US09998096B2
A wave separator includes an n number (n being a natural number of 3 or larger) of band pass filters having an n number or larger of mutually different pass bands, and a common terminal. For a first of the band pass filters that is one of a band pass filter having a center frequency of a pass band at a lowest side and a band pass filter having a center frequency of a pass band at a highest side and that has a larger or equal difference in a center frequency of a pass band from an adjacent band pass filter as compared with the other band pass filter satisfies a predetermined configuration for a second band pass filter having a pass band adjacent to the first band pass filter.
US09998095B2
A SAW filter includes a substrate, an upper bus bar arranged on the substrate, a lower bus bar arranged on the substrate so as to face the upper bus bar, a first finger IDT arranged so as to be connected to the upper bus bar at one end, a second finger IDT arranged so as to be connected to the lower bus bar at one end, a passivation part formed on the first finger IDT and the second finger IDT, a first metal part formed on the passivation part and including all area of the upper bus bar and a partial area of the first finger IDT, and a second metal part formed on the passivation part and including all area of the lower bus bar and a partial area of the second finger IDT.
US09998089B2
A resonator device 10 is disclosed. The resonator device may be used in a transducer or a sensor such as a pressure, force or acceleration sensor. The resonator device comprises a resonator 20 provided on a diaphragm 30. A cap 40 is provided which may be fusion bonded to the diaphragm 30 to enclose the resonator 20 and form a hermetically sealed package 10. The resonator device is excited by applying electromagnetic stimulation, such as infra-red or optical stimulation, which may be from a laser via a fiber 50. The resonator device may be interrogated by applying an electromagnetic signal into the optical cavity formed between the resonator 20 and the inside surface of the cap 40 to derive a frequency change of the resonator. As the resonator device incorporates a hermetically sealed package and is stimulated by electromagnetic radiation, it is robust and able to operate in harsh environments.
US09998082B1
In an example embodiment, an audio device is provided with one or more processors and a computer-readable tangible medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed, direct the one or more processors to access a target audio file and access a set of evaluated levels associated with one or more preset frequency bands in the target audio file. The computer-readable tangible medium also has instructions that direct the processor to create a set of comparatively balanced levels by comparatively balancing a set of actual levels associated with the one or more preset frequency bands in the target audio file to at least approximate a set of reference levels associated with the one or more preset frequency bands. The computer-readable tangible medium further has instructions that direct the processor to play the target audio file with the set of comparatively balanced levels.
US09998080B2
A circuit includes a differential input pair stage including bipolar transistors and configured to receive an RF input signal; a cascode stage coupled between the differential input pair stage and an output node, the cascode stage including bipolar transistors; and a current source including a first bipolar transistor coupled to a first output of the differential input pair stage and a second bipolar transistor coupled to a second output of the differential input pair stage.
US09998077B2
An apparatus includes an amplifier having a first input and a second input. A first feedback resistor is coupled to the first input and has a first body terminal coupled to a first bias terminal. A second feedback resistor is coupled to the second input and has a second body terminal coupled to a second bias terminal.
US09998076B2
Embodiments herein include a replica communication path and monitor circuit to provide increased common mode transient immunity. As its name suggests, the monitor circuit monitors the replica communication path and produces an adjustment signal (common mode transient adjustment signal) to cancel presence of a common mode transient signal in one or more other communication paths conveying data signals.
US09998074B2
An element which oscillates or detects terahertz waves includes a resonance unit including a differential negative resistance element, a first conductor, a second conductor, and a dielectric body, a bias circuit configured to supply a bias voltage to the differential negative resistance element, and a line configured to connect the resonance unit and the bias circuit to each other. The differential negative resistance element and the dielectric body are disposed between the first and second conductors. The line is a low impedance line in a frequency fLC of resonance caused by inductance of the line and capacitance of the resonance unit using an absolute value of a differential negative resistance of the differential negative resistance element as a reference.
US09998073B2
A voltage controlled oscillator comprises a negative resistance, a first inductor, a fixed capacitor, and a frequency control component. The frequency control component comprises at least one varactor and at least a second inductor connected in series with the at least one varactor. A magnitude of an inductance of the second inductor is selected such that the frequency control component has an effective capacitance range larger than a capacitance range of the at least one varactor.
US09998072B2
A kit comprising one or more of the following one or more solar modules (10); one of more connectors (30); and one or more integrated flashing pieces (40), wherein the one or more solar modules, the one or more connectors, and the one or more integrated flashing pieces include a first buss (16) and a second buss (18); wherein the one or more solar modules, the one or more connectors, the one or more integrated flashing pieces, or a combination thereof include a capacitor between the first buss and the second buss so that the capacitor blocks direct current from passing through the first buss, the second buss, or both and allows an alternating: current signal, an alternating voltage signal or both to pass trough the first buss, the second buss, or both so that a discontinuity, partial discontinuity, or continuity of the one more solar modules, the one or more, connectors, the one or more integrated flashing pieces, or a combination of connections therebetween are detectable when the one or more solar modules, the one or more connectors, and the one or more integrated flashing pieces are electrically connected.
US09998070B2
The present disclosure generally relates to durable solar mirror films, methods of making durable solar mirror films, and constructions including durable solar mirror films. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a solar mirror film comprising: a multilayer optical film layer including having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion of less than about 30 ppm per percent relative humidity; and a reflective layer having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion.
US09998067B2
A photovoltaic module includes an encapsulated photovoltaic element and an infrared-transmissive decorative overlay simulating conventional roofing.
US09998055B2
A multi-stage power module is provided. The multi-stage power module may include at least one heat sink having a first surface, a second surface and an edge, a first set of switches disposed on the first surface of the heat sink, a second set of switches disposed on the second surface of the heat sink, a plurality of capacitors disposed adjacent to the edge of the heat sink, and a bus bar assembly symmetrically coupling the capacitors to each of the first set of switches and the second set of switches.
US09998051B2
A method for the noise modulation of a three-phase synchronous electric motor driven using a vector regulation by means of a motor control unit. Actual values for the rotated current components id and iq may be obtained in an open-loop control system, where id corresponds to the magnetization current and iq corresponds to the torque-forming current of the synchronous motor. The actual values may be compared with predetermined reference target values, and the differences between the actual values and the reference target values may be converted into control variables to regulate the actual values (iq, id) to the reference target values. The magnetization current-forming current component (id) may be adapted using an acoustic controller to a desired acoustic state depending on an acoustic state that was measured by a measuring device and was transmitted to the motor control unit.
US09998048B2
A motor control apparatus that vector-controls a sensorless motor includes an estimating unit configured to obtain an estimated phase value by estimating a phase of a rotor in the sensorless motor, and a generating unit configured to generate, from the estimated phase value and a phase command value of the rotor, a phase conversion value that is used for a coordinate conversion between a rotary coordinate system and a static coordinate system in the vector control. The generating unit is further configured to output the phase command value as the phase conversion value when the rotor is caused to start to rotate, and change the phase conversion value so that the phase conversion value approaches the estimated phase value from a predetermined timing after the rotor is caused to start to rotate.
US09998046B2
The invention relates to a turbine and to the implementation method thereof, said turbine comprising a blade mounted such that it can rotate about a central axis and an electromagnetic synchronous machine arranged with the blade in such a way as to modify the angular rotation speed of the blade in order to optimize the mechanical efficiency of the blade as a function of the speed of the incident fluid acting on the blade.
US09998043B2
An estimation unit estimates a q-axis induced-voltage estimation value and estimation torque of a PM motor. An adder adds a torque command and a first command together. The first command is calculated at a first command generation unit based on the estimation torque. A further adder adds a q-axis voltage command and a second command together. The second command is calculated at a second command generation unit based on the q-axis induced-voltage estimation value. The first and second command generation units compensate a control delay in a current control system including a current control unit and an estimation delay in the estimation unit for the estimation torque and an estimation induced voltage of the PM motor, and thereby a lack of the q-axis voltage command in a high frequency range is compensated, reducing a torque ripple effectively over a wide range of speed up to a high speed range.
US09998041B1
A system and method for controlling a speed of a permanent magnet AC motor (38) based on a delay angle of a triac-controlled AC voltage signal (66) from a triac (34). A simulated load (54) connected to the triac (34) enables a load current and creates the signal (66). A first detector (48) detects a zero-crossing point of the AC voltage signal, and a second detector (50) detects a subsequent turn-on instance of the triac (34). A speed command generator (52) measures an interval between the zero-crossing point and the subsequent turn-on instance, and converts the delay angle to a speed command for controlling the speed of the motor (38). The simulated load (54) may include resistors (70) having a resistance which causes the load current to be below a holding current rating of the triac (34), thereby causing the triac (34) to turn off after the interval has been measured.
US09998040B2
A motor driver for driving a motor in a valve timing controller of an internal combustion engine, including an Electronic Driver Unit (EDU) that, upon receiving a target rotation cycle as the instructed rotation cycle, instructs a rotation controller to (i) calculate a duty value of a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal for driving the motor based on an instructed rotation cycle and an actual rotation cycle and (ii) output a calculation result of the duty value to a motor drive unit, with the rotation controller outputting, to the motor drive unit, an instruction signal that rotates the motor forward along an actual rotation direction, when the calculation result takes a positive value as a duty ratio of the PWM signal, establishing an accurate motor rotation speed control together with an improved responsiveness.
US09998036B2
A device for generating a movement is provided. The device has at least one magnet and a material that is arranged in the proximity of the magnet or in the magnet. The magnet exerts an attractive force on the material. The attractive force of the magnet is weakened by thermal action on at least one region of the material. The material is preferably not in superconductive state during the thermal action. Preferably, the material also has paramagnetic properties prior to the thermal action but diamagnetic properties after the thermal action. Also preferably, the device generates a circular movement.
US09998035B2
An energy harvester for an aircraft comprises a first portion, a movable element and a kinetic-to-electric-energy-converter. The first portion includes a charge collecting device having an electrical permittivity different to that of air. The charge collecting device is configured to be exposed to an air flow. The movable element is configured to be driven by the charge of the charge collecting device, and the kinetic-to-electric-energy-converter is configured to generate energy by the movement of the movable element.
US09998034B2
The present invention relates to an energy conversion device using a liquid and, more specifically, to a method and a device for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy by applying an opposite phenomenon to an electrowetting phenomenon. The contact surface with liquid is being changed within a pair of electrodes, and the resulting change in the contact surface with liquid is being utilized for generating electrical energy. The device can be simplified and the manufacturing cost thereof is being reduced, furthermore it is effective in implementing an energy conversion device that is less faulty, by preventing channel blocking phenomenon and not requiring a lubricating layer or an electrode complicatedly patterned on a channel. Besides, it is advantageous in that a flexible device can be realized and a large area application is facilitated by simplifying the device structure.
US09998032B2
In one form, a method of manufacturing a circuit device comprises providing a lead frame comprising a plurality of leads, each comprising an island portion, a bonding portion elevated from the island portion, a slope portion extending obliquely so as to connect the island portion and the bonding portion, and a lead portion extending from the bonding portion. First and second transistors and first and second diodes are mounted upper surfaces of island portions of respective first and second leads, and are connected to the respective leads through wirings that connect the transistors and diodes to the bonding portions of the respective leads. Lower surfaces of the island portions are attached to an upper surface of a circuit board, and the circuit board, the transistors, the diodes, and the lead frame are encapsulated by a resin, so that the lead portions are not covered by the resin.
US09998026B2
Techniques are disclosed for assessing the conditions of LEDs and power supplies of solid state lighting systems. The techniques can be used, for example, to measure the capacitance of an output capacitor C in a switch-mode power supply (SMPS), and to measure the condition of the LEDs being driven by that power supply. In some cases, this assessment can be implemented in a lighting controller that controls the lighting system, which may be configured to simultaneously determine C and the conditions of LEDs. In one example case, the techniques can be implemented, for instance, in a micro-controller operating the lighting system. A lighting system implementing the techniques can be periodically assessed so as to provide real-time diagnostic capability. Numerous example embodiments of SMPS LED lighting systems will be apparent in light of this disclosure.
US09998017B2
A controller for a resonant converter, the resonant converter comprising a first switch and a second switch. The controller configured to: close the first switch to start a half cycle of operation; open the first switch before completion of the half cycle; maintain the first switch and the second switch in an open state in order to define a stop-interval; and end the stop-interval by closing the second switch.
US09998016B2
Some embodiments are directed to an AC/DC converter comprising a first AC terminal for connection to a first AC circuit terminal, a neutral line terminal for connection to a neutral AC circuit terminal, a common node, a first AC side active bridge coupled between the first AC terminal and the common node, and a neutral voltage lift capacitor coupled between the neutral line terminal and the common node. The converter comprises first and second DC terminals, and a capacitor between the first and second terminals. A DC-side active bridge is coupled between the first and second terminals. An inductor is coupled between switchable nodes of the first AC side active bridge and the DC side active bridge. A controller is arranged to control the first AC side active bridge and the DC-side active bridge so to alternate voltage across the first AC terminal and the neutral line terminal.
US09998015B2
An insulated synchronous rectification DC/DC converter is provided. A feedback circuit drives a light-emitting element of a first photocoupler such that the output voltage VOUT of the DC/DC converter approaches a target voltage. A primary side controller is coupled to a light-receiving element of the first photocoupler, so as to switch on and off a switching transistor according to a feedback signal VFB. A synchronous rectification controller controls a synchronous rectification transistor. Upon detecting the occurrence of a switching-incapable state in the synchronous rectification transistor, a protection circuit instructs the primary side controller to stop the switching operation of the switching transistor.
US09998009B1
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) with control scheme selection for high-voltage configuration and low-voltage configuration of the SMPS. The SMPS operates in at least a charge state or a release state. The SMPS has a mode control module receiving a mode setting signal indicative of the configuration of the SMPS and a state indication signal indicative of the state of the SMPS. The SMPS selects a boost control module or a buck control module to control the SMPS according to the mode setting signal and the state indication signal.
US09998002B2
A DC-to-DC voltage converter comprising a differential charge pump that utilizes a differential clocking scheme to reduce output electrical noise by partial cancellation of charge pump glitches (voltage transients), and a corresponding method of operating a differential charge pump. The differential charge pump can be characterized as having at least two charge pump sections that initiate charge pumping in opposite phases of a clock signal to transfer (pump) charge to storage capacitors. The differential charge pump is particularly well suited for implementation in integrated circuit chips requiring negative and/or positive voltages, and multiples of such voltages, based on a single input voltage.
US09998001B1
A control circuit eliminates the Zeno phenomenon in a power supply controller while transferring control from a primary side controller to a secondary side controller. The primary side controller generates a feedback voltage (e.g., threshold voltage) that is input to a comparator. An output node voltage of the control circuit is fed back to the linear amplifier to be compared with the threshold voltage. While the output node voltage is less than the threshold voltage, a charge pump is coupled to the output node of the control circuit. After the output node voltage has toggled around the threshold voltage a number of times, the comparator output node is coupled to the output node of the control circuit and the charge pump is decoupled from the output node. When the output node voltage has discharged to be equal to the threshold voltage, control is handed off from the primary side controller to the secondary side controller.
US09997998B2
An electronic circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first logic circuit, a second logic circuit, first and second capacitors, and a connection circuit. The first logic circuit has a first output terminal from which a first output signal based on a first input signal is output. The second logic circuit outputs a second output signal obtained by inversion of the first output signal is output in a steady state. The first and second capacitors each have one terminal at a first voltage. The connection circuit connects one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal to the first capacitor, and the other to the second capacitor. The connection circuit interchanges connection destinations of the first capacitor and the second capacitor in accordance with a received first connection control signal.
US09997993B1
A single-phase bridgeless insulated power factor adjustment circuit includes an EMI filter module, low-frequency switching diode module, two switches and two insulated voltage transformation modules. The EMI filter module is coupled to an AC power. The low-frequency switching diode module is coupled to the EMI filter module. The two switches are coupled to the low-frequency switching diode module. The two insulated voltage transformation modules are coupled to one of the two switches. With the low-frequency switching diode module being in first ON state, one of the two switches turns on, and one of the two insulated voltage transformation modules turns on. With the low-frequency switching diode module being in second ON state, the other switch turns on, and the other insulated voltage transformation module turns on. Hence, the circuit is unlikely to fail, but features simple circuitry, incurs low costs, be compact, and achieves high conversion efficiency.
US09997989B2
The disclosure relates to a method and a control device for controlling at power semiconductor switches connected in parallel for switching a total current. The semiconductor switches each have a gate terminal. An input terminal for feeding the total current, an output terminal for discharging the total current, and a joint control terminal for receiving a joint control signal that has the state ‘disconnect’ or ‘connect’ are provided. The power semiconductor switches are each connected between to the input terminal and the output terminal. At least one ascertainment unit is designed to receive the joint control signal, ascertain individual control signals in accordance with the joint control signal to control the individual power semiconductor switches, and output the individual control signals to the gate terminals of the power semiconductor switches. The individual control signals each have the state ‘disconnect’ or ‘connect’ and differ at least temporarily.
US09997979B1
A magnetic kinetic propulsion motor apparatus and method includes a shaft with a first two ended rotational blade attached at a midpoint of the two ended rotational blade to the shaft. A proximity magnetic sensor is connected at both ends of the two ended rotational blade. A stationary housing surrounds the shaft and the first two ended rotational blade. Several self-aligning repulsion electro-magnets are connected to the stationary housing and a proximity switch is connected with each of the self-aligning repulsion electro-magnets. An electronic ignition distributor is connected to each proximity switch connected with the self-aligning repulsion electro-magnets and a battery is connected to the electronic ignition distributor. A generator is connected to the shaft, the electronic ignition distributor and the battery where in response to the proximity magnetic sensor on the ends of the first two ended rotational blade detecting a proximity switch connected with a self-aligning repulsion electro-magnet the electronic ignition distributer sends power to the self-aligning repulsion electro-magnet which generates repulsive magnetic force on the proximity magnetic sensor at the ends of the first two ended rotational blade.
US09997971B2
An electric motor including a casing; a cap coupled to the casing to form a housing of the electric motor; a stator, including a plurality of poles and a three-phase winding, each phase having one end, housed in the housing; a rotor inserted in the housing and rotatably constrained to it; a control printed circuit board connected to the stator; the outside of the housing including a seat for the printed circuit board in communication with the inside of the housing by means of at least one hole; the printed circuit board is housed in the seat and the electric motor includes a rigid system for sealed connection between the printed circuit board and the winding at the hole.
US09997970B2
A pump has a DC pump drive motor with an electrically driven stator winding and a rotor which is mounted such that it can be driven in rotation in the field of the stator winding. The motor also has a motor shaft, a permanent-magnet ring and a holder which is mounted on the motor shaft and on which the permanent-magnet ring is held. The pump has a rotation-prevention device configured to secure the permanent-magnet ring against rotation about the axis of the rotor on the holder. A domestic appliance, in particular a dishwasher or a washing machine, is provided with a pump of this kind.
US09997966B2
A stator fixing structure includes a tube and a fixing member. The tube has an outer surface, and both a stator set and the fixing member are fitted around the tube in a bottom-up sequence. The fixing member has a main body, which has a contact surface and an engaging unit. The engaging unit is circumferentially extended from the main body towards a center of the main body to form a plurality of free ends to tightly press against the outer surface of the tube. The contact surface is axially tightly in contact with the stator set to prevent the stator set from sliding.
US09997957B2
A system and method (“utility”) for providing power to an electrically powered device from alternate, redundant power sources via a single power cord. The utility is operable to provide redundant power to an electrical device having a power cord terminating in a standard plug. The utility is operable to sense a loss of power quality from one power source, and to switch a connection to another power source in response to the loss. The utility may be configured to match the form factor of a standard (e.g., NEMA or other electrical standard) duplex receptacle unit. The utility may be incorporated into a standard outlet box or may plug into a standard outlet box.
US09997956B1
Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for power distribution during islanding conditions. Embodiments include power generating resources operating within a control area; power consuming loads; a power transmission network coupling the resources to the loads; and an energy management system in communication with the resources and configured to control operation of the resources within the control area. The energy management system is operative to divide the control area into a plurality of isolation areas in response to detecting that isolation areas have occurred within the control area, assign at least one of the resources to each of the isolation areas, disable operation of the control area, enable each of the isolation areas to operate as an island having automatic gain control, balance a generation level and load level for each isolation area, and use load frequency control to stabilize operation of each isolation area. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
US09997955B1
A multi-input uninterruptible power system (UPS) includes a primary power circuit, a secondary power circuit, and a diode circuit. The primary power circuit and the secondary power circuit include rectifiers that convert AC power into DC power. A diode circuit is electrically coupled between the secondary power circuit and an internal bus of the multi-input UPS. The diode circuit prevents backflow of power into the secondary power circuit when electrical power is received from a primary power source electrically coupled to the primary power circuit and allows electrical power from a secondary power source electrically coupled to the secondary power circuit to flow to the internal bus when electrical power is not being received from the primary power source. An outlet of the multi-input UPS electrically coupled to the internal bus is electrically coupled to a group of electrical loads of multiple groups of electrical loads in a data center.
US09997945B2
Disclosed is a chargeable device having a processing circuitry configured to detect a voltage level at a first point of the processing circuitry. The first point is electrically coupled via a first resistor to a source of measurement signal and via a diode to a second point. The second point being electrically coupled via a second resistor to a first charger contact of the chargeable device and via a third resistor to a second charger contact of the chargeable device. The processing circuitry is configured to determine, from the voltage level detected at the first point, whether or not the first charger contact and the second charger contact of the chargeable device are electrically connected to a charger and whether or not the charger is energized.
US09997941B2
A charging and discharging system, a charging and discharging method, and a photovoltaic power generation system are provided. The charging and discharging system includes: a unidirectional converter, a unidirectional switch, an energy storage device and a controller; where an input terminal of the unidirectional converter is connected to an output terminal of a photovoltaic device of a photovoltaic power generation system to which the charging and discharging system is applied, and an output terminal of the unidirectional converter is connected to an input terminal of the energy storage device; the unidirectional switch is connected between an output terminal of the energy storage device and an input terminal of a bidirectional inverter of the photovoltaic power generation system to which the charging and discharging system is applied; the controller is connected to the unidirectional converter, the unidirectional switch, the energy storage device and the bidirectional inverter.
US09997938B2
A circuit arrangement for charging a DC link capacitor with electrical energy from a charging battery includes a first switching element. The first switching element can optionally electrically connect a first connection contact of the circuit arrangement for the charging battery to a second connection contact of the circuit arrangement for the DC link capacitor. The circuit arrangement also includes an electrical pre-charging resistor that can connect in parallel with the first switching element. The circuit arrangement also includes two second switching elements that can be connected in series with the pre-charging resistor and in parallel with the first switching element.
