second electrodes are configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient.
US09918654B2
A muscle assessment protocol can include: attaching one or more surface electromyometry (sEMG) sensors to the skin of a subject to be operably coupled with one or more muscles; operably coupling the one or more sEMG sensors to a computing system; performing the predetermined muscle activity of a muscle assessment protocol that includes a frequency-based, amplitude-adjusted root mean square protocol; monitoring/recording sEMG data of the one or more muscles during the predetermined muscle activity; and providing the sEMG data to the subject such that the subject can improve muscle performance for the predetermined muscle activity by using the sEMG data. The muscle activity includes static or dynamic muscle use. The predetermined muscle activity can be provided to the subject by the computing system.
US09918644B2
The blood circulation in a body part may be affected by various factors such as burns, vibration, smoking, drugs, physical activity, adhesion, medical treatment, acupuncture, light therapy, ambient temperature, injuries such as sprains and broken bones, diseases and various foodstuffs. The invention relates to a method for examining the surface temperature of a body part due to such factors. The method according to the invention comprises an initial period in which the body part is positioned in a background screen and photographed with a thermographic camera, an exposure period in which body part is exposed to a refrigerant for a predetermined exposure time, a recovery period in which body part is repositioned in the background screen and photographed or filmed with a thermographic camera. The invention also relates a system for examination of the surface temperature of a body part according to the method. The device includes a thermographic camera connected to a computer and a background screen that makes it possible to find and scan body parts. The blood circulation in a body part may be affected by various factors such as burns, vibration, smoking, drugs, physical activity, adhesion, medical treatment, acupuncture, light therapy, ambient temperature, injuries such as sprains and broken bones, diseases and various foodstuffs. The invention relates to a method for examining the surface temperature of a body part due to such factors. The method according to the invention comprises an initial period in which the body part is positioned in a background screen and photographed with a thermographic camera, an exposure period in which body part is exposed to a refrigerant for a predetermined exposure time, a recovery period in which body part is repositioned in the background screen and photographed or filmed with a thermographic camera. The invention also relates a system for examination of the surface temperature of a body part according to the method. The device includes a thermographic camera connected to a computer and a background screen that makes it possible to find and scan body parts.
US09918638B2
Communication power in a medical device system is managed by providing power from a power supply to a communication circuit in a sensing device according to a first communication wake up mode set for a first time period and according to a second communication wake up mode set for a second time period. The second communication wake-up mode is established by a second device.
US09918634B2
Systems and methods for improving ophthalmic imaging by correlating the location of a measurement on the pupil of the eye with a quality of the measurement and further controlling subsequent measurements based on the quality are presented. Aspects of the invention include obtaining optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements through cataracts or other media opacities, obtaining B-scans with minimized tilt, and automated OCT data acquisition of select structures in the eye. Embodiments of the invention directed towards imaging tissues with angle dependent layer contrast and mapping the size and location of cataracts in the eye are also described.
US09918631B2
An adaptive optical apparatus includes a wavefront correction unit configured to correct a wavefront aberration, a first scanning unit configured to be arranged to be optically almost conjugate to the wavefront correction unit, and scan light on an object in a first direction, a second scanning unit configured to be arranged to be optically almost conjugate to the wavefront correction unit, and scan light on the object in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and an optical element arranged in an optical path between the wavefront correction unit and the first scanning unit and arranged in an optical path between the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit.
US09918615B2
An endoscope button unit includes a housing having two housing portions, a claw portion that is capable of being locked to a cylinder, and is provided at the housing portion, a connection portion that connects the two housing portions, a ring-shaped portion that is placed at an upper portion of the housing portion and is capable of being pulled with use of a finger or a jig, and a connection portion that connects the housing portion and the ring-shaped portion.
US09918613B2
An observation object is imaged under irradiation with oxygen saturation level measurement light to obtain a first image signal, and the observation object is imaged under irradiation with white light to obtain a second image signal. A normal light image is produced from the second image signal. An oxygen saturation level is calculated from the first and second image signals. The calculated oxygen saturation level is imaged in an oxygen saturation image. By superimposing the normal light image on the oxygen saturation image, an emphasized oxygen saturation image is produced. In the emphasized oxygen saturation image, an abnormal area in which a calculation result of the oxygen saturation level is likely to be abnormal is emphasized by its brightness. The produced emphasized oxygen saturation image is displayed on a display device.
US09918596B2
The present disclosure is directed to a paper towel product that will capably separate from the paper towel roll as a full sheet, a half sheet or a quarter sheet. A method of making a paper towel with machine direction perforations is also disclosed.
US09918592B2
An expandable and collapsible container includes a lower fixed chamber, a movable chamber configured to rotate outward from a central body of the container in an expansible position and to rotate inward in a collapsible position, and an upper fixed chamber. The container also includes a first lid configured to cover the lower fixed chamber and rotate outward from the central body of the container, a second lid configured to cover the movable chamber and to rotate outward from the central body of the container, and a third lid configured to cover the upper fixed chamber and to rotate outward from the central body of the container. The container also includes a covering on an outer surface of one or more of the lower fixed chamber, the movable chamber, and the upper fixed chamber, wherein the covering is configured to receive and hold one or more articles.
US09918584B2
The present invention proposes a beverage production device for preparing a beverage from a beverage concentrate contained in a receptacle, comprising a support means (1) for supporting the receptacle (13), a plate member (2) arranged vertically to the support means, the plate member (2) comprising at least four outlet nozzles (4) for injecting a fluid jet (A) into the receptacle (13), liquid supply means (6) connected to the outlet nozzles (4), wherein at least two of the outlet nozzles (4) are designed to direct a fluid jet (A3, A4) to an inner side wall (13b) of the receptacle (13) and said outlet nozzles (4) are arranged at different angles (a) with respect the vertical, and wherein at least two of the outlet nozzles (4) are designed to direct a fluid jet (A1, A2) to the bottom of the receptacle (13a) and said outlet nozzles (4) are arranged at different angles (β) with respect to the vertical.
US09918568B1
A position adjustable support assembly provides a support extension that is detachably attachable to a support member. The support extension is attached by an extension attachment that has a support coupler that extends along the length of the support member and has a gap opening to allow the support coupler to be snapped onto the support member. The support coupler may be cylindrical in shape and snap over the rod-shaped support member in a concentric coupling arrangement. The support member has a fin slot for retaining a plurality of fins that extend up from the outside surface of the support member. The fins are slid into a retaining slot along the inside surface of the support coupler to retain the support coupler and support extension in a rotational position with respect to the support member. The support extension can be slid along the length of the support member.
US09918562B1
An electronic education system includes an electronic device. A chair is provided and a child may sit upon the chair. A tray is removably coupled to the chair. The electronic device is removably coupled to the tray. Thus, the electronic device is accessible to the child. An undercarriage is movably coupled to the chair. The undercarriage is selectively positioned in a deployed position to roll along a support surface. The undercarriage is selectively positioned in retracted position.
US09918561B2
A child support device including a folding frame having front legs and rear legs, and a hub pivotally coupling upper ends of the front and rear legs to move between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration. The hub includes a first coupling element. The device further includes a support component having a second coupling element releasably engageable with the first coupling element, for detachably mounting the support component to the frame. The support component is optionally a dual-mode support, usable in a first mode of use mounted to the frame, and in a second mode of use independent of the frame.
US09918556B2
The disclosure generally relates to an adjustable bed foundation. The adjustable foundation includes lateral and/or longitudinal support members as part of an adjustable base frame positioned below a mattress support. The lateral and longitudinal support members, along with a fixed base frame portion of the foundation are preferably formed from a lightweight material such as wood. The lateral and longitudinal support members provide sufficient vertical support structure to accommodate a mattress and bed occupants on the adjustable platform, as well as electrical and mechanical components of the adjustable foundation below a mattress support deck.
US09918525B2
Touch fastener products, as well as apparatus and methods for manufacturing such products, are described. The methods and apparatus feature certain mold cavity shapes that are designed to facilitate demolding of hammer hook touch fastener elements exhibiting desirable fastening properties. Such mold cavity shapes can be combined with particularly soft molding resins to produce useful fastening products.
US09918519B2
A traction element arrangement for a sole structure of an article of footwear is described. Traction elements of a first group are associated with a lateral side of the sole structure. Traction elements of a second group are associated with a medial side of the sole structure. Traction elements of the second group include medial rotational traction elements that have a plurality of stud elements arranged in a circular grouping. Stud elements may be aligned laterally across the sole structure with traction elements of the first group. Stud elements may be aligned longitudinally across the sole structure to be arranged in different configurations along an outside medial side or an inside medial side.
US09918518B2
A non-cleated, soft metal traction device reduces or eliminates slippage on wet and hard surfaces, such as mossy rocks beneath the water surface of a body of water. The traction device includes at least one external metal shank, plate or bar attachable to a footwear item with a desired binding system. The shank is preferably made from a soft metal material, such as a non-heat-treated aluminum alloy, so it is soft enough to grip and elastically conform to moist, wet or otherwise slippery rock and shale. The contact surface of the shank may include grooves, ribs, spaced apart ridges, or other small surface variations to improve the traction of the device in transition environments.
US09918509B2
A ventilated helmet assembly for cooling a user when the user wears a helmet includes a helmet that may be worn on a head. A ventilation unit is coupled to the helmet. The ventilation unit may urge air inwardly and outwardly from the helmet. Thus, the ventilation unit may cool the user when the user wears the helmet.
US09918502B2
A conditioning garment has an array of tubes (11) for passing heated/cooled fluid to heat/cool a wearer of the garment. The array of tubes (11) terminate at a connector (16) for connection to a source of heated/cooled liquid. The connector (16) comprises a male part (15) and a female part (17) with a releasable latch (22, 34, 40) acting between the male and female parts (15, 17) to hold the male part (15) in engagement with the female part (17). The releasable latch includes a release member (40) moveable in a rectilinear path away from the connector (16) to release the latch and allow separation of the male part (15) from the female part (17). The male and female parts (15, 17) are self-sealing on disengagement. This allows for automatic separation of the male and female parts (15, 17) in an emergency.
US09918494B2
A smoking article is provided, having a mouth end and a distal end, including a heat source; an aerosol-forming substrate; an airflow directing element including an air-permeable segment downstream of the substrate and defining an airflow pathway; and at least one air inlet for drawing air into the segment, wherein the pathway includes a first portion extending from the inlet towards the substrate and a second portion extending from the substrate towards the mouth end, wherein the first portion is defined by a low resistance-to-draw portion of the segment that extends from proximate to the inlet to an upstream end of the segment, and the segment further includes a high resistance-to-draw portion that extends from proximate to the inlet to a downstream end of the segment, and the ratio of the resistance-to-draw of the high portion to the low portion is higher than 1:1 and lower than 50:1.
US09918489B2
A cookie or other food product which is designed to deliver a larger dose of cinnamon to a human user without significant introduction of food items detrimental to cinnamon's expected medicinal action and without an unpleasant taste sensation. The cookie is designed to be chewed as opposed to swallowed and the flavoring of the cinnamon is intended to enhance the cookie as opposed to the flavoring of the cinnamon being covered up or concealed by other flavorings.
US09918488B2
Synergistically acting mixtures are introduced into drinks for sterilizing and subsequent preservation of drinks which have been contaminated with acetic acid bacteria.
US09918483B2
A sheet for packaging edible meat is provided that includes a layer A and a layer B thermally adhered to each other. In the sheet, the layer A is a wet-laid nonwoven fabric produced by mixing a first core-in-sheath fiber (a) having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of polyethylene, a second core-sheath fiber (b) having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of a low-melting-point polyester, and an ultrafine polyester fiber (c). The layer B is a spunbonded nonwoven fabric produced from a third core-sheath fiber having a core made of polyester and a sheath made of polyethylene. Also a casing for packaging edible meat is provided that is formed from the sheet for packaging edible meat.
US09918467B2
A wipe for anti-microbial disinfecting includes a flexible substrate and an anti-microbial ion source integrated on the substrate. The flexible substrate is made entirely or in part of woven fiber cloth, non-woven fiber cloth, woven synthetic cloth, non-woven synthetic cloth, or natural fiber cloth. The anti-microbial ion source is configured to dissolve in an aqueous solution to form an anti-microbial solution. The flexible substrate is configured to absorb the anti-microbial solution for use in cleaning.
US09918466B2
Antimicrobial or antiseptic polymers may be produced by incorporation of an antimicrobial ingredient into the polymer by grafting, copolymerization, or via a combined antimicrobial/plasticizer ingredient. The polymer may be produced as a masterbatch, or a ready to process polymer for producing antimicrobial products. The reactions may be conducted in a reactive extruder to provide a single-step synthesis.
US09918454B2
A method and device are provided for generating an attention indication for a dairy animal that is kept in an environment with a freely accessible robotic milking system, including measuring a plurality of visit intervals, milking intervals, respectively of said dairy animal, determining a value of a statistical parameter regarding the measured plurality of intervals from the measured intervals, generating the attention indication, in particular a mastitis alarm signal, if the value exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Valuable information can be derived from the spread of, or change in, the values.
US09918452B2
A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the location in which herbivore fowl populations congregate by altering the behavior of the fowl through the combination of providing a strong disincentive to populate areas where the presence of the fowl is not desired and a strong incentive to populate a proximate area where the presence of fowl can be tolerated. For herbivore waterfowl, and in particular Canada geese, the adjacent area also provides the waterfowl with a means of egress to water as an escape from predators and other perceived threats. The method uses a deterrent in the form of adulterated feed to dissuade the herbivore fowl from congregating in areas in which their presence is not desired and the use of an attractant in the form of non-adulterated feed to encourage the herbivore fowl to congregate in a proximate area in which their presence can be tolerated.
US09918446B1
A novel maize variety designated PH2TC9 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant comprise crossing maize variety PH2TC9 with another maize plant are provided. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2TC9 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby are provided. Hybrid maize seed, plants or plant parts are produced by crossing the variety PH2TC9 or a locus conversion of PH2TC9 with another maize variety.
US09918440B2
A mineral wool batt for use as a plant growth medium, particularly in applications for growing vegetation (including plants) in which water retention and/or the avoidance of water run-off is of interest. The mineral wool batt has an absorbent layer which comprises needled mineral wool fibres; superabsorbent particles in the absorbent layer may be sandwiched between a denser upper and/or lower barrier layer(s) which assist in preventing their escape.
US09918438B2
A system including: (a) a pipe having an aperture providing fluid communication between inner and outer pipe surfaces; (b) a cylindrical drip emitter disposed within the pipe, including: an emitter body having an outer facing having a generally convex contour adapted in generally complementary fashion to a concave contour of the inner pipe surface, the outer facing secured to the inner surface; a liquid inlet section adapted to receive a liquid from within the pipe, and to deliver the liquid, via the aperture, to the outer facing; a pressure-reducing section disposed in fluid communication with the liquid inlet section; functionally active sections including the pressure-reducing section, the liquid inlet section, the functionally active sections disposed within, and longitudinally defining, a position of a longitudinal segment of the body; and at least one functionally passive section, disposed on the outer facing, within the longitudinal segment; and (c) a liquid flow path fluidly connecting between the liquid inlet section and the passive section, via the pressure-reducing section, and between the passive section and an ambient environment, via the first aperture, wherein the first aperture is situated within longitudinal bounds of the longitudinal segment, and radially aligned with the functionally passive section disposed within the longitudinal segment.
US09918432B2
Crop processing rolls are provided for operative use in forage harvesters wherein the crop processing rolls are formed with spiraled grooves that are oriented in opposing slopes extending from the opposite ends of the crop processing roll toward the center of the roll. The formation of these spiraled grooves defines teeth from the ridges created with the formation of horizontal grooves into the circumferential surface of the crop processing roll. In one configuration, the spiraled grooves meet at the center of the crop processing roll in a V-shaped intersection to provide a chevron shape to the spiraled grooves. In a second configuration, the spiraled grooves do not intersect at the center and form a semi-chevron pattern that does not form a short tooth that the chevron configuration creates at the V-shaped intersection.
US09918425B2
A seed treatment system having a central computerized data store, a user interface, and network connections from the data store to a plurality of retail facilities and a plurality of agricultural produce suppliers. Each retail facility having a seed treatment system configured to uniformly treat batches of seeds with any of a variety of precisely measured chemical formulations. The seed treatment apparatus having a treatment applicator coupled to a plurality of dispensing stations. Each dispensing stations having a pump in fluid communication with a container disposed on a scale. The pump and scale of each dispensing station coupled to a system controller. The system controller is coupled to the data store, configured to provide on-demand agricultural seed treatments to the applicator and chemical usage data from each station to the data store. The data store configured to provide centralized remote monitoring inventory control, supply chain monitoring, and container recycling compliance.
US09918422B2
A pair of inner plates which are mounted to a coulter wheel by a hub bolted to the two inner plates in one end, and a bearing on an opposing end. A pair of outer plates retains the inner plates and coulter wheel while provide attachment means for a hydraulic cylinder. A hydraulic cylinder is mounted between two tabs located on outer plates and between the inner plates adjacent to the pivot bearing and opposite the coulter wheel. The hydraulic cylinder is connected to a accumulator which provides for a static down pressure. Upon impact with an obstacle, the force pushing up on the coulter wheel overcomes that of the downward static pressure and the hydraulic cylinder retracts allowing the coulter wheel to move in response to the impact force. Trash wheels are bolted to the outer plates parallel to the coulter wheel or at any desired angle.
US09924615B2
A receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing having a module cavity defined by a top wall having a plurality of apertures therethrough. The module cavity has a port at a front end of the receptacle housing configured to receive a pluggable module. A communication connector is positioned in the receptacle housing having a mating interface for mating with the pluggable module. A heat exchanger is received in the module cavity having a heat spreader positioned interior of the module cavity below the top wall. The heat spreader is configured to be in thermal communication with the pluggable module. The heat exchanger has a plurality of fin segments extending from the heat spreader. The fin segments are received in corresponding apertures in the top wall to pass through the top wall to an exterior of the module cavity for heat dissipation.
US09924612B2
A space-efficient container data center with cooling devices extending outside but which can be retracted for ease of container transport includes a cabinet and a function module. The cabinet includes a plurality of plates and a bottom. A first one of the plates defines a plurality of spaced openings. At least one door is rotatably attached to the side beside each opening. A support member is rotatably attached to the plates near a bottom edge of each opening. The door and the support members are rotated to open each opening and the support members are aligned with the bottom to allow the function modules to slide outwards to an extended working position on the bottom and the support members, or inwards for compactness.
US09924610B2
A reduced-depth rack server for a reduced depth rack includes a data storage device rotated a quarter turn within a carrier. An interposer cable connects at one end to a laterally presented electrical connector of the data storage device and presents another connector to an end that is inserted inwardly into a rack server chassis to electrically connect with a backplane of the reduced-depth rack server. In one embodiment, a data storage assembly of the data storage device, carrier and interposer cable is inserted from a front end of the chassis. In one embodiment, the data storage assembly is inserted from a top of the chassis to facilitate airflow.
US09924609B2
An enclosure having a rear base defining a cavity for holding one or more electronic devices. The enclosure includes a front cover coupled to the rear base and movable between an open position and a closed position. The enclosure includes a chassis mounted within the cavity of the rear base and a drawer chest having a multiple drawers within the cavity of the rear base. The drawer chest is connected to the chassis, and the multiple drawers are configured to receive the one or more electronic devices. The enclosure includes one or more connectors that are exposed outward and provide a connection to a host electronic device.
US09924603B2
A retractable display configured as a plurality of interlinked display subassemblies or panels, a transport box having a lid configured to enclose the display system, the box or subassemblies having a rack system configured to support the plurality of linked display subassemblies in the transport box, a lift mechanism configured to assemble and disassemble the plurality of releasably interlinked display subassemblies into a seamless display, and an alignment system configured to align one display subassembly with a neighboring display subassembly and thus, functions as a rugged self-contained transport box of a plurality of interlinked display subassemblies capable of automated assembly into a seamless display larger than its transport box.
US09924601B2
A method for the at least portion-wise and adhesive metallization of a non-conductive workpiece includes introducing periodic microstructures into the workpiece in regions to be metallized, within an area to be metallized that is enclosed by one or more limiting lines, by molding a tool that is microstructured in accordance with the regions to be metallized within a molding area.
US09924599B2
To provide an anisotropic conductive film, which contains conductive particles, wherein the anisotropic conductive film is an anisotropic conductive film configured to anisotropic conductively connect a terminal of a substrate with a terminal of an electronic component, wherein the conductive particles are conductive particles, in each of which a metal plated layer and an insulating layer are sequentially provided on a surface of a resin particle, or conductive particles, in each of which an insulating layer is provided on a metal particle, or both thereof, and wherein 3.0 to 10.0 conductive particles are linked together on average.
US09924593B2
A graphene wiring structure of an embodiment has a substrate, a metal part on the substrate, multilayered graphene connected to the metal part, a first insulative film on the substrate, and a second insulative film on the substrate. The metal part is present between the first insulative film and the second insulative film. Edges of the multilayered graphene are connected to the metal part. A side face of the first insulative film vertical to the substrate opposes a side face of the second insulative film vertical to the substrate. A first outer face of the multilayered graphene is in physical contact with a first side face of the first insulative film vertical to the substrate. A second outer face of the multilayered graphene is in physical contact with a second side face of the second insulative film vertical to the substrate.
US09924588B2
A thermal energy storage apparatus that absorbs thermal energy from a heat-generating device is described. In one aspect, the thermal energy storage apparatus comprises a non-metal container and a phase-change material. The non-metal container is configured to receive the heat-generating device thereon. The phase-change material is contained in the non-metal container and configured to absorb at least a portion of heat from the heat-generating device through the non-metal container.
US09924582B2
An article and circuit that controllably dims a luminaire, for example without controlling a line power of the luminaire. The luminaire includes a traditional three-contact socket to receive a photocontroller, such as that used for street lights. The article uses a desired dimming control signal to provide an output control signal that controls whether the light source in the luminaire is turned ON or turned OFF to thereby effect the desired amount of dimming. The output control signal may be a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal with a duty cycle that is related to the desired level of illumination or dimming. The system may use a dimming signal from a five or seven contact dimming photocontroller to provide such an output control signal to control the light-level for the luminaire.
US09924580B2
A light switch comprises a user input mechanism, a wireless receiver for receiving remote control signals and a processor coupled to the user input mechanism and to the wireless receiver and configured to control a light source to turn it on and off both in response to activation of the user input mechanism and in response to the remote control signals. The light switch is configured, in response to a user override input via the user input mechanism, to enter an override state, whereby the light source is maintained in an off state and remote control signals are prevented from causing the light source to be switched on, until the override state is disengaged. An additional light switch may also be provided that communicates with the aforementioned light switch to provide multi-way switching.
US09924573B2
A system for driving a multi-stage LED with low distortion and with current proportional to rectified input voltage is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes LED groups connected in series to form an LED string having a first node, a last node, and intermediate nodes. The apparatus also includes current cells having inputs coupled to the nodes and outputs coupled to an output resistor. Each current cell selectively regulates current to flow between its respective input and the output resistor. The apparatus also includes a feedback circuit that generates a plurality of feedback voltages from a voltage level at the output resistor. When a selected current cell is enabled by a selected feedback voltage to regulate a selected current level from its respective input to the output resistor, upstream current cells are disabled by their respective feedback voltages.
US09924545B2
Disclosed are: a terminal for selecting RRUs of which a connection state with the terminal is a critical value or more from among a plurality of RRUs on the basis of down signals received from the RRUs, transmitting an RRU list including information on the selected RRUs and a random access preamble to an RRU having the best connection state with the terminal among the selected RRUs, receiving an access information response message indicating a preferred RRU with which a random access is to be performed by the terminal from any one RRU among the selected RRUs and performing a random access process with the preferred RRU; and a method for performing random access by the terminal.
US09924542B2
Systems and methods relating to transmission and reception of a Random Access Response (RAR) message to a wireless device (e.g., a User Equipment (UE)) in a manner that is particularly well-suited for, but not limited to, reduced bandwidth devices, such as Machine Type Communication (MTC) devices, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device to perform random access to a cellular communications network comprises transmitting a random access preamble on a physical random access channel and determining, from a random access preamble index of the random access preamble, one of a random access response resource and a channel to monitor for a transmission of an indication of the random access response resource. The method further comprises receiving a random access response on the random access response resource.
US09924535B2
Embodiments disclose a service scheduling method and a base station. The method includes reporting, by a Medium Access Control (MAC) entity of a carrier, bearer information of the carrier to a Radio Link Control RLC entity; and allocating, by the RLC entity, service data and control information to the carrier, and sending the service data and the control information to a data buffer of the carrier. The method also includes determining, by the MAC entity, a user equipment that needs to be scheduled, and acquiring the service data and the control information from the data buffer; and performing, by the MAC entity, RLC packet assembly and MAC packet assembly on the service data, and sending the service data experiencing the packet assembly to the user equipment.
US09924531B2
A mobile communication system according to embodiment comprises: a user terminal that performs D2D communication that is direct device to device communication; and a base station that performs cellular communication with the user terminal. The D2D communication is performed by using a part of uplink radio resources of the cellular communication. The base station transmits, to the user terminal, a timing advance value that is used for adjustment of a transmission timing in an uplink of the cellular communication. The timing advance value is commonly applied to the adjustment of the transmission timing in the uplink, and adjustment of a transmission timing in the D2D communication.
US09924530B2
A data transmission method, apparatus, and system are provided, where the method includes: receiving, by user equipment, a data scheduling request sent by a base station, where the data scheduling request carries resource information allocated to scheduled data by the base station, and the resource information includes an unlicensed spectrum resource; determining whether a condition for transmission of the scheduled data on an unlicensed spectrum is met; and if the condition for transmission of the scheduled data on the unlicensed spectrum is met, sending the scheduled data to the base station by using the unlicensed spectrum resource. In the present invention, data transmission reliability can be improved.
US09924529B2
Systems and techniques for managing the use of industrial-scientific-medical bands for cellular network communication. An apparatus comprises a processing system and a memory storing a set of program instructions. The processing system is configured to cause the apparatus to receive channel information from a UE reporting the control of an unlicensed band channel by the UE and cause the apparatus to schedule a communication session with the UE over the channel, with the channel being configured and activated as a component carrier. The apparatus may further request one or more user equipments (UEs) to report their wireless fidelity (WiFi) capability and request user equipments having WiFi capability to compete for the wireless medium and report occupation of the wireless medium in the form of a request to send command, to which the apparatus responds with a clear to send command.
US09924526B2
Cells are grouped into a plurality of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) groups comprising a primary PUCCH group and a secondary PUCCH group. A base station detects a radio link issue with a PUCCH secondary cell while one or more other cells in the secondary PUCCH group have acceptable radio link quality. The base station transmits at least one second message configured to release at least one of the one or more other cells in the secondary PUCCH group.
US09924515B2
A method for dynamically selecting an A-MPR value to apply for an uplink transmission is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device receiving an indication from a network that A-MPR should be applied for uplink transmissions within a frequency band used for communication between the wireless communication device and the network. The method can further include the wireless communication device receiving an RB allocation for a subset of RB's within the frequency band from the network. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device determining an allocation ratio and a distribution characteristic of the allocated subset of RB's within the frequency band. The method can also include the wireless communication device selecting an A-MPR value to apply based at least in part on the allocation ratio and the distribution characteristic. The method can further include the wireless communication device applying the selected A-MPR.
US09924508B2
A backhaul is configured in such a manner that a HARQ process in which a HARQ on an upstream access link is incapable of being partly or entirely performed is limited to a particular one of a plurality of HARQ processes. As a result, complexity of scheduling is reduced and efficiency of the access link is improved.
US09924505B2
A method for configuring a search space within which a mobile terminal performs blind decoding attempts for potential control message candidates which may be transmitted by a base station. The frequency domain resource for which the terminal performs a blind decoding attempt for a given candidate message is determined by a pseudo-random selection (known by both terminal and network) from a pre-determined set of possible resources. A pre-determined set of resources can be different for each candidate. In one embodiment the set of resources is configured by the network for each terminal and each candidate. The method may be applied for example to ePDCCH of an LTE-A wireless communication system.
US09924500B2
A method is provided for transmitting control information from a terminal in a wireless communication system. Physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) are received on a primary component carrier and PDSCHs are received on a secondary component carrier. The primary component carrier and the secondary component carrier are configured for the terminal. A first acknowledgement (ACK)/negative acknowledgement (NACK) feedback is transmitted for the received PDSCHs on a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource corresponding to a first antenna port and a second ACK/NACK feedback is transmitted for the received PDSCHs on a second PUCCH resource corresponding to a second antenna port. The first antenna port and the second antenna port are configured for the terminal. The first ACK/NACK feedback and the second ACK/NACK feedback are identical.
US09924498B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a cell identifier is selected based on one or more properties associated with received downlink control information (DCI), where the properties may not be exclusively associated with determining a cell identifier. The cell identifier may be selected from a plurality of cell identifiers received through radio resource control signaling. The properties of the DCI may include a type of download control channel, a type of subframe and a type of DCI format used to provide the DCI.
US09924497B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for transmitting a signal in a device-to-device proximity service D2D ProSe, a base station, and a user equipment, where the method includes: allocating, by a base station, at least one time-frequency resource set to each user cluster in N user clusters in a cell covered by the base station, where at least two time-frequency resource sets in M time-frequency resource sets allocated by the base station to the N user clusters are different; and transmitting, by the base station, Rth information to the Rth user cluster in the N user clusters, where the Rth information is used to indicate an Rth time-frequency resource set that is allocated by the base station to the Rth user cluster and used for transmitting a signal, where a value of R is 1, . . . , N separately.
US09924496B2
A network apparatus comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a search request for a surrounding user terminal, to a plurality of user terminals; a receiver configured to receive a search result for the surrounding user terminal based on the search request; and a controller configured to determine, on the basis of the search result, a scheduling terminal that performs an assignment of a radio resource used for the D2D communication, from among the plurality of user terminals. The transmitter transmits, to a user terminal determined as the scheduling terminal, a scheduling terminal request to request that the user terminal acts as the scheduling terminal.
US09924488B2
A method performed under control of an electronic device may include receiving at least one signal from at least one anchor point; calculating a location of the electronic device based at least in part on the at least one received signal; generating a position proof based at least in part on the at least one received signal; and in response to receiving a position proof request from a server, transmitting the position proof to the server, when the position proof corresponds to the position proof request.
US09924486B2
An apparatus and a method for registering a position, which periodically update a position of a user in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes determining whether to stop reporting position information based on a current operation state for a mobile communication service and controls whether to maintain or stop reporting the position information based on a result corresponding to the determination. Accordingly, it is possible to increase an energy efficiency by preventing an unnecessary position registering step from being performed by a User Equipment (UE) in an Out of Service (OS) area.
US09924477B2
A node includes a time difference measurement unit and a time setting unit. The time difference measurement unit measures a time difference between a first time based on latest received time information and a second time based on second-latest received time information. The time setting unit calculates an adjustment time difference when the time difference exceeds an allowable range of error that is smaller than an allowable range of maintainable communication, sets a time obtained by adding the adjustment time difference and the second time to the time of the node when the adjustment time difference is within the allowable range of maintainable communication, and sets a time obtained by adding a time difference corresponding to the allowable range of maintainable communication and the second time to the time of the node when the adjustment time difference exceeds the allowable range of maintainable communication.
US09924476B2
A method and apparatus for configuring Power Headroom Report (PHR) of a User Equipment (UE) efficiently in a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method includes generating a header including a LCID for identifying extended PHR and L indicating a length of the extended PHR, and inserting Power Headrooms (PHs) of multiple activated carriers into the extended PHR of one of the carriers.
US09924467B2
Some OFDM symbols transmitted temporally continuously by a base station include data signals that are not orthogonal to each other and are directed to user devices. A reference signal is arranged in the OFDM symbols temporally intermittently. The base station determines, according to reception qualities at user devices, downlink data signal transmission powers for transmitting downlink data signals. The base station reduces a downlink data signal transmission power in an OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is arranged to be lower than a downlink data signal transmission power in an OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is not arranged. The base station determines a downlink reference signal transmission power to be higher than the downlink data signal transmission power of a data signal in the OFDM symbol in which the reference signal is not arranged.
US09924461B2
An apparatus and a method for reducing power consumption in a portable terminal that transmits digital broadcast data through an ad hoc network are provided. If a terminal receiving digital broadcast transmits the received digital broadcast to a neighboring terminal, a control unit enters a sleep mode after buffering received data for a predefined time.
US09924458B2
Apparatuses, computer readable media, and methods for dynamic resource block identification for power save polling in a high efficiency wireless local-area network are disclosed. A wireless apparatus comprising a memory and processing circuitry is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to encode a packet comprising a plurality of bits one bit for each association identification (AID) of a plurality of AIDs. A bit is set if the wireless apparatus is to poll a station with a corresponding AID. Each set bit indicates a resource block identification. The processing circuitry is further configured to encode a power save (PS) poll trigger to be transmitted to the stations. The processing circuitry is further configured to decode responses to the PS poll trigger from the stations, where the responses are to be received from the stations in accordance with the corresponding resource block identification.
US09924456B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for LWA uplink routing. In one novel aspect, signaling of an address from the eNB to the UE to enable the UE to populate Address-3 of the MAC header to enable layer-2 forwarding of uplink LWA PDUs from the WLAN AP to an appropriate network entity that implements part or the whole WT functionalities. In one embodiment, the network entity is a WT node, or the eNB or a node aggregating multiple connections to a WT node. In one embodiment, the RRC signaling is used to send the WT node MAC address where the RRC signaling message is a PDCP-Config message or a WLAN-MobilityConfig message. In one embodiment, multiple WT nodes are connected with the WLAN AP. The eNB selects one WT node or the UE selects one WT node to populate the address-3 of the MAC header.
US09924455B2
A method embodiment includes receiving, by a virtual user-specific service gateway (v-u-SGW) on a processor, a packet, processing the packet, and forwarding the packet to a user equipment (UE). The v-u-SGW is created in accordance with registration of the UE in a network. The method further includes processing the packet in accordance with a configuration of the UE and/or a configuration of the network.
US09924449B1
A wireless communication device (WCD) stores a location of a portable WAP and is configured to report the stored location of the portable WAP to a location-based service provider (LBSP) when the WCD is within coverage of the portable WAP and requests a location-based service from the LBSP. While the WCD is within coverage of the portable WAP, the WCD (i) uses a wireless-communication interface to detect that the WCD is also within one or more particular cellular coverage areas and (ii) stores a correlation between the portable WAP and the one or more particular cellular coverage areas. Thereafter, while the WCD is again within coverage of the portable WAP, the WCD determines that the WCD is not within coverage of the one or more particular cellular coverage areas. In response, the WCD reconfigures itself to not report the stored location of the portable WAP to the LBSP when the WCD requests the location-based service.
US09924441B1
This disclosure provides systems and methods for improving tolerance of delay and disruption of a control-to-data-plane interface (CDPI) in a software-defined network. A system can include a plurality of moving nodes and an SDN controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of moving nodes. The SDN controller can be configured to send a first control message to a first moving node of the plurality of moving nodes according to a CDPI protocol. The first control message can include instructions for the first moving node to execute a modification of a physical network topology parameter. The SDN controller also can be configured to send a second control message to the first moving node according to the CDPI protocol. The second control message can include instructions for the first moving node to modify routing information stored by the first node based on the modification of the physical network topology parameter.
US09924436B2
Aspects describe communications environments in which femtocell capability is provided to devices within the communications network. A non-femto enabled device and/or a femto enabled device can communicate with a femto enabled device in the same geographical area for femto-enabled peer-to-peer communication. Two non-femto enabled devices can be provided femto functionality through utilization of a femto enabled device, which operates as a hub between the two devices. Other aspects relate to enhanced position determination, adaptive coverage enhancement, local mobile networks, open access femtocells without a backhaul, and local broadcast of media though utilization of femto enabled devices.
US09924433B2
A hub apparatus may be provided for distributing a load of a small cell digital unit to a macro cell digital unit in a heterogeneous network. The hub apparatus includes an offloading controller configured to determine a first small cell, as an offloading target among a plurality of small cells based on a load of the macro cell digital unit and the small cell digital unit, to determine a first digital unit processing a load of the first small cell among at least one macro cell digital unit, to that generate a first control signal that requests connection to the first digital unit and a low-power radio unit of the first small cell, a path change unit connected to each of an antenna, having one side installed in the macro cell and a low-power radio unit installed in each small cell, having the other side connected to each of the macro cell digital unit and the small cell digital unit, configured to form a path connecting the one side and the other side, and configured to change a digital unit connected to a corresponding low-power radio unit based on the first control signal.
US09924421B2
A method for receiving a radio resource control (RRC) message by a user equipment (UE) is described. The method includes receiving an RRC connection reconfiguration (RRCConnectionReconfiguration) message including secondary cell group (SCG) configuration parameters. The RRC connection reconfiguration message has a structure that the SCG configuration parameters do not include a data radio bearer (DRB) configuration.
US09924420B2
Methods and arrangements in a base station and a User Equipment are provided. The methods and arrangements relates to the scenario when the UE is handed over from a source base station to a target base station in a handover scenario, and wherein the target base station may not support functionalities which the source base station and the UE support. The method in the UE comprises receiving (501) a configuration message from the target base station via the source base station, configuring (502) the UE based on the received configuration message from the target base station by searching (503) for a second field in an information element of the received configuration message. The presence/non-presence or a value of the second field is indicative of how to manage a configured first functionality associated with an optional first field, wherein the configured first functionality may not be supported by the target base station.
US09924419B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling a waiting time related to determination of a radio link failure in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes receiving a message from a network, if a first timer for determination of the radio link failure is running and the message includes timer information related to the waiting time, starting a second timer related to the waiting time based on the timer information, and if the second timer expires before expiration of the first timer, determining a channel situation of a serving cell as a situation of the radio link failure.
US09924417B2
A method and apparatus are provided for updating a sequence hopping (SH) pattern of an uplink channel during handover from a current cell having a current SH pattern. At least one downlink channel of each neighbor cell of the current cell is monitored. Information indicative of the monitored downlink channels of the neighbor cells is transmitted to the current cell. Prior to receiving a handover command from the current cell a target cell from among the neighbor cells is anticipated and a common downlink channel of the anticipated target cell is monitored to determine information representative of a target SH pattern of the target cell.
US09924416B2
Provided are methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for a fast handover. A method comprises generating, at a source base station serving a user equipment, a first message and a second message including security information for security communication between a target base station and the user equipment after a fast handover. The method also comprises transmitting simultaneously, from the source base station, the first and second messages respectively to the target base station and the user equipment. With the claimed inventions, a fast X2 handover procedure is complemented and becomes more feasible with proposed security handlings, making it possible to decrease the service interruption during X2 handover for users and hence improve the user experiences.
US09924410B2
A medium access control (MAC) frame may have a MAC header that includes two address fields and a MAC frame version indicator. The MAC header may also include control information that indicates a presence of a third address field in the MAC header. A time interval for transmission of the MAC frame may be determined by multiplying a duration value in a first message field by a multiplier value in a second message field.
US09924409B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a group communication method, system, group server, and group member device. A group server receives notification messages sent by a group member device, aggregates, according to an address of a subscription device, the notification messages destined for the same subscription device, and sends a notification message obtained after aggregation to the subscription device. By aggregating multiple messages sent by the group member device to the subscription device, messages exchanged between the group member device and the subscription device are reduced, thereby reducing communication traffic between the group member device and the subscription device.
US09924408B1
A method and communication device adapted for interference cancellation in a cell search used in a communication device, including: correlating a signal received at the communication device with a template comprising one or more signal sequences associated with one or more corresponding cells to determine a metric for each of the signal sequences; and at least one iteration of: ranking the signal sequences based on the determined metrics, wherein the highest ranked signal sequence is designated as an aggressor sequence; performing an interference cancellation to generate a corrected metric for signal sequences based on their correlation with the aggressor sequence; and removing the aggressor sequence and setting priority to the cell associated with the aggressor sequence.
US09924390B2
Signal egress from a shielding flaw in a cable telecommunication system is detected, even where signals carried by the cable telecommunication system are quadrature amplitude modulated signals that statistically resemble broadband noise by generating a marker signal comprising a double side band, suppressed carrier signal in the fringes of contiguous frequency bands and at a power level which cannot cause perceptible interference with signals in those contiguous frequency bands. The separation of the sidebands comprising the marker signal can unambiguously identify the marker signal and can distinguish between different cable telecommunication systems installed in the same geographic area. The marker signal can be additionally coded by varying the frequency and/or amplitude of the modulating signal used to create the marker signal.
US09924381B2
Techniques and devices for improving uplink positioning techniques are described. An example method, implemented in a first node in a wireless communications network, begins with obtaining multi-antenna configuration information or multi-antenna capability data, or both, for a second node in the wireless communications network. The node carrying out the node may be a radio base station, a measuring node, or a wireless device to be positioned, in various embodiments. In some embodiments, the second node is a measuring node. In others, the second node is the wireless device to be positioned. The method continues with adapting a multi-antenna configuration of the wireless device for one or more transmissions to be measured for positioning purposes, or adapting a multi-antenna configuration of the measuring node for one or more positioning measurements, or both. The adapting is based on the obtained multi-antenna configuration information or multi-antenna capability data, or both.
US09924372B2
A coexistence scheme enables spectrally-efficient and fair spectrum sharing between a first wireless network and a coexisting wireless network in the same frequency bands. The spectrum sharing problem is modeled as a fairness constrained mixed integer nonlinear optimization problem, by jointly determining dynamic channel selection, carrier aggregation and fractional spectrum access for the first wireless networks, while guaranteeing fair spectrum access for the coexisting wireless network based on a cross-technology fairness criterion. An algorithm based on a combination of branch and bound and successive convex relation techniques is provided to optimally solve the problem, i.e., maximize the utility of the first wireless network with guaranteed optimality precision that can be set arbitrarily at the expense of computational complexity. The coexistence scheme requires no signaling exchange between the first wireless network and the coexisting wireless network, and does not require any changes to the communication protocol stack of the coexisting wireless network.
US09924367B2
A method, computer-readable storage device and an apparatus for maximizing the capacity of a wireless network across a geographical area are disclosed. For example, the method monitors the wireless network and gathering network information and user endpoint device information for a geographical area comprising a plurality of cells of the wireless network, processes, for each cell, the network information and the user endpoint device information that is gathered and generating a cell specific traffic pattern, determines whether the capacity is below a threshold, and increases the capacity of the geographical area in accordance with the network information and the user endpoint device information that is processed for each cell, and the cell specific traffic pattern that is generated for each cell, when the capacity is below the threshold.
US09924366B2
Methods, components and apparatus for implementing platform validation and management (PVM) are disclosed. PVM provides the functionality and operations of a platform validation entity with remote management of devices by device management components and systems such as a home node-B management system or component. Example PVM operations bring devices into a secure target state before allowing connectivity and access to a core network.
US09924361B2
The present disclosure discloses an information processing method and an electronic device. A first operation on an unlocking graphic interface of the electronic device is acquired in a locked state. It is detected whether digit information corresponding to the first operation matches a phone number. The phone number is called when the digit information matches the phone number.
US09924358B2
A method and apparatus for authenticating a wireless connection between a first device and a second device. In a first aspect, the first device generates a changing passkey code and converts the passkey code to an audio file that is played through a speaker of the first device as an audible signal. A user hears the audible signal and enters the passkey code into a keyboard of the second device. The second device sends the entered code to the first device for authentication. In a second aspect, the first device generates a passkey code and displays the code on a screen. A user speaks the code aloud to a microphone on the second device. The second device converts the speech into text and then sends the converted speech to the first device for authentication. If the codes of the first or second aspect match, the wireless connection is authenticated.
US09924355B2
A system includes a first communication apparatus having an acquisition unit to acquire connection information and a public key stored in a first memory of a short distance wireless communication unit of a second communication apparatus, an encryption unit to encrypt, by using the acquired public key, data to be processed by the second communication apparatus, and a transmission unit to transmit the encrypted data to the second communication apparatus via an established long distance communication. The second communication apparatus includes a decryption unit to decrypt, by a private key which corresponds to the public key and is stored in a second memory of the second communication apparatus, the transmitted encrypted data. While the second communication apparatus operates in a power saving state, the public key is acquired by the first communication apparatus, and the private key is not able to be acquired by the first communication apparatus.
US09924348B2
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for providing control information to a communication device are described. In the method, it is determined whether a communication device has received device control information from a central management server (CMS) while in a first wireless communication environment, where the device control information is for controlling the communication device in a second wireless communication environment. If the device control information is received while the communication device is still in the first wireless communication environment, the communication device uses the received device control information when in the second wireless communication environment.