US09997937B2
An electronic cigarette charging apparatus used for charging a battery rod (100) of an electronic cigarette. One end of the battery rod (100) is provided with a first electrode (101) and a second electrode (102) both electrically connected to the electronic cigarette charging apparatus. The electronic cigarette charging apparatus includes a first magnetic charging electrode (2). The first charging electrode (2) is provided with at least one butted curved surface corresponding to the position of the first electrode (101) or the second electrode (102). During the charging, the first charging electrode (2) abuts against and is in magnetic attraction with the first electrode (101) or the second electrode (102) to form conductive connection. The implementation of the electronic cigarette charging apparatus has the beneficial effects: the electronic cigarette charging apparatus can increase the contact area of the charging electrode (2) and the battery rod (100), and the charging is stable.
US09997930B2
A wireless power transmission apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a power transmission antenna, receiver circuits, and a control circuit. The power transmission antenna transmits high-frequency power at each of frequencies to wireless power reception apparatuses. Each of the receiver circuits obtains, from a corresponding one of the wireless power reception apparatuses, the value of a required voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus and the value of a power reception voltage received by the wireless power reception apparatus from the wireless power transmission apparatus. The control circuit obtains the required voltage value and the power reception voltage value from each of the receiver circuits, and controls the frequency of the high-frequency power. The control circuit changes the frequency of the high-frequency power so that the sum total of errors between the required voltage and the power reception voltage is minimized.
US09997925B2
A power supplying method is adapted to supply power to any one of external electronic devices with voltage-stabilized capacitors of different specifications. The power supplying method includes: generating a periodic signal; periodically turning on and off a load-switch circuit by the periodic signal to enable the load-switch circuit to periodically charge and discharge the voltage-stabilized capacitor; generating an enable signal following the periodic signal; continuously turning on the load-switch circuit by the enable signal to enable the load-switch circuit to supply the power to the external electronic device according to a flag signal; and detecting the amount of a current supplied to the external electronic device by the load-switch circuit to determine a level of the flag signal. During periodically charging and discharging the voltage-stabilized capacitor, the amount of the current supplied to the external electronic device is gradually decreased.
US09997922B2
The invention relates to a method for feeding electrical power of at least one wind turbine or of a wind farm into an electrical supply network having a network voltage and a network frequency, wherein the method is prepared for feeding in active electrical power and reactive electrical power and the fed-in active power can be adjusted on the basis of at least one network state by means of an active-power controller and/or the fed-in reactive power can be adjusted on the basis of at least one network state by means of a reactive-power controller and the active-power controller and/or the reactive-power controller can be changed according to type and/or parameterization.
US09997916B2
Intermittently re-distributing power from three phases of a power grid connected to power consuming components of a data center by configuring power supply units (PSUs) which are integrated into each enclosure, two PSUs per enclosure. The distribution is determined by machine logic to: (i) meet the predicted power requirements of the power consuming components of the data center, and (ii) the use of first phase, second phase and third phase electrical powers is at least approximately in balance.
US09997915B2
Dispatch engines service endpoints by transmitting dispatch signals to the serviced endpoints that cause the endpoints to adjust their electric power consumption from the electric power grid in accord with a control signal received by the dispatch engine. A market interface dispatch engine receives its control signal from an electric power grid managing entity, and downstream dispatch engines form a hierarchy cascading downstream from the market interface dispatch engine with each downstream dispatch engine being an endpoint serviced by a dispatch engine located upstream in the hierarchy. The control signal received by each downstream dispatch engine comprises dispatch signals transmitted by the upstream dispatch engine. The endpoints further include electric power-consuming loads. A suitable load controller comprises separate power interface and logic elements operatively connected to define the load controller, with the logic element powered by low voltage DC power received from the power interface element.
US09997908B2
A controller protection circuit for a voltage power optimizer. The circuit having: a first terminal for connecting to a first end of a winding in the voltage power optimizer; a second terminal for connecting to a second end of the winding in the voltage power optimizer; and a thyristor. The controller protection circuit also includes a thyristor gate control circuit. The thyristor gate control circuit is configured to: set the gate control signal such that the thyristor is configured to conduct in response to a potential difference between the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of the thyristor; and set the gate control signal such that the thyristor is configured not to conduct in response to a signal received from a voltage controller. The thyristor gate control circuit includes a normally-on switch having a conduction channel and a control terminal; and a photovoltaic isolator configured to set the gate control signal such that the thyristor is configured not to conduct in response to a signal received from a voltage controller.
US09997907B2
An electronic device includes first and second terminals with an electronic circuit coupled there between. The electronic circuit includes a protection circuit and a resistive-capacitive circuit. The resistive-capacitive circuit triggers the protection circuit to protect against electrostatic discharges in the presence of a current pulse between the first and second terminals. A control circuit is configured to slow down a discharge from the resistive-capacitive circuit when the protection circuit is triggered.
US09997903B2
A power supply device for plasma processing, wherein electric arcs may occur, comprises a power supply circuit for generating a voltage across output terminals, and a first switch connected between the power supply circuit and one of the output terminals. According to a first aspect the power supply device comprises a recovery energy circuit connected to the output terminals and to the power supply circuit. According to a second aspect the power supply device comprises an inductance circuit including an inductor and a second switch connected parallel to the inductor. According to a third aspect the power supply device comprises a controller for causing the power supply circuit and the first switch to be switched on and off. The controller is configured to determine a quenching time interval by means of a self-adaptive process. The quenching time interval defines the time interval during which, in an event of an arc, no voltage is generated across the output terminals.
US09997897B2
The present disclosure provides a quick connect and disconnect cable junction box, including: a box body, insulators, copper busbars, connection wires, T-shaped cable terminals, linear adapters, and an insulation spacer. The insulators, the copper busbars, the connection wires, and the T-shaped cable terminals are positioned inside the box body. The linear adapter includes a conductive rod, an insulation layer, a quick engagement connector, and a housing. One end of each of three linear adapters is electrically connected to the T-shaped cable terminal inside the box body. The three linear adapters, three T-shaped cable terminals, three connection wires, and three copper busbars form a three-phase electrical path. During operation, the three copper busbars are correspondingly connected to three phase lines of an incoming cable of a ring main unit; and the three linear adapters are engaged with quick connectors of three bypass cable connectors via the quick engagement connectors thereof.
US09997889B1
A laser device includes a gain medium configured to receive an excitation light and emit a fluorescence signal based on an amount of stored excitation light accumulated in the gain medium. The laser device includes a pump source configured to pump the excitation light to the gain medium using a supply voltage. The laser device includes one or more photodetectors configured to detect the fluorescence signal. The laser device also includes a comparator configured to generate an alert signal indicating an intensity of the detected fluorescence signal is greater than a threshold. The alert signal can trigger certain actions to occur for disrupting a destructive lasing action including one or more of ceasing output of the supply voltage to the pump source, spoiling an optical cavity to obstruct lasing action through the gain medium, or inserting a seed light to extract gain from the gain medium in a non-destructive manner.
US09997887B1
Fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) may be used to perform phase adjustment for optimal phase-sensitive amplification. Specifically, FBGs may be used between the idler stage and the amplification stage of an optical phase-sensitive amplifier for phase shifting or tuning. The phase shifting or tuning may be applied to at least one of an input optical signal, an idler signal, and an optical pump. A feedback control loop may be used in the phase-sensitive optical amplifier with respect to an output optical signal for optimal phase adjustment.
US09997882B1
Electrical charging devices and assemblies are provided herein. An example apparatus includes a cradle configured to receive and retain an electronic device, side rail tracks extending below the cradle, an electronics tray defining a recess that receives an interchangeable electronics assembly, the interchangeable electronics assembly having electrical conductors, means for electrically coupling the interchangeable electronics assembly with the electronic device, when the electronics tray is coupled with the side rail tracks, and the interchangeable electronics assembly being disposed inside the recess such that the electrical conductors protrude from the electronics tray.
US09997879B2
An electrical connector assembly includes a housing shroud enclosing the respective first and second connectors spaced and distinct from each other with the corresponding ports exposed outside of the housing shroud. A cable is connected to the first connector and the second connector respectively and extends out of the housing shroud opposite to the mating ports. The first connector is fixed within the housing shroud while the second connector is disposed in the housing shroud in a floating manner wherein the second connector is equipped with a rubber ring transversely confronting the housing shroud for obtaining the floating effect.
US09997878B1
According to aspects of the present disclosure, a lightweight busbar includes an aluminum body, a copper connector, and a cladded interface. The aluminum body defines a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The copper connector is disposed proximate the first end of the aluminum body. The copper connector is configured to be fastened to an external component. The cladded interface bonds the copper connector to the first end of the aluminum body. The cladded interface inhibits yield between aluminum and copper during thermal cycling.
US09997875B2
A connector includes separate portions that rotatably couple together and form a connector. The portions include elements for defining cavities and or slots therebetween that accept one or more shear elements, such as shear pins for the purposes of coupling the separate portions together in forming a unitary connector. The connector might be used between a cable and another connector or could form part of the connector on a cable. The shear element is configured for engaging the various portions and spanning across the interface for joining the portions together. The shear element is configured for breaking when a sufficient torque force is applied between the connector portions.
US09997874B2
An electrical connection is formed of a plug outside a housing and a circuit carrier inside the housing. The plug includes at least one plug contact and an end face in the direction of the housing wall. The circuit carrier includes a receptacle for a plug contact. The plug contact protrudes through an opening in the housing wall in order to establish the electrical connection. The cross-sectional surface of the opening is smaller than the end face of the plug, the end face completely covers the opening and the circuit carrier at least partially covers the opening.
US09997870B2
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, which has an insulation body, a shielding plate, a plurality of grounding terminals and conducting terminals accommodated in the insulation body. Each grounding terminal is formed by bending a linear wire and has an upper contacting portion, a bending portion extending from the upper contacting portion, and a lower contacting portion extending from the bending portion, wherein the upper contacting portion is parallel to the lower contacting portion. Therefore, the crosstalk between the upper-row signal terminals and the lower-row signal terminals is reduced, and the shielding effect is enhanced.
US09997867B2
It is aimed to enable a short circuit in a retainer insertion hole to be avoided. Short-circuit preventing walls (18) configured to partition between cavities (11) adjacent in an arrangement direction are provided in a retainer insertion hole (15). A retainer (13) is provided with a plurality of frame-like portions (20) along the arrangement direction of the respective cavities (11). Each frame-like portion (20) is formed to be able to communicate with the corresponding cavity (11). Escaping grooves (32) are formed along a mounting direction of the retainer (13) between the frame-like portions (20) adjacent in the arrangement direction. Escaping grooves (32) are open on front end parts in the mounting direction of the retainer (13) such that the retainer (13) is mountable into the retainer insertion hole (15) while avoiding interference with the short circuit preventing walls (18).
US09997863B2
Retainers (37) are exposed on an outer surface of the sub-housing (30) and are displaceable between a locking state for retaining terminal fittings (34) inserted into a sub-housing (30) and a separated state for allowing the terminal fittings (34) to be withdrawn from the sub-housing (30). A frame (10) is formed with a holding portion (20) configured to hold the sub-housing (30) by being locked to the outer surface of the sub-housing (30) and openings (24) expose the retainers (37) with the sub-housing (30) held in the holding portion (20).
US09997855B2
A pressure contact type connector includes: an upper flat plate portion; a lower flat plate portion which is disposed below the upper flat plate portion; a first spring portion which connects the upper and lower flat plate portions; and a second spring portion which extends upward from the lower flat plate portion and applies a resilient force to the upper flat plate portion, in which the first and second spring portions are wound about the upper flat plate portion when viewed from above in a plan view, and extend so that the spring portions do not interfere with each other when being compressed and extended in the vertical direction, the first spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension, and the second spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension.
US09997844B2
In one example, a contactless millimeter wave coupler comprises a metallic plate. The contactless millimeter wave coupler further comprises a crossed slot arranged in the metallic plate. The contactless millimeter wave coupler further comprises an antenna arrangement mounted beneath the crossed slot. The antenna arrangement comprises a first linearly polarized antenna and a second linearly polarized antenna arranged in a cross configuration relative to each other. The contactless millimeter wave coupler further comprises a wave guiding layer of dielectric material arranged above the antenna arrangement in alignment with the crossed slot and the antenna arrangement.
US09997840B2
A transmission type antenna includes a transmission type structure for transmitting and radiating an incident radio wave, a power feeding body for radiating the radio wave to the transmission type structure or receiving the incident radio wave, a drive shaft for moving or tilting the power feeding body, a body for providing a moving path of the power feeding body through the drive shaft, and a control unit, connected through the drive shaft to the power feeding body, for controlling the movement and tilt of the drive shaft to thereby determine the tilling direction of the power feeding body.
US09997838B2
Various embodiments of a millimeter-wave antenna system configured to enhance the gain in a communication network, in which one or more slotted wave-guides produce radiating slot structures that form accurate high-gain millimeter-wave radiation patterns. The system comprises one or more slotted wave-guides to transport millimeter-waves, a PCB including a substrate lamina and an electrically-conductive lamina with two or more highly accurate slots, and an electrically-conductive metal cover that intersects the electrically-conductive lamina to form an enclosed wave-guide cavity. Various embodiments of methods for producing the millimeter-wave antenna system, including different techniques for creating the accuracy of the slots in the slotted wave-guides.
US09997835B2
A bobbin for a bar antenna includes a core holding portion being configured to be mounted with a stick-shaped core, and a restriction portion being connected to the core holding portion, the restriction portion being configured to restrict a turned-back portion of a conductive wire from moving to a side where a lamination portion is positioned, the conductive wire forming the lamination portion by being wound to the core in a first direction in a longitudinal direction of the core, the turned-back portion serving as a portion being turned back in a second direction that is different from the first direction.
US09997834B1
An antenna device includes a base including a planar conductor disposed thereon, and a coil antenna. The coil antenna includes a coil conductor wound around a magnetic core. The coil antenna is arranged such that a coil opening of the coil conductor is closed to an edge of the planar conductor. A current passing through the coil conductor induces a current in the planar conductor. Thus, a first magnetic flux occurs in the coil antenna, and a second magnetic flux occurs in the planar conductor. Therefore, a third magnetic flux occurs in an area of the planar conductor. Accordingly, the antenna device achieves a small footprint, a small-sized communication terminal apparatus and a desired communication distance.
US09997833B2
An antenna using a length-adjustable slit includes a power supply line connected to a ground pad and a power supply pad for receiving a power supply signal from a PCB, the ground pad being connected to a case, a radiator formed on the case, the radiator including at least one slit having a dielectric embedded in the slit, and a plurality of switching terminals for controlling the resonant frequency of the slit.
US09997826B2
Devices and systems are disclosed for a Traffic Collision Avoidance system (TCAS) antenna. In some examples, the TCAS antenna includes two antenna elements, a first plurality of bolt holes, a second plurality of bolt holes, and a third plurality of bolt holes. The first plurality of bolt holes in conjunction with the second plurality of bolt holes enables the TCAS antenna to be mounted to an aircraft in a first orientation. The third plurality of bolt holes in conjunction with the first plurality of bolt holes enable the TCAS antenna to be mounted to the aircraft in a second orientation, and the second orientation is different than the first orientation.
US09997823B2
A combination antenna includes a conductive block having at least one electrical component mounted on the surface. A metallic housing is connected to the conductive block via at least one electronic element having a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface includes one or more plates separated by gaps of a predetermined width. The rear surface includes a continuous plate separated from the front surface by a gap of a second predetermined width. One or more antenna feeds are disposed between the front surface and the rear surface of the metallic housing and are connected to the metallic housing directly or via the at least one electronic element. A grounding plane includes one or more grounding points connected to the front surface and the rear surface directly or via the at least one electronic element.
US09997821B2
A frequency modulation assembly includes a self-locking screw, a self-locking adjuster and an elastic member. The self-locking screw has a first external screw thread, the self-locking adjuster has a mounting hole in which an internal screw thread is formed, the self-locking screw is inserted into the mounting hole, and the first external screw thread is engaged with the internal screw thread to achieve a connection between the self-locking screw and the self-locking adjuster, one end of the self-locking screw which passes through the mounting hole is inserted into a ceramic resonance rod in the cavity filter, and the elastic member is connected with the self-locking screw and configured between the self-locking adjuster and the ceramic resonance rod. The frequency modulation assembly can decrease accumulated assembly tolerances, reduce manufacturing cost and improve assembly efficiency, further the elastic member is beneficial to adjust the accuracy of the frequency modulation effect.
US09997808B2
An energy storage device configured to exchange energy with an external device includes a container having walls, a lid covering the container and having a safety pressure valve, a negative electrode disposed away from the walls of the container, a positive electrode in contact with at least a portion of the walls of the container, and an electrolyte contacting the negative electrode and the positive electrode at respective electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The negative electrode, the positive electrode and the electrolyte include separate liquid materials within the container at an operating temperature of the battery.
US09997806B2
An ionic liquid having high electrochemical stability and a low melting point. An ionic liquid represented by the following general formula (G0) is provided. In the general formula (G0), R0 to R5 are individually any of an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a methoxy group, a methoxymethyl group, a methoxyethyl group, and a hydrogen atom, and A− is a univalent imide-based anion, a univalent methide-based anion, a perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid anion, tetrafluoroborate, or hexafluorophosphate.
US09997802B2
Compositions and methods of making are provided for a high energy density lithium-aluminum battery. The battery comprises an anode comprising aluminum metal. The battery further comprises a cathode comprising a lithium metal oxide. The battery further comprises an electrolyte capable of supporting reversible deposition and stripping of aluminum at the anode, and reversible intercalation and deintercalation of lithium at the cathode.
US09997790B2
A fuel cell is provided which comprises a plurality of manifolds at a first end and a second end of the fuel cell and a separator having passages between the first and the second ends of the fuel cell. In particular, the fuel cell includes a nozzle disposed between at least one of the plurality of manifolds and the passages and having an inlet into which a material is introduced from the at least one of the plurality of manifolds and an outlet from which the introduced material is discharged to the passages.
US09997789B2
Disclosed is a lithium primary battery using a composite electrolyte, wherein, in order to maximize advantages of a lithium thionyl battery and a lithium sulfonyl battery, electrolytes of the two batteries are mixed to proceed two-stage discharging, thereby making it possible to check the battery usage.
US09997779B2
In at least one embodiment, a rechargeable battery is provided comprising an anode having an active material including MSb2O4 having a purity level of greater than 93 percent by weight, wherein M is a metal. The metal may have an oxidation state of 2+ and may include transition metals and/or alkali-earth metals. The anode active material may be synthesized using metal acetates or metal oxides. The synthesis may include heating at a first temperature to remove oxygen and water and reacting at a second temperature to form the MSb2O4 structure, which may be a spinel crystal structure.
US09997765B2
Electrodes and methods of forming electrodes are described herein. The electrode can be an electrode of an electrochemical cell or battery. The electrode includes a current collector and a film in electrical communication with the current collector. The film may include a carbon phase that holds the film together. The electrode further includes an electrode attachment substance that adheres the film to the current collector.
US09997764B2
The present invention provides a novel non-exfoliated graphite powder containing highly oriented grain aggregates (HOGA) having a new morphology and surface chemistry, methods for the production of such graphite powders as well as products containing such novel graphite particles.
US09997760B2
A combined battery (100) comprising a plurality of flat-type cells (10A to 10F) by laminating thereof so that polarity of electrode tabs (11A to 11F and 12A to 12F) is alternately set, wherein welding parts to connect in series the flat cells themselves, to compose a set when all the flat-type cells (10A to 10F) are laminated, are separated at a plurality of positions of the combined battery, and the flat-type cells having such a structure that all the flat-type cells are electrically connected in series by welding each of the welding parts.
US09997757B2
A cell connection assembly includes a first unit holding one side in a connection direction of a long connection member, and a second unit holding the other side in the connection direction of the long connection member. The first unit and the second unit are configured to be slidable and movable with respect to the long connection member in the connection direction of the long connection member. Even when there is a dimensional error between a plurality of electric cells and the cell connection assembly attached thereto, positions of the first unit and the second unit relative to each other can be changed with the long connection member in response to the dimensional error.
US09997735B2
Discussed is an organic light emitting display (OLED) apparatus which facilitates to prevent a color deviation for a white color of the OLED apparatus from being increased, and thus improves the properties of color change rate in color coordinates for the white light. The OLED apparatus may include a plurality of light emitting devices for emitting light of different colors, wherein the sum of the full width at half maximum of main peak wavelength of light respectively emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting devices is 75 nm or more when the white light is emitted from the OLED apparatus.
US09997712B2
The present disclosure provides novel compounds containing dibenzo[fg,op]tetracene and larger all-benzenoid moiety that can be used as hosts for phosphorescent emitters providing low-voltage, high-efficiency and high-stability devices.
US09997708B2
A mask frame assembly includes a frame having an opening, a support bar extended in a first direction crossing the opening of the frame and having distal ends installed over the frame, and a mask having extended in a second direction crossing the first direction, having distal ends installed over the frame, and having a pattern unit extended along the second direction and configured to pass a deposition material. The support bar includes a first opening disposed on one side of the support bar and having a first width in the second direction, and a second opening disposed on the other side of the support bar opposite to the one side of the support bar and having a second width greater than the first width in the second direction.
US09997707B2
The invention relates generally to perovskite materials, and in particular, to perovskite thin films having large crystalline grains. Methods of forming the perovskite thin films are disclosed herein. The perovskite thin films find particular use in photovoltaic applications.
US09997698B2
A storage element includes a layer structure including a storage layer having a direction of magnetization which changes according to information, a magnetization fixed layer having a fixed direction of magnetization, and an intermediate layer disposed therebetween, which intermediate layer contains a nonmagnetic material. The magnetization fixed layer has at least two ferromagnetic layers having a direction of magnetization tilted from a direction perpendicular to a film surface, which are laminated and magnetically coupled interposing a coupling layer therebetween. This configuration may effectively prevent divergence of magnetization reversal time due to directions of magnetization of the storage layer and the magnetization fixed layer being substantially parallel or antiparallel, reduce write errors, and enable writing operation in a short time.
US09997697B2
In one embodiment, there is provided a non-volatile magnetic memory cell. The non-volatile magnetic memory cell comprises a switchable magnetic element; and a word line and a bit line to energize the switchable magnetic element; wherein at least one of the word line and the bit line comprises a magnetic sidewall that is discontinuous.
US09997685B2
Light emitting device includes structure protruding from a side of a surface of second conductive semiconductor layer of LED chip toward a side of a surface of second conductor portion of mounting substrate to contact the surface of second conductor portion, and is positioned to extend around an outer periphery of second electrode. First electrode and a first conductor portion are joined to each other by first joint portion, and second joint portion joining second electrode and second conductor portion to each other fills a space surrounded by second electrode, protruding structure, and second conductor portion. Protruding structure is disposed to extend around the outer periphery of second electrode to surround second joint portion in planar view. A part of mounting substrate overlapping protruding structure in planar view is either identical in height to or lower than a part of second conductor portion joined to second joint portion.