US09924343B2
A semantic signature serving as an index to a cataloged core semantic concept, and an IPv6 address associated with an entity labeled by a Bluetooth 4.0 Beacon are added to the Beacon's Generic Access Profile (GAP) advertisement enabling direct semantic discovery of the entity and facilitating data transactions relevant to it.
US09924340B1
A device may receive campaign information, that includes information identifying a targeted geographic region, for generating a toll-free data service campaign. The targeted geographic region may not coincide with a coverage area of a base station. The device may generate a campaign rule identifying one or more campaign conditions for updating an account of a campaign owner, associated with the toll-free data service campaign, for data used in association with the toll-free data service campaign. The device may receive a request, from a user device, to access a service, and may determine that one or more campaign conditions are satisfied, such as a condition to determine that the user device is located within the targeted geographic region. The device may provide an instruction to update the account, of the campaign owner, for data usage of the user device based on determining that the one or more campaign conditions are satisfied.
US09924331B2
Methods and apparatuses for providing feedback information to a second terminal, to avoid disturbance of data directed to a user associated with a first terminal. The method includes receiving data directed to the user associated with the first terminal, transmitting a request for a current status of the user to the wearable device, receiving broadcast packets, wherein the broadcast packets comprises an identifier of the wearable device and the current status of the user, based on the identifier of the wearable device, determining whether the wearable device has been paired with the first terminal, and if so, executing, at the first terminal, at least one feedback operation directed to the second terminal using the current status of the user to indicate the current status of the user.
US09924330B2
Disclosed is a method for a multi-media broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) by a radio network controller (RNC), including generating a command for updating an MBMS notification indicator, the command including notification indicator information and a connection frame number, transmitting the command to a base station, and receiving a notification indicator starting at a time based on the connection frame number for a modification period if the modification period is included in the command, wherein the notification indicator information is used to generate the notification indicator.
US09924324B1
An approach is disclosed that receives, from a number of mobile devices, time data with the timing data is based on an elapsed time from a timing signal and line-of-sight events directed to the mobile devices. A location of each of the mobile devices is determined based on the respective timing data received from each of the mobile devices. A portion of an overall image to display at each of the mobile devices is determined based on the identified location of the mobile devices, and the overall image is displayed by transmitting the determined portion to each of the plurality of mobile devices.
US09924322B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for ranking devices based on a distance from a merchant device. One of the methods includes displaying, in a point-of-sale system, a listing of buyers located proximate to the point-of-sale system, the buyers having indicated using their mobile devices a desire to pursue a financial transaction in association with the point-of-sale system. The point-of-sale system determines relative distances of the mobile devices of the buyers with respect to the point-of-sale system and arranges the displayed listing in the point-of-sale system based at least in part on the determined relative distances.
US09924321B1
Embodiments of the invention generate metrics quantifying the mobility of a mobile device without persisting information related to the device's specific location at any given time. Specifically, at multiple intervals, a value of a mobility metric is computed based on the distance between the current location of the mobile device and a previously identified origin location of the mobile device. The values of the mobility metric computed over a period of time quantify the overall mobility of the mobile device. The mobility metric does not provide any information regarding the specific location of the mobile device at any given time.
US09924302B2
A mobile communication device (1) comprises a transceiver (13) for wireless data exchange and a processor (12) connected to the transceiver (13). The processor (12) is programmed to implement a card reader agent (121) which is configured to enable authentication and access control protocols between a smart card module (122) and a virtual card reader (421, 421′) which is arranged in a remote cloud-based computer center (1) by exchanging authentication and access control protocol data units between the smart card module (122) and the virtual card reader (421, 421′) via a telecommunications network (3).
US09924293B2
Client to server service request and response interactions are monitored. The service requests have embedded therein mobility-dedicated and business organization oriented reporting headers. At the server side of the interactions, a snooping agent picks up information from the headers, combines it with service performance metrics (e.g., time to service the request) and stores the data in a relational database. Queries are afterwards submitted to the database to spot trends including those showing emerging problems and areas for improvement in providing customers who use mobile devices with seamless and high quality service.
US09924292B1
A computer-implemented method, computer-readable media, and wireless system that passively provisions wireless devices over the air are provided. The wireless system includes a database, handset configuration manager, and radio network controller. The database stores updates for the wireless devices and indications of which wireless devices received the updates. The handset configuration manager provides updates for wireless devices available in the database. The wireless devices connect to a communication network associated with a network service provider that implements the handset configuration manager. The radio network controller communicates with wireless devices by establishing a slot 0 communication session with the wireless devices after receiving a registration notification from the wireless devices.
US09924278B2
A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; and a memory unit, wherein the memory unit is configured to store model data comprising model information data indicative of available models for the hearing device, the model information data comprising first model information; wherein the processing unit is configured to: verify the model data, and reject the model data if verification of the model data fails.
US09924277B2
A hearing assistance device for use by a listener includes a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit including a plurality of functional modules to process the sounds received by the microphone for producing output sounds to be delivered to the listener using the receiver. The processing circuit detects one or more auditory conditions demanding one or more functional modules of the plurality of functional modules to each performed at a certain level, and dynamically allocates computational resources for the plurality of functional modules based on one or more auditory conditions.
US09924275B2
An improved loudspeaker having pump cards that include an array of electrically conductive membrane transducers (such as polyester-metal membrane pumps). The array of electrically conductive membrane transducers combine to generate the desired sound by the use of pressurized airflow. The array of electrically conductive membranes has a total membrane area that is at least five times larger than the face area of the loudspeaker. In some embodiments, the loudspeaker includes a dynamic DC bus controller that maintains the DC bus level slightly above the inverter output (audio signal).
US09924267B2
The present invention relates to a device for controlling a loudspeaker (14) in an enclosure, comprising: an input for an audio signal (Saudio_ref) to be reproduced; an output for supplying an excitation signal from the loudspeaker; means (26, 36, 38, 70, 80, 90) for calculating the excitation signal of the loudspeaker (14) at each moment based on the audio signal (Saudio_ref). It comprises means (26, 36, 38, 70, 80, 90) for calculating the excitation signal, means (24, 25) for calculating a desired dynamic value (Aref) of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker based on the audio signal (Saudio_ref) to be reproduced and the structure of the enclosure, the means (25) for calculating the desired dynamic value (Aref) of the loudspeaker diaphragm being able to apply a correction that is different from the identity, and taking account of structural dynamic values (xo, vo) of the enclosure that are different from the only dynamic values relative to the loudspeaker diaphragm, and the means (26, 36, 38, 70, 80, 90) for calculating the excitation signal of the loudspeaker being able to calculate the excitation signal based on the desired dynamic value (Aref) of the loudspeaker diaphragm.
US09924263B2
A narrow-profile balanced subwoofer or similar speaker includes a number of drivers placed side by side in the same lateral plane, with a first set of drivers facing one direction and second set of drivers facing the opposite direction. Their orientation is such that the sum of the forces from the first set of drivers is equal and opposite the sum of the forces from the second set of drivers, thus cancelling, and the sum of the moments from all of the drivers about a center or pivot point substantially equals zero. The speaker may include three or more drivers, symmetrically or asymmetrically spaced. The drivers may be of the same or different sizes, and the audio signal amplitudes may be adjusted to help balance the speaker. Each set of drivers may output sound into separate sound ducts, which may output sound from one or more apertures.
US09924260B2
An audio accessory having headphones with at least one ear-cup and a connection cable for connecting the headphones to an audio device includes a separate connection cable with connection plugs at each of its two ends, whereby connections plugs of different types are provided at the respective ends of the connection cable. Separate sockets of the different types are further provided in the headphones for connection to a respective connection plug at an end of the connection cable. Alternative uses for the audio accessory as well as headphones and a connection cable are also provided.
US09924249B2
A horn for use with a loudspeaker may include an entrance disposed at a first axial end of the horn and configured to receive a driver. A mouth may be disposed at a second axial end of the horn opposite the entrance. A contoured surface may extend between the entrance and the mouth. A cross sectional shape of a coverage pattern of audible sound emitted by the loudspeaker coupled with the horn may be independent of a shape of the entrance and a shape of the mouth.
US09924245B2
A plurality of measurement devices have analog sensors that measure the dynamic signals of physical events, sample the data into digital format with time synchronized clocks and generate time stamped Ethernet messages that are sent to a remote host. The remote host has a master clock that evaluates decoded time stamped messages from the measurement devices and sends back a message with a time correction error signal relative to the master clock. This feedback signal is used by the measurement devices to correct a local clock for data sampling and new message generation. Eight wire cable and associated connectors are used to handle three channels of traffic, with four wires dedicated to Ethernet messages as one channel, another two wires dedicated to reset and other commands as a second channel and another two wires to transmit power from the host to the measurement devices as a third channel.
US09924241B2
In one embodiment, a patch cord comprises: a communications cable that includes a first conductor and a second conductor that form a first differential pair, a third conductor and a fourth conductor that form a second differential pair; a fifth conductor and a sixth conductor that form a third differential pair, a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor that form a fourth differential pair; and a plug that is attached to a first end of the communications cable, the plug comprising: a plug housing that receives the communications cable; first through eighth plug contacts that each are at least partially within the housing and that are electrically connected to the respective first through eighth conductors; and a color identification tag that has a first color pattern that is a unique identifier for the patch cord.
US09924235B2
A disclosed digital media device operational at user premises to receive media signals from a media source for presentation via endpoint devices such as a television display. The digital media device can include gateway and digital media management functionality and can be referred to as a gateway and digital media device. The device offers application services obtained over a wide area network and a user premises network. The digital media device may form a composite signal from the media signal and application service information, for example, for a composite audio and/or video signal for television type presentation to the user. The digital media device may receive a selection signal based on the presentation, for transmission to the application service provider device or to the media source. The media device also offers a GUI presenting a moveable arrangement of icons for selectively accessing application services.
US09924230B2
A method for presenting interactive multimedia programs includes selecting a multimedia program having a plurality of segments, classifying the multimedia program and the plurality of segments according to content, and generating a plurality of additional content items based on the classification, each of which being associated with at least one of the plurality of segments. The method further includes generating a plurality of pre-defined queries for each of the plurality of segments based on a content of the segment and at least one speech recognition grammar based on the plurality of pre-defined queries. The plurality of additional content items are retrievable responsive to the plurality of pre-defined queries. The method further includes generating a data stream including the at least one speech recognition grammar and all of the plurality of additional content items and the plurality of pre-defined queries arranged according to an order of the plurality of segments.
US09924222B2
Disclosed are methods and systems involving location-based disambiguation of media channel identification, in a scenario where a fingerprint of media content being rendered by a media presentation device matches multiple reference fingerprints corresponding respectively with multiple different media channels. Upon detecting such a multi-match situation, a server or other entity will use a location of the media presentation device as a basis to disambiguate between the matching reference fingerprints and thus to determine the channel on which the media content being rendered by the media presentation device is arriving.
US09924221B2
Method and systems are provided for detecting and handling, by a controller device, a loss of control of a playback queue of a zone group of a media playback system. Detection of loss of control of the playback queue of the zone group may involve one or more of determining (i) that the zone group no longer exists, (ii) that a queue identifier is no longer assigned to a playback queue of the zone group, and (iii) that the controller device is no longer in communication with the media playback system, among others. Handling of the loss of control may involve one or more of (i) unsubscribing from messages relating to the zone group, (ii) ceasing to send commands to the zone group, and (iii) updating a user interface to indicate that the controller device no longer has control of the playback queue of the zone group, among others.
US09924218B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus communicable with a plurality of content viewing devices via a network, including a viewing information receiving unit for receiving viewing information of a user in the past, present, and future from each of the content viewing devices, a user viewing content management unit for managing a user viewing content DB based on the viewing information received from each of the content viewing devices and a program guide, the user viewing content DB associating, in a form of program guide, past, present, and future contents represented in the program guide and identification information of users who have viewed the past content, those who are viewing the present content, and those who will view the future content, and a viewing information transmitting unit for transmitting the extracted viewing information of another user to the requesting content viewing device.
US09924217B1
A method for recommending audiovisual content includes receiving a signal transmitted by a remote control device at a content receiving device. Position information of the remote control device is obtained based on the signal transmitted by the remote control device. The position information can include a distance between the remote control device and the content receiving device, a direction of the remote control device with respect to the content receiving device, and coordinates of the remote control device. Viewing habits are obtained based on the position information of the remote control device. An audiovisual program is selected based on the viewing habits. The audiovisual program is recommended to a user by outputting data indicating the selected audiovisual program from the content receiving device.
US09924210B2
A computer system uses data about delivery of particular content to users via multiple technology platforms. For example, the computer system may track delivery of particular content to an audience via television in order to enable the same or similar content to be delivered to the same or similar audience via a digital medium (e.g., the web), and vice versa. The computer enables the provider of the content (e.g., advertisement) to benefit from exposure data in one medium or technology platform—namely television or digital—when targeting content at viewers in the other medium or technology platform.
US09924208B2
A method is described for transmitting broadcast signals. First encoding of first broadcast service data is performed. Second encoding of the first encoded first broadcast service data is performed. The broadcast signals having the second encoded first broadcast service data multiplexed with second broadcast service data are transmitted. Each of the second encoded first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data is allocated in a different data unit. The second encoded first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data are allocated in different data units, respectively. Different robustness are allocated to the first broadcast service data and the second broadcast service data.
US09924202B2
An image coding method using arithmetic coding. The method includes: performing arithmetic coding on a first flag that indicates whether or not an absolute value of a target coefficient in a target coefficient block is greater than 1; and performing arithmetic coding on a second flag that indicates whether or not the absolute value is greater than 2. In the arithmetic coding on the first flag and the arithmetic coding on the second flag, it is determined whether or not an immediately-prior coefficient block that has been coded immediately prior to the target coefficient block includes a coefficient having an absolute value greater than a threshold value. Based on a result of the determination, respective contexts to be used in the arithmetic coding on the first and second flags are selected.
US09924201B2
A system and method of removing noise in a bitstream is disclosed. Based on the segment classifications of a bitstream, each segment or portion is encoded with a different encoder associated with the portion model and chosen from a plurality of encoders. The coded bitstream for each segment includes information regarding which encoder was used to encode that segment. A circuit for removing noise in video content includes a first filter connected to a first input switch and a first output switch, the first filter being in parallel with a first pass-through line, a second filter connected to a second input switch and a second output switch, the second filter connected in parallel with a second pass-through line, and a third filter connected to a third input switch in a third output switch.
US09924194B2
A motion vector predictor candidate constructing unit performs prediction based on a motion vector of one of coded blocks neighboring a coding target block in the same picture as the coding target block, constructs a plurality of motion vector predictor candidates, and adds the motion vector predictor candidates to a motion vector predictor candidate list. A motion vector predictor candidate number limiting unit limits the number of motion vector predictor candidates added to the motion vector predictor candidate list to a maximum candidate number according to a size of a prediction block. A motion vector predictor selecting unit selects a motion vector predictor from the motion vector predictor candidate list. A coding unit codes information representing an index of the selected motion vector predictor in the motion vector predictor candidate list.
US09924193B2
A coding efficiency increase is achieved by using a common signalization within the bitstream with regard to activation of merging and activation of the skip mode. One possible state of one or more syntax elements within the bitstream may signalize for a current sample set of a picture that the sample set is to be merged and has no prediction residual encoded and inserted into the bitstream. A common flag may signalize whether the coding parameters associated with a current sample set are to be set according to a merge candidate or to be retrieved from the bitstream, and whether the current sample set of the picture is to be reconstructed based on a prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set, without any residual data, or to be reconstructed by refining the prediction signal depending on the coding parameters associated with the current sample set by means of residual data within the bitstream.
US09924188B2
A decoding method includes entropy-decoding received information, performing inter prediction on a current block based on the entropy-decoded information, and restoring images by using the prediction results. A skip mode or merge mode is applied to the current block and movement information of the current block and may be determined based on the movement information of a neighboring block of the current block.
US09924187B2
Provided is a method that de-multiplexes a bit stream to extract intra prediction mode information and residual signals, restores an intra prediction mode of a current prediction unit using the intra prediction information and intra prediction modes of prediction units adjacent to the current prediction unit, generates reference pixels using one or more available reference pixel if there exist unavailable reference pixels of the prediction unit, adaptively filters the reference pixels based on the restored intra prediction mode, generates a prediction block using the restored intra prediction mode and the reference pixels, decodes the residual signal to generating a residual block, and generates a reconstructed block using the prediction block and the residual block. Accordingly, additional bits resulted from increase of a number of intra prediction mode are effectively reduced. Also, an image compression ratio can be improved by generating a prediction block similar to an original block.
US09924184B2
Error detecting and protection innovations for video decoders are described. For example, in a multithreaded video decoder, a picture extent discovery (PED) task detects an error in a video bitstream which corrupts a picture. The PED task then determines any PED sub-stage which have been completed for the picture, and based on this determination, performs error-handing PED operations. In another example, an entropy decoding (ED) task checks validity on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis using a redundant buffer to avoid overflows. Additionally, error recovery innovations are described which facilitate playback of a video bit stream at an arbitrary position. For example, a video decoder chooses a picture in the bit stream after the arbitrary position at which to begin decoding based on a determination of acceptable recovery time and/or acceptable picture quality.
US09924183B2
The emerging High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard achieves significant performance improvement over H.264/AVC standard at a cost of much higher complexity. An H.264/AVC to HEVC transcoder is described for multi-core processors implementing Wavefront Parallel Processing (WPP) and SIMD acceleration, along with expedited motion estimation (ME) and mode decision (MD) by utilizing information extracted from the input H.264/AVC stream. Experiments using standard HEVC test bitstreams show that the described transcoder may achieve a 70× speed up over the HEVC HM S.1 reference software (including H.264 encoding) at very small rate distortion (RD) performance loss.
US09924172B2
The quantization parameter QP is well-known in digital video compression as an indication of picture quality. Digital symbols representing a moving image are quantized with a quantizing step that is a function QSN of the quantization parameter QP, which function QSN has been normalized to the most significant bit of the bit depth of the digital symbols. As a result, the effect of a given QP is essentially independent of bit depth a particular QP value has a standard effect on image quality, regardless of bit depth. The invention is useful, for example, in encoding and decoding at different bit depths, to generate compatible, bitstreams having different bit depths, and to allow different bit depths for different components of a video signal by compressing each with the same fidelity (i.e., the same QP).
US09924168B2
A method and apparatus for three-dimensional and multi-view video coding are disclosed, where the motion vector (MV) or disparity vector (DV) candidate list construction process for a block depends on whether the target reference picture corresponds to an inter-view reference picture or whether the inter-view candidate refers to an inter-view reference picture. In one embodiment, an MV or DV candidate list for a block coded in Merge mode is constructed, and an inter-view candidate in the MV or DV candidate list is set lower than the first candidate position if the inter-view candidate refers to an inter-view reference picture. In another embodiment, an MV or DV candidate list for a block coded in advanced motion vector prediction mode is constructed, and an inter-view candidate is set lower than the first candidate position if the inter-view candidate refers to an inter-view reference picture.
US09924166B2
Sampling grid information may be determined for multi-layer video coding systems. The sampling grid information may be used to align the video layers of a coding system. Sampling grid correction may be performed based on the sampling grid information. The sampling grids may also be detected. In some embodiments, a sampling grid precision may also be detected and/or signaled.
US09924163B2
An image processing apparatus includes a decoding unit, a deblocking filter, and a sample adaptive offset processing unit. The decoding unit is configured to perform a decoding process for a coded stream to generate an image. The deblocking filter is configured to store a block, a corresponding block of which on a current edge is not input, in a memory, out of blocks of the image generated by the decoding unit and read the block stored in the memory at timing when the corresponding block is input, to perform a filter process. The sample adaptive offset processing unit is configured to perform a sample adaptive offset process by using a pixel of the block that has been subjected to the filter process by the deblocking filter.
US09924161B2
A method for decoding compressed video information is disclosed. The video information can include a plurality of frames each having a plurality of blocks. The method reading, from the video information, a segment map associating at least some of the plurality of blocks in a first frame of the plurality of frames with at least one segment identifier, reading, from the video information, a current block to be decoded by a decoder, reading, from the segment map, a segment identifier that is associated with the current block, reading, from the video information, at least one segment parameter associated with the segment identifier that is associated with the current block and decoding the current block using the at least one segment parameter associated with the segment identifier that is associated with the current block.
US09924156B2
In one embodiment, range data is combined with an image in order to create a stereo image from the single collected image. An apparatus receives image data associated with a geographic location and range data associated with the geographic location. The range data may be a point cloud. At least one perspective image is formed based on the image data and the range data. The perspective image has a viewpoint different than single collected image. The apparatus generates a stereo image from the at least one perspective image. The stereo image appears to have depth. The at least one perspective image may include two images, each offset by a distance to estimate eye separation.
US09924153B2
A parallel synchronous scaling engine for multi-view 3D display and a method thereof are provided, wherein selection and combination calculation are provided to an interpolation pixel window, then interpolation calculation is provided to a combined interpolation pixel window of a combined view field, calculation results are directly displayed on a display terminal. That is to say, interpolation is originally provided before stereoscopic pixel rearrangement, which is now improved, in such a manner that screening and combination of pixel points is provided before interpolation calculation. According to the present invention, computation and memory resource is greatly saved. The method is suitable to be implemented by hardware, for satisfying various numbers of viewpoints and interpolation algorithm, and being compatible with multi-view 3D display with the integrated and floating-point pixel arrangement, wherein the computation resource does not need to be increased with increasing of the viewpoints.
US09924150B2
An apparatus for processing a stereo three dimensional video includes a memory to store an encoded stereo three dimensional (S3D) video frame of the stereo three dimensional video, where the S3D video frame comprising a left frame, right frame, and depth frame. The apparatus may include a processor to retrieve a pixel (x,y) of the depth frame, the pixel (x,y) comprising a reference device depth(x,y). The apparatus may also include a device aware decoder component to determine pixel pair positions for a left pixel in the left frame and right pixel in the right frame based upon the pixel (x,y), and to calculate a target device disparity for the pixel (x,y), based upon the reference device depth(x,y) and a screen size of a target device to present the S3D video.
US09924133B2
Apparatus and method for processing image signal, imaging apparatus, and method for displaying image
An image signal processing apparatus includes a down-converter unit configured to down-convert an image signal having a first resolution into an image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, a high-frequency-band-edge detection unit configured to perform filtering on the image signal having the first resolution to extract components in a higher frequency band than a frequency corresponding to the second resolution and to perform down-conversion on an edge detection signal obtained through the filtering to obtain an edge detection signal having the second resolution, and a combination unit configured to combine the edge detection signal obtained by the high-frequency-band-edge detection unit with the image signal having the second resolution generated by the down-converter unit so as to obtain an image signal having the second resolution and being to be displayed.
US09924130B2
Computer implemented techniques that involve captured, e.g., self-captured video for educational and other uses such as improving job performance of geographically distributed employees and incremental video optimizations and compressions are described.
US09924124B2
The present invention provides user-friendly video display apparatus and terminal apparatus. In the present invention, a terminal apparatus having a function of remotely controlling a video display apparatus includes a communication unit that transmits a command related to setting of the video display apparatus and receives status information, a signal receiving unit that receives a signal output from a broadcast station and decodes a video content, a memory unit that stores a content of a command including a channel of the video content, and a display unit that displays the video content and various types of information. In this terminal apparatus, the communication unit transmits an identification code specific to the terminal apparatus when transmitting the command, and when the status information is received after a channel of the video display apparatus is set by remote control, the video content of the channel stored in the memory unit is decoded by the signal receiving unit and is displayed on the display unit.
US09924105B2
A system and a method for inspecting a stream of products (3, 3′, 3″) is disclosed, comprising a scanning focused light beam (5) for scanning the product stream and a camera (7) for detecting light beams directly returned from the scanned product stream, whereby the scanning movement of the focused light beam is synchronized with the exposure time of the camera.
US09924097B2
An apparatus, a method, and a recording medium for image stabilization are provided. The image stabilization method includes receiving an image that is captured by a camera, detecting a motion of the image, predicting a motion of the image, using a Kalman filter, comparing the detected motion with the predicted motion, and updating a parameter of the Kalman filter based on a result of the comparing.
US09924076B2
An object is to provide a motion detection solid-state image-capturing device and a motion detection system having a reduced power consumption and an improved motion detection accuracy. One solution is to combine together signals of a longer exposure time for a plurality of pixels and signals of a shorter exposure time for a plurality of pixels, which signals are output from a motion detection image-capturing device, and to determine the presence/absence of a moving object based on a differential signal between the signals of a longer exposure time and the signals of a shorter exposure time, wherein if it is determined that there is no moving object, at least part of a circuit of a motion detection image processing device or a video management device is stopped, thereby improving the detection accuracy and conserving the electric power.
US09924071B2
A Customer Replaceable Unit Monitoring (CRUM) chip, an image forming apparatus, and a method of authenticating are provided. The apparatus includes a main body that includes a main controller controlling operations of the apparatus, a consumable unit mounted on the main body to communicate with the main controller, and a CRUM chip that is provided in the consumable unit and stores information regarding the consumable unit. The main controller and the CRUM chip transmit and receive signals that include data and integrity detection data between each other. The integrity detection data is generated by using previous integrity detection data.
US09924066B2
An operability of a user in an image processing apparatus such as a camera scanner is improved. For this purpose, the image processing apparatus has: a pickup image obtaining unit for obtaining a pickup image on a stage through an imaging unit; a distance image obtaining unit for obtaining a distance image on the stage through a solid measuring unit; a detecting unit for detecting the putting of an object on the stage based on the obtained pickup image; a projecting unit for projecting an operation display regarding the reading of the object onto the stage through a projector when the putting of the object is detected; a recognizing unit for recognizing a gesture of the user on the stage based on the obtained distance image; and a reading unit for obtaining a read image of the object in accordance with the gesture to the projected operation display.
US09924062B2
A system and method of authorizing one or more features of an application is provided. A first application having a first set of features that control one or more functionality of an image processing device and are always available and a second set of features controlling functionality different from that controlled by the first set of features and which require authorization to be operable. A second application executing on the image processing device includes data representing authorization parameters to selectively authorize one or more of the features in the second set of features. In response to detecting, by the second application, that a feature activation service is registered in an operating system of the image processing device by the first application, the second application communicates the authorization parameter data to the first application to authorize and make operable the one or more features of the second set of features.
US09924059B2
An apparatus having a power-saving function includes first circuitry to control a transition of a power control state of the apparatus between a power-saving mode and a normal operating mode, and a communication interface to connect with an operating device to receive a user instruction from the operating device. The operating device includes second circuitry to control a transition of a power control state of the operating device between the power-saving mode and the normal operating mode. The first circuitry determines whether a combination of the power control state of the apparatus and the power control state of the operating device indicates occurrence of a trouble to the apparatus, and sends a notification to the operating device based on a determination.
US09924056B2
A device management system includes a device management apparatus, a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and an intervening apparatus. The device management apparatus includes a memory storing authorized user identification information, a receiver receiving user identification information from the first electronic device, and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, third device identification information is stored. The intervening apparatus includes a receiver receiving the user identification information from the second electronic device and processing circuitry determining whether it is allowed to use at least the first electronic device. If so, the third device identification information is received. The second electronic device includes a receiver receiving a request and processing circuitry determining whether the third device identification information in the request matches the third device identification information received from the device management apparatus, and accepts the request.
US09924050B2
An operation display apparatus includes: an operating unit; a display unit; a position detecting unit configured to detect a position of a predetermined portable terminal; a free region detecting unit configured to detect a free region on a display screen of at least one of the display unit and the portable terminal; and an operation control unit configured to display an image of the operating unit in the free region when the position of the portable terminal detected by the position detecting unit is in front of a front side of the operating unit, and accept an operation performed on the image, as an operation received by the operating unit, the free region being detected by the free region detecting unit.
US09924048B2
A method of diagnosing a printer's status using an encoded image printed and/or displayed by the printer. The printer can produce an encoded image, such as a barcode, that indicates status values in one or more categories. A client device with a camera, such as a smartphone, can take a picture of the encoded image and transmit it to a printer status server. The printer status server can analyze the status values encoded in the encoded image to diagnose problems with the printer, and can return applicable user instructions indicating how to fix and/or prevent the problems.
US09924040B1
Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a roster template used in scheduling agent resources to conduct a first campaign and a second campaign involving two different channels of communication. Specifically, forecasts are generated for the first and second campaigns and agent resources needed to handle communications forecasted for each campaign are identified. A roster template is generated that includes one or more shifts to schedule based on the agent resources identified for the first campaign and evaluated to identify whether a deficiency exists with respect to the one or more shifts not meeting the agent resources identified for the second campaign. If so, the one or more shifts are revised so as not to cause a second deficiency with respect to the first campaign.
US09924039B1
An apparatus, a method, and a computer program receive a request message from a mobile device to connect with an agent and authenticate the request message and provisioning a database for enabled services and service location. A service provider is identified and selected from a plurality of service providers. As a result, the request message is transmitted to the service provider in order to determine availability of the service provider.
US09924038B2
In a contact center, a system for processing communication events has an interaction server for managing events waiting to be routed, a routing server for routing the events, a rules engine, and a gateway server executing rules invocation logic and interacting with the rules engine. The interaction server tracks incoming events, initiates and sends a routing request to the routing server, including a special routing object, for each event that requires conformance to business rules, the routing server, executing the routing object, sends an execution request to the gateway server, which upon receipt of the request prepares a business object model (BOM), being a set of facts upon which the rules engine executes rules appropriate to the facts, resulting in routing direction for the routing server to route the event.
US09924033B2
A communication session between a user and an agent to discuss content provided by a client. A first interactive event occurred during the communication session. A first data collection package associated with the first interactive event is identified. The first data collection package includes a plurality of queries, each query being associated with one of a plurality of workflow stages of a data collection workflow. For each of the queries in one of the workflow stages, a data collection rule corresponding to a current workflow stage is examined to determine whether the query should be sent to the user, the query is transmitted to the user device of the user based on the examination, and a user response is received from the user device in response to the query. The user profile and the agent profile are updated based on user responses.
US09924032B1
A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile system that includes an MVSS mobile device, on which a VoiceXML browser is implemented directly. The VoiceXML browser may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A client system may include the VoiceXML application server that the VoiceXML application is requested from. Upon request, the VoiceXML application may deliver the requested VoiceXML application to the VoiceXML application browser. A vendor media resource system may provide advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS), to the VoiceXML application that is being processed by the VoiceXML application browser. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services.
US09924024B2
The electronic device includes a display configured to display at least one of a call screen, a screen of an application, or a transmission application screen, an input unit configured to detect a touch input, a controller configured to execute the application during a call, to detect a touch input for moving an object to be transmitted within the screen of the application, to the call screen, to execute a transmission application based on information on the moved object when the touch input is detected, to generate a transmission message, to which the moved object is attached, through the transmission application based on information on a call counterpart, and a communication unit configured to transmit the transmission message to the call counterpart.
US09924020B2
Disclosed is a wearable electronic device, including: an adjustment apparatus that adjusts a spatial form of the wearable device; and a control apparatus in communication with the adjustment apparatus, wherein the control apparatus drives, responsive to detection of an adjustment parameter, the adjustment apparatus to perform a spatial form adjustment for the wearable device. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09924019B2
The description relates to device pairing. One example can involve a computing device (e.g., companion device) and a stylus. The companion device can have a display and be configured to communicate in accordance with a wireless protocol. The stylus can be configured to transmit proximity information to the computing device when a user brings a tip of the stylus proximate to the display and be configured to supply wireless protocol identification information with the proximity information. The computing device can be configured to pair with the stylus over the wireless protocol using the wireless protocol identification information without requiring any additional action from the user on the computing device or the stylus.
US09924018B2
A multi display method by a first electronic device is provided. The method includes executing first and second applications, transmitting screen data of the second application to a second electronic device, receiving an input via the second electronic device, changing the screen data of the second application based on the user input, and transmitting the changed screen data of the second application to the second electronic device.
US09924011B2
A method for controlling audio signal transfer from a mobile device to a hands-free device in a vehicle multimedia system includes receiving by a processor of the vehicle multimedia system a request from a mobile device to connect to a hands-free device. The processor determines if the mobile device is engaged in an active call. In response to determining that the mobile device is engaged in an active call, a confirmation message is displayed to confirm that a user wishes to transfer an audio signal associated with the active call to the hands-free device. In response to receiving user's confirmation to transfer the active call, the audio signal is transferred from the mobile device to the hands-free device.
US09924010B2
Apparatus and methods to communicate audio data from either an active wireless device or a requesting wireless device to one or more audio reproduction devices that are simultaneously communicatively coupled to both the active wireless device and to the requesting wireless device are disclosed. Responsive to a request from the requesting wireless device to transmit audio data to the one or more audio reproduction devices, the active wireless device determines whether to transmit audio data from the requesting wireless device based at least in part on an audio status of the active wireless device and a set of predetermined arbitration criteria that prioritizes among applications and operating system processes that generate the audio data.
US09924008B2
It is configured that, when an operation of selecting a type is accepted by an operation acceptance processing unit 8, an item re-selection unit 9 re-selects one or multiple information processing items from among information processing items that are included in a plurality of information processing items stored in an information-processing item storage unit 2, and are information processing items of the type for which the operation of selecting is accepted, except for an information processing item already displayed on a liquid-crystal display 6.
US09924007B2
Disclosed is a mobile terminal having a rear input unit disposed on a rear surface of a display unit, and configured to receive a control command by a push input. Especially, the present invention provides a structure capable of preventing a force rather than a user's pressing force from being applied to the rear input unit, and a structure capable of shielding an operation sound generated when a pressing force is applied to the rear input unit.
US09924000B2
A data communication system compresses packet headers. A transmitter executes state machines to process a data packet and determine if a transmitter state machine is transferring Interdependent Machine Output (IMO) data. The transmitter generates an IMO vector that indicates if any IMO data is in the data packet. If IMO is present, then the transmitter augments the IMO vector to indicate the individual transmitter state machines that transferred the IMO data. The transmitter transfers the data packet with the IMO vector to a receiver. The receiver processes the IMO vector to determine if any IMO data is transferred in the data packet. If IMO data is transferred, then the receiver processes the augmented IMO vector to transfer the IMO data to individual receiver state machine that correspond to the transmitter state machines that transferred the IMO data.
US09923999B2
Frame formatting for communications within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications. A signal is processed within a communication device using at least two respective downclocking ratios (e.g., a first downclocking ratio applied to a first portion of the signal such as a frame or packet extracted there from, a second downclocking ratio applied to a second portion of the signal). Alternatively, a signal is divided into more than two respective portions, and different respective downclocking ratios are applied to those different respective portions (e.g., a first downclocking ratio applied to a first portion of the signal, and so on up to an n-th downclocking ratio applied to an n-th portion of the signal). Some implementations apply a singular or common downclocking ratio to more than one portion of the signal (which may be contiguous/adjacent or non-contiguous/non-adjacent within the signal).
US09923997B2
A method for packet classification. In some embodiments, the method includes instantiating a first machine; allocating a first SC to the first machine, the first SC being configured to classify a packet based on information contained in a field of a header included in the packet; instantiating a second machine; allocating a second SC to the second machine, the second SC being configured to classify a packet based on information contained in a field of a header included in the packet; monitoring the first machine to detect if the first machine is in an overload state; and in response to detecting that the first machine is in an overload state, instantiating a third machine and allocating a third SC to the third machine, the third SC being configured to classify a packet based on information contained in a field of a header included in the packet.
US09923994B1
An apparatus and method of adding thin client functionality are disclosed. One example method provides generating a call function directed to an electronic device and at least one peripheral device. The method also includes redirecting the call function to an auxiliary device, extracting payload data from information sent to the at least one peripheral device, discarding values outside a previously negotiated range from the extracted payload data, performing at least one of incrementing and decrementing the remaining values of the payload data to create a data subset, and redirecting the data subset to at least one other peripheral device resulting in output information being sent to the at least one other peripheral device.
US09923971B2
Methods and systems for identifying an unidentified plumbing supply product are provided. According to certain aspects, an application executing on an electronic device may be configured to capture image data encoding an image of the unidentified plumbing supply product therein. The application may cause the electronic device to transmit the image data to an identification server. The identification server may analyze the image data to determine the unidentified plumbing supply product encoded in the image data matches a known plumbing supply product in a plumbing supply products database. The identification server may then transmit an indication to the electronic device that the unidentified plumbing supply product was successfully identified. The identification of the unidentified plumbing supply product may be used to process and/or subrogate an insurance claim.
US09923969B2
A method comprising receiving one or more data storage specifications from a tenant, determining that a plurality of physical storage units in a physical storage system comprises a sufficient system capacity to provision data storage for the tenant, sending a storage request message to request creation of a network storage entity for the tenant according to the data storage specifications, and receiving a storage response message indicating a first of a plurality of logical storage units allocated to the network storage entity according to the data storage specifications, wherein the plurality of logical storage units are distributed across the plurality of physical storage units, and wherein the plurality of logical storage units are arranged in a sequential order to form a logical circular buffer.
US09923964B2
A method for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a contact to be associated with an account in a social platform; acquiring an account of a friend associated with the contact in the social platform, and binding a phone number of the contact with the associated account of the friend in the social platform; and uploading the phone number and the account in the social platform bound together to a server. When it needs to view social information of a contact, the above method can simplify user operation, reduce time spent for operation in the mobile terminal and increase the battery life of the mobile terminal. Furthermore, a device for cross-platform synchronization of contacts in a multi-platform environment is also disclosed.
US09923963B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of managing an Application Service Platform (ASP) session. For example, an apparatus may include a first ASP to communicate with a second ASP via a wireless Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connection over a P2P link to manage an ASP-session between a first device including the first ASP and a second device including the second ASP. The first ASP may communicate with the second ASP a message to close the ASP-session, the message including a reason field including an indication of a reason for closing the ASP-session.
US09923961B2
There are provided measures for enabling/realizing an integrity check of a DNS server setting, thereby enabling/realizing detection of DNS hacking or hijacking. Such measures could exemplarily include triggering a DNS resolution operation by a service device configured to provide a service using the DNS server setting, wherein the DNS server setting is used for DNS resolution or DNS forwarding in service provisioning, acquiring the IP address of a DNS server device, which is configured to perform DNS resolution in service provisioning, by reading the IP address of the DNS server device included in a DNS message as part of the triggered DNS resolution operation by the service device, and processing the acquired IP address of the DNS server device for evaluating integrity of the DNS server setting used in service provisioning.
US09923959B2
An edge server node comprises an edge server, a DNS, and a load controller. The DNS is assigned to a layer of edge server nodes where each layer of edge server nodes has a DNS anycast IP address for the DNSs of that layer and a FQDN for that layer. The DNS either handles or offloads requests to resolve the FQDN for the assigned layer to balance the load on the edge server. A request is offloaded by returning the FQDN for another layer. The load controller monitors the load on the edge server and directs the DNS to offload requests to reduce the load on the edge server.
US09923958B1
Techniques are provided for exporting one or more file systems through multiple nodes of a cluster. One or more of the exported file systems may be simultaneously exported through a single node of the cluster. A bundle, or mapping, between a node in the cluster and a file system, is created. The bundle represents an amount of work assigned to the node. A bundle is reassigned from one node to another node in the cluster in response to a failover, an addition of a new node to the cluster, or in response to a load balancing determination.
US09923956B2
A message transfer system includes an interface to a send agent, arranged to facilitate an input of an at least one message to the message transfer system, an interface to a delivery agent, arranged to facilitate an output of the at least one message from the message transfer system, a message queue, arranged to facilitate a processing of the at least one message through the message transfer system between the interface to a send agent and the interface to a delivery agent, and a message transfer node, arranged to include the message queue such that the message queue is arranged as distributed.
US09923952B2
A system (100) includes an application model (140) to characterize a given application (110) for deployment on a cloud (130). A deployment manager (120) analyzes an application requirement for the given application (110) based on the application model (140) and policies (150) associated with the given application (110) to substantially match infrastructure resources (160) in the cloud (130) to fulfill the application requirement.
US09923946B2
A streams manager determines which portions of a streaming application process sensitive data, and when performance of the streaming application needs to be increased, selects based on the sensitive data which portion(s) of the streaming application can be moved to a public cloud. The streams manager then interacts with the public cloud manager to move the selected portion(s) of the streaming application to the public cloud. By taking sensitive data into account, the streams manager protects the integrity of sensitive data while still taking advantage of the additional resources available in a public cloud.
US09923941B2
Disclosed embodiments provide an approach for sharing media items between mobile devices that are in proximity to one another. A device ID is generated and shared with nearby devices. Media items are uploaded to a data server and then sent from the data server to other devices that request them based on a shared device ID. Users do not need to know each other or be connected to each other in any social media sense, and yet can still share media items. Thus, disclosed embodiments provide a new level of crowd-sourced coverage of an event based on sharing of media items.
US09923938B2
A computer-implemented method manages drop-ins on conversations near a focal point of proximal activity in a gathering place. One or more processors receive a first set of sensor data from one or more sensors in a gathering place, and then identify a focal point of proximal activity based on the first set of received sensor data received from the one or more sensors. One or more processors characterize a conversation near the focal point based on a second set of received sensor data from the one or more sensors, and then present a characterization of the conversation to an electronic device. One or more processors enable the electronic device to allow a user to drop-in on the conversation.
US09923936B2
A system is described herein that facilitates the monitoring of inmate communications. The system provides a remotely-accessible means for a reviewer to monitor a call between an inmate and another person. The system includes a monitoring server and a monitoring station. The monitoring server is configured to receive a call and call information from a communication center and process the call for monitoring, schedule a review of the call; and store the call, the call information, and scheduling data. The monitoring station is configured to receive the call and the call information from the monitoring server based on the scheduling data, and to display the identifying information and facilitate the review of the call.
US09923929B2
The described technology provides a capability to perform in-session updates to entitlements associated with a user's access to content served by a web application. The content may be from one or more external servers. The technology provides for automatically detecting changes to entitlements, and without requiring a user of an active session to initiate a new session, updating entitlement data in a memory such that subsequent requests for data made by the client in the same active session are serviced using the updated entitlements.
US09923927B1
Methods and systems are provided to enable access control based on credential properties. Besides authenticating a credential, an authentication service can provide additional credential-related information with respect to a credential such as last updated time. An entity receiving such additional credential-related information can implement access control policies based on the credential-related information. For instance, a user's access rights may be gradually restricted after an initial expiration time and towards a final expiration time. In an example, such access control may be implemented by a client application or client website of the authentication service. Alternatively or additionally, such access control may be implemented by an authorization service used by the client application or client website.
US09923926B1
Approaches for managing potentially malicious files using one or more isolated environments. In response to receiving a request to perform an action on a file, a client applies a policy to determine whether the action is deemed trustworthy. The client identifies, without human intervention, an isolated environment, executing or to be executed on the client, in which the action is to be performed based on whether the action is deemed trustworthy. In this way, embodiments allow a user to make use of data deemed untrusted in certain cases without allowing the untrusted data from having unfettered access to the resources of the client. If the requested action is performed in a different isolated environment from which the action was requested, embodiments enable the performance of the action to be performed seamlessly to the user.
US09923916B1
Adaptive methods and systems are provided to scan websites/Web applications for vulnerabilities. The methods and systems identify a reference string in a first response web page and an authorized context in which the reference string appears. The first response web page is generated at least in part based on the reference string. An escape attempt input is determined based on the reference string and authorized context, and the escape attempt input is present to the website. The methods and systems identify an escape attempt input in a second response web page and a candidate context in which the escape attempt input appears, wherein the second response web page is generated at least in part based on the escape attempt input. The methods and systems determine when the escape attempt input appears in an un-authorized context in the second response web page. The adaptive methods and systems herein, efficiently identify website vulnerabilities, and thus may be run frequently, thereby resulting in improved security without excessively drawing upon website resources.
US09923899B2
Disclosed are systems and methods associated with a social network application. A plurality of posts associated with a client system user is displayed. First and second posts in the plurality of posts are respectively associated with first and second recipient groups. While the posts are displayed, a content item area is displayed. An input, comprising a content item, is received from the user in the content item area. An affordance is presented that enables the user to designate access control information corresponding distribution entities. The content item and the access control information are transmitted to a system whereupon access to the content item is restricted in accordance with the access control information.
US09923898B2
A computer system comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the at least one processor. The processor is configured to collect context information for a presentation from a set of monitoring devices stationed in a presentation environment where the presentation is performed; determine, based on the context information for the presentation, a subject matter group for the presentation; and generate a set of access rules for a set of network devices in the presentation environment based on the context information for the presentation. The processor is further configured to identify, based on the subject matter group, a first set of resources relevant to the subject matter group; and restrict access of the set of network devices to resources not included in the first set of resources during performance of the presentation based on the set of access rules.