US09997680B2
A light emitting device includes a substrate, a light emitting element provided on the substrate, a first resin layer provided on the substrate to directly cover the light emitting element having a first side surface and a second side surface, and the first side surface and the second side surface differ from each other in inclination angle with respect to the substrate, and a second resin layer provided so as to surround side surfaces of the first resin layer.
US09997679B2
A light-emitting device of the invention includes, a first substrate; a light-emitting element mounted on the first substrate and includes a second substrate and a semiconductor structure including a light-emitting layer; and a light-shielding body which is formed only on a surface of the light-emitting element opposite to the first substrate and includes a material including light-shielding particles.
US09997676B2
A light emitting device includes a wavelength conversion layer, at least one light emitting unit and a reflective protecting element. The wavelength conversion layer has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to each other. The light emitting unit has two electrode pads located on the same side of the light emitting unit. The light emitting unit is disposed on the upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer and exposes the two electrode pads. The reflective protecting element encapsulates at least a portion of the light emitting unit and a portion of the wavelength conversion layer, and exposes the two electrode pads of the light emitting unit.
US09997675B2
A light-emitting-device package according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a metal substrate; a light emitting device disposed on a first surface of the metal substrate and configured to emit at least ultraviolet light; a pair of electrodes disposed to be spaced apart from each other on at least the first surface of the metal substrate, and electrically connected to the light emitting device; and an insulating layer provided between the metal substrate and the pair of electrodes. UV reflectance of the first surface of the metal body is higher than UV reflectance of the pair of electrodes.
US09997663B2
There is provided a semiconductor light emitting device including a conductive substrate, a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, a second electrode layer, a second semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a first semiconductor layer that are sequentially stacked. The contact area between the first electrode layer and the first semiconductor layer is 3% to 13% of the total area of the semiconductor light emitting device, and thus high luminous efficiency is achieved.
US09997657B2
An assembly that includes a barrier film interposed between a first polymeric film substrate and a first major surface of a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is provided. The first polymeric film substrate has a first coefficient of thermal expansion that is, in some embodiments, up to 50 parts per million per Kelvin. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer has a second major surface opposite the first major surface that is disposed on a second polymeric film substrate. The second polymeric film substrate is typically resistant to degradation by ultraviolet light. In some embodiments, the second polymeric film substrate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is at least 40 parts per million per Kelvin higher than the first coefficient of thermal expansion. The assembly is transmissive to visible and infrared light.
US09997650B2
A solar cell includes: a first-conductivity-type semiconductor substrate that includes an impurity diffusion layer on one surface side, which is a light receiving surface side, the impurity diffusion layer having a second-conductivity-type impurity element diffused therein; a plurality of linear light-receiving-surface-side electrodes that are a paste electrode that has a multi-layered structure, is formed by multi-layer printing of an electrode material paste on the one surface side, and is electrically connected to the impurity diffusion layer and that extend in parallel in a specific direction in a plane direction of the semiconductor substrate; and a back-surface-side electrode that is formed on another surface side of the semiconductor substrate. In the light-receiving-surface-side electrodes, the light-receiving-surface-side electrodes get smaller in width as they get closer in a width direction of the light-receiving-surface-side electrodes to a specific reference position.
US09997644B2
Method and apparatus for maximizing the output of a dynamically biased avalanche photodiode (APD). The output of the APD is amplified. A feedback loop comprising a phase shifter measures the RF power of the amplified output and adjusts the phase of the AC signal which is used to dynamically bias the APD until the output power is maximized. The AC signal is also split into out of phase signals, thereby substantially canceling out the bias current injected into the APD output, leaving only the desired amplified optical output signal. The monitoring and tuning of the AC dynamic bias can eliminate phase drift over time, as well as other non-ideal effects that can occur, such as those due to temperature changes or device aging effects.
US09997627B2
A semiconductor device includes: a channel layer surrounded by a source layer; a first dielectric layer around the source layer; a gate layer around the channel layer and on the source layer; a first oxide semiconductor layer between the gate layer and the channel layer; a second oxide semiconductor layer between the gate layer and the drain layer; a second gate dielectric layer between the second oxide semiconductor layer and the drain layer; a drain layer on the gate layer and around the channel layer; and a second dielectric layer around the drain layer.
US09997615B2
Methods for forming semiconductor structures are provided. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a hard mask structure over a substrate and etching the substrate through an opening of the hard mask structure to form a trench. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes removing a portion of the hard mask structure to enlarge the opening and forming an epitaxial-growth structure in the trench and the opening.
US09997611B2
A graphene wiring structure of an embodiment has a multilayered graphene having a plurality of planar graphene sheets laminated, and a first interlayer substance being a metal oxyhalide between the plurality of planar graphene sheets.
US09997605B2
The present invention discloses an LDMOS device, whose drift region is composed of a first drift region and a second drift region, the first drift region being composed of an ion implantation region formed in a selected region of the silicon substrate; the second drift region, composed of the doped polysilicon formed on the surface of the silicon substrate, is superimposed on the first drift region, with the drain region formed in the second drift region. With the second drift region of the present invention, the thickness of the entire drift region can be increased, and thus the parasitic resistance of the entire drift region can be reduced, the linear current of the device can be effectively increased, and the on-resistance of the device can be effectively reduced; the device of the present invention can also maintain a high breakdown voltage and lower process cost. The present invention further discloses a method for manufacturing the LDMOS device.
US09997604B2
Provided are an electrode connecting structure that includes an adhesion layer formed between a graphene layer and a metal layer and an electronic device having the electrode connecting structure. The electrode connecting structure may include an adhesion layer formed of a two-dimensional material provided between the graphene layer and the metal layer. The graphene layer may be a diffusion barrier, and the adhesion layer may stably maintain the interface characteristics of the graphene layer and the metal layer when the metal layer is formed on a surface of the graphene layer.
US09997597B2
A method for forming a vertical single electron transistor includes forming a heterostructured nanowire having a SiGe region centrally disposed between an upper portion and a lower portion in the nanowire. An oxide is deposited to cover the SiGe region, and a condensation process is performed to convert the SiGe to oxide and condense Ge to form an island between the upper portion and the lower portion of the nanowire. A bottom contact is formed about the lower portion, a first dielectric layer is formed on the bottom contact and a gate structure is formed about the island on the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the gate structure, and a top contact is formed on the second dielectric layer.
US09997590B2
A method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of linear semiconductor fin structures spaced apart from one another on a surface of the substrate; siliciding sidewalls of the semiconductor fin structures; removing an unsilicided central portion of each semiconductor fin structure leaving, for a given one of the semiconductor fin structures, a pair of silicide fin structures that are parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another by a distance about equal to a width of the removed unsilicided central portion of the semiconductor fin structure; and forming contacts to conductively connect together a plurality of the silicide fin structures to form a resistor. A resistance value of the resistor is related at least to a type of silicide, a number of contacted adjacent silicide fin structures and a length between two contacts.
US09997583B2
A double-faced display panel and a double-faced display device comprising the double-faced display panel are provided. The double-faced display panel comprises: a first display sub-unit, provided with a first display surface and a first non-display surface opposite to each other; a second display sub-unit, provided with a second display surface and a second non-display surface opposite to each other, and arranged back to back with the first display sub-unit, the second non-display surface facing the first non-display surface; and a reflection unit, arranged between the first display sub-unit and the second display sub-unit. The reflection unit is configured to reflect display light emitted from the first display sub-unit back to the first display sub-unit and reflect display light emitted from the second display sub-unit back to the second display sub-unit.
US09997576B2
To provide a display device with a manufacturing yield and/or a display device with suppressed mixture of colors between adjacent pixels. The display device includes a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, and an adhesive layer. The first insulating layer includes a first opening. The second insulating layer includes a second opening. The first opening and the second opening are provided between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode. In a top view, a periphery of the second opening is positioned on an inner side than a periphery of the first opening. The adhesive layer has a region overlapping with the second insulating layer below the second insulating layer.
US09997573B2
The present disclosure describes nano-structured light extraction color filter laminates, and articles and methods of using nanostructured light extraction color filter laminates for the fabrication of an OLED including a nanostructure, using lamination techniques. Nanostructured OLED devices can exhibit enhanced light extraction efficiency. The methods involve transfer and/or replication of a film, layer, or coating in order to form a nanostructured surface that is in optical contact with the emitting surface of an OLED in, for example, a top emitting or a bottom emitting active matrix OLED (TE-AMOLED or BE-AMOLED) device. The articles having enhanced light extraction efficiency can be of particular use in color-by-white (CBW) OLED displays, which use white-light spectrum OLEDs with a color filter array.
US09997565B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory element comprises a first magnetic unit, a second magnetic unit, a first insulating unit, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The first magnetic unit includes a plurality of magnetic domains. The second magnetic unit includes a first region and a second region. The first region includes a conductive material. The second region includes an insulating material. At least one of the first region or the second region is magnetic. The first insulating unit is provided between the first magnetic unit and the second magnetic unit. The first electrode and the second electrode are connected to the first magnetic unit. A part of the second magnetic unit and a part of the first insulating unit are provided between the third electrode and a part of the first magnetic unit.
US09997563B2
An embodiment integrates memory, such as spin-torque transfer magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) within a logic chip. The STT-MRAM includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) that has an upper MTJ layer, a lower MTJ layer, and a tunnel barrier directly contacting the upper MTJ layer and the lower MTJ layer; wherein the upper MTJ layer includes an upper MTJ layer sidewall and the lower MTJ layer includes a lower MTJ sidewall horizontally offset from the upper MTJ layer. Another embodiment includes a memory area, comprising a MTJ, and a logic area located on a substrate; wherein a horizontal plane intersects the MTJ, a first Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) material adjacent the MTJ, and a second ILD material included in the logic area, the first and second ILD materials being unequal to one another. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09997525B2
A semiconductor device may include a first conductive pattern having a line portion and a pad portion connected to the line portion on a substrate, a gate insulating pattern and a second conductive pattern sequentially stacked on the substrate, and a capping layer disposed on the first and second conductive patterns. A first trench is defined in an upper portion of the substrate adjacent to one side of the second conductive pattern, and the capping layer at least partially fills the first trench.
US09997523B2
A static random access memory (SRAM) cell can include a first pull-up transistor, a first pull-down transistor, a second pull-up transistor, a second pull-down transistor, a first access transistor, and a second access transistor, all being coupled together in a 6 transistor SRAM cell, wherein each of the transistors is configured as a vertical channel transistor.
US09997519B1
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes depositing a first work function metal layer in nanosheet channel stacks for first and second CMOS structure each including a first nanosheet channel stack for an nFET and a second nanosheet channel stack for a pFET. The method also includes patterning to remove the first work function metal layer surrounding nanosheet channels in the first nanosheet channel stack of the first CMOS structure and nanosheet channels in the second nanosheet channel stack of the second CMOS structure. The method further includes depositing a second work function metal layer to surround the nanosheet channels in the first nanosheet channel stack of the first CMOS structure and the nanosheet channels in the second nanosheet channel stack of the second CMOS structure. The first CMOS structure has a first threshold voltage and the second CMOS structure has a second threshold voltage.
US09997516B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and first and second bipolar transistors. The semiconductor substrate includes first and second main surfaces opposing each other. The first bipolar transistor is formed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate and includes a first emitter layer. The second bipolar transistor is formed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate and includes a second emitter layer and a resistor layer. The resistor layer is stacked on the second emitter layer in a direction normal to the first main surface.
US09997514B2
Provided are a driver circuit which suppresses damage of a semiconductor element due to ESD in a manufacturing process, a method of manufacturing the driver circuit. Further provided are a driver circuit provided with a protection circuit with low leakage current, and a method of manufacturing the driver circuit. By providing a protection circuit in a driver circuit to be electrically connected to a semiconductor element in the driver circuit, and by forming, at the same time, a transistor which serves as the semiconductor element in the driver circuit and a transistor included in the protection circuit in the driver circuit, damage of the semiconductor element due to ESD is suppressed in the process of manufacturing the driver circuit. Further, by using an oxide semiconductor film for the transistor included in the protection circuit in the driver circuit, leakage current in the protection circuit is reduced.
US09997505B2
Various examples of a lighting device, backlight module and illumination module are described. A lighting device includes a carrier component, an LED chip, a thermistor, and a plurality of metal wires. The carrier component includes a plurality of electrodes. The LED chip and the thermistor are disposed on the carrier component and electrically coupled to each other. The plurality of metal wires form a circuit with the plurality of electrodes, the LED chip, and the thermistor. The thermistor has dimensions in chip-level scale when viewed from the top of the lighting device. A backlight module includes the aforementioned lighting device. An illumination module includes the aforementioned lighting device and a driver which is electrically coupled to the lighting device.
US09997504B2
In one general aspect, an electronic device module includes a first board, a first device mounted on a first surface of the first board, a second board disposed below the first board, and a plurality of second devices disposed between the first board and the second board, wherein a surface of each second device the plurality of second devices is bonded to a second surface of the first board and another surface of each of the second devices is bonded to the second board.
US09997501B2
A compound light-emitting diode (LED) device includes a semiconductor substrate having an active electronic circuit formed in or on the semiconductor substrate. Two or more electrically conductive circuit connection pads are formed in or on the semiconductor substrate and are electrically connected to the active electronic circuit. One or more micro-transfer printed LEDs each have at least two LED electrodes or connection pads and a fractured LED tether. An adhesive layer is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and each LED to adhere the semiconductor substrate to the LED. Two or more electrical conductors electrically connect one of the electrodes or LED connection pads to one of the circuit connection pads.
US09997500B1
A common-source type package structure is provided in the present invention. In the package structure, an integrated component body is configured a common-source pin region, a first arrangement region and a second arrangement region. The second and first arrangement regions are spaced apart from each other. A first MOSFET die and a second MOSFET are respectively located at the first and second arrangement region respectively, and have a top surface, a source electrode pad and a gate electrode pad. The source electrode pad and the gate electrode pad are exposed to the top surface and spaced apart from each other. A common-source connection element is connected to the source electrode pad and the common-source pin region. A gate connection element is connected to the gate electrode pad and a gate pin region of the integrated component body.
US09997496B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an embodiment includes: a CMOS inverter including an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor, one of the n-channel transistor and the p-channel transistor being disposed above the other of the n-channel transistor and the p-channel transistor.
US09997483B2
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal pad over the semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer including a portion over the metal pad, a polymer layer over the passivation layer, and a Post-Passivation Interconnect (PPI) over the polymer layer. The PPI is electrically connected to the metal pad. The PPI includes a PPI line have a first width, and a PPI pad having a second width greater than the first width. The PPI pad is connected to the PPI line. The PPI pad includes an inner portion having a first thickness, and an edge portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.
US09997482B2
A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a first substrate and a metal pad formed over the first substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a solder stud formed over the metal pad, and the solder stud has a flat top surface parallel to a top surface of the first substrate.
US09997475B2
A method for making a photovoltaic device is provided that includes the steps of providing a silicon substrate having a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (“CMOS”); bonding a first layer of silicon oxide to a second layer of silicon oxide wherein the bonded layers are deposited on the silicon substrate; and forming a III-V photovoltaic cell on a side of the bonded silicon oxide layers opposite the silicon substrate, wherein when the III-V photovoltaic cell is exposed to radiation, the III-V photovoltaic cell generates a current that powers a memory erasure device to cause an alteration of a memory state of a memory cell in an integrated circuit.
US09997466B2
The present disclosure describes a stacked integrated circuit system that includes two integrated circuit layers stacked on opposite sides of an interposer layer. The interposer layer may include at least one integrated circuit die and an interposer portion that includes a plurality of electrically conductive pillars arranged in a laterally patterned array within the interposer layer.
US09997465B1
Semiconductor package structures are provided. A semiconductor package structure includes a chip, a molding material surrounding the chip, a through-via extending from a first surface to a second surface of the molding material, a first re-distribution layer (RDL) wire disposed on the second surface of the molding material and coupled to the through-via, and a second RDL wire disposed on the second surface of the molding material and parallel to the first RDL wire. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. A portion of the second RDL wire across the through-via has a first segment with a first width and a second segment with a second width different from the first width.
US09997462B2
A memory device includes a vertical string of nonvolatile memory cells on a substrate, along with a ground selection transistor extending between the vertical string of nonvolatile memory cells and the substrate. The ground selection transistor can have a current carrying terminal electrically coupled to a channel region of a nonvolatile memory cell in the vertical string of nonvolatile memory cells. The ground selection transistor includes a gate electrode associated with a ground selection line of the memory device. This gate electrode includes: (i) a mask pattern, (ii) a barrier metal layer of a first material extending opposite a sidewall of the mask pattern and (iii) a metal pattern of a second material different from the first material extending between at least a portion of the barrier metal layer and the mask pattern.
US09997453B2
Antifuse structures are provided for use in applications such as field programmable gate arrays and programmable read-only memories. High aspect ratio channels within an antifuse dielectric layer are used to form antifuse electrode projections. The projections are configured to enhance the electric field across the antifuse structures, thereby facilitating dielectric breakdown. The antifuse structures can enable low-voltage programming.
US09997449B2
A semiconductor device connection structure includes: a semiconductor element having a plate shape and including an external connection electrode on a surface of the semiconductor element; a support member which is stacked on the semiconductor element to be adhered to the semiconductor element and of which adhesion surface has a column shape that is substantially same as that of the semiconductor element, a thickness of the support member in a stacking direction being larger than that of the semiconductor element; and a flexible board configured to be electrically connected to the external connection electrode. The flexible board is arranged on a side surface of the semiconductor element and on a side surface of the support member and is adhered only to the side surface of the support member with an adhesive.
US09997447B1
A semiconductor device package includes a carrier, a first insulation layer, a capacitor element, a plurality of interconnection structures, a plurality of substantially parallel top-side metal bars, and a plurality of substantially parallel bottom-side metal bars. The first insulation layer is on the carrier and has a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the carrier and opposite to the first surface, the first insulation layer defining a plurality of through holes. The capacitor element is in the first insulation layer, the capacitor element including a top electrode and a bottom electrode. The plurality of interconnection structures are within the through holes and formed as conductive through holes. The plurality of substantially parallel top-side metal bars are on the first surface of the first insulation layer. The plurality of substantially parallel bottom-side metal bars are on the second surface of the first insulation layer.
US09997438B2
An electronic component, in one embodiment, includes a semiconductor die, a die pad supporting the semiconductor die, and a plurality of leads that include a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines. The first set of metal lines cross over the second set of metal lines at crossings. The first set of metal lines is separated by a molding compound from the second set of metal line at the crossings. The first set of metal lines is in a same first plane parallel to the semiconductor die. Each of the second set of metal lines include a first portion oriented along the first set of metal lines and disposed in the first plane, and a second portion offset from the first portion. A plurality of electrical connections couple the semiconductor die to the plurality of leads.
US09997433B2
A heat dissipating device includes a heat dissipating module, a heat pipe, and an injection molded member formed by molding and solidifying. The heat pipe has a transfer segment, a heat input segment, and a heat output segment. The heat input segment and the heat output segment are respectively integrally extended from two opposite ends of the transfer segment. The heat input segment and the heat output segment each has a contact surface, and at least one of the contact surfaces contacts the heat dissipating module. The injection molded member connects to the heat dissipating module and a portion of the heat pipe, which contacts the heat dissipating module, for keeping the connection of the heat dissipating module and the contact surface of the heat pipe. The instant disclosure also provides a manufacturing method of the heat dissipating device by using connection of the injection molded member.
US09997425B2
An integrated circuit includes stacked benzocyclobutene layers and a circuit geometry comprising conductive electric traces and interconnects on and/or extending through the BCB layers. A first said BCB layer formed and partially cured state. A top surface masked with photoresist, and after exposure, etched selectively form through vias at locations corresponding to conductive interconnects of the circuit geometry associated with said first BCB layer. A further mask coating is applied and after exposure, conductive metal is deposited to infill vias and form the electric traces of the circuit geometry. Subsequent BCB layers are then likewise formed, etched masked and coated in the same manner.
US09997422B2
A wafer is positioned on a wafer support apparatus beneath an electrode such that a plasma generation region exists between the wafer and the electrode. Radiofrequency signals of a first signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region to generate a plasma within the plasma generation region. Formation of a plasma instability is detected within the plasma based on supply of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency. After detecting formation of the plasma instability, radiofrequency signals of a second signal frequency are supplied to the plasma generation region in lieu of the radiofrequency signals of the first signal frequency to generate the plasma. The second signal frequency is greater than the first signal frequency and is set to cause a reduction in ion energy within the plasma and a corresponding reduction in secondary electron emission from the wafer caused by ion interaction with the wafer.
US09997420B2
One or more methods or systems for performing chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) are provided. The system includes at least one of an emitter, a detector, a spectroscopic signal generator, a comparator, a spectral library, a controller or a CMP device. A spectroscopic signal is generated and is used to determine the thickness of a first material formed on or from a wafer by comparing the spectroscopic signal to a spectral library. Responsive to the thickness not being equal to the desired thickness, the controller instructs the CMP device to perform a rotation to reduce the thickness of the first material. The system and method herein increase the sensitivity of the CMP, such that the thickness of the first material is reduced with greater accuracy and precision, as compared to where the thickness is not measured between consecutive rotations of a wafer.
US09997414B2
Techniques are disclosed for forming Ge/SiGe-channel and III-V-channel transistors on the same die. The techniques include depositing a pseudo-substrate of Ge/SiGe or III-V material on a Si or insulator substrate. The pseudo-substrate can then be patterned into fins and a subset of the fins can be replaced by the other of Ge/SiGe or III-V material. The Ge/SiGe fins can be used for p-MOS transistors and the III-V material fins can be used for n-MOS transistors, and both sets of fins can be used for CMOS devices, for example. In some instances, only the channel region of the subset of fins are replaced during, for example, a replacement gate process. In some instances, some or all of the fins may be formed into or replaced by one or more nanowires or nanoribbons.
US09997409B1
The invention relates to a method comprising providing a substrate with a channel layer, forming a gate stack structure on the channel layer and forming a raised source and a raised drain on the channel layer. The method further comprises depositing in a non-conformal way an oxide layer above the gate stack structure, the raised source and the raised drain. A first void above the raised source and a second void above the raised drain gate are created adjacent to vertical edges of the gate stack structure. The method further comprises etching the oxide layer for a predefined etching time, thereby removing the oxide layer above the raised source and the raised drain, while keeping it at least partly on the channel layer. Contacts are formed to the raised source and the raised drain. The invention also concerns a corresponding computer program product.
US09997407B2
Voidless contact metal structures are provided. In one embodiment, a voidless contact metal structure is provided by first providing a first contact metal that contains a void within a contact opening. The void is then opened to provide a divot in the first contact metal. After forming a dielectric spacer atop a portion of first contact metal, a second contact metal is then formed that lacks any void. The second contact metal fills the entirety of the divot within the first contact metal. In another embodiment, two diffusion barrier structures are provided within a contact opening, followed by the formation of a contact metal structure that lacks any void.
US09997404B2
Methods of semiconductor device fabrication are provided including those that provide a substrate having a plurality of trenches disposed in a dielectric layer formed above the substrate. A spacer material layer is formed over the plurality of trenches. A via pattern including a plurality of openings is formed over the spacer material layer and plurality of trenches. Via holes can be etched in the dielectric layer using the via pattern and spacer material layer as a masking element.
US09997401B2
A method for forming the semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first metal layer over a substrate and forming a dielectric layer over the first metal layer. The method includes forming an antireflection layer over the dielectric layer, forming a hard mask layer over the antireflection layer and forming a patterned photoresist layer over the hard mask layer. The method includes etching a portion of the antireflection layer by performing a first etching process and etching through the antireflection layer and etching a portion of the dielectric layer by performing a second etching process. The method includes etching through the dielectric layer by performing a third etching process to form a via portion on the first metal layer. The via portion includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the slope of the first sidewall is different from that of the second sidewall.
US09997399B2
A method for transferring a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes: coating an adhesive layer onto a carrier substrate; disposing the semiconductor structure onto the adhesive layer, in which the adhesive layer includes an adhesive component and an surfactant component after the disposing, the semiconductor structure includes a body and a bottom electrode, and the bottom electrode is disposed between the body and the adhesive layer after the disposing; irradiating a first electromagnetic wave to the adhesive layer to reduce adhesion pressure of the adhesive layer to the semiconductor structure while the semiconductor structure remains on the adhesive layer, in which the carrier substrate, the semiconductor structure, and the bottom electrode have a pass band in between ultraviolet to infrared; and transferring the semiconductor structure from the adhesive layer to a receiving substrate after the adhesion pressure of the adhesive layer is reduced.
US09997394B2
A method of transferring a thin layer from a first substrate to a second substrate with different coefficients of thermal expansion, including: providing at least one intermediate layer which temperature is increased by induction when an electromagnetic field is applied to it, more than a temperature increase in the first and second substrates; making contact between the first substrate and the second substrate, with the at least one intermediate layer interposed between them; fracturing the first substrate at a weakened zone making use of supply of thermal energy at the weakened zone made by applying an electromagnetic field to a heterostructure formed by making contact between the first substrate and the second substrate, the application generating local induction heating in the intermediate layer that induces a temperature gradient with a local value at the weakened zone activating the fracture mechanism.
US09997382B2
In a substrate processing apparatus, an outer edge portion of a substrate in a horizontal state is supported from below by an annular substrate supporting part, and a lower surface facing part having a facing surface facing a lower surface of the substrate is provided inside the substrate supporting part. A gas ejection nozzle for ejecting heated gas toward the lower surface is provided in the lower surface facing part, and the substrate is heated by the heated gas when an upper surface of the rotating substrate is processed with a processing liquid ejected from an upper nozzle. Further, a lower nozzle is provided in the lower surface facing part, to thereby perform a processing on the lower surface with a processing liquid. Since the gas ejection nozzle protrudes from the facing surface, a flow of the processing liquid into the gas ejection nozzle can be suppressed during the processing.
US09997381B2
An edge ring assembly is disclosed for use in a plasma processing chamber, which includes an RF conductive ring positioned on an annular surface of a base plate and configured to surround an upper portion of the baseplate and extend underneath an outer edge of a wafer positioned on the upper surface of the baseplate, and a wafer edge protection ring positioned above an upper surface of the RF conductive ring and configured to extend over the outer edge of the wafer. The protection ring has an inner edge portion with a uniform thickness, which extends over the outer edge of the wafer, a conical upper surface extending outward from the inner edge portion to a horizontal upper surface, an inner annular recess which is positioned on the upper surface of the RF conductive and configured to extend over the outer edge of the wafer.
US09997365B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: loading a substrate into a process container after dry-etching a portion of a silicon film formed in a recess on the substrate; performing etching to partially or entirely remove the silicon film remaining on a side wall inside the recess by supplying an etching gas selected from a hydrogen bromide gas and a hydrogen iodide gas into the process container of a vacuum atmosphere while heating the substrate; subsequently forming a silicon film inside the recess; and heating the substrate to increase a grain size of the silicon film.
US09997351B2
A method may include generating a plasma in a plasma chamber and directing the ions comprising at least one of a condensing species and inert gas species from the plasma to a cavity within a substrate at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of the substrate. The method may further include; depositing a fill material within the cavity using the condensing species, the depositing taking place concurrently with the directing the ions, wherein the fill material accumulates on a lower surface of the cavity at a first rate, and wherein the fill material accumulates on an upper portion of a sidewall of the cavity at a second rate less than the first rate.
US09997341B2
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising experimentally determining or measuring one or more first ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or first ion mobility parameters and one or more mass or mass to charge ratios of one or more analyte ions, generating a first list of possible candidate compounds which correspond to said one or more analyte ions on the basis of the one or more determined or measured masses or mass to charge ratios, and calculating, estimating or determining one or more second ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or second ion mobility parameters of at least some of the candidate compounds in the first list. The method further comprises a step of either: (i) generating a second reduced list of possible candidate compounds by filtering or removing candidate compounds from the first list if the difference between said one or more experimentally determined or measured first ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or first ion mobility parameters and the one or more calculated, estimated or determined second ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or second ion mobility parameters is greater than a predetermined amount; and/or (ii) reducing a likelihood value associated with one or more possible candidate compounds in the first list if the difference between said one or more experimentally determined or measured first ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or first ion mobility parameters and the one or more calculated, estimated or determined second ion mobility values, collision cross sections or interaction cross sections collision cross sections or second ion mobility parameters is greater than a predetermined amount.
US09997336B2
A multi-zone gas distribution plate (GDP) for high uniformity in plasma-based etching is provided. A housing defines a process chamber and comprises a gas inlet configured to receive a process gas. A GDP is arranged in the process chamber and is configured to distribute the process gas within the process chamber. The GDP comprises a plurality of holes extending through the GDP, and further comprises a plurality of zones into which the holes are grouped. The zones comprise a first zone and a second zone. Holes of the first zone share a first cross-sectional profile and holes of the second zone share a second cross-sectional profile different than the first cross-sectional profile. A method for designing the multi-zone GDP is also provided.
US09997326B2
In a charged particle beam device including an objective lens that focuses a charged particle beam; a first deflector that deflects the charged particle beam to emit the charged particle beam to a sample from a direction different from an ideal optical axis of the objective lens; and a second deflector that deflects a charged particle emitted from the sample, a charged particle focusing lens to focus the charged particle emitted from the sample is disposed between the sample and the second deflector and strengths of the objective lens and the charged particle focusing lens are controlled, according to deflection conditions of the first deflector.
US09997325B2
The present invention is directed to a gas line electron beam exciter, gas line electron beam excitation system and method for exciting a gas using an electron beam exciter. The electron beam exciter generally comprises a variable density electron source for generating a cloud of electrons in an electron chamber and a variable energy electron extractor for accelerating electrons from the electron chamber as an electron beam and into an effluent stream for fluorescing species in the effluent. The electron density of the electron beam is variably controlled by adjusting the excitation power applied to the variable density electron source. The electrons in the electron chamber reside at a reference electrical potential of the chamber, typically near ground electrical potential. The electron energy of the electron beam is variably controlled by adjusting an electrical potential across the variable energy electron extractor, which energizes the electrons through an extraction hole of the chamber and toward the extractor. The greater the difference in the electrical potential between the electron extractor and the electron source, the higher the energy imparted to the electrons in the electron beam. The excitation power applied to the electron source can be adjusted independently from the electron energy of the electron beam, thereby altering the electron density of the electron beam without changing the energy level of the electrons of the electron beam.
US09997320B2
The circuit breaker is fabricated by an assembly step that makes a circuit breaker assembly with a moving contact metal plate, stationary contact metal plate, and bimetallic strip disposed in prescribed locations in an external case; and an anneal step that introduces the circuit breaker assembly made in the assembly step into an anneal oven, heats the circuit breaker assembly in the anneal oven and then cools it to anneal both the moving contact metal plate and the bimetallic strip and produce a heat-treated circuit breaker.
US09997317B2
A switching system includes a control circuit that receives On-Off signals indicative of a desired operating state of a switch. The control circuit includes an oscillator that generates a first electrical pulse responsive having a first signal characteristic or a second signal characteristic that is determined by the received On-Off signal, which may be related to a frequency or duty cycle of the pulse. A pulse transformer connected to the oscillator receives the first electrical pulse and outputs a second electrical pulse having the same one of the first signal characteristic and the second signal characteristic as the first electrical pulse. A pulse detection circuit in the control circuit receives the second electrical pulse, determines whether the second electrical pulse has the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic, and controls transmission of power and control signals to the switch based on this determination.
US09997315B2
A magnetic type switch may include a magnet having a magnetic pole face arranged to face a magnetic body provided in an object. A change in magnetic field due to a change in distance between the magnetic body and the magnet by an operation of the object may be detected to output a signal for indicating at lease one of a presence and an absence of the operation of the object. The switch may also include a casing in which the magnet may be disposed, where the casing may have a facing part between the magnet pole face of the magnet and the magnetic body. The switch may further include a protector member formed of a non-magnetic body having a predetermined thickness in a direction vertical to the magnetic pole face, where the protector member maybe attached to the casing to cover at least the facing part.
US09997314B2
The gas circuit breaker includes a sealed container filled with an arc-extinguishing gas, a pair of fixed arc electrodes arranged in the sealed container to be opposite to each other, a trigger electrode movably arranged between the fixed arc electrodes and generating an arc discharge according to movement, a pressurization chamber pressuring and increasing a pressure of the arc-extinguishing gas with pressurization means, and a pressure accumulation chamber in communication with the pressurization chamber and accumulating the pressurized arc-extinguishing gas. The trigger electrode switches the pressure accumulation chamber into a closed state or an open state. The pressure accumulation chamber is switched to the closed state in a first half of breaking of the electric current, and the pressure accumulation chamber is switched to the open state in a latter half of breaking of the electric current. The arc-extinguishing gas in the pressure accumulation chamber is guided to the arc discharge.
US09997313B2
This invention involves composite embedded-pole and its operating principles, including an insulating cylinder which has upper and lower cavities, and one of its ends tightly connects a sealed cap. As for the upper cavity, there is an outlet block on the left end, a spacing-set pair of static conductive blocks which bond with each other in the middle, and a grounding block on the right. Parts of the left static conductive block inserts into the left of the lower cavity. The lead screw in the upper cavity is for rotary location with one end stretching out the sealed cap. The lead screw, spirally connects with moving contact set that matches with outlet block, static conductive block, and grounding block forming a 3-bonding-position. There is a vacuum interrupter in the lower cavity, whose static contact bonding with the left static conductive block, and the outer end of the moving contact flexibly couples with the left of the insulating pull rod. What's more, the flexible coupling bonds with one end of the lower outlet rod which is embedded in the lower part of the insulating cylinder. The right end of insulating pull rod stretches out the sealed cap while operating. This invention of EP is suitable for switchgears, with small volume, convenient and reliable installation and operation.
US09997308B2
A key mechanism for an electronic device includes a switch housing and a hinged structure. As one example, the hinged structure can be a butterfly hinge. The switch housing includes switch pin retaining mechanisms on opposing sides of the switch housing. The hinged structure includes two separate wings that are positioned adjacent to each other such that a cavity is formed between the two wings. The two wings are coupled together by coupling elements. The wings of the hinged structure can include switch housing pins on each arm of the wing that extend into the cavity and couple to the switch pin retaining mechanisms in the switch housing. Various configurations of switch pin retaining mechanisms and switch housing pins can be used to attach the hinged structure to the switch housing.
US09997307B2
Provided is a button guide structure that makes it possible to achieve the reduction in cost and man-hour and the improvement in quality. In a button guide structure in which a push button 23 is provided on a front panel 11 through a guide unit in a slidable manner, the push button 23 operating a switch, the front panel 11 configuring a front surface of an electronic apparatus or the like, the front panel 11 includes a tubular portion 11b into which a part of the push button 23 is inserted, the push button 23 includes: a button main body portion 23a that is inserted into the tubular portion 11b; and an outer tubular portion 23b that is provided so as to surround the button main body portion 23a and that encloses the tubular portion 11b when the button main body portion 23a has been inserted into the tubular portion 11b, and the guide unit constituted by a rib 11k and a slit 23k is provided on an outer surface 11w of the tubular portion 11b and the outer tubular portion 23b.
US09997305B2
An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.
US09997299B2
Organic dye for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) comprising at least one electron-acceptor unit and at least one π-conjugated unit. Said organic dye is particularly useful in a dye-sensitized photoelectric transformation element which, in its turn, can be used in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).
US09997294B2
An electronic component includes a body including a dielectric material and an internal electrode embedded in the dielectric material, an external electrode disposed on the body and connected to the internal electrode, and a conductive adhesive connected to the external electrode. The external electrode and the conductive adhesive include a conductive resin. A circuit board includes the electronic component.
US09997286B2
Some embodiments can include a retention mechanism having a first component including a first clasping surface and a first magnet having a first polarity as well as a second component having a second clasping surface configured to be alignable to and to coordinate with the first clasping surface. The second component can have a magnetic assembly having an effective polarity that varies in accordance with a electric current pulse received at the magnetic assembly, where a magnetic circuit is formed between the first magnet and the magnetic assembly, and where when the effective polarity of the magnetic assembly is the first polarity, the magnetic circuit is repulsive causing the first and second clasping surfaces to separate otherwise, the magnetic circuit is attractive causing the clasping surfaces to come together.
US09997280B2
A heat-resistant wire includes a conductor, and an insulation including not less than two layers and covering the conductor. An outermost layer of the insulation includes a flame-retardant resin composition having a melting point of not less than 200° C. and is cross-linked by exposure to ionizing radiation, the flame-retardant resin composition including a polyolefin grafted with polyamide as a base polymer.
US09997279B2
The electric wire according to one aspect of the present invention is an electric wire comprising an insulated electric wire and one or more coating layers covering the insulated electric wire, wherein at least one layer of the one or more coating layers is formed from a resin composition containing a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and an allophanate crosslinking agent. The electric wire having such a characteristic feature is excellent in abrasion resistance and heat resistance and can be produced at low costs.
US09997278B2
A non-magnetic stainless steel wire with an adherent corrosion resistant coating is disclosed. The surface of the non-magnetic stainless steel is pre-treated so as to be sufficiently free from oxides and form a good adhesion with the above corrosion resistant coating. The non-magnetic stainless steel wire is used as a armoring wire for a power cable for transmitting electrical power.
US09997271B2
Organic charge-transfer (CT) co-crystals in a crossed stack system are disclosed. The co-crystals exhibit bidirectional charge transfer interactions where one donor molecule shares electrons with two different acceptors, one acceptor face-to-face and the other edge-to-face. The assembly and charge transfer interaction results in a pleochroic material whereby the optical absorption continuously changes depending on the polarization angle of incident light.
US09997265B2
A safety system for a nuclear power plant includes first through fourth sensors; a first division, including a first calculation module that determines first and second calculation results based on signals from the first and second sensors, a first data-sharing module for sharing the first and second calculation results with a second division, and a first voting logic for generating a first safety demand signal based on the first through fourth calculation results; and the second division, including a second calculation module for determining the third and fourth calculation results based on signals from the third and fourth sensors, a second data-sharing module for sharing the third and fourth calculation results with the first division, and a second voting logic for generating a second safety demand signal based on the first, second, third, and fourth calculation results, wherein the first through fourth sensors each monitor the same plant parameters.
US09997263B2
A method involving periodic implementation, during the same operating cycle of the reactor, the method including following steps of: a) calculating, from measurements provided by sensors present in the reactor, the three-dimensional distribution of the local power in the core, b) simulating at least one accidental transient occurrence of power applied to the calculated three-dimensional distribution of local power, c) identifying, using thermomechanical calculations, at least one rod which is the most likely to be subject to a fracture of the cladding thereof during the simulated transient occurrence of power, and d) determining, using thermomechanical calculations on the rod identified, the value of the parameter which is representative of the operability of the reactor.
US09997257B1
A semiconductor device may include a repair address storage circuit, an address comparison circuit, and a word line selection circuit. The repair address storage circuit may store a first repair address and a second repair address. The address comparison circuit may generate a first comparison signal by comparing an input address and the first repair address, and may generate a second comparison signal by comparing the input address and the second repair address. The word line selection circuit may generate a first redundancy word line select signal corresponding to the first comparison signal and a second redundancy word line select signal corresponding to the second comparison signal, based on the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal.
US09997254B2
A sample-and-hold circuit, which includes a hold capacitor at its output terminal and at least one intermediate capacitor, intermittently receives an input voltage, and a first value of a switch enable signal causes the sample-and-hold circuit to sample the input voltage and to charge the at least one intermediate capacitor and the hold capacitor to the input voltage, and when it is not receiving the input voltage, a second value of the switch enable signal causes the sample-and-hold circuit to hold, at its output terminal, the input voltage until the hold capacitor discharges, which starts to discharge only after the at least one intermediate capacitor has substantially discharged.
US09997243B2
A nonvolatile memory device may include a cell array and a sense amplifier. The cell array may be coupled with a global bit line and a global word line, and is applied with a read voltage through the global bit line. The sense amplifier may generate an output signal based on a voltage level of a sensing node which is coupled with the cell array through the global word line, and control the voltage level of the sensing node.
US09997241B2
A system includes a cross-point memory array and a decoder circuit coupled to the cross-point memory array. The decoder circuit includes a predecoder having predecode logic to generate a control signal and a level shifter circuit to generate a voltage signal. The decoder circuit further includes a post-decoder coupled to the predecoder, the post-decoder including a first stage and a second stage coupled to the first stage, the control signal to control the first stage and the second stage to route the voltage signal through the first stage and the second stage to a selected conductive array line of a plurality of conductive array lines coupled to a memory array.
US09997234B1
A semiconductor device includes a control signal generation circuit and an input/output (I/O) control circuit. The control signal generation circuit generates first and second read control signals and first and second write control signals. One of the first and second read control signals and one of the first and second write control signals is selectively enabled according to a combination of first and second addresses for selecting a first I/O line or a second I/O line. The I/O control circuit outputs read data loaded on first and second internal I/O lines through any one of the first and second I/O lines in response to the first and second read control signals. In addition, the I/O control circuit outputs input data through any one of the first and second I/O lines in response to the first and second write control signals.
US09997221B2
An operation control method of a semiconductor memory device includes executing a Delay Locked Loop (DLL) locking in response to a DLL reset signal and measuring a loop delay of a DLL. The operation control method further includes storing measured loop delay information and DLL locking information; and performing a delay control of a command path using the stored loop delay information and DLL locking information independent of the DLL, during a latency control operation.
US09997220B2
Apparatuses and methods related to adjusting a delay of a command signal path are disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a timing circuit that includes a divider circuit that receives a first clock signal having a first frequency and provides a complementary pair of second and third clock signals having a second frequency that is half the first frequency; a first delay circuit that receives the second clock signal and provides a delayed second clock signal responsive to the second clock signal; and a second delay circuit that receives the third clock signal and provides a delayed third clock signal responsive to the third clock signal. The timing circuit receives a first signal, latches the first signal responsive to the delayed second clock signal to provide a second signal and latches the second signal responsive to either the second clock signal or the third clock signal responsive to latency information.
US09997208B1
A circuit including an output node and a cross-coupled pair of semiconductor devices configured to provide, at the output node, an output signal in a second voltage domain based on an input signal in a first voltage domain is described herein. The circuit further includes a pull-up assist circuit coupled to the output node; and a look-ahead circuit coupled to the pull-up assist circuit, wherein the look-ahead circuit is configured to cause the pull-up assist circuit to assist in increasing a voltage level at the output node when there is a decrease in a voltage level of an inverted output signal in the second voltage domain from a high voltage level of the second voltage domain to a low voltage level of the second voltage domain.
US09997199B2
Methods for digital content production and playback of an immersive stereographic video work provide or enhance interactivity of immersive entertainment using various different playback and production techniques. “Immersive stereographic” may refer to virtual reality, augmented reality, or both. The methods may be implemented using specialized equipment for immersive stereographic playback or production. Aspects of the methods may be encoded as instructions in a computer memory, executable by one or more processors of the equipment to perform the aspects.
US09997198B2
Apparatus for generation of playable media from structured data, comprises a structured data reading unit for reading in of content of a first structure, a transformation unit for transforming said content into a second structure, said transformation comprising incorporating media play instructions, and a rendering unit for rendering content from the second structure using said media play instructions to generate playable media from the content.
US09997195B2
Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for receiving a request from a user to add a media item to a playlist at a certain playlist position where the media items in the playlist are provided to other users in a media group. Based on a determination that the requesting user has rights to the requested media item, the requested media item may be added to the playlist at the position. When the playlist reaches the position, the user that added the media item to the playlist may be provided with a first version of the media item and the other users in the group may be provided with a second version of the media item. If the user that requested the item to be added to the playlist is determined not to have rights to the media item, the item is added to a position different than the requested position.
US09997194B1
Technologies are provided for partially updating shingled magnetic recording (SMR) zones in SMR storage devices. An SMR storage device can receive and process a command to update a write pointer for an SMR zone to point to an arbitrary write position within the SMR zone. A partial SMR zone update command can be received and processed to modify part of the data stored in the SMR zone. A write position within the SMR zone where data to be modified is stored can be identified. Data stored in the SMR zone following the identified write position can be read to a temporary location and modified. A write pointer for the SMR zone can be updated to point to the identified write position. The modified data can then be written to the SMR zone, starting at the write position identified by the write pointer, or to another SMR zone of the storage device.
US09997191B2
A library manager to determine a relay-point library string when a particular cartridge (specific cartridge) is moved to an empty drive (target drive) for mounting. A method for determining a relay-point library string includes: receiving a command to mount a cartridge in a library string located on one side of the relay-point library string; searching for the target drive among library strings, and finding the target drive in a library string on the other side of an interposed relay-point library string relative to the library string in which the specific cartridge is located; selecting a relay-point library string based on predetermined conditions to move the specific cartridge using shuttle connections to the found target drive; and searching to determine whether or there is a newly available drive in a relay-point library string other than the selected relay-point library string before the selected cartridge reaches the selected relay-point library string.
US09997189B2
A system includes a data storage medium and a shockwave generator. The data storage medium includes cells and a plurality of layers. Each cell is configured to store information therein. At least two cells are arranged in a horizontal plane within a same layer of the plurality of layers of the data storage medium and at least two cells are arranged in a vertical plane in different layers of the plurality of layers of the data storage medium. The shockwave generator is configured to generate a shockwave signal that travels through a layer of the plurality of layers of the data storage medium. A target cell within the layer stores information responsive to a beam emitted from an emitter targeting the target cell as the shockwave signal is passing through the target cell. The target cell maintains the information after the shockwave signal exits through the target cell.