US09923892B1
A method of testing a web application, wherein a web application is a program that operates on a server and interacts with clients that access the program over a network, wherein further the web application accepts parameters that define results generated from the web application, the method comprising determining which web application uniform resource identifiers (“URIs”) are used to access various web applications on a system, selecting a subset of less than all of the URIs for the common web, wherein the subset is selected at least in part independently of the order generated, performing a security scan on a first URI of the subset of URIs, comparing locality-sensitive hash (“LSH”) signatures of responses to the first URI, determine if the differences between responses exceed a threshold and performing a security scan on a second URI of the subset if the responses exceed the threshold.
US09923889B2
A data processing system including a data processing apparatus, includes a user data storing unit that stores user data of a user who uses a first service, the user data including first authentication data used for logging in the first service and user specifying data; a determining unit that determines, when the user who uses the first service sets second authentication data used for logging in a second service different from the first service, user specifying data usable as the second authentication data from the user specifying data included in the user data; and a management unit that sets the user specifying data determined to be usable as the second authentication data in the user data of the user who uses the first service as the second authentication data, and manages the user data as user data of the user who uses the first service and the second service.
US09923880B2
Examples of techniques for authenticating mobile applications are described herein. A method includes receiving, at a first server, a key pair and a policy file associated with a mobile service on a second server, the policy file includes a plurality of security objects to be authenticated, a plurality of computing devices to authenticate the security objects, and an order of authentication. The method includes distributing the key pair and the policy file to a security device. The method also includes receiving, at the first server, an authentication request from a mobile application. The method further includes creating an authenticity challenge as specified in the policy file and sending the authenticity challenge with a response to the mobile application.
US09923875B2
A system and method for enabling access of content in a home network are provided. The method includes receiving a content on a source device. Further, the method includes setting content sharing preferences by the source device. The content sharing preferences indicate whether a device is authorized to access the content. The method includes encrypting the content on the source device. Further, the method includes storing the encrypted content in a shared storage device. The method includes receiving a request from a device for decryption of the encrypted content. Further, the method includes decrypting the content by the source device based on the content sharing preferences. Furthermore, the method includes providing the decrypted content to the device, thereby enabling access of the content to the device.
US09923864B2
In order to attain the above object, an information process device of the present invention detects a connection of an electric appliance 100 to a network, transmits an IP address of the electric appliance 100, acquires the IP address of the detected electric appliance 100, acquires association information associating the IP address with an identifier identifying the electric appliance 100, re-acquires the IP address of the re-detected electric appliance based on the acquired association information, and redirects a connection request from an IP address associated with the identifier to the re-acquired IP address based on the acquired association information.
US09923853B2
Dynamic user training rules can be employed to organize content within a folder. Each folder can be associated with a dynamic rule that defines a number of attribute and weighting factor associations and a folder threshold. Each attribute and weighting factor association can identify an attribute that is common among the contents of the smart folder and associate a weighting factor with the common attribute. Whenever a user manually moves content into or out of the smart folder, the attribute and weighting factor associations and possibly the folder threshold can be updated accordingly, such as by adjusting a value of one or more weighting factors to better reflect how common they are after the content has been manually moved into or out of the folder. In this way, the dynamic rule is automatically updated in response to the user's interaction with the smart folder.
US09923845B2
A mobile terminal including a display unit; a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with at least one external device via a wireless network; and a controller configured to: execute a first message conversation with the at least one external terminal while executing a video communication with the at least one external terminal, and store an image of the video communication in response to termination of the first message conversation.
US09923843B2
Maintaining layer 7 state as a client device roams between network devices during a session. Data packets used in executing a layer 7 application are received at a first network device that a client device is coupled to during a session. Data packets received by the first network device are stored in a layer 7 application buffer that is sent to a second network device that a client device roams to during a session. A layer 7 application buffer is used to classify a layer 7 application that is the subject of a session in order to maintain layer 7 state as a client device roams to a second network device during a session.
US09923840B2
In an embodiment, a processing resource allocation method is disclosed. The method may include identifying an instruction mapped to data having a preselected data location. The method may also include determining whether to transfer a call of the instruction from a first processing unit (PU) to a second PU based on the preselected data location.
US09923837B2
A method implemented to provide a virtual network to tenants requiring bandwidth in a cloud computing environment is disclosed. The method starts with receiving a request for a task at a network device, the request including a first parameter indicating VMs required, a second parameter indicating bandwidths the required VMs need, a third parameter indicating a duration of the task, and a fourth parameter indicating a deadline of the task. The network device then selects a starting time and a bandwidth allocation of the task, where the bandwidth allocation is shrank to be smaller than the second parameter indicating, and where the selection aims at minimizing a measurement of cloud resource utilization considering consumptions of both VMs and bandwidth. Then the network device allocates VMs for the request at the starting time with the bandwidth allocated at a particular location in the cloud computing environment.
US09923836B1
Systems and methods are described for configuring a delay based scheduler for an access node. A plurality of packets may be received at an access node, where at least a first packet is associated with an application running on a wireless device in communication with the access node. The plurality of packets may be inspected to determine that one or more of the packets associated with the application are marked, where the mark indicates network congestion. A remaining time for the first packet may be calculated based on a packet delay budget associated with the running application and the determination that one or more of the packets associated with the application are marked. The first packet may then be scheduled for transmission to the wireless device, using a delay based scheduler, based on the calculated remaining time.
US09923831B2
A software-defined networking (SDN) OpenFlow apparatus comprises a processor, and a memory system coupled to the processor and comprising a flow pipeline, wherein the flow pipeline comprises a series of flow tables, wherein each of the flow tables comprises at least one match field, wherein the match fields correspond to a plurality of network services, wherein the match fields are ordered based on a prioritization of the network services, which of the match fields are shared among the network services, a shared dependency of the match fields, and processing speed, and wherein the prioritization is based on which network services are most important and which network services are most frequently used.
US09923825B2
A system and method for detecting and resolving conflicts in transmissions from DTs located on the edge of an electrical power distribution grid. By examining the frame and time slot of the conflict and inferring a possible DT involved in the transmission conflict and reassigning the DT's transmission to another frame and time slot, the conflict should be resolved and the data being provided by the DT is not necessarily lost nor is its receipt unreasonably delayed.
US09923824B2
Embodiments are directed to a computer system for managing data transfer. The computer system includes a memory, a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, a send component and a receive component having a message queue and a controller. A link interface communicatively couples the send component to the receive component. The link interface includes a mainline channel and a sideband channel, and the computer system is configured to perform a method. The method includes transmitting mainline channel messages over the mainline channel from the send component to the receive component. The method further includes transmitting sideband channel messages over the sideband channel from the send component to the message queue of the receive component. The method further includes utilizing the controller to control a flow of the sideband channel messages to the message queue without relying on sending feedback to the send component about the flow.
US09923820B2
Providing quality of service (QoS) for applications such as Voice over IP (VoIP) and enforcing service level agreements (SLA) are major requirement in any current and future communication networks. On the other hand, more communication networks are employing adaptive transmission mechanisms, such as DVB-S2 ACM in satellite communication networks. In non-adaptive networks, QoS enforcers use static bit rate configurations. However, using a static bit rate configuration in an adaptive network may result in underflow situations, during which it may not be possible to utilize the full capacity of the transmission channel and expensive resources may therefore be wasted, In addition, using a static bit rate configuration in an adaptive network may result in overflow situations, during which it may be necessary to drop user traffic packets and therefore quality of service may not be maintained. It is therefore imperative that QoS enforcers have knowledge of the network's available bit rate at all times. This invention describes a method for achieving exactly that.
US09923816B2
A synchronous packet-processing pipeline whose data paths are populated with data-plane stateful processing units (DSPUs) is provided. A DSPU is a programmable processor whose operations are synchronous with the dataflow of the packet-processing pipeline. A DSPU performs every computation with fixed latency. Each DSPU is capable of maintaining a set of states and perform its computations based on its maintained set of states. The programming of a DSPU determines how and when the DSPU updates one of its maintained states. Such programming may configure the DSPU to update the state based on its received packet data, or to change the state regardless of the received packet data.
US09923813B2
In a method for processing packets in a network device, a first packet is received at a first port of the network device. A first set of bits, corresponding to a first set of bit locations in a header of the first packet, is extracted from the header of the first packet. A first set of processing operations is performed to process the first packet using the first set of bits. A second packet is received at a second port of the network device. A second set of bits, corresponding to a second set of bit locations in a header of the second packet, is extracted from the header of the second packet. A second set of processing operations is performed to process the second packet using the second set of bits.
US09923810B1
A system and method that enables an application to retrieve application update from the software vendor using one or more network connection. The application checks for updates when it is invoked by the user. The checking of updates is done by sending a request to the vendor server via one or multiple network connections. The network connection can be wired or wireless. By using multiple network connections, the update process can send and receive update data faster than using one network connections. Another aspect of the invention is if the checking for update request failed via the default or 1st network connection, the application will check for the next available network connection to send the update request. By checking for update from the vendor, the application will always have the most up to date patches, fixes, and/or new features.
US09923808B2
Internet protocol packets are statelessly identified as associated with a particular session-instance by identifying a key, or session-instance identifier, within the data (or payload) portion of a user plane packet. This identifier is specific to the session-instance and remains constant throughout the session-instance. Using this stateless identification, transmitted user plane packets are automatically routed at the transmission speed of the transmission link using a method that automatically balances the analysis processing load between network probes. The load is balanced by routing the user plane packet to a network probe that is either already analyzing the session-instance or by routing the user plane packet to a system that has processing capacity to analyze a new session-instance. The network probe then analyzes the user plane packet and the session-instance to measure the quality of the user experience of the session-instance and performance of the network.
US09923804B2
A method for routing communication traffic in a network includes detecting that a link in a parallel link configuration has failed and, in response, adjusting one or more metrics associated with other links in the parallel link configuration to indicate that none of the links in the parallel configuration are available. A router connected to a direct link in a parallel link configuration including one or more other routers connected to one or more indirect links, respectively, includes a memory storing configuration parameters specifying a minimum number of links required to be operational in the parallel link configuration and an artificially high cost, and a link metric adjustment module operable to set a metric of the direct link to the artificially high cost until the minimum number of required links are operational after startup of the router or failure and reactivation of the direct link.
US09923796B2
A method is implemented by a network device to establish a two-way active measurement protocol (TWAMP) test session to verify that a session sender and session reflector support a timestamp format extension including a Precision Time Protocol Version 2 (PTPv2) timestamp format. The PTPv2 timestamp format is to be utilized in place of a Network Time Protocol (NTP) timestamp format. The network device acts as a control-client that communicates with a server to establish the TWAMP test session between the session-sender and the session-reflector.
US09923789B2
Examples relate to determining access point power output. In one example, a computing device may: identify, for a particular access point, a plurality of neighboring access points; identify, for each neighboring access point, a pathloss value that indicates a difference in a transmit power of the neighboring access point and a received signal strength observed by the particular access point; identify, from the neighboring access points, at least one adjacent access point, each adjacent access point having a pathloss value that is less than a pathloss threshold; generate a representative pathloss using the pathloss values of each adjacent access point; determine a target power level for the representative pathloss; and provide at least one of the neighboring access points with instructions that cause the at least one neighboring access point to adjust a power output level of the at least one neighboring access point.
US09923779B2
The present disclosure pertains to systems and method for configuration of communication flows in a software defined network (“SDN”). In one embodiment, a system is operable to configure a communication flow between a first host and a second host. A mode selection subsystem is configured to cause a plurality of network devices in a network connecting the first communication host and the second communication host to transition between an open mode and an SDN operating mode. In the open mode, the network devices may discover a communication path between the first host and the second host. An analysis subsystem may receive information from the plurality of network devices information about the discovered path, and a topology discovery subsystem may be configured to create a communication flow corresponding to the discovered path. The communication flow may allow communication between the first host and the second host in the SDN operating mode.
US09923777B2
Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages in a wireless communication device are described herein. In one aspect, a wireless apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a discovery engine configured to communicate with a wireless network based on a profile, the profile having defined use parameters, the discovery engine being configured to receive an input from an application indicating a selection of a profile, the discovery engine further configured to receive one or more attributes from the application and configure the profile using the one or more attributes, the attributes containing information to configure the profile to perform certain functions as defined by the application.
US09923773B2
In one embodiment, a device in a network determines one or more network metrics regarding operation of the network. The device determines one or more policy constraints regarding the routing of network traffic through a virtual service platform (VSP). The device generates a VSP usage policy based on the one or more network metrics and on the one or more policy constraints. The VSP usage policy is operable to cause traffic in the network to be routed through a particular VSP that is selected based on the VSP usage policy. The device causes the VSP usage policy to be implemented in the network.
US09923767B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a method and system for facilitating the processing of network data. During operation, the system obtains, at a remote capture agent, configuration information for the remote capture agent from a configuration server over a network. Next, the system uses the configuration information to configure the generation of event data from network packets at the remote capture agent. Upon receiving an update to the configuration information from the configuration server, the system uses the update to reconfigure the generation of the event data by the remote capture agent during runtime of the remote capture agent.
US09923762B1
A method includes receiving a request for modification of computer readable program code associated with a scenario being executed at a production server. The production server is configured to provide a computing service. Writing to a storage medium associated with the production server with respect to data specified by the protection scenario is suspended during the modification responsive to the request, such that synchronization of the data specified by the scenario is maintained between the production server and a standby server during the modification. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.
US09923760B2
Some embodiments provide a network control system with techniques for handling failover of network controllers with minimal churn in the network state distributed to the forwarding elements of the network. Specifically, in some embodiments, the local controller designates a waiting period before computing output network state data entries based on the new version of the input network state data entries. Alternatively, or conjunctively, the local controller of some embodiments calculates the changes between the new version of input state data entries and its stored existing version of the input state data entries, and only generates new output network state data entries based on the calculated changes, in order to minimize unnecessary recalculations of the output network state data entries. The new output network state data entries may then be used by the local controller to provision its managed forwarding element.
US09923757B1
This document describes techniques for reducing a size of data sets related to network security alarms or logs, or other messages. Preferably, the reduction is performed via a clustering and compressing algorithm that, among other things, enables an operator to provide customized control in the form of ordered, per-attribute thresholds, or “stop” points. These thresholds function to preserve important information while still achieving excellent clustering and compression results. In some embodiments, the technique described herein can be used to reliably produce reduced-size data sets composed entirely of unique entries. The unique entries can thus be used as keys into a database, e.g., for storage and later analysis or other purposes.
US09923737B2
A re-sampler comprises: a plurality of multipliers configured to receive an input sample; and a plurality of accumulators coupled to the multipliers and configured to form multiplier-accumulator (MAC) units with the multipliers, wherein the MAC units are configured to: compute partial products from the input sample, accumulate the partial products over clock cycles, and sequentially generate output samples based on the computing and the accumulating. A method comprises: receiving input samples; computing partial products from the input samples; accumulating the partial products over clock cycles; and sequentially generating output samples based on the computing and the accumulating.
US09923729B2
In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session, and identifying a first geographic region, using the geographic information, within which the first party is located. A first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region is identified for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session. The method also includes establishing a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection configured to shunt video between the first party and a cloud during the collaborative session, and causing the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud. The first audio connection is configured to shunt audio between the first party and the cloud while the VoIP connection shunts the video between the first party and the cloud.
US09923721B2
Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods that can provide a key authentication and identity verification in a D2D communication regime. A method can include providing a first public key of a first D2D device to a second D2D device and receiving a second public key of the second D2D device, providing a connection request packet to the second D2D device including a first attested key and a third public key, the first attested key including the first public key signed using a private key of a public key attestation service (PAS), receiving a connection accept packet from the second D2D device including a second attested public key, and a fourth public key, the second attested public key including the second public key signed using the private key of the PAS, and verifying the identity of the second D2D device using the received keys.
US09923714B2
Described herein is a method and system for hierarchical wireless video with network coding which limits encryption operations to a critical set of network coding coefficients in combination with multi-resolution video coding. Such a method and system achieves hierarchical fidelity levels, robustness against wireless packet loss and efficient security by exploiting the algebraic structure of network coding.
US09923708B2
A method comprising: at a first transceiver, transmitting a plurality of signals to a second transceiver and receiving corresponding receive signals from the second transceiver, wherein each transmitted signal is sent using a channel perturbation; measuring a plurality of phase values, wherein each phase value is a phase difference between one of the plurality of transmitted signals and corresponding receive signal; masking a subsequent phase modulated signal employing phase rotation at the first transceiver using the plurality of phase values.
US09923702B2
A method of downlink multi-sector transmission is provided. An initiator station first performs sector training by transmitting a plurality of sounding signals to a plurality of responder stations in a wireless network. The coverage associated with the initiator station is partitioned into a plurality of sectors, and each sector is covered by a sectorized beam. The initiator station then receives sector ID feedback information from each responder station in response to the sounding signals. The sector ID feedback information indicates preference to each of the sectors from each responder station. Next, the initiator station groups multiple spatially orthogonal responder stations together based on the sector ID feedback information. Finally, the initiator station performs multi-sector transmission by simultaneously transmitting data to the multiple responder stations in different sectors using corresponding sectorized beams.
US09923697B2
A packet data transmitting method and mobile communication system using the same enables transmission of common ACK/NACK information from each sector of a base station to a user entity in softer handover. The method includes receiving via at least one of the plurality of sectors a data packet from the mobile terminal, the data packet being correspondingly received for each of the at least one of the plurality of sectors; combining the correspondingly received data packets, to obtain a signal having a highest signal-to-noise ratio; decoding the value obtained by the combining; determining a transmission status of the data packet according to the decoding; and transmitting to the mobile terminal a common ACK/NACK signal including one of a common ACK signal and a common NACK signal according to the determining, the common ACK/NACK signal being transmitted via each of the at least one sector.
US09923692B2
The disclosure relates to a method performed in a network node of a communication system for configuring a communication device with channel state information, CSI, resources. The method comprises: configuring CSI resources for at least two sectors, the CSI resources comprising CSI reference signal, RS, resources and CSI interference measurements, IM, resources, such that the sectors are configured with same CSI IM resources, and such that each of the sectors is configured with CSI RS resources differing from the other sectors; and configuring the communication device to use a respective CSI resource configuration for each of at least two CSI processes, wherein each CSI resource configuration defines resources corresponding to resources of the configuring of a respective sector, whereby each CSI process specifies use of same CSI IM resources as the other CSI processes and CSI RS resources different from the other CSI processes.
US09923690B2
An apparatus for use in a wireless communication network, comprising a processing resource configured to determine a time interval for periodic time division duplex (TDD) Uplink/Downlink (UL/DL) reconfiguration windows, generate a UL/DL reconfiguration command to indicate a dynamic TDD UL/DL allocation change, and encode the UL/DL reconfiguration command in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) data, and a radio front end (RF) interface coupled to the processing resource and configured to cause the encoded UL/DL reconfiguration command to be transmitted to a first of a plurality of wireless user equipment (UEs) in a first of the UL/DL reconfiguration windows, wherein the encoded UL/DL reconfiguration command is transmitted via a PDCCH to provide a fast TDD UL/DL reconfiguration.
US09923682B2
The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for adaptively determining a beam sweeping pattern of a base station in a beamforming-based wireless communication system. An embodiment of the present invention provides an operating method of a serving base station in a wireless communication system, the operating method comprising: receiving, from at least one terminal, beam collision information indicating a collision between beams received from the serving base station and at least one neighboring base station adjacent to the serving base station; and adjusting a beam sweeping pattern of a beam transmitted to the at least one terminal on the basis of the received beam collision information. Various other embodiments of the present invention are also disclosed.
US09923680B2
A wireless communication device (alternatively, device, WDEV, etc.) includes at least one processing circuitry configured to support communications with other WDEV(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In some examples, the device includes a communication interface and a processing circuitry, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other WDEV(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. The WDEV receives a null data packet (NDP) announcement frame that specifies a sub-carrier (SC) or tone grouping factor, a communication channel bandwidth, and other WDEV(s) to respond with beamforming feedback. The WDEV process the NDP announcement frame to determine it is to respond, and if so, then receives a NDP sounding frame that includes long training fields (LTFs) and pilots at predetermined locations and generates beamforming feedback of communication channel estimates at SCs as determined based on a sub-carrier roster look up table (LUT).
US09923674B2
A method is provided for transmitting uplink data. The method is performed by a machine type communication (MTC) device that transmits initially a bundle of repeated physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs) including same uplink data to a base station on a plurality of uplink subframes, receives a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) response signal from the base station in response to the bundle of repeated PUSCHs, receives an indication of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) repetition number from the base station, determines a repetition number of a PUSCH including the same uplink data based on the indication, when the HARQ response signal is a negative-acknowledgement (NACK), and retransmits the bundle of repeated PUSCHs according to the determined repetition number of the PUSCH on the plurality of uplink subframes, to the base station. The indication is included in a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
US09923671B2
A communication control part includes a delivered value storing part, a replacement value storing part and a set value changing part in addition to a retransmission BSR timer. The delivered value storing part stores a delivered value delivered from a radio base station as a timer set value for the retransmission BSR timer. The replacement value storing part stores a replacement value, which is to be applied as the timer set value as a substitute of the delivered value. The set value changing part F5 sets the delivered value as the timer set value when data is not present in a LCG buffer, which corresponds to a particular application. The set value changing part sets the replacement value as the timer set value when data is present in the LCG buffer, which corresponds to the particular application.
US09923662B2
A method for masking communication signals, particularly for masking terrestrial RF communication signals on board of an aircraft, includes parallelizing a first information data stream to be transmitted on a first LTE transmission channel, the first LTE transmission channel having a first channel transmission bandwidth and at least one guard band adjacent to the channel transmission bandwidth; spreading the first information data stream over a plurality of mutually orthogonal data subcarriers within the first channel transmission bandwidth; generating a CAZAC sequence; spreading the generated CAZAC sequence over guard band subcarriers within the at least one guard band; and transmitting the first information data stream over the data subcarriers in parallel to the CAZAC sequence over the guard band subcarriers.
US09923660B2
An optical add-drop multiplexer and a branching unit are provided, where implementation of the optical add-drop multiplexer includes: an optical processing component, a first combining device, a second combining device, and a second scrambler, where the optical processing component includes an input end, a first output end, a second output end, and a third output end; the first output end of the optical processing component is connected to a first input end of the second combining device, and the second output end of the optical processing component is connected an input end of the second scrambler; an output end of the second scrambler is connected to a second input end of the second combining device; and the third output end of the optical processing component is connected to a first input end of the first combining device.