US09997185B1
A data storage device comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks. The head is positioned over a target track, and a sampled position error signal (PES) is generated representing a position of the head relative to the target track. The sampled PES is filtered with a servo compensator to generate a sampled control signal, and the sampled control signal is upsampled to generate an upsampled control signal. The sampled PES is upsampled to generate an upsampled PES, and the upsampled PES is processed to generate compensation values. The upsampled control signal is combined with the compensation values to generate a compensated control signal, and the position of the head over the target track is adjusted based on the compensated control signal.
US09997184B1
A tape drive-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: determining a servo band configuration of servo bands on a magnetic tape, using servo readers on a magnetic tape head to read one or more of the servo bands based on the determined servo band configuration, and using information read from the one or more of the servo bands to position the magnetic tape head relative to the magnetic tape. An array of data transducers is positioned along the magnetic tape head, the array extending perpendicular to a direction of travel of the magnetic tape. Moreover, a group of the servo readers is positioned at each end of the array of data transducers, and a distance between each of the immediately adjacent servo readers in each of the groups of servo readers is less than or equal to one third of a prespecified width of each of the servo bands.
US09997182B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first voice coil motor (VCM) comprising a first voice coil configured to actuate a first head over a first disk, a second VCM comprising a second voice coil configured to actuate a second head over a second disk, and a spindle motor configured to rotate the first and second disk, wherein during a power failure the first and second disks rotating causes the spindle motor to generate a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage. During the power failure the first and second VCMs are unloaded, wherein during a first interval the first voice coil is connected to the BEMF voltage and the second voice coil is disconnected from the BEMF voltage, and during a second interval the second voice coil is connected to the BEMF voltage and the first voice coil is disconnected from the BEMF voltage.
US09997176B1
A recording medium is written to using an energy source that heats the medium during the writing. A read error in a sector is determined when reading via a read transducer. While traversing a part of the recording medium that includes data, a write coil is activated before attempting to re-read the sector. The energy source does not heat the recording medium sufficiently to change a state of the data during the activation of the write coil. The activation of the write coil removes a magnetic instability of the read transducer.
US09997173B2
A method performing automatic gain control (AGC) using an accelerometer in a headset starts with an accelerometer-based voice activity detector (VADa) generating a VADa output based on (i) acoustic signals received from at least one microphone included in a pair of earbuds and (ii) data output by at least one accelerometer that is included in the pair of earbuds. The at least one accelerometer detects vibration of the user's vocal chords. The headset includes the pair of earbuds. An AGC controller then performs automatic gain control (AGC) on the acoustic signals from the at least one microphone based on the VADa output. Other embodiments are also described.
US09997170B2
Provided are an electronic device and a reverberation removal method therefor. The reverberation removal method for an electronic device comprises: a plurality of microphone units for receiving a user's voice; a reverberation removal unit removing a reverberation component of the user's voice received from the plurality of microphone units so as to acquire an original component of the user's voice; a reverberation information acquisition unit for acquiring information on the intensity of the reverberation component of the user's voice; and a post-processing unit for additionally removing a reverberation component from the original component acquired from the reverberation removal unit on the basis of the information on the intensity of the reverberation component.
US09997168B2
A method and an apparatus for signal extraction of audio signal are provided. An audio signal is converted into a plurality of frames, and the frames are arranged in a chronological order. Spectral data of each of the frames is obtained. The spectral data of each of N frames is extracted in the chronological order, and a spectral connectivity operation is executed for the N frames. Finally, the signal including the frames having the spectral connectivity between adjacent frames in each of the frames is determined as an ideal signal.
US09997132B2
The present disclosure discloses a data transmission method, a data transmission system and a portable display device, relates to the technical field of display, and can reduce power consumption of the portable display device and improve battery endurance of the portable display device. The data transmission method comprises: compressing display data; transmitting the compressed display data; and decompressing the compressed display data. The data transmission method and the data transmission system according to the present disclosure are used for data transmission between a processor and a source drive circuit in the portable display device.
US09997124B2
A GOA circuit and a liquid crystal device (LCD) are disclosed. The GOA circuit includes a plurality of GOA units and a control module. Each of the cascaded GOA units is configured for charging corresponding horizontal scanning lines within a display area when being driven by a first level clock, a second level clock, a first control clock, and a second control clock. After the horizontal scanning lines are fully charged by the GOA circuit, the control module is configured for resetting the gate driving signals to be at the first level, i.e., the invalid level, via the turn-on pulse signals and the negative-voltage constant-voltage source.
US09997120B2
When an intermittent driving mode is carried out in a TFT using LIPS and α-Si for a pixel transistor, a flicker easily occurs. A display device includes a TFT including a gate, a source, and a drain; a signal line connected to the source; a pixel capacitance connected to the drain; a first power supply configured to supply a potential that breaks electricity conducted between the source and the drain to the gate; and a switch configured to supply a potential of the first power supply to the gate. The display device includes a scan period and a dwell period. The switch is turned on in the scan period, and the switch is turned off in the dwell period.
US09997119B2
A buffer circuit, a display module, and a display driving method are disclosed. The buffer circuit comprises a positive polarity buffer, a negative polarity buffer. The positive polarity buffer receives a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage to output a positive reference voltage to a positive resistance string. The second supply voltage is less than the first supply voltage. The negative polarity buffer receives the second supply voltage and a third supply voltage to output a negative reference voltage to a negative resistance string. The third supply voltage is less than the second supply voltage.
US09997114B2
A display device includes a display section (11) having a first display surface and a second display surface (S1, S2) facing each other. The display section (11) includes a first display panel (111) disposed on the first display surface (S1) side, and including a plurality of light emitting elements, and a second display panel (112) disposed on the second display surface (S2) side, and including a plurality of light control elements each performing light control for control of transmission or reflection of incident light performing reflective image display utilizing the reflection of the incident light.
US09997112B2
Present invention is related to a display device and a driving method thereof. In particularly, the present invention is to provide a display device and a driving method thereof, in which a data driver driven at a low frequency which is capable of inverting a polarity of a data voltage in each frame.
US09997107B2
The OLED voltage of a selected pixel is extracted from the pixel produced when the pixel is programmed so that the pixel current is a function of the OLED voltage. One method for extracting the OLED voltage is to first program the pixel in a way that the current is not a function of OLED voltage, and then in a way that the current is a function of OLED voltage. During the latter stage, the programming voltage is changed so that the pixel current is the same as the pixel current when the pixel was programmed in a way that the current was not a function of OLED voltage. The difference in the two programming voltages is then used to extract the OLED voltage.
US09997103B2
A display substrate, a driving method thereof and a display device are disclosed. The display substrate includes repeatedly arranged pixel groups. Each pixel group includes a first sub-pixel group, a second sub-pixel group, a third sub-pixel group and a fourth sub-pixel group. Each of the first sub-pixel group, the second sub-pixel group, the third sub-pixel group and the fourth sub-pixel group includes four pixel columns. The display substrate, the driving method thereof and the display device reduce the number of sub-pixels in the whole display device and hence reduce the difficulty in the manufacturing process of the display device and the cost on the premise of ensuring that the display device obtains a high resolution.
US09997100B2
A self-compensating circuit for controlling pixels in a display includes a plurality of light-emitter circuits. Each light-emitter circuit includes a light emitter, a drive transistor, and a compensation circuit. The compensation circuit is connected to the light emitter of one or more different light-emitter circuits.
US09997081B2
An audio demonstration kit encourages understanding of audio concepts by enabling children to construct and study speaker performance. In a particular example, the audio demonstration kit includes a paper speaker and instructions. The paper speaker includes a backplate, a suspension, and a diaphragm cut from a single sheet of paper. The demonstration kit may feature an amplifier that is configurable to accommodate various hardware additions as a child is ready for more progressively challenging construction. For example, the amplifier of an example allows single and dual mode operation, as well as drives a rotary motor and is coordinated with a strobe light. The amplifier of an example is synchronized with the strobe light and a moveable platform to create the impression of that jiggling figures attached to the table are dancing. Interfaces with smart phone, recording, and other technologies further enhances and encourages the learning experience.
US09997077B2
Embodiments, systems, and techniques for vehicle operation assistance are provided herein. Vehicle operation assistance may be provided by monitoring characteristics of an occupant of a vehicle and determining an emergency status for the occupant based on characteristics of the occupant, transmitting a request for help based on the emergency status indicating the occupant of the vehicle is experiencing an emergency, receiving a “follow me” request from a potential leader vehicle, enabling follower mode such that vehicle is a follower vehicle and the potential leader vehicle is a leader vehicle, establishing a connection with the leader vehicle and receiving navigation instructions from the leader vehicle based on the vehicle being in follower mode, generating driving action commands based on navigation instructions, and executing respective driving action commands in an autonomous fashion based on the vehicle being in follower mode.
US09997076B2
A method is described for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the user of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location determination. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.
US09997072B2
In a driving assistance apparatus, a detector is configured to detect whether or not a leading vehicle has started moving, where the leading vehicle is a vehicle just in front of an own vehicle and the own vehicle is a vehicle carrying the apparatus. A notifier is configured to, if it is detected by the detector that the leading vehicle has started moving, provide a notification that the leading vehicle has started moving. An inhibitor is configured to, when the own vehicle has approached a stop point along a road, at which every vehicle must stop before passing therethrough, inhibit the notifier from providing the notification that the leading vehicle has started moving.
US09997064B2
A display apparatus and a method for controlling a display apparatus are provided. For example, a display apparatus which has an HCI type dual mode Bluetooth processor, and a method for controlling a display apparatus are provided. Example embodiments disclose a display apparatus which, in a standby mode in which a screen is turned off, controls the screen of the display apparatus having an HCI type dual mode Bluetooth processor, and a method for controlling a display apparatus.
US09997060B2
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for disrupting bone conduction signals. According to one aspect, a device can receive a signal via a communication path that is external to a body of a user associated with the device. The device can generate a disruption signal to disrupt the signal. The device can send the disruption signal through the body of the user to disrupt the signal.
US09997057B2
Described herein is an emergency system with rear camera and sensor to report emergencies and accidents that occur to the vehicle to which the system is installed. The device includes various sensors, detectors, and communication elements to signal a triggering condition to an emergency services provider.
US09997047B2
A monitoring system includes an analytical engine system coupled to a sensor of an engine system. The analytical engine system is configured to receive data corresponding to operation of the engine system, to determine a distance metric corresponding to the operating parameters of the engine system, to compare the distance metric for a monitored lubricant temperature to a model threshold, and to generate a lubricant alert signal when the distance metric for the monitored lubricant temperature is greater than the model threshold. The received data includes the monitored lubricant temperature of a bearing and operating parameters of the engine system. The distance metric is based at least in part on the monitored lubricant temperature relative to a lubricant temperature statistical model, which is based at least in part on the operating parameters of the engine system.
US09997044B2
A method, computer program, and system for monitoring a person in a structure having a first room and a second room. The system includes motion sensors and accelerometers to determine states and activities within the states, respectively. No visual images of any type are used to monitor the person. The person does not need to wear any type of equipment or component or necklace or bracelet or special clothing with any type of equipment or component in order to be monitored by the system.
US09997042B2
Techniques are described for tracking intruders of a monitored property by the unique identifying characteristics or “digital fingerprints” of electronic devices carried by the intruders. A system detects an alarm event at a monitored property based on output from at least one sensor located at the monitored property. In response to detecting the alarm event at the monitored property, the system initiates a process to gather electronic identifiers for mobile electronic devices located within the monitored property at a time corresponding to the detected alarm event. The system determines electronic identifiers for the mobile electronic devices located within the monitored property at a time corresponding to the detected alarm event. The system stores in electronic storage, information indicating the determined electronic identifiers for the mobile electronic devices located within the monitored property at a time corresponding to the detected alarm event.
US09997034B2
A fire scene evacuation guiding device includes an indicator (100) and a thermoelectric converter (200). The thermoelectric converter (200) is electrically connected with the indicator (100), the thermoelectric converter (200) includes a first detecting end (210) and a second detecting end (220), and the first detecting end (210) and the second detecting end (220) are arranged away from each other. The thermoelectric converter (200) can provide evacuation instructions according to a real time situation at a fire scene.
US09997032B2
A system is provided that controls an offline haptic conversion. The system receives an input from a source. The system further converts the input into haptic signals. The system further encodes the haptic signals. The system further stores the haptic signals within the source, where the haptic signals are combined with the input within the source. Alternately, rather than encoding the haptic signals and storing the haptic signals within the source, the system handles the haptic signals separately, independent of the source.
US09997026B2
A method for authenticating instant lottery tickets for entry into a lottery activity includes providing each lottery ticket with a validation code that links the lottery ticket to an electronic validation file in a database, wherein the validation file contains a predetermined outcome of the lottery ticket and a status of the lottery ticket. Each lottery ticket is provided with a registration code separate from the validation code, wherein the registration code is used to register the lottery ticket in the lottery activity. The registration code is generated as an encrypted form of the validation code for each respective ticket. With a server and upon receipt of the registration code for entry into the lottery activity, the registration code is decrypted to determine the validation code assigned to the lottery ticket. The validation file associated with the decrypted registration code is accessed and used to verify authenticity and status of the lottery ticket required for entry into the lottery activity.
US09997025B2
The present invention describes a lottery ticket system providing an instant scratch lottery ticket to a consumer on-demand. A customer vending device of the lottery ticket system may be used to receive consumer input. The consumer input may include selection of a lottery game and one or more play actions for an associated interactive game. A scratch lottery ticket having hidden and non-hidden portions collectively defining an outcome for the lottery ticket is printed on-demand by the vending machine using blank lottery ticket media. The customer input may or may not impact the outcome of the printed lottery ticket. The vending machine may also communicate with one or more network servers to exchange ticket information for lottery ticket generation, authentication, recordation, and redemption, in addition to performing episodic lottery games by managing linked records of ticket information. Lastly, on-demand lottery tickets may be generated using real-time promotional and marketing information.
US09997004B2
Provided is a paper sheet processing system capable of collecting a wrong paper sheet put in a bill processing apparatus to examine the collected paper sheet without making the supplier feel doubt. A paper sheet processing apparatus verifies a paper sheet using image data acquired by a bill reader when the bill is being conveyed. If the paper sheet is determined to be counterfeit in the verification, the paper sheet processing apparatus holds the paper sheet within the paper sheet processing apparatus and sends a signal from a controller of the paper sheet processing apparatus to instruct a report device to report a result different from the result of the verification. The report device reports a result irrelevant to use of a wrong paper sheet.
US09997002B2
A lock button status indicator for use with a key fob having depressable lock and unlock buttons for remotely activating a locking/unlocking mechanism communicating with a door, such as a vehicle door. The lock button status indicator has a cross member extending over the lock button in a first position and extending over the unlock button in a second position. Apparatus is provided for allowing the lock button status indicator to be manually moved back and forth between the first position and the second position. Apparatus is provided for releasably retaining the lock button status indicator member in either the first or second position.
US09996996B2
Tracking, identifying and article management systems and methods for reliably and repeatedly determining one or more physically uncopiable attribute instances (of the same or varying types) from or inherent in an article of manufacture, using the selected physical uncopiable attribute(s) to produce an unforgeable identity for the article, and then integrating that unforgeable identity into computer-based tracking systems in a way that permits the tracking system to track and monitor articles for which identity information is known. Applications include documents, fashion accessories, artwork, and other objects.
US09996995B2
A door-lock control method adopted by a door-lock device and a computer program is present. The method comprises: broadcasting a connecting message in a WPAN at the door-lock device; controlling a mobile device to establish a connection with the door-lock device via the WPAN when receiving the connecting message at the computer program; sending an unlocking command via the connection at the computer; and unlocking a door-lock thereon when receiving the unlocking command at the door-lock device. This application can omit the operations which the householder needs to do manually on the mobile device or the door-lock device, and effectively improves the convenience of use and reduces the waiting time of completing unlocking the door-lock.
US09996989B2
Embodiments for tracking vehicle events by capturing data from a vehicle component by a processor. Sensory instrumentation associated with the vehicle component is initialized to provide data to a repository when one of the vehicle events occurs. The data in the repository is analyzed to extrapolate the vehicle event to determine a condition of the vehicle.
US09996985B2
Techniques for concurrent distribution of reloadable prepaid cards and enablement of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of a transit system. Techniques of enabling of the reloadable prepaid cards for use at access control points of the transit system can include obtaining user information, payment, and communicating card information to a card issuer for activation of the first reloadable prepaid card. A transit user account for managing transactional information of the user of the transit system is also created, reloadable prepaid card is enabled for use as fare media at access control points of the transit system. Thus, once distributed, the prepaid reloadable cards may be used as fare media in the transit system as payment for transit fare, as well as for purchases at locations outside the transit system.
US09996984B2
Embodiments described herein include an optical system, and associated method and computer program product. The optical system comprises one or more display devices, and one or more computer processors configured to transmit display signals comprising at least one virtual object for updating imagery displayed by the display devices, and to selectively defocus a focus of the virtual object.
US09996978B2
Systems and methods of simulating first-person control of remoted-controlled vehicles are described herein. The system may include one or more of a remote-controlled (RC) vehicle, a display interface, an input interface, and/or other components. The RC vehicle may have an image capturing device configured to capture in-flight images. View information representing the captured images may presented on a display worn and/or otherwise accessible to user. The input interface may allow the user to provide control inputs for dictating a path of the RC vehicle. Augmented reality graphics may be overlaid on the view information presented to the user to facilitate gameplay and/or otherwise enhance a user's experience.
US09996968B2
A method and system for performing rendering at a given viewpoint of at least one portion of visual areas blinded to a perspective rendering at the given viewpoint are disclosed, the method comprising providing a projection model comprising a first part used for rendering far view and a second part for rendering near view such that at least one portion of the visual areas is rendered using the second part of the projection model and further wherein a transition between the first part of the projection model and the second part of the projection model is characterized by projection vectors substantially similar, obtaining image data, performing a first projection of at least one part of the image data according to the first part of the projection model to generate first projected data, performing a second projection of another part of the image data according to the second part of the projection model to generate second projected data and displaying projected data using the first projected data and the second projected data.
US09996967B2
An image processing apparatus generates intermediate volume data from a plurality of volume data segments obtained as time passes so as to implement high-speed volume data. A medical imaging apparatus that includes the image processing apparatus, an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, an image processing method, and a medical image generation method are disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a displacement vector generator configured to detect corresponding voxels between reference volume data and target volume data that has been acquired at intervals of a predetermined time period, and to generate a displacement vector between the corresponding voxels; and an intermediate volume data generator configured to generate at least one piece of intermediate volume data between the reference volume data and the target volume data by using the generated displacement vector.
US09996953B2
Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing a three-dimensional (“3D”) annotation facing tool. In accordance with some concepts and technologies disclosed herein, the 3D annotation facing tool provides a way for a user to control the orientation of annotations associated with productivity data in a 3D environment. The 3D annotation facing tool can provide a user with the ability to lock the orientation of the annotation along one or more directional axes. The 3D annotation facing tool can also provide a user with the ability to maintain an orientation of the annotation in a camera facing view.
US09996952B1
A computing device provides graphical interactive b-spline model selection. A presented criterion fit graph includes a number of internal knots line that indicates a number of internal knots value of a determined best fit b-spline model and a polynomial degree curve for each of a set of polynomial degree values. Each polynomial degree curve shows a fit criterion value as a function of the number of internal knot values. A best fit b-spline model graph is presented next to the presented criterion fit graph that includes a knot location line at each of the knot locations of the determined best fit b-spline model and a best fit model curve computed using the coefficients of the determined best fit b-spline model. An indicator that the number of internal knots line is moved to a different number of internal knots value is received. The best fit b-spline model graph is then updated.
US09996951B2
A computerized tomographic image exposure and reconstruction method wherein an object is subjected to irradiation during a relative movement of a source of radiation, the object, and a radiation detector and wherein a digital representation of the radiation image of the object is computed by applying a tomographic reconstruction algorithm to image data read out of the irradiated radiation detector. A number of projection images are generated, each of the projection images being generated by integrating X-ray beams continuously emitted during the relative movement through a predefined movement path, and the created projection images are modeled in a tomographic reconstruction algorithm.
US09996947B2
This disclosure describes an information processing apparatus including a processor configured to acquire first image data, detect reference image data of a particular object from the first image data, store first time information indicating a first time when the reference image data is detected from the first image data or when the first image data is captured, acquire second image data, generate, when another reference image data of another particular object is detected from the second image data, second time information indicating a second time when the another reference image data is detected from the second image data or when the second image data is captured, generate movement information based on a difference between the first time information and the second time information, and determine whether a work is implemented in a place where the work has to be implemented.
US09996942B2
Methods and systems for determining a position of output generated by an inspection subsystem in design data space are provided. In general, some embodiments described herein are configured for substantially accurately aligning inspection subsystem output generated for a specimen to a design for the specimen despite deformation of the design in the inspection subsystem output. In addition, some embodiments are configured for generating and/or using alignment targets that can be shared across multiple specimens of the same layer and design rule for alignment of inspection subsystem output generated for a specimen to a design for the specimen.
US09996932B2
The disclosure provides a method and a system for multi-lens module alignment, adapted to perform alignment on a multi-lens module having at least a first lens and a second lens during its manufacturing stage, where the method includes the following steps. A calibration object is first captured by using the first lens and the second lens to accordingly generate intrinsic parameters and external parameters of the first lens and the second lens, where the external parameters of the first lens and the second lens are associated with a common reference coordinate system. A target object is next captured by using the first lens and the second lens, and captured images of the target object are processed by using the intrinsic parameters and the external parameters to generate rectified images. The first lens and the second lens are adjusted and aligned according to the rectified images.
US09996927B2
An endoscope apparatus includes: a detector configured to detect a movement of an organ that moves a subject and output a detection signal; an image pickup portion configured to pick up an image of the subject and output a plurality of picked-up images; and a freeze processing portion configured to calculate a movement evaluation value evaluated according to the detection signal of the detector for at least some of the plurality of picked-up images, and determine a still image from the plurality of picked-up images based on the evaluated movement evaluation value.
US09996926B2
The present invention relates to a method of quantifying a lean tissue volume comprising the steps of acquiring (10) a acquired image as a water-fat separated magnetic resonance image, wherein the acquired image comprises a water image and a fat image, providing (20) a calibrated fat image (F), providing (30) a soft tissue mask (STM) defining areas of soft tissue in the acquired image, and defining (40) a region of interest (ROI) of the acquired image. The method further comprises a step of calculating (50) a lean tissue volume (LTV) by multiplying, for each volume element in the region of interest, the soft tissue mask with the volume (Vvox) of each volume element and the result of one minus the calibrated fat image, and summarizing the products of said multiplications for all volume elements in the region of interest.
US09996916B2
The present invention provides an evaluation method of evaluating optical characteristics of a projection optical system by obtaining, by a prediction formula, a predicted value for a fluctuation amount of the optical characteristics relative to an exposure period of a substrate via the projection optical system, the method comprising determining the prediction formula by using a dedicated pattern in which a plurality of marks are arranged in a matrix on an object plane of the projection optical system, wherein the determining includes selecting, from the plurality of marks, at least two marks located in an illuminated region to be formed on the object plane when exposing the substrate, and obtaining the prediction formula based on positions of images of the at least two marks formed on an image plane of the projection optical system.
US09996908B2
An image processing apparatus includes an acquirer which acquires a blurred image, and a generator which acquires a blur estimation area of at least a part of the blurred image to generate an estimated blur based on the blur estimation area, and the generator generates the estimated blur by performing iterative calculation processing that repeats correction processing and estimation processing, the correction processing correcting a blur included in information relating to a signal in the blur estimation area to generate information relating to a correction signal, and the estimation processing estimating a blur based on the information relating to the signal and the information relating to the correction signal, and generates, as the information relating to the correction signal, information relating to a plurality of correction signals by using a plurality of different calculation expressions in at least one correction processing during the iterative calculation processing.
US09996905B2
Systems and methods are provided for enhancing object feature visibility for overhead imaging. In one embodiment, a computing system can obtain information associated with one or more locations of an imaging platform and one or more locations of a solar source. The system can determine one or more positional ranges of the imaging platform relative to the solar source based, at least in part, on such information. The positional ranges can be indicative of positions at which the imaging platform is to obtain image frames depicting at least a portion of a target object. The system can send, to the imaging platform, a set of data indicative of the positional ranges and can receive, from the imaging platform, a set of data indicative of the image frames depicting at least a portion of the target object. The image frames being captured based, at least in part, on the positional ranges.
US09996898B2
A computer processor circuit can be used to receive a resizing request that includes parameters for resizing a user interface containing a plurality of visual elements. In response to the request, the computer processor circuit can access a set of one or more data files specifying: links to binary image data files for the plurality of visual elements; a set of nodes forming a plurality of vector paths for at least one of the plurality of visual elements; and a set of rules defining different image resizing properties for different vector paths of the plurality of vector paths. The computer processor circuit can then create a resized version of the user interface by modifying the plurality of visual elements according to the set of rules and to the parameters for resizing.
US09996897B2
An image display method for a portable display device to be implemented by a processing module includes: controlling the portable display device to display an image in a default position within a display area; estimating a displacement distance of the portable display device during an (X+1)th unit time period, based at least on a number (N) of displacement distances of the portable display device respectively during (N) number of immediately previous unit time periods or on accelerations of the portable display device respectively associated with (X−1)th and (X)th unit time periods; and controlling the portable display device to shift the image with respect to the display area based on the displacement distance estimated thereby.
US09996884B2
Real-time insurance rates can be generated and presented to a driver—as the rate changes, the change can be shown through an interface. Different factors can be evaluated and based upon a result of the evaluation, the rate can be determined. The determination can be performed locally at a vehicle as well as by an insurance company. A bidding process can be used where different insurance companies supply rates and a user or automated process selects the rate for use—the selected rate is conveyed upon the interface.
US09996879B2
Received data messages are delayed for further processing based on a bypass condition. Data messages that conform to the bypass condition are not delayed. Data messages that do not conform to the bypass condition are delayed by a delay. Data messages can be representative of orders in an electronic marketplace or trading system. The bypass condition can include indication of a post-only order. The bypass condition can further include indication of a volume that meets or exceeds a minimum volume. The delay can be calculated from a base delay and a variance that modifies the base delay. The variance can be randomly or pseudo-randomly selected and can conform to a maximum variance.
US09996877B2
A quantity modifier and a price modifier are provided for a spread trading strategy having a desired spread price and a desired spread quantity. According to an example embodiment, a quantity modifier divides the desired spread quantity into a plurality of disclosed spread quantities. Once the disclosed quantities are determined, a plurality of disclosed spread orders having the disclosed spread quantities are sequentially submitted to the market until the full desired spread order quantity is executed or until a predefined condition is detected. A price modifier determines a price level for each disclosed spread quantity, such that each disclosed spread order may be submitted at a different price level.
US09996864B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, systems, devices and computer-readable media. In embodiments of the invention, a user is authenticated using an authentication process that is capable of authenticating a user using an inline authentication form that can authenticate a consumer without transferring a session maintained by a merchant. The inline authentication form is used if the components of the authentication system are capable of supporting an inline authentication form. If the components of the system cannot support an inline authentication form, a different authentication process is used. In one embodiment, an inline authentication form is presented to the user asynchronously. This inline authentication form may be presented within an iFrame embedded in a merchant's checkout page after verifying that the components to be used during the authentication can support the inline authentication form.
US09996860B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for promoting a service using a gifting model. For example, a gifting model, for a service (e.g., a multimedia content service that provides movies, music, apps, etc.), may specify what types of online users are eligible to be promoters and/or what online promotional gifts are available for promoters to gift to online recipient users. In an example, one or more online promotional gifts (e.g., a television show, a song, etc.) of the multimedia content service are exposed to an online user. A gift request is received from the online user. The gift request may specify an online recipient user and a selected online promotional gift (e.g., an action movie). The online promotional gift is provided to the online recipient user. In this way, online users may promote a service by providing promotional gifts, such as for free, to online recipient users.
US09996858B1
An adaptive bidder for networked advertising. A bid request is received from an exchange over a network. Each bid request represents the opportunity to bid on an advertising opportunity. A processing time limit is determined based at least in part on a network latency measurement, an exchange reported timeout and a bid response buffer. The network latency measurement may be required to meet a freshness standard. The bid response buffer represents the time allotted for the adaptive bidding system to generate a response based on one or more partial results. The exchange reported timeout value can be included in the bid request, and can vary from bid request to bid request. The execution of one or more tasks is initiated by the adaptive bidding system, and each task can make a partial result available. In some cases, a partial result is a cumulative result. A response is determined from one or more partial results which are available before the processing time limit expires. The response is provided to the exchange.
US09996856B2
A system and method for electronically providing targeted marketing to a targeted individual is disclosed. An plurality of individuals prescreened to be targeted with targeted marketing is created but such individuals are anonymous to the offerer of the targeting marketing until the offerer is provided with an indication that each targeted individual has been authenticated and is among those that have been prescreened to receive the offer, at which time the offerer may electronically provide and fulfill the offer.
US09996845B2
In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving at a server a request from an advertiser to target an ad to users of a computer-implemented social network, the request comprising data representing characteristics of the users that the advertiser desires to target. The method further includes ranking the users based on how similar the users' characteristics are to the received characteristics and an influence score for each user that indicates how influential the user is within the social network. The method also includes scoring the advertiser's request based on a bid from the advertiser for an opportunity to display the ad to one or more of the users and assigning the opportunity to display the ad to the one or more users based on a correlation between a score of the advertiser's request and one or more rankings of the one or more users.
US09996835B2
Systems and methods for interoperable network token processing are provided. A network token system provides a platform that can be leveraged by external entities (e.g., third party wallets, e-commerce merchants, payment enablers/payment service providers, etc.) or internal payment processing network systems that have the need to use the tokens to facilitate payment transactions. A token registry vault can provide interfaces for various token requestors (e.g., mobile device, issuers, merchants, mobile wallet providers, etc.), merchants, acquirers, issuers, and payment processing network systems to request generation, use and management of tokens. The network token system further provides services such as card registration, token generation, token issuance, token authentication and activation, token exchange, and token life-cycle management.
US09996829B1
Techniques for enabling transactions via a payment processing service for a merchant that is currently located outside of a particular region that the merchant utilizes the payment processing service for processing card-present transactions is described. A server associated with the payment processing service may receive, from a point-of-sale (POS) system, first payment data to satisfy a cost of a transaction between a customer and the merchant and may determine that the POS system is currently located outside of a region where the merchant utilizes the payment processing service to perform card-present transactions. The server may extract a portion of the first payment data, the portion of the first payment data corresponding to information required for a card-not-present transaction and may facilitate, based at least in part on the portion of the first payment data, a card-not-present transaction, instead of a card-present transaction, to authorize the cost of the transaction.
US09996818B1
Described is a system for counting stacked items using image analysis. In one implementation, an image of an inventory location with stacked items is obtained and processed to determine the number of items stacked at the inventory location. In some instances, the item closest to the camera that obtains the image may be the only item viewable in the image. Using image analysis, such as depth mapping or Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) algorithms, the distance of the item from the camera and the shelf of the inventory location can be determined. Using this information, and known dimension information for the item, a count of the number of items stacked at an inventory location may be determined.
US09996815B2
Embodiments of the invention can relate to methods, systems, apparatuses directed to integration of computing networks, especially within supply chains, and use of information from these integrated networks to generate analytics. To generate such analytics, an analysis computer or payment processing network may receive purchase data. In various embodiments the purchase data may include a product identifier that is associated with a product or service that is involved in the purchase. Once the purchase transaction with the product identifier is received, consumption of inventory at the merchant or supplier may be tracked. Tracking the consumption of inventory may involve storing and using a relationship between the product identifier and the inventory.
US09996811B2
A method for assessing risk through a social network includes receiving user social network data, generating a risk map from the user social network data, and calculating a risk assessment based on the risk map and the user social network data.
US09996802B2
An optical system comprising a charged quantum dot having, a charged carrier, first and second ground state levels and a plurality of excited state levels, the first and second ground state energy levels having different spin states such that the said charged carrier cannot transfer between the first and second ground state energy levels without changing its spin state, the system further comprising a controller adapted to control a first radiating beam with energy not more than 100 micro-eV from a first transition within said quantum dot from a first ground state level to a selected excited state level from the plurality of excited state levels to, the system being adapted to enhance the decay rate of a second transition within said quantum dot from the selected excited state level to a second ground state level, but not a first transition, such that a photon is produced due to scattering of a photon from the first radiating beam, wherein the controller is adapted to irradiate the quantum dot with the first radiating beam for a time longer than the radiative lifetime of the selected excited state to produce just one photon, and wherein the first radiating beam comprises at least one pulse.
US09996794B2
Various Reservoir Computing systems and a method performed by a Reservoir Computing system are provided. A Reservoir Computing system includes a laser for emitting light. The Reservoir Computing system further includes a mirror for reflecting external feedback light back to the laser. The Reservoir Computing system also includes a modulator for modulating the external feedback light reflected back to the laser. The Reservoir Computing system additionally includes a photo-detector for converting a laser output signal to an electrical signal.
US09996786B1
Various embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for a method for under sampling a RF carrier signal, the method including receiving, by an analog digital converter, the RF carrier signal, selecting, by a multiplexer, a clock signal which includes a first clock signal and a second clock signal which are phase shifted, receiving, by the ADC, the clock signal which has a frequency less that the frequency of the RF carrier signal, sampling, by the ADC, the RF carrier signal using the selected clock signal and demodulating, by a digital signal processor, the RF carrier signal into I channel data and Q channel data for I/Q demodulation.
US09996781B2
The invention relates to a data carrier comprising a storage layer forming a plurality of first surface elements (6). The storage layer (2) has at least one optical characteristic, which is optically anisotropic and which varies spatially between the first surface elements (6). A cover layer (3) over the storage layer (2) forms a plurality of second surface elements (10), each acting as a polarization filter for a predetermined polarization direction. The predetermined polarization direction varies between the second surface elements (10). The storage layer can contain in particular bacteriorhodopsin in the form of a purple membrane. The invention also relates to a method for the production and reading of a data carrier of this type.
US09996779B2
Briefly, an intelligent label is associated with a good, and includes one or more permanent and irreversible electrochromic indicators that are used to report the condition of that good at selected points in the movement or usage of that good. These electrochromic indicators provide immediate visual information regarding the status of the good without need to interrogate or communicate with the electronics or processor on the intelligent label. In this way, anyone in the shipping or use chain for the good, including the end user consumer, can quickly understand whether the product is meeting shipping and quality standards. If a product fails to meet shipping or quality standards, the particular point where the product failed can be quickly and easily identified, and information can be used to assure the consumer remains safe, while providing essential information for improving the shipping process. It will be understood that the label may take many forms, such as a tag attached to the good, integrated into the packaging for the good, integrated into the good itself, or may even be an information area on a prepaid card for example. The label may also include, for example, print information regarding the good, usage or shipping rules, or address and coded information.
US09996770B2
A model containing a plurality of model edges is acquired, and a position that matches the model is searched for within a search image. Within the search image, a plurality of edge extraction regions including the respective plurality of model edges when the model is moved to the position searched for are set, and an arithmetic operation of extracting an edge in each of the plurality of edge extraction regions is performed. If there is an edge extraction region where no edge has been able to be extracted, of the model moved to the position searched for, a model edge located in the edge extraction region where no edge has been able to be extracted is incorporated into an edge set, and fitting is performed to the edge set.
US09996767B2
Methods for analyzing a chart using an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: causing the electronic computing device to receive a chart image corresponding with the chart, the chart image having recorded chart data; analyzing the recorded chart data, where the analyzing returns at least measurement values corresponding with the recorded chart data; and returning volumetric results of the processing to a user. In some embodiments, the recorded chart data corresponds with data selected from the group consisting of: temperature data, differential pressure data, and static pressure data. In some embodiments, the chart corresponds with a chart integration device or a chart recorder. In some embodiments, methods further include: capturing the chart image with a mobile image capture device.
US09996765B2
A method performed by an electronic device includes storing a correlation between spectral data values and mix ratio values of components of a mixture. Spectral data is acquired from a coating, of the mixture, that is applied to a substrate. A mix ratio, of the components that are in the coating, is determined from the acquired spectral data based on the stored correlation.
US09996757B1
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for detecting various actions of a vehicle operator. More particularly, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for detecting various actions of a vehicle operator based on digital image data.
US09996756B2
A system for driver risk determination using machine vision includes an interface and one or more processors. The interface is to receive one or more video data streams. The one or more processors is/are to determine, whether a driving behavior risk type appears in one of the one or more video data streams; and in the event that the driving behavior risk type appears in the one of the one or more video data streams, indicate the driver behavior risk type.
US09996752B2
A method and system associated with a camera view of a moving-object in a scene. The method comprises detecting and tracking the moving object over multiple video frames, estimating an orientation of the moving object in each of the video frames, and constructing a cost map from the estimated orientations over the multiple video frames for finding a minimum cost path over the cost map. The Method also comprises determining regularized orientation estimates of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, and locating the vanishing point of the camera view based on an axis of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, the axis formed by using the regularized orientation estimates.
US09996750B2
Video and corresponding metadata is accessed. Events of interest within the video are identified based on the corresponding metadata, and best scenes are identified based on the identified events of interest. Events of interest can be tagged within the video based on, for instance, user input, audio signals, motion vectors, and metadata corresponding to the video. A camera system can process video data based on the events of interest tagged within the video before outputting the video data. For instance, video scenes associated with tagged events of interest can be combined to form a video highlight clip. Likewise, portions of video tagged with events of interest can be encoded or stored at a higher resolution or frame rate than other portions of the video.
US09996748B2
An improved emitter tracking system. In aspects of the present teachings, the presence of a desired emitter may be established by a relatively low-power emitter detection module, before images of the emitter and/or its surroundings are captured with a relatively high-power imaging module. Capturing images of the emitter may be synchronized with flashes of the emitter, to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the captured images.
US09996745B2
Provided is a method for blending of agricultural product utilizing hyperspectral imaging. At least one region along a sample of agricultural product is scanned using at least one light source of different wavelengths. Hyperspectral images are generated from the at least one region. A spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product is formed from the hyperspectral images. A plurality of samples of agricultural product is blended based on the spectral fingerprints of the samples according to parameters determined by executing a blending algorithm.
US09996738B2
A control system includes a housing engaged to a mounting surface, a sensor contained within the housing, a server in communication with the sensor, and a terminal device in communication with the server. A gesture by a user associated with the mounting surface controls activity of the terminal device, such as a knock on a wall lowering a thermostat. The control system enables a mounting surface independent from the terminal device to become a controller for the terminal device. The sensor forms an interactive zone, and a contact interaction with the mounting surface within the interactive zone is detected by the sensor as data signals. The server receives the data signals, determines a data pattern corresponding to the data signals, and matches the data pattern with a gesture profile. The gesture profile is associated with a command transmitted to the terminal device to control activity of the terminal device.
US09996736B2
Large venue surveillance and reaction systems and methods using dynamically analyzed emotional input
Certain example embodiments relate to large venue surveillance and reaction systems and/or methods that take into account both subjective emotional attributes of persons having relations to the large venues, and objective measures such as, for example, actual or expected wait times, current staffing levels, numbers of customers to be serviced, etc. Pre-programmed scenarios are run in real-time as events stream in over one or more electronic interfaces, with each scenario being implemented as a logic sequence that takes into account at least an aspect of a representation of an inferred emotional state. The scenarios are run to (a) determine whether an incident might be occurring and/or might have occurred, and/or (b) dynamically determine a responsive action to be taken. A complex event processing engine may be used in this regard. The analysis may be used in certain example embodiments to help improve customer satisfaction at the large venue.
US09996734B2
This document describes techniques enabling tagging of visual media on a mobile device. In some cases the techniques determine, based on meeting a threshold of manual tagging of a person or object, to “bulk” tag visual media stored on the mobile device. Thus, the techniques can present, in rapid succession, photos and videos with the recognized person or object to enable the user to quickly and easily confirm or reject the recognition. Also, the techniques can present numerous faces for recognized persons or sub-images for recognized objects on a display at one time, thereby enabling quick and easy confirmation or rejection of the recognitions.
US09996725B2
A sensor assembly that includes a silicon substrate and a sensor integrally formed on or in its top surface. Bond pads are formed at the substrate top surface and electrically coupled to the sensor. A trench is formed into the top surface, extending toward but not reaching the substrate's bottom surface. Conductive first traces each extend from one of the bond pads and down into the trench. One or more holes are formed into the bottom surface of the substrate and extend toward but do not reach the top surface. The one or more holes terminate at the bottom of the trench in a manner exposing the conductive first traces. Conductive second traces each extend from one of the conductive first traces at the bottom of the trench, along a sidewall of the one or more holes, and along the bottom surface of the silicon substrate.
US09996721B2
The present invention relates to optical imaging devices and methods for reading optical codes. The image device comprises a sensor, a lens, a plurality of illumination devices, and a plurality of reflective surfaces. The sensor is configured to sense with a predetermined number of lines of pixels, where the predetermined lines of pixels are arranged in a predetermined position. The lens has an imaging path along an optical axis. The plurality of illumination devices are configured to transmit an illumination pattern along the optical axis, and the plurality of reflective surfaces are configured to fold the optical axis.
US09996717B2
The present invention is directed to an interrogator, method of discerning metal and radio frequency identification (RFID) objects, and an interrogation system employing the same. In one embodiment, the interrogator includes a metal sensing subsystem configured to provide a first signal having a signature representing a presence of a metal object, and a RFID sensing subsystem configured to provide a second signal having a signature representing a presence of a RFID object. The interrogator also includes a control and processing subsystem configured to discern a presence of at least one of the metal and RFID objects from one of the first and second signals.
US09996712B2
Disclosed is a self-test device and method for assessing the functional performance of a reader device that is configured to interface with a wireless sensor. The self-test device may be configured to analyze the accuracy of a signal transmitted from the reader device or the accuracy of a signal received by the reader device. In one embodiment, the reader device may be configured to engage the self-test device to allow the reader to transmit a signal, such as a short pulse of energy or a short burst of radio frequency energy to cause the self-test device to output a resonant signal. The self-test device may receive the transmit signal from the reader and evaluate it against predetermined values. The evaluated signals may be used to assess the accuracy of the transmit signal of the reader device to identify potential calibration issues and initiate remedial action by an automated system or human intervention if needed. The self-test device may be built into a docking station where the reader is placed when not in use.
US09996709B2
A secure computer architecture is provided. With this architecture, data is received, in a component of an integrated circuit chip implementing the secure computer architecture, for transmission across a data communication link. The data is converted, by the component, to one or more first fixed length frames. The one or more first fixed length frames are then transmitted, by the component, on the data communication link in a continuous stream of frames. The continuous stream of frames includes one or more second fixed length frames generated when no data is available for inclusion in the frames of the continuous stream.
US09996696B2
Using various embodiments, methods and systems to optimize the execution of a software program are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system is configured to identify a first vertex of an indirect control flow graph (ICFG) of a control flow graph (CFG) of the software program representing an indirect control transfer to a first function in the software program. Thereafter, a first type signature associated with the indirect control transfer is determined and a first tag value from the first type signature is computed. The system also identifies a second vertex of the ICFG representing a second function of the software program and determines a second type signature of the second function to compute a second tag value from the second type signature. When it is determined that the first tag value equals to the second tag value, the system modifies the CFG to optimize execution of the software program.
US09996688B1
Solutions for controlling access to computer applications or data are disclosed. For instance, certain systems advantageously secure access to applications and data by not allowing the file to launch if conditions acceptable to opening the file are not met, even when the user or computer has the authority to access the file. In other instances, certain systems advantageously secure access to applications and data by not allowing the file to launch if the user credentials are not validated, even when the conditions acceptable to opening the file are met.
US09996685B2
A method of performing user authentication including the steps of receiving a password comprising a sequence of characters, accessing one or more alternative keyboard layout definitions, generating one or more additional passwords from applying the alternative keyboard layout definitions to the sequence of characters, and using the received password and the additional passwords in the user authentication process.
US09996682B2
Illicit use of devices, and misappropriation of the data on those devices, may be prevented by detecting patterns of behavior that suggest illicit use, and by taking action when such illicit use is detected. A device may store information that describes suspicious patterns of use, and may also store information that describes normal patterns of use of known legitimate users. If current use of the device matches a suspicious pattern of use, and if the user of the device cannot be confirmed to be a known legitimate user, then action may be taken, such as locking the device's user interface, shutting down the device's communication facilities, issuing a warning message, sending a communication, or any other action.
US09996679B2
In some embodiments, a method includes sending an authentication request to a client device to obtain a utilization code in response to a request from the client device to access data. The utilization code is uniquely associated with the client device. The method includes obtaining an authentication response including the utilization code from the client device and authenticating the client device if the utilization code matches a utilization identifier stored in a database. The method includes generating an encryption key using a seed based at least in part on the utilization code and encrypting the data with the encryption key to generate encrypted data and sending, when the utilization code matches the utilization identifier stored in the database, the encrypted data to the client device without requiring a user of the client device to login.