US09923659B2
Provided is a method of searching for control information of a user equipment (UE) in a multi-node system including a plurality of nodes and a base station connected to each of the plurality of nodes and capable of controlling the nodes. The method includes: receiving search space indication information from the base station; and searching for the control information in a radio resource region indicated by the search space indication information, wherein the search space indication information indicates any one of a first search space and a second search space.
US09923657B2
A multiple antenna system (MAS) with multiuser (MU) transmissions (“MU-MAS”) exploiting inter-cell multiplexing gain via spatial processing to increase capacity in wireless communications networks.
US09923641B2
An optical receiver (20) includes an electrical signal generation unit (200), a first phase compensation unit (101), a distortion compensation unit (102), and a first dispersion compensation unit (400). The electrical signal generation unit (200) generates an electrical signal on the basis of received signal light. The first phase compensation unit (101) performs a phase rotation compensation process on the electrical signal generated by the electrical signal generation unit (200). The distortion compensation unit (102) performs a dispersion compensation process and a phase rotation compensation process in this order, at least once, on the electrical signal after having compensation performed thereon by the first phase compensation unit. The electrical signal generation unit (200), the first phase compensation unit (101), and the distortion compensation unit (102) are incorporated into one semiconductor device.
US09923633B2
A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals directly from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network. The load control device may further comprise an optical module operable to receive an optical signal, such that the controller may obtain an IP address from the received optical signal and control the power delivered to the load in response to a wireless signal received from the wireless network that includes the IP address.
US09923632B2
An optical transmission apparatus includes a variable attenuator configured to adjust output intensity of each wavelength signal included in a multiplexed optical signal having been input; a monitor configured to measure an output spectrum of the variable attenuator; a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of spectral narrowing and an amount of spectral surplus, based on a measured value by the monitor, and a target value set in advance; and a control unit configured to control an amount of attenuation of the variable attenuator, based on the amount of spectral narrowing and the amount of spectral surplus.
US09923621B2
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) capable system is contemplated. The communication system may include a signal processor configured to separate an input stream into multiple signal paths to facilitate simultaneous transport through a communication medium. The capability to simultaneously transmit multiples signal paths may be beneficial in order to maximize throughput and/or minimize expense.
US09923615B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for generating and transmitting feedback signals for a plurality of reference signals having different directionality, in a wireless communication system. A terminal may receive the plurality of reference signals having different directionality, and transmit, to a transmission end, a feedback signal including a beam index which indicates one of the plurality of reference signals.
US09923597B2
Techniques for mitigating interference in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, pertinent transmission parameters for a served UE may be sent to at least one interfered UE to support interference mitigation. In one design, information for at least one transmission parameter for a data transmission sent by a first cell to a first UE may be transmitted to at least one UE served by a second cell to enable the at least one UE to perform interference mitigation for the data transmission sent by the first cell to the first UE. The information may be transmitted by either the first cell or the second cell. In another aspect, a cell may send transmission parameters for a UE via a pilot. In yet another aspect, scrambling may be performed by a cell at symbol level to enable an interfered UE to distinguish between modulation symbols of desired and interfering transmissions.
US09923590B1
A wearable pack assembly includes a pack carried by a base of a harness. The pack includes an opening to a windowed pocket for receiving a mobile device, having a touchscreen and a camera, through the opening so as to juxtapose the touchscreen and the camera with the windowed pocket to enable the viewing and the touching of the touchscreen and the taking of pictures and video with the camera in the operation of the mobile device from the windowed pocket. The base is configured to be positioned against a chest of an upper torso of a wearer for holding the pack ahead of the chest of the upper torso of the wearer with the windowed pocket facing outwardly relative to the chest of the upper torso of the wearer, when the harness is worn by the upper torso of the wearer.
US09923584B2
Resonant rectifier topologies are described for tuning the rectifier so that it performs from an electromagnetic interference (EMI) point of view, while maintaining the voltage regulation at the output that a series tuned rectifier would maintain. Examples include a an inductor of a receive coupler and a rectifier connectable to drive a load, along with first and second filter elements that are each configured to provide an impedance inversion function in a frequency band and that are connected in series between the inductor of a receive coupler and rectifier. In one set of examples, both filter elements are implemented as pair filters, while in other examples the first filter element includes the inductor of a receive coupler in parallel with a capacitance connected to ground.
US09923578B2
A parity check circuit may include a first signal combination unit for generating first to Nth combination signals by combining first to Nth signals, wherein a Kth (K is a natural number of 2≤K≤N) combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals is obtained by combining the first to Kth signals of the first to Nth signals, a parity check unit for detecting whether an error is present in the first to Nth signals in response to the Nth combination signal, a second signal combination unit for generating first to Nth reconstruction signals by combining the first to Nth combination signals, wherein a Kth reconstruction signal of the first to Nth reconstruction signals is obtained by combining a (K−1)th combination signal and the Kth combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals, and a signal storage unit for storing the first to Nth reconstruction signals.
US09923575B2
Compression of multidimensional sonic data is disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compress input multidimensional sonic data include decorrelating the input multidimensional sonic data to determine decorrelated multidimensional sonic data. In some such examples, the input multidimensional sonic data has a plurality of dimensions corresponding to a respective plurality of azimuthal directions from which the input multidimensional sonic data was obtained. In such examples, the decorrelated multidimensional sonic data is decorrelated among the plurality of dimensions of the input multidimensional sonic data. Such example methods also include processing the decorrelated multidimensional sonic data to determine compressed data representative of the input multidimensional sonic data.
US09923569B1
A self-adaptive SAR ADC techniques that can increase speed and/or decrease its power consumption. In some example approaches, one or more bits from a conversion of a previous sample of an analog input signal can be preloaded onto a DAC circuit of the ADC. If the preloaded bits are determined to be acceptable, bit trials on the current sample can be performed to determine the remaining bits. If not acceptable, the ADC can discard the preloaded bits and perform bit trials on all of the bits. The self-adaptive SAR ADC can include a control loop to adjust, e.g., increase or decrease, the number of bits that are preloaded in a subsequent bit trial using historical data.
US09923559B2
A method for driving a load includes driving a load to an initial voltage within a voltage window, the voltage window based on an input voltage and an offset voltage, and driving the load to approximately the input voltage.
US09923556B2
Power devices, structures, components, and methods using lateral drift, fixed net charge, and shield
Lateral power devices where immobile electrostatic charge is emplaced in dielectric material adjoining the drift region. A shield gate is interposed between the gate electrode and the drain, to reduce the Miller charge. In some embodiments the gate electrode is a trench gate, and in such cases the shield electrode too is preferably vertically extended.
US09923552B2
Circuitry is configured to store data in response to a phase transition of an input clock. The circuitry uses a master-slave latch configuration. Each of the master and slave latches includes respective feedback circuits, input circuits, and selection circuits. The feedback circuits drive outputs of the respective latches to values that are responsive to data stored in the latches. The input circuits drive the output of the respective latches to values that are responsive to data on an input of the latches. The selection circuits select between the feedback and input circuits based upon the phase of a clock signal.
US09923549B2
There is provided a finite impulse response (FIR) filter for filtering an input voltage signal to generate an output current signal, the FIR filter including a plurality of sample and hold (SH) circuits configured to simultaneously receive the input voltage signal, to sample the input voltage signal at successive sample times according to a sample clock, and to generate a plurality of sampled voltage signals, and a plurality of programmable analog multipliers coupled to the plurality of SH circuits and configured to multiply the plurality of sampled voltage signals by a plurality of binary multiplication factors to generate the output current signal.
US09923546B2
Two types of high-pass filter circuit and a band-pass filter circuit are provided. Both types of high-pass filter circuit include a capacitor configured to input an input signal, a resistor connected between an output terminal of the capacitor and a prescribed bias voltage, and a signal output circuit connected to the output terminal of the capacitor and configured to buffer-amplify the input signal for output. In one of the two types of high-pass filter circuits, the resistor is formed on an SOI semiconductor substrate and includes two PN junction diodes that are inversely connected to each other in parallel. In the other one of the high-pass filter circuits, the resistor is formed on an SOI semiconductor substrate and includes two MOS transistors that are inversely connected to each other in parallel.
US09923540B2
Reflectionless transmission line filters, as well as a method for designing such filters is disclosed. These filters preferably function by absorbing the stop-band portion of the spectrum rather than reflecting it back to the source, which has significant advantages in many different applications. The insertion of additional transmission line sections that change the phase response of the circuit without altering the amplitude response preferably allows follow-up transmission line identities to be applied in order to arrive at a more easily manufacturable filter topology. This facilitates their application over a higher frequency range the solely lumped-element circuits.
US09923533B2
In a power amplifier module for performing slope control of a transmitting signal, a gain variation due to a variation in battery voltage is suppressed while suppressing an increase in circuit size. The power amplifier module includes: a first regulator for outputting a first voltage corresponding to a control voltage for controlling a signal level; a second regulator for outputting a second voltage that rises as a battery voltage drops; a first amplifier supplied with the first voltage as a power-supply voltage to amplify an input signal and output an amplified signal; and a second amplifier for amplifying the amplified signal, wherein the second amplifier includes a first amplification unit supplied with the second voltage as the power-supply voltage to amplify the amplified signal, and a second amplification unit supplied with the battery voltage as the power-supply voltage to amplify the amplified signal.
US09923532B2
A device includes a variable gain amplifier, a voltage shifter, a variable gain amplifier half replica module, and an analog to digital converter. The variable gain amplifier includes an input terminal to receive an input signal, an output terminal to provide a first output signal that is biased based on a first common-mode voltage reference. The voltage shifter circuit includes first and second input terminals, and an output terminal to provide, to the analog to digital converter, a third output signal that is biased based on a second common-mode voltage reference. The variable gain amplifier half replica module includes an output terminal coupled to the second input terminal of the voltage shifter circuit, the variable gain amplifier half replica module to control the third output signal of the voltage shifter circuit based on the first common-mode voltage reference and the second common-mode voltage reference.
US09923528B2
An apparatus includes a first circuit configured to generate a boost voltage, and a second circuit to control a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is reduced. The first circuit is configured to generate the boost voltage having the magnitude equal to a first voltage when a control signal is in a first state, and reduce the magnitude of the boost voltage when the control signal is in a second state and the magnitude of the boost voltage is greater than a second voltage which is less than the first voltage. A method of providing a boost voltage includes controlling a slope of a magnitude of the boost voltage when the magnitude of the boost voltage is decreased.
US09923525B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a low-noise amplifier circuit, a transformer, and an ESD protection circuit. The low-noise amplifier circuit amplifies a radio signal that is supplied to an input terminal. The transformer includes a first winding and a second winding and functions as an input impedance matching circuit for the low-noise amplifier circuit, in which at least one end of the second winding is connected to the input terminal of the low-noise amplifier circuit. The ESD protection circuit is connected to a center tap of the first winding.
US09923519B2
A power amplifier apparatus may include an amplifier configured to amplify an input signal and a delay transferring circuit connected between an input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier, the delay transferring circuit configured to delay the input signal to transfer the delayed input signal to the output terminal of the amplifier.
US09923518B2
Described is a phase-switched phase-switched, impedance modulation amplifier (PSIM). The PSIM has an input that can be coupled to a source and an output that can be coupled to a load. The PSIM includes one or more phase-switched reactive elements and a controller. The controller provides a control signal to each of the one or more phase-switched reactive elements. In response to one or more control signals provided thereto, each phase-switched reactive element provides a corresponding selected reactance value such that an impedance presented to an input or output port of an RF amplifier may be varied.
US09923514B1
A system is provided that integrates a unique set of structural features for concealing self-powered sensor and communication devices in aesthetically neutral, or camouflaged, packages that include energy harvesting systems that provide autonomous electrical power to sensors, data processing and wireless communication components in the portable, self-contained packages. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below. The layers uniquely implement optical light scattering techniques to make the layers appear opaque when observed from a light incident side, while allowing at least 50%, and as much as 80+%, of the energy impinging on the energy or incident side to pass through the layer.
US09923511B2
A solar module connector connects a first solar module to a second solar module. A solar module connector top part includes a slot insert that fits within a frame slot of a first solar module frame of the first solar module. A solar module connector bottom part includes a slot insert that fits within a frame slot of a second solar module frame of the second solar module. A fastener securely fastens the solar module connector top part to the solar module connector bottom.
US09923508B2
The present invention provides a mounting unit for solar panels that simplifies the complexity of storage, transit and in-field installation of solar electric generation systems. According to one embodiment, the mounting unit comprises a top panel, a bottom panel and a pair of panel guides, each formed integral with and adjacent to an opposing side of the top panel. Each panel guide includes a horizontal portion for supporting a solar panel and a vertical portion for providing an air channel between a bottom surface of the solar panel and an upper surface of the top panel. The air channel enables natural convection to cool the solar panel and optionally a power conversion device used within the system, thereby improving the solar conversion efficiency of the system. An improved method for installing a solar electric generation system is also provided herein.
US09923507B2
The present invention discloses a position-sensorless control method for a brushless motor, the method including: turning off a first driving voltage of a first phase coil, and within detection time, detecting a back electromotive force of the first phase coil; determining a reference phase and a cycle of a second driving voltage according to the back electromotive force; determining a pulse width modulation signal according to the reference phase and the cycle; and determining to provide the second driving voltage for the brushless motor according to the pulse width modulation signal, the second driving voltage being used to drive the brushless motor. The present invention effectively reduces the cost, decreases implementation difficulty and increases system performance and reliability.
US09923501B2
A motor includes a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted onto the frame, and at least one disc mounted onto the shaft. At least one permanent magnet is mounted on the disc, and at least one electromagnet and at least one coil are mounted to the frame in rotational magnetic proximity to the permanent magnet. A battery is connectable to the electromagnet and the coil for energizing the electromagnet and for receiving electrical current from the coil for charging the battery. A relay switch controls the transmission of electrical power from the battery to the electromagnet. A sensor generates a signal to the relay switch to activate electrical power to the electromagnet upon sensing that the permanent magnet is positioned with respect to the electromagnet such that a magnetic force generated by the electromagnet would be effective for inducing movement of the permanent magnet and consequent rotation of the disc.
US09923494B2
A brushless motor comprises: a stator 21 having armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c; a rotor 22 which is rotated by a revolving magnetic field; and a switching element 30a, wherein the brushless motor has a rotation number control unit 33 which switches between low-speed and high-speed mode, wherein in the low-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at predetermined energization timing and controls a duty ratio to control the rotation number of the rotor 22, and in the high-speed mode, the rotation number control unit 33 supplies current to the armature coils 21a, 21b, and 21c at energization timing advanced from the energization timing for the low-speed mode, thereby performing field weakening control of weakening the revolving magnetic field from that of the low-speed mode to control the rotation number of the rotor 22.
US09923480B2
A DC-to-AC power converter (1) includes: a current-type DC-to-AC converter (70) having a first DC input (80) and a first AC output (85), said first DC input (80) being connected in parallel to said main DC input (10) and said first AC output (85) being connected in parallel to said main AC output (20); and a controller (110) for: controlling said bidirectional voltage-type DC-to-AC converter (50) for delivering at said first AC output-input (65) a sinusoidal AC voltage of said fundamental frequency f0; controlling said current-type DC-to-AC converter (70) for delivering at said first AC output (85) a quasi square-type AC current of said fundamental frequency ID and in phase with said sinusoidal AC voltage; imposing that at least 70% of said rated current is provided by said current-type DC-to-AC converter (70).
US09923474B2
A power supply apparatus includes a primary-side circuit and a secondary-side circuit magnetically coupled by a transformer. The secondary-side circuit includes: a first circuit that is connected to a secondary winding of the transformer, performs current doubler rectification, and outputs a first output voltage; a second circuit that is connected to the secondary winding of the transformer, performs a step-down chopping operation, and outputs a second output voltage; semiconductor switching elements that control the step-down chopping operation; and diodes that are shared by the first circuit and the second circuit when rectifying a direct current voltage supplied from the primary-side circuit. The first circuit includes first inductors connected in parallel. A control unit controls switching of the primary-side circuit to establish electrical continuity between the secondary winding of the transformer and the first inductors in order.
US09923471B2
DC-DC converters having a half-bridge node, controllers therefor and methods of controlling the same
There is disclosed a controller for a DC-DC converter comprising a series arrangement of a high-side switch and low-side switch with a half-bridge node therebetween, the controller comprising a high-side part for driving the high-side switch and configured to be powered, when the low-side switch is open, by a rechargeable power supply connected between the half-bridge node and a power supply node, the high-side part comprising a level shifter, driver, latch part comprising a latch having set and reset inputs and configured to latch the driver to either an on-state or an off-state, and a further circuit, wherein the latch part is configured and adapted to prevent the further circuit from drawing current from the power supply unless at least one of the set input is high and the driver is in the on-state. A DC-DC converter having such a controller is also disclosed, as are methods of operating a converter.
US09923461B2
The disclosure relates to a control arrangement for a SMPS, the control arrangement comprising: an input terminal configured to receive a feedback-signal (V1) representative of an output of the SMPS; a normal-mode-processing-arrangement-configured to process the feedback-signal and provide a normal-mode-control-signal for operating the SMPS in a normal mode of operation; a burst-mode-processing-arrangement configured to process the feedback-signal and provide a burst-mode-control-signal for operating the SMPS in a burst mode of operation; and a feedback-control-processing-arrangement configured to operate the SMPS such that the feedback signal in the normal mode of operation has a predetermined relationship with the feedback signal in the burst mode of operation.
US09923456B2
A matrix convertor includes a power convertor and a controller. The power convertor is disposed between a power system and a rotating electric machine, and includes a plurality of bidirectional switches. The controller is configured to control an exciting current flowing from the power convertor to the rotating electric machine so as to control a power factor on a side of the power system.
US09923455B2
A current control circuit includes a current transformer that detects a primary current, a sensor gain switch that selectively connects the primary current to one of a first gain amplifier and a second gain amplifier to provide a current sensing output, a controller gain switch that selectively connects the current sensing output to one of a first controller amplifier and a second controller amplifier, and a controller that controls switching of the sensor gain switch and the controller gain switch.
US09923451B2
A configurable impedance circuit is provided, including a filter for filtering a received DC voltage and a controller. The filter includes a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a selectable switch coupled in series with the second capacitor and coupled to receive a control signal. The selectable switch and the second capacitor are selectively coupled in parallel with the first capacitor. The controller is connected to sense a differential voltage across the second capacitor and configured to generate the control signal to open or close the selectable switch based on the differential voltage across the second capacitor, so as to maintain a voltage range across the second capacitor. According to disclosure of the present invention, the total physical size of the capacitors is reduced and the size of the power supply is reduced accordingly.
US09923436B2
A rotor for a rotary electric machine includes a rotor core which is formed by crimping laminated steel plates so as to be opposed to a stator, and has pairs of magnet housing holes disposed in a V shape, and pairs of magnets housed in the magnet housing holes. The rotor core has a crimped portion formed in a q axis core portion positioned between the two magnet poles, which are adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction, a first flux barrier formed between the q axis core portion and the magnet, and a pair of second flux barriers which enlarges from an end positioned at a center side of the magnet pole of the magnet housing holes toward a central axis of the rotor core. The crimped portion is formed so that distances between the crimped portion and both the first and second flux barriers are equal.
US09923434B2
An end band and method of forming an end band for a rotor. The end band includes a hollow cylindrical band, wherein at least a portion of the band has a grain flow in a direction parallel to the hoop stress of the band. The end band also includes at least a portion having a grain flow in a direction perpendicular to the hoop stress of the band.
US09923433B2
Systems are described for converting the angular position of a shaft or an axle of a rotary motor to an analog or a digital code indicative of the angular position. The systems may include a magnetic disk encoded with first magnetic transitions and second magnetic transitions, where the first magnetic transitions are on a first circumference of the magnetic disk, the second magnetic transitions are on a second circumference of the magnetic disk, the first magnetic transitions represent regions on the magnetic disk, and the second magnetic transitions represent locations on the magnetic disk within each of the regions. The systems may include a first sensor to detect a region based on the first magnetic transitions and a second sensor to detect a location based on the second magnetic transitions. The systems may also include a decoder to identify an absolute location on the magnetic disk based on the region detected by the first sensor and the location detected by the second sensor.
US09923426B2
In a three-phase AC electric motor, in each slot, any or some of the windings of six phases in total, including three phases of U, V, and W phases and opposite phases thereof, are arranged in three layers per slot. As the windings in first layers, of the three-layer windings, U, V, and W-phase windings are arranged so as to have rotational symmetry with one another at a mechanical angle of ±120 degrees. The windings in second layers have the same arrangement as in the first layers shifted by L slots, and the windings in third layers have the same arrangement as in the first layers shifted by L slots in a direction opposite to the arrangement of the windings in the second layers.
US09923421B2
A rotor structure for a motor includes: a core body in which a shaft passes through an axial center and teeth are radially arranged along an outer circumference and include first slide connection portions at front ends; field windings individually wound around outer circumferences of the teeth and maintaining a state of being spaced apart from one another while being wound around the teeth; and a cylindrical core tip part configured to surround the outside of the core body, the cylindrical core tip part including second slide connection portions in an inner circumference such that the front ends of the teeth are slidably connected thereto along an axial direction through a mating engagement.
US09923417B2
An object is to provide a wireless power feeding system using the resonance method, which can increase power transmission efficiency. The wireless power feeding system includes a power transmission coil electrically connected to a high-frequency power supply, a power transmission resonance coil for transmitting power by electromagnetic induction with the power transmission coil, a power reception resonance coil for exciting high-frequency power by magnetic resonance, a load coil for exciting high-frequency power by electromagnetic induction with the power reception resonance coil, a load, and a variable element. The load includes a microprocessor for controlling the impedance of the load, a battery charger, and a battery. The battery charger is configured to charge the battery with the high-frequency power excited by the load coil.
US09923416B2
Methods and systems for controlling electrical distribution grids. The method includes determining premises in an electrical distribution grid that include an energy resource. The method further includes determining a configuration of the electrical distribution grid including a micro-grid, the micro-grid including the one or more premises. The method further includes electrically isolating, monitoring and controlling the micro-grid from the electrical distribution grid through the use of a micro-grid manager.