US09996665B2
The present invention enables the collection by credit/debit card payment of customer co-pay and self-pay charges via an integrated point-of-service transaction management system and method. The system and method of the present invention may assist health care facilities in the collection of co-pay and self-pay charges at the time service is rendered. The present invention can be implemented anywhere cash, checks, credit cards or debit cards are accepted for payment.
US09996664B2
An inbound message including medical record content may be received. The inbound message may indicate a healthcare entity and a vendor entity. It may be determined, from the healthcare entity and stored correspondences between medical record formats and healthcare entities, that the medical record content of the inbound message is in a first medical record format. Which configuration record of stored configuration records specifying combinations of sets of rules may be determined to apply as a translation to the inbound message based upon the medical record content of the inbound message and the first medical record format. The sets of rules as indicated by the configuration record may be accessed and applied to the inbound message to translate the medical record content in the inbound message from the first medical record format to the standardized format. The standardized format may be transmitted to the vendor entity.
US09996660B2
Aspects relate to calculating energy expenditure values from an apparatus configured to be worn on an appendage of a user. Steps counts may be quantified, such as by detecting arm swings peaks and bounce peaks in motion data. A search range of acceleration frequencies related to an expected activity may be established. Frequencies of acceleration data within a search range may be analyzed to identify one or more peaks, such as a bounce peak and an arm swing peak. Novel systems and methods may determine whether to utilize the arm swing data, bounce data, and/or other data or portions of data to quantify steps. The number of peaks (and types of peaks) may be used to choose a step frequency and step magnitude. At least a portion of the motion data may be classified into an activity category based upon the quantification of steps.
US09996647B2
Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.
US09996644B2
Full-AC load flow constitutes a core computation in power system analysis. A performance gain with a hardware implementation of a sparse-linear solver using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is achieved by use of a DC network emulation of the power system bus. Analog Behavioral Models (ABMs) are used in an efficient strategy for designing analog emulation engines for large-scale power system computation. A generator model is also developed using analog circuits for load flow emulation for power system analysis to reduce computation time. The generator model includes reconfigurable parameters using operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs). The circuit module is used with other reconfigurable circuits, i.e., transmission lines and loads.
US09996641B2
A thermal simulation device for an integrated circuit according to the disclosure comprises a thermal analysis unit and a mesh size analysis unit. The thermal analysis unit performs a thermal analysis of the integrated circuit to obtain temperatures of the center point and boundary of each function block. The mesh size analysis unit determines the cell number in the mesh of each function block. The thermal analysis unit computes a temperature of the center point and boundary of each cell in every function block according to the temperatures of the boundary of each function block.
US09996640B2
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter include determining a plurality of potential full resolution locations for a particle representation for a second iteration of a particle swarm optimization, wherein the particle representation is associated with both a first full resolution location and a first reduced resolution location for a first iteration of the particle swarm optimization that has not yet completed and the second iteration is later than the first iteration. Embodiments further include determining that the plurality of full resolution locations reduces to a second reduced resolution location for the second iteration. Embodiments further include submitting the second reduced resolution location for fitness calculation prior to the first iteration completing.
US09996623B1
A computer-implemented method of carrying out an image-based search for information available over a network includes serving to a client computer a web page containing a set of knowledge models in response to a search request message received at a server over the network from the client computer. The knowledge models are interlinked, through a crowd-sourced schema, in a knowledgebase. The web page is structured so that graphically selecting one of the knowledge models in the web page displayed on the client computer causes display of a set of knowledge assets interlinked with the selected knowledge model.
US09996610B1
An embodiment of the invention may include a method, computer program product, and system for data management. The embodiment may include receiving a login token and instruction from a user device. The login token is associated with a user of the user device. The instruction may be reading or writing profile data belonging to the user. The embodiment may include determining whether a user profile container exists for the user based on the received login token. The embodiment may include creating the user profile container for the user based on determining that the user profile container does not exist. Creating the user profile container for the user may include identifying profile data belonging to the user located in a plurality of locations within a file system and storing identified profile data belonging to the user within a single binary large object. The embodiment may include executing the received instruction.
US09996608B2
Generating a compliance framework. The compliance framework facilitates an organization's compliance with multiple authority documents by providing efficient methodologies and refinements to existing technologies, such as providing hierarchical fidelity to the original authority document; separating auditable citations from their context (e.g., prepositions and or informational citations); asset focused citations; SNED and Live values, among others.
US09996600B1
Techniques are described for asynchronous communication of transaction data to client processes. A transaction request may be sent from a client process to a contract engine, which may perform multiple service calls to network services to generate transaction data for the transaction. The transaction data may be stored in an aggregate contract data object, and provided asynchronously to the client process for presentation via a user interface such as an e-commerce application. In some cases, the client process may, subsequently to the initial transaction request, send one or more requests for portions of the transaction data. Such requests may be sent asynchronously with respect to the initial transaction request. In some cases, the client process may provide callback information specifying a network location to which transaction data may be asynchronously communicated after it has been generated.
US09996598B2
An online network collects a dataset of an individual's information through a computer-implemented method. An individual enters a dataset of the information and a plurality of an individual's life events into a computer system. The dataset is arranged and converted into a graphical representation for display. The online database receives and stores the dataset. The database associates the dataset with the plurality of the member's life events and then the dataset and the life events are outputted into the graphical representation for display for a witness.
US09996584B2
A database system supporting persistent queries, comprising a persistent query service that receives connections and requests from client software applications; and a plurality of network-attached data sources; and a method for providing persistent queries using a persistent query service.
US09996580B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for the calculation of execution time estimates of user defined functions/user defined methods are provided. The execution of a UDF or UDM is timed several times at the time of the UDF/UDM creation, and an average execution time of the UDF/UDM is obtained. The resulting average execution time is then stored in a data dictionary where the optimizer may consult this value to factor it into the cost of execution of a query.
US09996575B2
A messaging system automatically populates a stream of messages using only a seed selected by the requesting account holder. In one embodiment, the seed includes the streams of one or more of the “top” accounts of the messaging system. Here, “top” is according to any one of a number of different metrics stored in the messaging system. With knowledge of the seed, the messaging system automatically populates a stream for the requesting account holder, without requiring any other input. As a result, an account holder is provided with a fully functioning stream with very little effort or knowledge required on their part.
US09996574B2
In an approach for optimizing query executions a processor receives a request to transfer data from a first table to a second table. A processor detects a relationship between the first table and the second table, wherein the relationship is based on a similarity between the first table and the second table. A processor identifies at least a first access path for transferring the data from the first table to the second table. A processor calculates a first cost of transferring the data from the first table to the second table using the first access path based on the similarity between the first table and the second table, wherein the first cost indicates estimated processor usage to transfer the data.
US09996572B2
Partition management for a scalable, structured storage system is provided. The storage system provides storage represented by one or more tables, each of which includes rows that represent data entities. A table is partitioned into a number of partitions, each partition including a contiguous range of rows. The partitions are served by table servers and managed by a table master. Load distribution information for the table servers and partitions is tracked, and the table master determines to split and/or merge partitions based on the load distribution information.
US09996570B2
In searching an index in an original search structure for a database, portion(s) of the index are determined to be stored in a memory in an alternate search structure. The alternate search structure with the portion(s) is created and stored in the memory. The index is searched by traversing the alternate search structure and possibly the original search structure. The alternate search structure may be traversed more efficiently than the original search structure. The number of portions of the index may be a tunable parameter or selected based on a performance improvement/expense ratio. The search of the index begins at the alternate search structure. During traversal of the one or more portions in the alternate search structure, if traversal is to continue at a portion in the original search structure, the identity of this portion is obtained. The traversal is continued at this identified portion in the original search structure.
US09996565B2
A method, a system, and a computer program product for managing a database are disclosed. Managing the database includes managing an index of a table of the database. Managing the index includes determining the table includes a first field having a first input value configured to identify a first dynamic data function utilized to determine a first output value for the first field. In embodiments, managing the index includes determining the first dynamic data function is deterministic, determining the first output value for the first field using the first dynamic data function, and storing the first output value for the first field. In embodiments, managing the index includes determining the first dynamic data function is nondeterministic, determining a first special value to represent the first output value for the first field, and storing the first special value for the first field.
US09996563B2
In an approach for processing data in a database management system, a processor performs a delete operation on a first data container, wherein the first data container includes one or more data records and wherein the delete operation logically deletes at least one data record of the one or more data records. A processor associates a time of the performed delete operation with the first data container. A processor performs a write operation on a first data record of the first data container. A processor associates a time of the performed write operation with the first data record of the first data container. Responsive to receiving a database query directed at the first data container, a processor grants access to the first data record of the first data container based on, at least, the time of the performed write operation being chronologically after the time of the performed delete operation.
US09996561B1
Disclosed aspects relate to managing a database management system (DBMS) using a set of stream computing data derived from a stream computing environment. The set of stream computing data which indicates a set of stream computing environment statistics may be collected with respect to the stream computing environment. A proactive database management operation may be determined for performance with respect to the DBMS based on the set of stream computing data which indicates the set of stream computing environment statistics. The proactive database management operation may be performed to manage the DBMS using the set of stream computing data.
US09996560B1
A system may include one or more devices to receive a flow record. The one or more devices may identify a type of the flow record. The one or more devices may parse the flow record for a template identifier (ID) if the type of the flow record is a data record. The one or more devices may further compare the template ID from the data record to a predetermined template ID identifying a data record of template IDs. The one or more devices may identify the data record as a data record of template IDs if the template ID matches the predetermined template ID. The one or more devices may further generate a map associating template IDs, from the data record of template IDs, to template information for decoding and/or interpreting data records. The one or more devices may store the map.
US09996557B2
A database storage system based on optical disk includes a database management system installed on a server, a magnetic disk storage device and an optical disk storage device connecting, via a data connection, to the server. The database management system processes database management and data management in response to data requests and a database is created in the magnetic disk storage device, and includes a field structure generation module, a record index generation module, a storage space allocation module, a storage space status module, a record linkage module, a record split module and a database creation on optical disk module. The integrity of data is maintained during a database backup process. The optical disk containing a subdatabase accepts the management of the database management system to serve as a normal data source. The databases are hierarchically stored using the storage devices. The methods for database backup and restoration are provided.
US09996555B1
Methods for prioritizing a set of images identified as responsive to an image search query from a user based on features of the images identified as relevant to a geographic region of the user are provided. In one aspect, the method includes submitting a plurality of images to a computer-operated convolutional neural network that is configured to analyze image pixel data for each of the plurality of images to identify features, in each of the plurality of images, influencing a download probability of the corresponding image in a plurality of geographic regions. The method also includes receiving, from the neural network and for each of the plurality of images, a download probability of each image for each of the plurality of geographic regions. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09996547B2
Content items queued for synchronization between a client device and a content management system can be automatically prioritized to improve the sharing process. That is, the content items can be prioritized based on whether a share link has been created to the content item. A share link can enable a user to access the shared content item from a content management system. Content items that have been shared using a share link can be given higher priority to be synchronized prior to content items that have not been shared. The queued content items can be synchronized in the synchronization order resulting from the prioritization. Further, multiple shared content items queued for synchronization can be sub-prioritized based on one or more sub-prioritization criteria.
US09996545B1
A system and method for deduplicating analyzing system logs is disclosed. The method includes capturing, by an image acquisition component, an image of at least one log entry, converting, by an image processing component, text in the image of the at least one log entry to machine-encoded text, and scanning, by a log scanning component, the machine-encoded text for the at least one redundant copy of the at least one log entry. The method also includes removing, by the log scanning component, the at least one redundant copy of the at least one log entry, determining, by a log analysis component, if the at least one log entry is significant, flagging the at least one log entry if the log entry is significant, and alerting a user if the log entry is flagged.
US09996543B2
A system optimizes performance of analytics and includes at least one processor. The system analyzes a specification of an analytic produced in accordance with a schema, where the specification indicates a set of conditions for members of a population to determine the analytic. The system compresses the specification by modifying constructs within the specification to produce a compressed specification of a reduced size and complying with the schema, where modifying the constructs within the specification includes removing duplicate portions, combining logical conditions, and removing portions with unused data. The system further performs the analytic based on the compressed specification. Embodiments further include a method and computer program product for optimizing performance of analytics in substantially the same manner as the system.
US09996538B2
A system in accordance with the present invention may include one or more processors, memory that receives instructions from the one or more processors according to a clock operating at a frequency, one or more programs stored in the memory, with instructions to: access media content; analyze the media content according to meta data, media characteristics, or other media-related data; and, create a media content object cluster according to the meta data, the media characteristics, or the other media-related data.
US09996537B2
A clustering module in communication with a processor and a memory may be configured to receive a dataset comprising a plurality of media elements each comprising metadata and organize the plurality of media elements into a plurality of clusters based on the metadata, the plurality of clusters being organized into a clustering tree. A narrative module in communication with the processor and the memory may be configured to create a narrative comprising a plurality of the media elements arranged into a narrative sequence, the narrative sequence being structured according to the clustering tree and for a predetermined duration, thereby transforming media elements into a narrative.
US09996529B2
Disclosed is a system, method, and computer program product for performing dynamic theme analysis with regards to social data. A user interface is provided that allows the user to view and interact with to view and control the process/mechanism for performing theme analysis.
US09996513B2
In an approach for selecting a version of a webpage to present to a user, a processor receives a request to access a webpage from a device, wherein the webpage includes a plurality of versions of the webpage. A processor receives information about the device. A processor determines a version of the webpage to present, based on the information about the device and a predefined goal associated with the webpage. A processor causes the version of the webpage to be presented.
US09996511B2
Website structure creation. A site navigation structure sketch is created by a free-form drawing using a drawing tool being executed on a computing device. The site navigation structure sketch is stored in pixel form, and processed by transforming the site navigation structure sketch by vectorizing the sketch into a predefined structured representation. A site navigation structure is created based on the predefined structured representation, and the site navigation structure is integrated into a web portal site structure.
US09996504B2
A passage sentiment classifier that can be used to assign a score that indicates the polarity and magnitude of sentiment expressed by a piece of text using information about similar passages. A passage of text may be a few words, a sentence, a paragraph or an entire document. The invention described classifies automatically passages by first looking up the most similarly classified passage in a storage system, which contains passages that have been classified manually by a human.
US09996500B2
This present invention provides a fast data transfer for a concurrent transfer of multiple ROI areas between an internal memory array and a single memory where each PE can specify the parameter set for the area to be transferred independently from the other PE. For example, for a read transfer, the requests are generated in a way that first the first element of each ROI area is requested from the single memory for each PE before the following elements of each ROI area are requested. After the first element from each ROI area has been received from the single memory in a control processor and has been transferred from the control processor over a bus system to the internal memory array, all elements are in parallel stored to the internal memory array. Then, the second element of each ROI area is requested from the single memory for each PE. The transfer finishes after all elements of each ROI area are transferred to their assigned PEs.
US09996479B2
The present disclosure is related to encryption of executables in computational memory. Computational memory can traverse an operating system page table in the computational memory for a page marked as executable. In response to finding a page marked as executable, the computational memory can determine whether the page marked as executable has been encrypted. In response to determining that the page marked as executable is not encrypted, the computational memory can generate a key for the page marked as executable. The computational memory can encrypt the page marked as executable using the key.
US09996478B1
A system and method for efficiently performing data allocation in a cache memory are described. A lookup is performed in a cache responsive to detecting an access request. If the targeted data is found in the cache and the targeted data is of a no allocate data type indicating the targeted data is not expected to be reused, then the targeted data is read from the cache without updating cache replacement policy information for the targeted data responsive to the access. If the lookup results in a miss, the targeted data is prevented from being allocated in the cache.
US09996477B2
A method is disclosed that includes, generating, by a controller of a storage device, telemetry data associated with the storage device and stored in a memory device of the storage device. The method further includes determining, by the controller, a telemetry data loss warning condition indicating that a portion of the telemetry data is predicted to be overwritten in the memory device by more recent telemetry data. In response to determining the telemetry data loss warning condition, the controller transmits, to a host device, an asynchronous event notification indicating the telemetry data loss warning condition.
US09996464B2
Managing a cache includes determining from metadata of a received service request whether a cache data response may satisfy the request as a function of recognizing a cacheable method name specification within request metadata by a service provider associated with the request, and determining whether the request is an inquiry in order to decide if the request may be satisfied by the cached data. Aspects also include searching the cache for the data response if determined the data is cacheable and the request is an inquiry, and sending the request on to a service provider if the data response is not a cacheable response, or the request is an update request.
US09996457B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for efficient buffering for a system having non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, a control circuitry of a system can use heuristics to determine whether to perform buffering of one or more write commands received from a file system. In other embodiments, the control circuitry can minimize read energy and buffering overhead by efficiently re-ordering write commands in a queue along page-aligned boundaries of a buffer. In further embodiments, the control circuitry can optimally combine write commands from a buffer with write commands from a queue. After combining the commands, the control circuitry can dispatch the commands in a single transaction.
US09996456B2
The inventive concept relates to a user system including a solid state disk. The user system may include a main memory for storing data processed by a central processing unit; and a solid state disk for storing the selected data among data stored in the main memory. The main memory and the solid state disk form a single memory hierarchy. Thus, the user system of the inventive concept can rapidly process data.
US09996449B2
A processor includes an innovation engine, a non-volatile memory, a reserved device, one or more user-defined devices, and logic to execute the user-defined devices. The processor also includes a debug engine with logic to monitor the processor for trigger conditions and record data associated with the trigger conditions. The innovation further includes logic to selectively load the debug engine.
US09996446B2
The performance of computer system responses to user requests is measured and evaluated in the context of physical computing resource operation. Diagnostic information related to computer system performance is selectively provided based the measured performance and physical computing resource operation.
US09996436B2
One or more techniques and/or computing devices are provided for communicating storage controller failures utilizing service processor traps. A first storage controller, of a first storage cluster, has a disaster recovery relationship with a second storage controller of a second storage cluster. The first storage controller comprise a first service processor configured to monitor health of the first storage controller. Responsive to identifying a failure of the first storage controller, the first service processor uses stored communication configuration of a second service processor of the second storage controller to send a service processor trap to the second service processor. In this way, the second service processor initiates a switchover operation by the second storage controller to provide clients with failover access to data previously available through the first storage controller before the failure. Proactive notification of storage controller failures utilizing service processor traps reduces client data access disruptions.
US09996432B2
A first compute node of a plurality of compute nodes of a database cluster may receive a request for a database transaction from a client application. The client application may be located within the first compute node. A first connection may be established, without regard to whether another compute node has a lighter workload than the first compute node, between the client application and a first database of the database cluster. The first connection may be a local connection, wherein the first database is located within the first compute node. The first compute node may detect that a failure associated with the first database has occurred. The first compute node may execute a failover operation to continue servicing the request for the data. The executing of a failover operation may include establishing a second connection between the client application and a second database of the database cluster.
US09996428B2
An illustrative approach to managing snapshots streamlines how and when snapshots are generated in a storage management system, such that fewer snapshots may be generated without diminishing the scope of data protection. A novel unified-snapshot storage policy may govern snapshots for any number of subclients. A unified-snapshot job based on the unified-snapshot storage policy enables the illustrative storage management system to automatically discover relevant components and generate at most one snapshot per target logical unit number (“LUN”) in a storage array. Each snapshot may comprise the data of any number of subclients and/or clients in the storage management system. Accordingly, one unified-snapshot job may yield a minimum but sufficient number of snapshots comprising data of all subclients associated with the governing unified-snapshot storage policy. An enhanced storage manager may manage the unified-snapshot jobs. One or more enhanced media agents and/or data agents may participate in the unified-snapshot jobs and in subsequent cataloguing of the snapshots.
US09996425B2
A system and method is disclosed for performing agentless backup of a virtual machine using a temporary attached virtual disk. An example method includes creating a virtual machine disk in a datastore, loading a software application in the virtual machine disk, the software application being configured to collect metadata relating to at least one application executing in an operating system of the virtual machine, communicatively coupling the datastore to the virtual machine, collecting the metadata relating to the at least one application executing in the operating system of the virtual machine, generating a snapshot of the virtual machine, and storing a backup of the virtual machine in a backup archive based on the snapshot.
US09996423B2
Systems and methods of writing to a storage system comprise analyzing a plurality of snapshots of data blocks of a storage device and determining a likelihood that a next first write will be to a respective data block based, at least in part, on the analyzed plurality of snapshots. A snapshot is then taken of a selected data block based, at least in part, on the respective likelihood for the selected data block, before receiving a write request to the selected data block. A write request to a respective data block is then received and data is written to the respective data block, if the snapshot of the respective data block had been taken. If the snapshot of the respective data block had not been taken, then a snapshot of the respective data block is taken. Then data is then written to the respective data block.
US09996419B1
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus, method, and/or sequence for a distributed ECC that may be used in a storage system. In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for handling distributed error correction code (ECC) operations, includes: a plurality of ECC engines configured to perform ECC operations in parallel on multiple data parts; the plurality of ECC engines distributed in parallel to receive some of the multiple data parts that are read from storage media devices and to receive some of the other multiple data parts that are to be written to the storage media devices; and the plurality of ECC engines configured to use respective ECC bytes corresponding to respective ones of the multiple data parts.
US09996413B2
An improved system is disclosed for ensuring the integrity of data stored on a dispersed data storage network. Checksums are used to ensure integrity of both data segments and data slices. Checksums appended to data slices are checked by receiving slice servers to ensure that no errors occurred during transmission. Slice servers also periodically recalculate checksums for stored data slices to ensure that data slices have not been corrupted during storage. Checksums appended to data segments are checked when data segments are read from the storage network.
US09996410B2
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute a process for detecting a sign, the process includes obtaining message information output from one or a plurality of information processing devices; obtaining configuration information in the one or the plurality of information processing devices; storing the obtained message information and the obtained configuration information in a common format; and outputting predetermined message information and predetermined configuration information according to comparison of a predetermined pattern described in the common format and the message information and the configuration information stored in the common format.
US09996404B2
A method and apparatus for message cache management for message queues is provided. A plurality of messages from a plurality of enqueuers are enqueued in a queue comprising one or more shards, each shard comprising one or more subshards. A message cache is maintained in memory. Enqueuing a message includes enqueuing the message in a current subshard of a particular shard, which includes storing the message in a cached subshard corresponding to the current subshard of the particular shard. For each dequeuer-shard pair, a dequeue rate is determined. Estimated access time data is generated that includes an earliest estimated access time for each of a plurality of subshards based on the dequeuer-shard pair dequeue rates. A set of subshards is determined for storing as cached subshards in the message cache based on the earliest estimated access times for the plurality of subshards.