US09923411B2
An electronic device includes: a light detection circuit having a first light sensor and a second light sensor each generating a photocurrent by photoelectric conversion, a resistive element which allows a difference between the photocurrents generated by the first light sensor and the second light sensor to flow, and a voltage detection circuit which detects a voltage generated by the flow of the differential photocurrent through the resistive element, said electronic device being controlled in operation by an output signal of the light detection circuit; a storing unit charged each time the electronic device is operated; and a rectifying element provided between the storing unit and the resistive element. A current with which the storing unit is charged is made to flow to the resistive element through the rectifying element.
US09923399B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery stack controller system. The system may include a plurality of battery cell stages with cell controller systems (as described above with respect to the first embodiment). The system may also include a stack controller to send charge/discharge commands to the battery stack via a communication network. The stack controller may send the commands to the battery stack based on the requirements of a load or the state of the battery cell stages. The battery cell stages may either comply with the commands or send the commands to neighboring cells via the communication network.
US09923395B2
The present invention provides a method for charging a NiMH battery, comprising estimating a state of charge of the battery (100), determining an end of charging time based on the estimated state of charge (200), applying a constant charging current with a rate in the range from 0.9 C to 2.1 C to the battery until a threshold voltage is reached (300), upon reaching the threshold voltage, applying a constant charging voltage substantially equal to the threshold voltage to the battery (400) and continuing applying the constant charging voltage to the battery until the end of charging time is reached (500). Furthermore, a battery charger adapted to perform such a method as well as a system comprising such a battery charger and a hearing device powered by a NiMH battery are given.
US09923391B2
A circuit includes a vehicle-side circuit, a charger-side circuit and a connecting part. The vehicle-side circuit includes a power source, a first resistor provided between the power source and the connecting part, a second resistor which is connected to the first resistor in series, a switch which turns on or off current supply from the power source, a voltage detector which detects a voltage at a connection point of the first resistor and the second resistor, a determining part which determines a state of connection between a vehicle-side connector and a charger-side connector and occurrence4 of a failure in the vehicle-side circuit based at least in part on the voltage detected by the voltage detector and an on/off state of the switch.
US09923390B2
A method and an apparatus for performing charging port detection control are provided, where the method is applied to an electronic device, and a communication port of the electronic device has a functionality of obtaining power from an external power source for the electronic device. The method may include the steps of: detecting whether an output voltage level of a battery of the electronic device reaches a predetermined threshold value; and control operation(s) according to whether the output voltage level reaches the predetermined threshold value. For example, the method may include: when it is detected that the output voltage level is less than the predetermined threshold value, pre-charging the battery with a predetermined pre-charging current level to make the output voltage level reach the predetermined threshold value, and then controlling a detection path switching unit to electrically connect data terminal(s) of the communication port to a charging port detection circuit.
US09923386B1
The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. The transmitter can locate the at least one receiver in a three-dimensional space using a communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth technology). The transmitter generates a waveform to create a pocket of energy around each of the at least one receiver. The transmitter uses an algorithm to direct, focus, and control the waveform in three dimensions. The receiver can convert the transmission signals (e.g., RF signals) into electricity for powering an electronic device. Accordingly, the embodiments for wireless power transmission can allow powering and charging a plurality of electrical devices without wires.
US09923384B2
A method for performing efficiency optimization of an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method includes the steps of: performing at least one detection operation according to at least one signal of the electronic device to generate at least one detection result; and selecting a rectifier size of a plurality of rectifier sizes of a configurable rectifier within the electronic device according to the at least one detection result, to control the configurable rectifier to operate with the rectifier size, wherein the configurable rectifier is arranged for performing rectification operations, and the configurable rectifier is configurable to operate with at least one portion of the configurable rectifier being activated.
US09923381B2
A device includes support for wireless power transfer. The device may control the timing of switching devices in a rectifier circuit and implement resonant tuning techniques that facilitate the wireless power transfer, e.g., by purposefully introducing a real or complex impedance chosen to meet a current operating goal. The device may use the techniques in connection with wireless charging or wireless provision of power to run the device, as examples.
US09923380B2
Techniques of capacitive coupling in a wireless power system are described herein. The techniques may include forming a transmitting coil to be inductively coupled to a receiving coil of a device under charge (DUC). The techniques may include forming a capacitive element of the transmitting coil to be capacitively coupled to a conductive component of the DUC.
US09923373B2
Various power processing systems are described that employ a multiply-connected velocity inhibiting circuit. At least one delay active circuit and at least one variable capacitance are configured to cause an alternating current (AC) power signal to propagate in a single direction in the multiply-connected velocity inhibiting circuit.
US09923369B2
Basic circuit of U phase includes first to fourth semiconductor elements (SU1.1 to SU1.4) connected between positive and negative ends of DC voltage source (DCC1), fifth semiconductor element (SU1.5) connected to a common connection point of the first and second semiconductor elements (SU1.1, SU1.2), and sixth semiconductor element (SU1.6) connected to a common connection point of the third and fourth semiconductor elements (SU1.3, SU1.4). Flying capacitor (FC1) is inserted between the fifth semiconductor element (SU1.5) and the sixth semiconductor element (SU1.6). Voltage selection circuits have the common connection points of the second and third semiconductor elements (SU1.2, SU1.3) of the respective basic circuits as input terminals, and includes semiconductor elements (SU1 to SU4) between the input terminals and output terminals (U, V, W). Consequently, it is possible to output arbitrary voltage in all phases in multilevel power convertor, and to simplify control for outputting arbitrary voltage level in all phases.
US09923368B2
An electronic apparatus includes an input unit to receive an input of DC power from an external adaptor, a battery unit to store the received DC power, a first control unit to drive the electronic apparatus using power of the battery unit or power received from the input unit in a first operation mode, and to drive the electronic apparatus using both the power of the battery unit and the power input from the input unit in a second operation mode, and a power control unit to prevent a mode of the electronic apparatus from being changed to the second operation mode according to a state of the battery unit.
US09923359B2
A safety switching device for an automated installation includes a power supply unit for providing at least one operating voltage for the device. The power supply unit receives an input voltage via a feed line and provides a defined output voltage on an output side. Electrical supply to the power supply unit is interrupted if an instantaneous output voltage is higher than the defined output voltage. The interruption is achieved by first and second switching elements arranged in series and connecting the input of the power supply unit to ground, and by an interrupter element in the feed line. The interrupter element triggers when both the first and the second switching elements are in a closed, low-impedance state. A reference point between the first and the second switching elements has a voltage value that corresponds to a first expectation value when the first switching element is in the closed, low-impedance state and the second switching element is in an open state, and corresponds to a second expectation value when the first switching element is in the open state and the second switching element is in the closed, low-impedance state.
US09923355B2
A method for terminating a cable (6) having at least one strength member (7). The method includes the steps of providing a cable termination comprising at least one termination chamber (2) for accommodating an end section of the strength member (7) and arranging and fastening an anchoring sleeve (12) around at least parts of the end section. The method further includes introducing the end section into the termination chamber (2) and fastening the end section by curing a polymer resin in the termination chamber (2) as well as a termination suitable for the method.
US09923349B2
An assembly for guiding a cable between a structural part of an aircraft and a movable aerodynamic body includes a chain of pivotally connected links, a first coil device arranged between each pair of the links for guiding the cable between two angular positions, and a second coil device arranged at the first end of the chain for passing the cable from the chain to the aerodynamic body. The support of the assembly is statically determinate through the use of a bracket pivotally connected to one of the links at the structural part, which bracket does not permit a translative motion relative to the structural part. This is further supported by a bearing located at one of the links which is connected to the second coil device, which bearing permits angular rotation at least in two orthogonal directions, but no translative motion relative to the aerodynamic body.
US09923344B2
The present invention refers to a system for remotely operating and monitoring the integrity of HV/MV/LV (High Voltage/Medium Voltage/Low Voltage), mono phasic or three-phase, power cables, regardless of the cable being under tension, wherein the protection against theft of power cables is one of several advantageous uses. The present invention is based on the principle of two-way communication between two modules, installed one on each end of the cable being operated and/or monitored, using the cable itself to communicate and is characterized by a communication Master module installed upstream to the infrastructure, Slave modules, installed at each end located downstream, and bypass modules to pass through circuit breakers. The system is based on determining the cable cutout (alarm condition sent via GSM/GPRS) when the communication between Master and Slave modules is interrupted. The present invention is applicable in the power cable industry and every other industry depending on power cable's integrity.
US09923339B2
This invention relates to a tunable amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) laser source comprising at least two laser sources excited by a single pump laser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tunable amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) laser source comprising at least two laser sources excited by a single pump laser wherein said at least two laser sources each comprise an organic laser or a cascaded organic laser. The invention is used for providing a tunable amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) laser source comprising at least two laser sources excited by a single pump laser.
US09923334B2
A high-power laser system includes a plurality of cascaded diode drivers, a pump source, and a laser element. The diode drivers are configured to generate a continuous driver signal. The pump source is configured to generate radiated energy in response to the continuous driver signal. The laser element is disposed downstream from the pump source and is configured to generate a laser beam in response to stimulation via the radiated energy. The high-power laser system further includes an electronic controller configured to output at least one driver signal that operates the plurality of diode drivers at a fixed frequency. The at least one driver signal operates a first cascade diode driver among the plurality of diode drivers 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second cascade diode driver among the plurality of diode drivers.
US09923326B2
The present invention relates to a lock mechanism for a hand tool having two handles, which comprises: a latch and a retainer for retaining the latch. The latch comprises: a disc and a shaft passing through and fixed with the disc. The shaft is coaxial with the disc. The lock mechanism is disposed within the hand tool.
US09923318B2
An electronic device includes: a grounded shield plate; and a female-type interface connector, wherein a conductive member electrically connected to the shield plate is included, and when a male-type cable connector including a metal shell part and a holding part to hold the metal shell part is inserted into and connected to the interface connector, the conductive member is biased in such a manner as to come into contact with an exposed part that is on a side surface of the metal shell part and is between the holding part and the shield plate.
US09923315B2
A coaxial RF test connector comprises an inner conductor and an outer conductor arranged coaxially with respect to a center axis. The outer conductor includes a groove dimensioned to hold a circularly shaped contact spring. The contact spring includes a base portion and a plurality of arc-shaped contact fingers extending from the base with gaps between the individual contact fingers. The base has a radius larger than that at which the contact fingers are bent. The contact fingers have first contact section for contacting the outer conductor of a compatible coaxial connector in a direction radial to the center axis, and a second contact section for capacitively coupling to a sidewall of the groove.
US09923312B2
A spool apparatus is described to include in one particular example a cable spool with a first cylindrical lip and a second cylindrical lip on an opposite side of the cable spool. A center of the spool includes a clutch bearing in the center of both the first cylindrical lip and the second cylindrical lip that provides a rotational axis for the cable spool to rotate around. The apparatus may also include a feed slot near the first cylindrical lip that provides a passage for cable to pass from the second cylindrical lip to the first cylindrical lip.
US09923310B2
An electrical receptacle connector includes a metallic shell, an insulation housing, upper-row plate terminals, and lower-row plate terminals. The metallic shell defines a receptacle cavity to receive the insulation housing. The insulation housing includes a base portion and a tongue portion extending from one side of the base portion. The tongue portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper-row plate terminals are held on the base portion and tongue portion and include upper-row contact segments at the upper surface for transmitting first signals. The lower-row plate terminals are held on the base portion and tongue portion and include lower-row contact segments at the lower surface for transmitting second signals. The upper-row plate terminals and the lower-row plate terminals are point-symmetrical with a central point of the receptacle cavity as the symmetrical center.
US09923305B2
An operating member (11) is displaceable to an assembled position, an initial position and a connection position with respect to a housing (10). The operating member (11) is rotated from the assembled position to the initial position with support shafts (18) inserted into end portions (41) of long grooves (39) serving as a center of rotation and includes a rotating mechanism configured to increase a laterally projecting amount of the housing (10) as the operating member moves from the assembled position toward the initial position and a sliding mechanism configured to move the operating member in a direction to reduce the laterally projecting amount from the initial position to the connection position while the support shafts (18) are displaced relative to the long grooves (39) and proceed with a connecting operation of the both housings (10, 12) by cam engagement with a mating housing (12) during a movement.
US09923304B2
A contact stopper is provided and includes a conductor receiving receptacle and a protective housing. The protective housing includes a body and a fork-shaped mating section positioned opposite the conductor receiving receptacle. The fork-shaped mating section includes a pair of contact slots that run parallel to a length thereof and extends into an interior of the body.
US09923303B2
An electrical connector configured to be mated with a corresponding counter connector to establish an electrical connection is presented. The connector includes a connector housing having at least one terminal cavity for receiving at least one female contact terminal. The cavity defines a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion. A step is arranged between the first and the second cavity portion. A female contact terminal likewise comprises a step arranged between first and second terminal portions such that, in a mounted condition, the respective steps of terminal cavity and female contact terminal engage each other.
US09923302B2
A plug connector has a cylindrical housing body having at least one step, which forms two different regions each having different housing diameters, wherein the region having the smaller diameter is designed as a plug-in region and the region having the larger diameter is designed as a socket region, wherein the plug connector has a lock, which is captively connected to the housing body, wherein the plug connector has an actuator, which is operatively connected to the lock, wherein the plug connector has a plugging positioner, which at least partially surrounds the plug-in region. An attachment flange fits the plug connector and has an insertion region designed as a hollow cylinder, wherein the inner region of the hollow cylinder has at least one step, which forms two different regions each having different inside diameters, wherein the inner region of the insertion region is unthreaded.
US09923289B2
A clamp for coupling an electronic battery tester to a post of a storage battery. The clamp includes a first metal arm that extends from a first proximal end to a first distal end and a second metal arm that extends from a second proximal end to a second distal end. A first hinge portion on the first metal arm is positioned between the first proximal end and the first distal end. A second hinge portion is positioned on the second metal arm between the second proximal end and the second distal end. A pivot is configured to pivotally couple the first hinge portion to the second hinge portion. A first covering is overmolded on the first metal arm and a second covering is overmolded on the second metal arm.
US09923286B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing having a tongue portion with opposite upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of upper terminals and a plurality of lower terminals with contacting sections exposed upon the corresponding upper surface and lower surface, respectively. A metallic shielding plate located between upper terminals and the lower terminals. The tongue portion forms a first type hole in which the upper power terminal mechanically and electrically connects to the lower power terminal, and a second type hole in which either the upper grounding terminal mechanically and electrically connects to an upper face of the shielding plate or the lower grounding terminal mechanically and electrically connects to the lower face of the shielding plate.
US09923278B2
A diversity antenna arrangement, in particular a diversity radio antenna arrangement, for WLAN can have two or more antenna elements. In at least one implementation, the antenna elements are arranged in a manner spatially separate from one another on a printed circuit board.
US09923276B2
An improved dipole-type radiator arrangement is characterized, inter alia, by the following features: a second two-line system (21.1b; 21.2b) is provided for the at least one polarization plane (P1, P2), the second two-line feed system (21.1b; 21.2b) likewise comprises a feed by means of a signal line (27.1b; 27.2b) and by means of a ground line (25.1b; 25.2b), the second two-line feed system (21.1b; 21.2b) is provided opposite the first two-line feed system (21.1a; 21.2a) with regard to the two radiator halves (7.1a, 7.1b; 7.2a, 7.2b) such that the associated second signal line (27.1b; 27.2b) is galvanically or capacitively coupled to the first radiator half (11.1a; 11.2a), and the associated ground line (25.1b, 25.2b) is galvanically or capacitively coupled to the associated second radiator half or mount half (7.1b, 11.1b; 7.2b, 11.2b).
US09923273B2
A method for manufacturing and turning a near field communication antenna is provided. A method for manufacturing and tuning a near field communication antenna comprising loading one or more ferrite substrates onto a workstation, loading an antenna biscuit onto the workstation, the antenna biscuit comprising one or more interconnected antennas, stamping the antenna biscuit to form one or more individual antennas, applying the one or more individual antennas to the one or more ferrite substrates to form one or more antenna assemblies, and adjusting placement of the one or more individual antennas relative to the ferrite substrates to adjust functional properties of the one or more antenna assemblies.
US09923268B2
A beamforming method and a beamforming apparatus for directional signal transmission are provided, wherein a multiple antenna beamformer is configured to conduct a data transmission to a beamformee.
US09923265B2
Methods and systems are provided for low-profile or hidden antennas, and for installation and use of such antennas in particular locations, such as surfaces of roadways, pavements, walls, and/or ceilings. An example antenna system may comprise a ground conductor configured to provide a ground plane for the antenna system, where the ground conductor comprises a recess, a monocone arranged in the recess of the ground conductor, and a conductive coupling between the monocone and the ground conductor to ground the monocone. A geometrical configuration of one or more components of the antenna system may be selected adaptively to set (or select) one or more property of the antenna—e.g., resonance property of the antenna.
US09923264B2
An antenna is provided. The antenna includes a carrier having a via hole penetrating an outer surface and an inner surface thereof, a first antenna radiator formed on the outer surface of the carrier and at least a part of a surface of the carrier that defines the via hole, a second antenna radiator formed on an inner surface of the carrier and electrically contacting the first antenna radiator through the via hole, and a coupling member configured to electrically connect the second antenna radiator with a circuit board provided in the electronic device.
US09923261B2
Disclosed is a mounting module, an antenna apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a mounting module. The mounting module includes a board; an antenna mounted on a first surface of the board, an RF circuit unit mounted on a second surface of the board, and a feeding line to electrically connect the RF circuit unit and the antenna through the board, thereby reducing a loss of signal power.
US09923255B2
A cross-guide coupler for use in a waveguide network is provided. The cross-guide coupler comprises a main waveguide arm having an input port and a transmitted port and a hollow metallic conduit therebetween. The cross-guide coupler also comprises a secondary arm positioned substantially transversely relative to the main arm and being fastened to the main arm, wherein the secondary arm includes a substrate integrated waveguide.
US09923244B2
Provided is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which the structural change of a positive electrode active material is suppressed at high voltage and which can achieve high capacity and long life. The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material storing and releasing lithium ions, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material storing and releasing lithium ions, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material is a cobalt composite oxide which has a layered rock salt structure and which includes a lithium layer containing magnesium, magnesium is present in the lithium layer after charge is performed at a potential of 4.53 V or more versus lithium, and 4.5 mole percent to 10 mole percent of a magnesium-containing compound is present on the negative electrode with respect to magnesium in the positive electrode.
US09923241B2
The present disclosure provides an electrolyte additive. The electrolyte additive comprises: maleimide derivative, bis-maleimide derivative, or combinations there of The structural formulas of maleimide derivative and bis-maleimide derivative respectively are: wherein, R1, R2 are selected from hydrogen atom and halogen atoms, R3 is selected from silicon containing group, nitrogen containing group, fluorine containing group, phosphorus containing group, and a repeating ethoxy group. The present disclosure also provides an electrolyte liquid and a lithium ion battery using the electrolyte additive.
US09923240B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a lithium cell exhibiting a high remaining capacity after high-temperature storage even if used at high voltages, and an electrolytic solution used for the cell. The present invention relates to an electrolytic solution containing a nonaqueous solvent; an electrolyte salt; and 10 vol % or more of a compound represented by the following formula (1) based on 100 vol % of the nonaqueous solvent, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another, each representing a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a C1-C20 alkyl group, or a C1-C20 fluorinated alkyl group, excluding cases where all of R1, R2, and R3 are hydrogen atoms or fluorine atoms.
US09923238B2
An object is to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte solution that can improve the capacity deterioration and gas generation associated with the high-temperature storage of non-aqueous electrolyte batteries. A further object is to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte battery that uses this non-aqueous electrolyte solution. These objects can be achieved by using a non-aqueous electrolyte solution that incorporates, in prescribed contents, (A) a compound having at least two isocyanate groups per molecule and a compound having at least two cyano groups per molecule.
US09923234B2
A sulfur-based cathode for use in an electrochemical cell is disclosed. The sulfur is sequestered to the cathode to enhance cycle lifetime for the cathode and the cell. An exemplary sulfur-based cathode is coupled with a solid polymer electrolyte instead of a conventional liquid electrolyte. The dry, solid polymer electrolyte further acts as a diffusion barrier for the sulfur. Together with a sequestering matrix in the cathode, the solid polymer electrolyte prevents sulfur capacity fade that occurs in conventional liquid electrolyte based sulfur systems. The sequestering polymer in the cathode further binds the sulfur-containing active particles, preventing sulfur agglomerates from forming, while still allowing lithium ions to be transported between the anode and cathode.
US09923220B2
An electricity generation apparatus is disclosed. An exemplary apparatus includes a plasma container for containing a plasma sustained by radioactive decay. The plasma container has an inlet through which, in use of the apparatus, water can be introduced to the plasma container, and an outlet through which, in use of the apparatus, material can be expelled from the container. The exhausted material can include hydrogen and oxygen resulting from the dissociation of water molecules caused by interactions within the plasma. A separator can separate hydrogen from the material exhausted from the plasma container, which separator is coupled to the outlet, and a generator can generate electricity using the hydrogen as a fuel.
US09923219B2
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell assembly at increased power density. This can be accomplished in part by performing an effective amount of an endothermic reaction within the fuel cell stack in an integrated manner. This can allow for increased power density while still maintaining a desired temperature differential within the fuel cell assembly.
US09923215B2
The present disclosure provides a recirculation device comprising a body comprising at least one first passage configured to receive an exhaust, at least one second passage configured to receive a fuel, at least one third passage configured to receive a mixture of the exhaust and the fuel, and a longitudinal axis extending from the second passage to the third passage. The device can also comprise a nozzle comprising an inner cavity for directing fuel towards an orifice, located at the smallest cross-sectional area of the inner cavity and a piston slideably located within the body comprising a first end configured to receive the fuel and a second end configured to fuel to the nozzle cavity, whereby the piston can be actuated along the longitudinal axis of the body by the exhaust controlling the flow of fuel passing through the orifice. A mixing chamber located within the body can be configured to receive an exhaust and configured to receive fuel from the orifice.
US09923210B2
A platinum alloy catalyst PtXY, wherein X is nickel, cobalt, chromium, copper, titanium or manganese and Y is tantalum or niobium, characterised in that in the alloy the atomic percentage of platinum is 46-75 at %, of X is 1-49 at % and of Y is 1-35 at %; provided that the alloy is not 66 at % Pt20 at % Cr14 at % Ta or 50 at % Pt, 25 at % Co, 25 at % Ta is disclosed. The catalyst has particular use as an oxygen reduction catalyst in fuel cells, and in particular in phosphoric acid fuel cells.
US09923205B2
Disclosed herein are oxidized carbon blacks, which can be incorporated into electrode compositions for lead acid batteries. In some embodiments, the oxidized carbon blacks have a BET surface area ranging from 650 to 2100 m2/g; an oil absorption number (OAN) ranging from 35 to 500 mL/100 g; and a volatile content of at least 5.5 wt. % relative to the total weight of the oxidized carbon black, as determined by weight loss at 950° C.
US09923202B2
An antimony based anode material for a rechargeable battery includes nanoparticles of composition SbMxOy, where M is an element selected from the group consisting of Sn, Ni, Cu, In, Al, Ge, Pb, Bi, Fe, Co, and Ga, with 0≤x<2 and 0≤y≤2.5+2x. The nanoparticles form a substantially monodisperse ensemble with an average size not exceeding a value of 30 nm and by a size deviation not exceeding 15%. A method for preparing the antimony based anode material is carried out in situ in a non-aqueous solvent and starts by reacting an antimony salt and an organometallic amide reactant and oleylamine.
US09923199B2
The present disclosure discloses a method for preparing carbon-coated lithium titanate, and provides a method for preparing a carbon-coated lithium titanate anode material for a lithium battery. The method prepares a lithium titanate precursor first, then coats a polymer on the surface of the precursor through emulsion polymerization, and finally performs sintering, and obtaining a carbon-coated lithium titanate material. The present disclosure obtains a carbon source of the polymer through the emulsion polymerization. The carbon source is coated on the surface of lithium titanate uniformly and compactly with a better coating effect than a common mechanical mixing method. The polymer is coated while agglomeration of a lithium titanate crystal is prevented during the emulsion polymerization process, and an obtained product has a small particle size and a uniform size. The carbon-coated lithium titanate prepared by the present disclosure has excellent cycling performance during charging and discharging at a high rate.
US09923196B2
According to one embodiment, a plate or electrode for a lead-acid battery includes a grid of lead alloy material, a paste of active material applied to the grid of lead alloy material, and a nonwoven fiber mat disposed at least partially within the paste of active material. The nonwoven fiber mat includes a plurality of fibers, a binder material that couples the plurality of fibers together, and a conductive material disposed at least partially within the nonwoven fiber mat so as to contact the paste of active material. In some embodiments, the nonwoven fiber mat may have an electrical resistant of less than about 100,000 ohms per square to enable electron flow on a surface of the nonwoven fiber mat.
US09923194B2
Process for purifying N-alkylpyrrolidones which due to a previous use comprise at least one of the impurities of the formula I or II where R is hydrogen or a C1-C20-alkyl group, wherein a basic compound is added to the N-alkylpyrrolidone to be purified and the temperature of the mixture is at least 80° C. not more than 20 minutes after addition of the basic compound and N-alkylpyrrolidone is distilled off from the mixture obtained.
US09923190B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing a positive electrode active material precursor and a positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery having a concentration-gradient layer using a batch reactor, and to a positive electrode active material precursor and a positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery prepared by the method. The method for preparing a positive electrode active material precursor and a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery having a concentration-gradient layer using a batch reactor involves supplying a predetermined amount of a chelating agent into the batch reactor, and simultaneously supplying transition metals while continuously adjusting the concentration of the transition metals such that the concentration-gradient layer can be formed from a core to a shell of the positive electrode active material in a more economically advantageous and stable manner, and at the same time a positive electrode active material having an elongated lifespan and improved thermal stability can be provided.
US09923184B2
A high-voltage energy storage module for supplying a voltage, in particular to a motor vehicle, includes at least two storage cells and at least one electrically conductive connection between two poles of different storage cells. The individual connection consists of multiple adjacently arranged bonding wires, and each bonding wire is secured to the two poles by means of a wire bonding.
US09923183B2
A busbar module connects a first cell and a second cell adjacent to the first cell, arranged in a first direction and each having first and second electrode terminals spaced apart in a second direction normal to the first direction. The busbar module includes a busbar that electrically connects a first electrode terminal of the first cell and a second electrode terminal of the second cell to each other, and an insulating portion that accommodates the busbar. The busbar includes a first recessed mounting portion, the first recessed mounting portion and a protruding shape of the first electrode terminal having interfitting shapes and a second recessed mounting portion, the second recessed mounting portion and a protruding shape of the second electrode terminal having interfitting shapes, the first and second mounting portions, being slideably coupleable with the first and second electrode terminals.
US09923176B2
An electronic device includes a flexible conductive member having a first length, and a battery substrate having a second length shorter or equal than the first length. There is an active battery on the battery substrate. An adhesive layer couples the active battery and the battery substrate to the flexible conductive member such that the active battery and the flexible conductive member are electrically coupled, and such that the flexible substrate encapsulates the active battery and the upper portion of the battery substrate without an intervening layer. The flexible conductive member includes an insulating flexible base layer having a conductive via formed therein. Upper and lower metallized layers are formed on the insulating flexible base layer and are electrically coupled to one another by the conductive via.
US09923174B2
A method for exposing an electrode terminal covered with an organic film in a light-emitting device without damaging the electrode terminal is provided. In a region of the electrode terminal to which electric power from an external power supply or an external signal is input, an island-shaped organic compound-containing layer is formed and the organic film is formed thereover. The organic film is removed by utilizing low adhesion of an interface between the organic compound-containing layer and the electrode terminal, whereby the electrode terminal can be exposed without damage to the electrode terminal.
US09923171B2
A self-light emitting device and an electrical appliance including the same are provided, in which extracting efficiency of light from a light emitting element, especially in an EL element, can be improved. A light scattering body formed by etching a transparent film is provided on an insulator so that the extracting efficiency of light can be improved, and the self-light emitting device with high efficiency of light emission can be provided.
US09923169B2
There are provided a film and an organic electronic device. The present application may provide a film that may be provided for an evaluation method in which reliability of an encapsulant film is simply and easily evaluated only by measuring a haze immediately before the encapsulant film is used, thereby a failure of a product is determined and reliability may be predicted.
US09923165B2
Provided are: a transparent electrode which exhibits excellent resistance to high temperature and high humidity, while having surface smoothness; a method for producing this transparent electrode; and an electronic device which has improved reliability by using this transparent electrode. A transparent electrode is configured to comprise a metal thin wire pattern that is formed on one main surface of a transparent substrate using metal nanoparticles and a metal oxide layer that has a surface roughness of 5 nm or less and is formed on the main surface of the transparent substrate so as to cover the surface of the metal thin wire pattern.
US09923158B2
Disclosed are polymer-based dielectric compositions (e.g., formulations) and materials (e.g. films) and associated devices. The polymers generally include photocrosslinkable pendant groups; for example, the polymers can include one or more coumarin-containing pendant groups.
US09923154B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an organic electroluminescent element that has low drive voltage, high emission efficiency, long endurance and an excellent effect of preventing generation of dark spots. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device and a display device each including the organic electroluminescent element. The organic electroluminescent element according to the present invention includes an anode, a cathode, and an emissive layer, and the organic electroluminescent element includes a layer containing compound A that has a difference of 0 nm or more and 5 nm or less between the maximum emission wavelength on the shortest wavelength side in an emission spectrum measured at 300 K and the maximum emission wavelength on the shortest wavelength side in an emission spectrum measured at 77 K.
US09923152B2
The present invention relates to a novel non-polymeric organic ionic compound comprising one ion having a functional organic group, such as a matrix group, a hole injection group, a hole transport group, an electron injection group and an electron transport group, and comprising another ion preferably being so small that it may act as a mobile ion in films containing the organic ionic compound. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a composition containing the novel organic ionic compound and another functional compound. The novel organic ionic compound or the composition may be used in organic devices as functional materials, such as matrix materials or for materials charge transport. The resulting organic devices are also object of the present invention.
US09923151B2
A material for organic electroluminescence device having a specific structure, in which an aromatic ring of a dibenzofuran skeleton, a carbazole skeleton, or a dibenzothiophene skeleton has a nitrogen atom as a heteroatom, and an organic electroluminescence device including an organic thin film layer which includes one or more layers between a cathode and an anode. The organic thin film layer includes a light emitting layer which includes a phosphorescent emitting material. At least one layer of the organic thin film layer includes the material for organic electroluminescence device. The organic EL device employing the material for organic EL device has a high external quantum efficiency even when driving the device at low voltage and also has a long lifetime.
US09923145B2
Optionally substituted 3-(10-(aryl)anthracen-9-yl)-5-(10-(aryl)anthracen-9-yl)pyridine compounds may be used as host compounds for devices such as organic light-emitting devices.
US09923126B2
The light emitting device includes at least one light emitting element that emits light having a peak emission wavelength in a wavelength range from 380 nm to 480 nm inclusive; a first green phosphor that is excited by the primary light emitted by the light emitting element and emits light having the peak emission wavelength in the green region; a second green phosphor that is excited by the primary light and emits light having the peak emission wavelength in the green region; and a red phosphor that is excited by the primary light and emits light having the peak emission wavelength in the red region. The peak emission wavelength of the light emitted by the second green phosphor is shorter than the peak emission wavelength of the light emitted by the first green phosphor.
US09923117B2
A semiconductor layer including a plurality of inhomogeneous regions is provided. Each inhomogeneous region has one or more attributes that differ from a material forming the semiconductor layer. The inhomogeneous regions can include one or more regions configured based on radiation having a target wavelength. These regions can include transparent and/or reflective regions. The inhomogeneous regions also can include one or more regions having a higher conductivity than a conductivity of the radiation-based regions, e.g., at least ten percent higher. In one embodiment, the semiconductor layer is used to form an optoelectronic device.
US09923115B2
A particle detector includes a support member. A front electrode layer is disposed over the support member. A semiconductor heterojunction is disposed over the front electrode layer. The semiconductor heterojunction has at least a polycrystalline n-type layer and at least a polycrystalline p-type layer. A back electrode layer is disposed over the semiconductor heterojunction. The back electrode includes at least one removed portion that separates a first portion of the back electrode layer from a second portion of the back electrode layer. The particle detector also includes a first body of electrically insulating material which separates a first portion of the semiconductor heterojunction from a second portion of the semiconductor heterojunction. The first body of electrically insulating material also separates a first portion of the front electrode layer from a second portion of the front electrode layer.
US09923112B2
A solar cell receiver for use in a concentrating solar system which concentrates the solar energy onto a solar cell for converting solar energy to electricity. The solar cell receiver may include a solar cell mounted on a support and with one or more III-V compound semiconductor layers. An optical element may be positioned over the solar cell and have an optical channel with an inlet that faces away from the solar cell and an outlet that faces towards the solar cell. A frame may be positioned over the support and extend around the solar cell with the frame having an inner side that extends above the support and faces towards the optical element. An encapsulant may be positioned over the support and contained between the optical element and the frame. The encapsulant may have enlarged heights at contact points with the optical element and the frame and a reduced height between the contact points away from the optical element and the frame. The solar cell receiver may be used in a solar cell module.
US09923109B2
A self-powered light seeking apparatus and method for directing a target-plane towards a light source. The apparatus includes a photovoltaic powering arrangement configured to convert light energy into a driving current to power an actuator. The actuator is coupled to a support platform and is wired to the photovoltaic powering arrangement such that the polarity of the driving current causes the actuator to drive the target-plane towards alignment with the light source. A solar energy collection system including a photoelectric assembly for generating electricity from light incident upon an active area; a light concentrator comprising a substantially planar reflective surface subtending an angle to the active area such that light arriving along a line perpendicular to the active area and striking the reflective surface is reflected onto the active area; and a cooling unit configured to maintain the photoelectric assembly at an efficient operating temperature.
US09923107B2
A photovoltaic module includes: a flexible printed circuit; and a plurality of power generating elements mounted on the flexible printed circuit, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes a turning portion, and strip-shaped portions of the flexible printed circuit which are located on opposite sides of the turning portion are aligned so as to oppose each other.
US09923101B2
A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a floating substrate; and a capacitor grounded and connected to the floating substrate. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also provided.
US09923100B2
A method is provided for fabricating a flash memory structure. The method includes providing a substrate; and forming a gate structure and a hard mask layer. The method also includes forming a sidewall structure on side walls of the gate structure and the hard mask layer; and forming an etching barrier layer covering the sidewall structure. In addition, the method includes forming a first dielectric layer; and removing the sidewall structure and the etching barrier layer higher than the first dielectric layer. Moreover, the method includes forming a sacrificial sidewall layer on the side wall of the hard mask layer and above the sidewall structure and the etching barrier layer; and forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer. Further, the method includes forming a contact hole penetrating through the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer; and forming a contact-hole plug in the contact hole.
US09923095B2
The present invention provides a non-planar FET and a method of manufacturing the same. The non-planar FET includes a substrate, a fin structure, a gate and a gate dielectric layer. The fin structure is disposed on the substrate. The fin structure includes a first portion adjacent to the substrate wherein the first portion shrinks towards a side of the substrate. The gate is disposed on the fin structure. The gate dielectric layer is disposed between the fin structure and the gate. The present invention further provides a method of manufacturing the non-planar FET.
US09923084B2
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and more particularly, to a structure and method of forming a fin using double trench epitaxy. The fin may be composed of a III-V semiconductor material and may be grown on a silicon, silicon germanium, or germanium substrate. A double trench aspect ratio trapping (ART) epitaxy method may trap crystalline defects within a first trench (i.e. a defective region) and may permit formation of a fin free of patterning defects in an upper trench (i.e. a fin mold). Crystalline defects within the defective region may be trapped via conventional aspect ratio trapping or three-sided aspect ratio trapping. Fin patterning defects may be avoided by utilizing a fin mold to grow an epitaxial fin and selectively removing dielectric material adjacent to a fin region.
US09923083B1
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming a cut mask over a set of fin hard masks formed on a substrate. At least one gap defined at least in part by the cut mask is formed, and a first dielectric layer is formed within the at least one gap. A plurality of fins is formed, and the first dielectric layer is recessed to form an isolation region. A liner is deposited along exposed surfaces of the recessed first dielectric layer and the plurality of fins. A second dielectric layer is formed within a region defined by the liner and the plurality of fins. At least a portion of the second dielectric layer is removed to reveal the plurality of fins, wherein the portion of the second dielectric layer that is removed is based on the liner serving as an endpoint layer.
US09923067B2
A thin-film transistor (TFT) includes a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode and an active layer arranged on a base substrate. The active layer includes an un-doped a-Si layer, a first doped a-Si layer and a second doped a-Si layer. One of the source electrode and the drain electrode is in contact with the first doped a-Si layer, and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode is in contact with the second doped a-Si layer. The source electrode and the drain electrode are on different horizontal planes and spaced apart from each other, and the un-doped a-Si layer is positioned between the source electrode and the drain electrode.
US09923065B2
In accordance with various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a semiconductor device, and a fabricating method thereof are provided. In some embodiments, the semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor substrate, wherein a plurality of fins are projected on a surface of the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating layer on side walls of the plurality of fins, wherein the insulating layer is located on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a surface of the insulating layer is lower than top surfaces of the plurality of fins, and a thermal conductivity of the insulating layer is larger than a thermal conductivity of silicon oxide.
US09923050B2
A semiconductor wafer has a silicon single crystal substrate having a top surface and a stack of layers covering the top surface, the stack of layers containing an AlN nucleation layer covering the top surface of the silicon single crystal substrate, wherein the top surface of the silicon single crystal substrate has a crystal lattice orientation which is off-oriented with respect to the {111}-plane, the normal to the top surface being inclined with respect to the <111>-direction toward the <11-2>-direction by an angle θ of not less than 0.3° and not more than 6°, the azimuthal tolerance of the inclination being ±0.1°; and an AlGaN buffer layer which covers the AlN nucleation layer and contains one or more AlxGa1-xN layers, wherein 0<×<1.
US09923049B2
A compound semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first barrier layer of a nitride semiconductor formed over the substrate; a well layer of a nitride semiconductor formed over the first barrier layer; and a second barrier layer of a nitride semiconductor formed over the well layer, wherein the first barrier layer, the well layer, and the second barrier layer each include a first region having, as an upper surface, a (0001) plane in terms of crystal orientation and a second region having, as an upper surface, a (000-1) plane in terms of crystal orientation, the first region of the first barrier layer, the first region of the well layer, and the first region of the second barrier layer are stacked, the second region of the first barrier layer, the second region of the well layer, and the second region of the second barrier layer are stacked.
US09923044B2
The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and provides a packaging substrate, a display panel and a curved-surface display panel. The packaging substrate includes a base which has a plurality of splice blocks, and the adjacent splice blocks are concatenated to each other by an adhesive material.
US09923035B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing an organic electronic device, wherein a layer is selectively swelled with a swelling solvent so as to form bank structures allowing the deposition of the semiconductor material in a specific and well-defined area. The present invention further relates to bank structures, organic electronic devices and products or assemblies produced by said process.
US09923033B2
According to an aspect, a display device includes a display unit in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix along two directions intersecting with each other. Each of the pixels includes three sub-pixels corresponding to three of four colors including a first color, a second color, a third color, and a fourth color. An area of one sub-pixel among the three sub-pixels is larger than the area of each of the other two sub-pixels. A sub-pixel of the fourth color is one of the other two sub-pixels. Pixels each including the sub-pixel of the fourth color are not adjacent to each other in at least one of the two directions in the display unit.
US09923029B2
Some embodiments include selectively conducting devices having a first electrode, a second electrode, and dielectric material between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric material may be configured to conduct current from the first electrode to the second electrode when a first voltage is applied across the first electrode and the second electrode. Furthermore, the dielectric material may be configured to inhibit current from flowing from the second electrode to the first electrode when a second voltage having a polarity opposite that of a polarity of the first voltage is applied across the first electrode and the second electrode. The diode material may comprise a plurality of layers of different dielectric materials arranged in order of increasing barrier height. Quantum wells may form at junctions of layers of the plurality responsive to the first voltage. Some embodiments include diode forming methods.
US09923022B2
A method of fabrication of an array of optoelectronic structures. The method first provides a crystalline substrate having cells corresponding to individual optoelectronic structures to be obtained. Each of the cells comprises an opening to the substrate. Then, several first layer portions of a first compound semiconductor material are grown in each the opening to at least partly fill a respective one of the cells and form an essentially planar film portion therein. Next, several second layer portions of a second compound semiconductor material are grown over the first layer portionsthat coalesce to form a coalescent film extending over the first layer portions. Finally, excess portions of materials are removed, to obtain the array of optoelectronic structures. Each optoelectronic structure comprises a stack protruding from the substrate of: a residual portion of one of the second layer portions; and a residual portion of one of the first layer portions.
US09923004B2
Techniques describe apparatus and method for generating local binary pattern (LBP) labels based on sensor readings from sensor elements. The sensor apparatus may include a sensor element array that includes a plurality of sensor elements and may also include in-pixel circuitry coupled directly to the sensor element, peripheral circuitry coupled to the sensor element array and configured to receive output from one or more of sensor elements and digital circuitry. The in-pixel circuitry and/or peripheral circuitry may include an analog and/or digital computation structure configured to generate an LBP label for each of the sensor elements readings, by currently comparing the sensor readings for the referenced sensor element with the sensor readings of four or less neighboring sensor elements, and using previously, or subsequently, generated comparisons for the remaining neighboring sensor elements.
US09922983B1
A method of forming an arrangement of long and short fins on a substrate, including forming a plurality of finFET devices having long fins on the substrate, where the long fins have a fin length in the range of about 180 nm to about 350 nm, and forming a plurality of finFET devices having short fins on the substrate, where the short fins have a fin length in the range of about 60 nm to about 140 nm, wherein at least one of the plurality of finFET devices having a long fin is adjacent to at least one of the plurality of finFET devices having a short fin.
US09922977B2
A structure and method of fabrication thereof relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced σVT (variation in VT) compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. A novel dopant profile indicative of a distinctive notch enables tuning of the VT setting within a precise range. This VT set range may be extended by appropriate selection of metals of a gate electrode material so that a very wide range of VT settings is accommodated on the die. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. The result is the ability to independently control VT (with a low σVT) and VDD (the operating voltage supplied to the transistor), so that the body bias can be tuned separately from VT for a given device.
US09922976B1
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor channel, a second semiconductor channel, a first gate stack and a second gate stack. The first gate stack is present on the first semiconductor channel. The second gate stack is present on the second semiconductor channel. The first gate stack and the second gate stack are different at least in tantalum nitride amount.
US09922967B2
Fabricating a multilevel composite semiconductor structure includes providing a first substrate comprising a first material; dicing a second substrate to provide a plurality of dies; mounting the plurality of dies on a third substrate; joining the first substrate and the third substrate to form a composite structure; and joining a fourth substrate and the composite structure.
US09922957B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first electrode located on an upper surface of the substrate, and a second electrode located on a lower surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the first electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a first resist layer located on the upper surface of the substrate so as to surround the first electrode and spaced from the first electrode, and a second resist layer located on the lower surface of the substrate.
US09922954B2
This method includes steps a) providing the first structure and second structure, the first structure including a surface on which a silicon layer is formed; b) bombarding the silicon layer by a beam (F) of species configured to reach the surface of the first structure, and to preserve a part of the silicon layer with a surface roughness of less than 1 nm RMS on completion of the bombardment; c) bonding the first structure and second structure by direct bonding between the part of the silicon layer preserved in step b) and the second structure, steps b) and c) being executed in the same chamber subjected to a vacuum of less than 10−2 mbar.
US09922952B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. A bonding tool with a wire tail extending out of the tip thereof is lowered to bring the tip of the wire tail into contact with a bonding surface of the semiconductor device. Next, the bonding tool in a direction intersecting with the axial direction of the bonding tool (Z direction) is moved to bend the wire tail with the tip of the wire tail in contact with the bonding surface. Then the bonding tool is lowered to form the wire tail into a predetermined shape such that the tip of the wire tail points upward. And then, a wire looping step, a second bonding step and a wire cutting step are performed. This allows the wire tail to be formed easily and efficiently into a predetermined shape.
US09922943B2
A method includes mounting a wafer-level package substrate over a carrier, and pre-cutting the wafer-level package substrate to form trenches extending from a top surface of the wafer-level package substrate into the wafer-level package substrate. A plurality of dies is bonded over the wafer-level package substrate. The plurality of dies is molded in a molding material to form a wafer-level package, with the wafer-level package including the wafer-level package substrate, the plurality of dies, and the molding material. The carrier is detached from the wafer-level package. The wafer-level package is sawed into a plurality of packages, with each of the plurality of packages including a portion of the wafer-level package substrate and one of the plurality of dies.