US09996397B1
Apparatus, systems and methods aggregating electronic devices for sharing functionality to fulfill requested tasks, while also monitoring and controlling battery energy levels in these electronic devices to ensure sufficient battery power is available on the devices, individually or collectively, to fulfill a requested task. The electronic devices are positioned in proximity to a computing device for determining functionalities that may be shared amongst the various electronic devices to fulfill the requested task. These electronic devices are also provided in proximity to a charge distribution unit (CDU) for determining if each electronic device has enough battery power to complete all, or a portion, of the requested task. If any device needs charging, the CDU allocates and distributes battery power from one or more other device batteries and/or power outlet. The charging power is then transferred to the electronic device in need of charging to fulfill the requested task.
US09996394B2
An application programming interface is provided that allows programmers to encapsulate snippets of executable code of a program into accelerator tasks. A graph is generated with a node corresponding to each of the accelerator tasks with edges that represent the data flow and data dependencies between the accelerator tasks. The generated graph is used by a scheduler to schedule the execution of the accelerator tasks across multiple accelerators. The application programming interface further provides an abstraction of the various memories of the accelerators called a datablock. The programmer can store and use data stored on the datablocks without knowing where on the accelerators the data is stored. The application programming interface can further schedule the execution of accelerator tasks to minimize the amount of data that is copied to and from the accelerators based on the datablocks and the generated graph.
US09996389B2
Embodiments presented herein provide techniques for optimizing parallel data flows of a batch processing job using a profile of the processing job. An application retrieves a job profile for a processing job. The processing job has a plurality of processing stages specified in an execution profile. The job profile includes statistical data for at least one of the processing stages obtained during prior executions of the job. The application modifies properties of the execution profile based on the job profile to optimize the execution of the job. The application executes the processing job with the modified execution profile.
US09996385B2
Dynamically changing the aggressiveness of optimization of virtual machines on physical hosts allows more efficient and varied optimization. An aggressiveness policy mechanism periodically applies system conditions to the aggressiveness policies to create aggressiveness settings that are provided to an optimizer. The optimizer then uses the aggressiveness settings to dynamically adjust the aggressiveness of placement of virtual machines according to the aggressiveness settings and consistent with other optimization policies. The aggressiveness policy mechanism may allow a system administrator to create and/or select aggressiveness policies.
US09996381B1
Techniques for configuring virtual machine instances are described herein. A virtual machine instance is instantiated and the virtual machine instance is monitored to receive notifications of configuration events associated with that virtual machine instance. Each configuration event, which specifies configuration changes to the virtual machine instance, includes a set of metadata associated with the configuration event. The metadata is extracted from the configuration event and the configuration changes are applied to the virtual machine instance. A new virtual machine image is then produced from the virtual machine instance and the extracted metadata is associated with the new virtual machine image.
US09996372B2
An information processing apparatus includes a time determination processor which determines a time for acquiring state information on an operation system, from the operation system, on the basis of a processing status of tasks executed by the operation system, the processing status being acquired from the operation system, an information acquisition processor which acquires the state information and stores the state information in a storage, at the determined time for acquiring state information, and an information reply processor which sends back the state information stored in the storage, when an acquisition request for the state information is received from any of one or a plurality of monitoring apparatuses which monitor the operation system.
US09996370B1
Disclosed are examples of memory allocation and reallocation for virtual machines operating in a shared memory configuration creating a swap file for at least one virtual machine. One example method may include allocating guest physical memory to the swap file to permit the at least one virtual machine to access host physical memory previously occupied by the guest physical memory. The example method may also include determining whether an amount of available host physical memory is below a minimum acceptable level threshold, and if so then freeing at least one page of host physical memory and intercepting a memory access attempt performed by the at least one virtual machine and allocating host physical memory to the virtual machine responsive to the memory access attempt.
US09996369B2
A closed-loop service, referred to as an Adaptive Data Analytics Service (ADAS), characterizes the performance of a system or systems by providing information describing how users or agents are operating the system, how the system components interact, and how these respond to external influences and factors. The ADAS then builds models and/or defines relationships that can be used to optimize performance and/or to predict the results of changes made to the system(s). Subsequently, this learning provides the basis for administering, maintaining, and/or adjusting the system(s) under study. Measurement can be ongoing, even after the operating parameters or controls of a system under the administration or monitoring of the ADAS have been adjusted, so that the impact of such adjustments can be determined. This recursive process of observation, analysis, and adjustment provides a closed-loop system that affords adaptability to changing operating conditions and facilitates self-regulation and self-adjustment of systems.
US09996363B2
In a compositing window system, as a respective version of the window for an application is written into a window buffer, a corresponding set of per tile signatures indicative of the content of each respective tile in the window buffer is generated and stored. When an updated version of the window is stored into a window buffer, the set of signature values for the updated version is compared to the set of signature values for the previous version in the window buffer to determine which tiles' content has changed. The set of tiles found to have changed is used to generate a set of regions for a window compositor to write to a window in a display frame buffer to update the window in the display frame buffer to display the new version of the window.
US09996362B2
Systems and methods for utilizing a diagnostics only boot mode may include initializing, by a computing device comprising a processor, a boot sequence. The computing device may detect installation of a hardware module. In response to detection of the hardware module, the computing device may initialize an alternate boot sequence.
US09996358B2
A system and method of coupling a Branch Target Buffer (BTB) content of a BTB with an instruction cache content of an instruction cache. The method includes: tagging a plurality of target buffer entries that belong to branches within a same instruction block with a corresponding instruction block address and a branch bitmap to indicate individual branches in the block; coupling an overflow buffer with the BTB to accommodate further target buffer entries of instruction blocks, distinct from the plurality of target buffer entries, which have more branches than the bundle is configured to accommodate in the corresponding instruction's bundle in the BTB; and predicting the instructions or the instruction blocks that are likely to be fetched by the core in the future and fetch those instructions from the lower levels of the memory hierarchy proactively by means of a prefetcher.
US09996345B2
In an aspect, a pipelined execution resource can produce an intermediate result for use in an iterative approximation algorithm in an odd number of clock cycles. The pipelined execution resource executes SIMD requests by staggering commencement of execution of the requests from a SIMD instruction. When executing one or more operations for a SIMD iterative approximation algorithm, and an operation for another SIMD iterative approximation algorithm is ready to begin execution, control logic causes intermediate results completed by the pipelined execution resource to pass through a wait state, before being used in a subsequent computation. This wait state presents two open scheduling cycles in which both parts of the next SIMD instruction can begin execution. Although the wait state increases latency to complete an in-progress algorithm, a total throughput of execution on the pipeline increases.
US09996324B1
Dataflow analysis is provided by monitoring a first and a second computing device to detect an initiation of an application on one or more of these computing devices. In response to detecting the initiation of the application on the first computing device, a first instrumentation procedure is applied to a first randomly selected portion of the application to produce a recorded dataflow for the first randomly selected portion. In response to detecting the initiation of the application on the second computing device, a second instrumentation procedure is applied to a second randomly selected portion of the application to produce a recorded dataflow for the second randomly selected portion. An integrated dataflow solution is assembled for the application from the recorded dataflow for the first randomly selected portion and the recorded dataflow for the second randomly selected portion.
US09996317B2
A barrel shifter uses a sign magnitude to 2's complement converter to generate decoder signals for its cascaded multiplexer selectors. The sign input receives the shift direction and the magnitude input receives the shift amount. The sign magnitude to 2's complement converter computes an output result as a 2's complement of the shift amount using the shift direction as a sign input, assigns a first portion (most significant bit half) of the output result to a first decoder signal, and assigns a second portion (least significant bit half) of the output result to a second decoder signal. This encoding scheme allows the decoder circuits to be relatively simple, for example, 3-to-8 decoders for an implementation adapted to shift a 64-bit operand value rather than the 4-to-9 decoder required in a conventional barrel shifter, leading to faster operation, less area, and reduced power consumption.
US09996313B2
Volume limiting systems and methods are operable to limit volume output from media presentation devices. An exemplary embodiment detects a sound using a microphone, wherein the sound corresponds to an audio output of at least one controlled media presentation device, and wherein the microphone is remotely located from the at least one controlled media presentation device; compares a level of the detected sound with a predefined maximum volume limit; generates a volume output limit command in response to the detected sound exceeding the predefined maximum volume limit; and communicates the volume output limit command to the media presentation device. The media presentation device then reduces a volume level of its audio output. In some instances, volume may be limited during user specified periods.
US09996303B2
A method and a system are provided for improving performance of a hybrid drive including a non-volatile semiconductor memory device partitioned into blocks, each of the blocks containing a plurality of sectors, and a magnetic storage device. Performance of the hybrid drive is improved by tracking data types of each sector stored in the blocks, the data types including a first data type, which is data that is unconditionally available for host accesses, a second data type, which is data that is conditionally available for host accesses, and a third data type, which is data unavailable for host accesses, and collecting erasable blocks from the blocks of the non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the data types. The erasable blocks include a block that contains data of the second data type, such that the host may access from this block even though this block is erasable.
US09996301B1
Systems and methods for list retrieval in a storage device are provided that significantly reduces the number of commands needed to retrieve data. A single command or request may be issued to receive data stored at a parent node, a child node, and/or a grandchild node. For example, a request may be issued that includes a node corresponding to a particular level, a depth level below that particular level to which to obtain data and/or filter criteria. With this information, the requested information may be obtained to the depth level while filtering out information not included in the request. When the request corresponds to a parent node and information about the children nodes is desired, for example, additional requests are not needed to obtain information from all of the parent node and the children nodes. Thus, the length of time needed to provide certain stored management information is reduced.
US09996293B1
A method for managing memory allocation in a database receives an invocation of a stored statement defined to allocate objects, each with a stored size. The method determines an actual size relating to the invocation and determines a preferred statement among defined statements with defined object sizes. The defined statements include the stored statement and alternative stored statements that provide an alternative implementation of the stored statement defined to allocate the objects with alternative sizes lower than stored sizes. The preferred statement has defined sizes compliant to actual sizes according to preference criterion based on comparing defined and actual sizes. The method invokes the preferred statement for execution in place of the stored statement when different. The method stores a new statement, having new sizes compliant to actual sizes according to alternate criterion, responsive to unfullfilling a condition based on comparing defined sizes of the preferred statement with actual sizes.
US09996287B2
According to certain aspects, a system includes a client device that includes a virtual machine (VM) executed by a hypervisor, a driver located within the hypervisor, and a data agent. The VM may include a virtual hard disk file and a change block bitmap file. The driver may intercept a first write operation generated by the VM to store data in a first sector, determine an identity of the first sector based on the intercepted write operation, determine an entry in the change block bitmap file that corresponds with the first sector, and modify the entry in the change block bitmap file to indicate that data in the first sector has changed. The data agent may generate an incremental backup of the VM based on the change block bitmap file in response to an instruction from a storage manager, where the incremental backup includes the data in the first sector.
US09996284B2
A memory system that has a multi-channel volatile memory subsystem is coupled to a non-volatile memory subsystem to provide independent, configurable backup of data. The volatile memory subsystem has one or more main memory modules that use a form of volatile memory such as DRAM memory, for which the NV subsystem provides selective persistent backup. The main memory modules are dual in-line memory modules or DIMMs using DDR SDRAM memory devices. The non-volatile memory subsystem (NV backup) includes an NV controller and non-volatile memory NVM. The NV backup can also include a memory cache to aid with handling and storage of data. In certain embodiments, the NV controller and the non-volatile memory are coupled to the one or more DIMM channels of the main memory via associated signal lines. Such signal lines can be, for example, traces on a motherboard, and may include one or more signal buses for conveying data, address, and/or control signals. The NV controller and the non-volatile memory can be mounted on the motherboard.
US09996283B2
A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit includes generating storage unit performance data based on a performance threshold value and storage unit performance values of storage units in a storage unit write set. Storage unit write set data indicating a new storage unit write set based on the storage unit performance data is generated, where at least one slow-performing storage unit is removed from the storage unit write set to create the new storage unit write set when the at least one slow-performing storage unit has a storage unit performance value that compares unfavorably to the performance threshold value. A plurality of write requests are generated for transmission to the new storage unit write set via a network, each including a data slices to be written to a corresponding storage unit of the new storage unit write set.
US09996268B2
According to one embodiment, a memory system writes data to a first block, and executes a garbage collection when the number of free blocks is not greater than a first threshold value. The memory system calculates a first number which is a ratio of the number of copy destination blocks needed for the garbage collection to the number of blocks to which data designated by a write command is written. The memory system determines whether the first number is greater than a second threshold value when a first command is received from the host, and performs fill-up processing for the first block when the first number is not greater than the second threshold value.
US09996258B2
A computing device includes at least one processor and at least one module operable by the at least one processor to output, for display, a graphical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, receive an indication of a first gesture portion, and determine, based on the first gesture portion, at least one candidate string. The at least one module may be further operable to output, for display at a first location of a display device, the at least one candidate string, receive an indication of a second gesture portion that traverses a location that corresponds to the at least one candidate string, wherein the first gesture portion and the second gesture portion are included in a single continuous gesture, select, based on the second gesture portion, the at least one candidate string, and output, for display at a second location of the display device, the at least one candidate string.
US09996255B2
A portable electronic device includes a touch display configured to sense contact with a finger or stylus, a speaker, and a processing system that communicates with the touch display and the speaker. The device is configured to display a symbol using a set of trace indicator line segments comprising a trace direction indicator and a trace termination indicator and to highlight a region of a first of the trace indicator line segments. The device is configured to detect user touch input at multiple locations on the touch display and determine whether the first trace indicator line segment has been traced from the highlighted region to the termination indicator in a direction corresponding to the trace direction indicator, and in response, to draw and maintain a color line corresponding to the detected user touch input at the multiple locations.
US09996245B2
A solution for managing a graphical user interface including a panel area is provided. Content included in the graphical user interface can be generated for presentation to a user. The generating can include determining the content to be displayed using the panel area cannot be displayed completely within the panel area using a set of display settings. In response, data corresponding to a visible portion of the content can be added for display in the panel area and a graphical user interface scroll control can be provided for the panel area. The graphical user interface scroll control can enable a user to adjust the portion of the content displayed in the panel area in a first direction by manipulating the graphical user interface scroll control in the first direction.
US09996243B2
A system and method for scrolling through a media file is presented. Playback of a media file is initiated. An instruction is received an instruction to enter a navigation mode. A set of one or more thumbnails is displayed. Each of the set of one or more thumbnails represents a portion of the media file. An input is received from a user indicating a desire to view a portion of the media file represented by one of the set of one or more thumbnails on the display. Playback of the media file is resumed at the portion of the media file represented by one of the set of one or more thumbnails on the display. The input from the user indicating a desire to view a portion of the media file comprises using scroll gestures on the set of one or more thumbnails to display a desired portion of the media file. The input can be made using a touch-sensitive device. The touch-sensitive device can be a touchscreen display.
US09996239B2
A method and system are provided. The method includes cataloging a plurality of user interface elements belonging to a plurality of user interfaces on a plurality of devices included in an ambient computing environment. The method further includes estimating a current cognitive state of a user. The method also includes modifying at least one of the plurality of interface elements to align current cognitive demands of the ambient computing environment on the user with the current cognitive state of the user.
US09996235B2
Methods, computer program products, and systems, for example, for controlling display of an image on a display screen includes, for example, receiving, by one or more processor, data regarding a user selected area relative to a first portion of an image displayed on a display screen to define a second portion of the image, at least a portion of the second portion of the image being outside the first portion of the image displayed on the display screen, and automatically controlling, by the one or more processor, display of the second portion of the image on the display screen based on the user selected area of the image to generally maximize display of the second portion of the image within the display screen.
US09996230B2
A client-based application includes sections that are used to define user interface displays for the system. The sections are customizable by a backend system so customizations are accommodated by modified versions of the mobile application.
US09996227B2
An electronic device includes a processor, a memory for storing digital content and a display. The processor forms a content navigation bar for the digital content. The content navigation bar is rendered on the display and includes a first section marker corresponding to a first section of the digital content. A set of page markers corresponds to pages within the first section of the digital content. The set of page markers includes a boundary page marker. A second section marker is adjacent to the boundary page marker.
US09996226B2
A mobile terminal can include a touchscreen; and a controller to display first, second and third icons respectively having first, second and third sizes; in response to a first touch input on the first icon, display a screen of a first application; in response to a second touch input on the first icon, display a change indicator overlapping the first icon; in response to a third touch input on the change indicator, transition the first icon into a widget object; in response to a fourth touch input on the widget object, increase the size of the widget object and decrease sizes of the second and third icons while the size of the widget object increases, display changing preview information of the first application within the widget object; and in response to a fifth touch input on the widget object, display the screen of the first application.
US09996225B2
The present invention provides a method of displaying nodes, including: displaying, in response to that one or more nodes are selected on a view screen on which nodes are displayed together with respective connection lines between the nodes, the selected one or more nodes on a pallet; drawing connection lines extending from the one or more nodes displayed on the pallet, on the view screen; and scrolling, in response to that one or more connection lines extending from the one or more nodes displayed on the pallet are selected or that one or more nodes on the pallet are selected, a display on the view screen such that one or more nodes at connection destinations of the selected connection lines or the selected nodes are displayed within the view screen.
US09996224B2
Methods, systems, and media for identifying and updating a group of media content items are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving indications of filtering criteria; identifying a first collection of media content items, wherein the first collection of media content items includes media content items associated with a particular topic; identifying a first group of candidate media content items, wherein the first group of candidate media content items includes media content items not included in the first collection of media content items; creating a second collection of media content items by applying the stored filtering criteria to the first collection of media content items and the first group of candidate media content items; and causing a user interface that indicates the second collection of media content items and the identifier of the collection of media content items to be presented.
US09996218B2
An information processing apparatus is disclosed. The information processing apparatus executes a function corresponding to a menu item of application software which menu item is selected by a user. The information processing apparatus includes an information processing unit which executes plural small functions of which the function corresponding to the selected menu item is formed, a recipe data forming unit which forms recipe data in which an executing condition and an executing order of the plural small functions corresponding to the selected menu item are defined, and an information process executing unit which causes the information processing unit to execute the plural small functions based on the formed recipe data.
US09996208B2
The disclosure provides a touch screen which comprises a transparent substrate having a surface which includes a central region and a peripheral region, an electrode array arranged in the central region and formed by a plurality of driving electrodes and a plurality of sensing electrodes, which are arranged on the surface of the transparent substrate, and multiple wires formed on the surface of the transparent substrate for electrically connecting each electrode in the electrode array to an external touch driving circuit, wherein all the electrodes in the electrode array and the multiple wires are formed by a single-layer metal which is formed on the surface of the transparent substrate. The disclosure further provides a manufacturing method of the touch screen. The manufacturing method comprises the step of forming the driving electrodes, in which the driving electrodes, the sensing electrodes and the wires connecting the electrodes of the touch screen are formed simultaneously of the single-layer metal which are directly formed on the surface of the transparent substrate. The disclosure further provides a display device comprising the touch screen.
US09996193B2
Methods and systems for a display device having a touch panel are provided. In one aspect, the display device may comprise a sensor glass for sensing a touch and providing a touch input signal; a touch panel controller that includes a touch panel integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the sensor glass and a first low voltage source; and a display assembly that includes an isolator that couples the touch panel IC to the display assembly, with the isolator electrically isolating the touch panel IC from the display assembly. In another aspect, the display device includes a touch panel controller that receives a touch input signal from a sensor glass and provides touch information.
US09996190B2
Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to a pressure-based input method for user devices. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a user device can receive an output from a pressure sensor. The output can include parameters associated with a pressure applied to the pressure sensor by a user. The user device can analyze the output to determine a command to be executed by the user device. The user device can execute the command.
US09996179B2
A display apparatus capable of image scanning is provided including a contact sensor arranged in each unit pixel. The contact sensor includes a pixel electrode forming a contact capacitance by contact with a contact means; a reset transistor where a drain electrode is connected to a node where the contact capacitance is formed, and each of a gate electrode and a source electrode is connected to a first scan line to which a selective signal is applied; an amplifying transistor where a gate electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the reset transistor; and a detecting transistor where a drain electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the amplifying transistor, a gate electrode is connected to a second scan line to which a selective signal is applied, and a source electrode is connected to a readout line detecting a current corresponding to the contact capacitance.
US09996175B2
A circuit for switching an LCD between display and touch modes is disclosed. The circuit can include one or more switches configured to switch one or more drive, sense, and data lines in LCD pixels according to the mode. During touch mode, the circuit switches can be configured to switch one or more drive lines to receive stimulation signals, one or more sense lines to transmit touch signals, and one or more data lines to transmit residual data signals. During display mode, the circuit switches can be configured to switch one or more drive lines and sense lines to receive common voltage signals and one or more data lines to receive data signals. The circuit can be formed around the border of the LCD chip or partially or fully on a separate chip.
US09996173B2
A front panel overlay having a plurality of layers and one or more logic circuits incorporated therein is disclosed. One of the plurality of layers may have a first electrical contact and another one of the plurality of layers may have a second electrical contact. The one or more logic circuits may be incorporated at least indirectly within the plurality of layers and may be activated when the first electrical contact completes an electrical circuit with the second electrical contact.
US09996172B2
A target setting apparatus sets a target correcting a sight line detection portion to detect a sight line of a subject person. A deviation between a position of the target and a position detected as a center of the sight line detected by the sight line detection portion when the subject person is estimated to be gazing at the target is regarded as a detection error and applied to a correction. The target setting apparatus includes: a sight line range estimation portion that estimates a sight line range; a candidate point extraction portion that extracts a candidate point for the target from the sight line range; a candidate point evaluation portion that evaluates appropriateness of the candidate point as the target by using a plurality of indices; and a target setting portion that determines whether or not to set the candidate point as the target.
US09996169B2
There is provided a capacitive joystick device including a substrate, a fixed plate, a movable member, a plurality of elastic elements, a cone and an operation stick. The substrate includes a ground region and a capacitance sensing region. The fixed plate includes a first opening. The movable member includes a second opening. The elastic elements are symmetrically disposed between the fixed plate and the movable member. The cone is disposed between the movable member and the substrate, and includes a base, a vertex and a lateral surface. The base presses against the movable member. The vertex is disposed on the ground region of the substrate. The lateral surface is aligned with the capacitance sensing region of the substrate. The operation stick extends from the base of the cone and passes through the first opening and the second opening.
US09996157B2
An electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more tactile output generators for generating tactile outputs displays a user interface that includes a first item. While displaying the user interface, the device detects a first portion of an input by a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface, and detects a first movement of the first contact on the touch-sensitive surface. The device further, in response to detecting the first portion of the input that includes the first movement of the first contact, in accordance with a determination that the first movement of the first contact meets first movement-threshold criteria that are a precondition for performing a first operation, generates a first tactile output, and in accordance with a determination that the first movement of the first contact does not meet the first movement-threshold criteria for the first operation, forgoes generation of the first tactile output.
US09996149B1
A system for translational navigation of an immersive virtual reality environment is provided. The system includes a head mounted display having a field of view of the immersive virtual reality environment displayed on a display of the head mounted display and at least one sensor for detecting an orientation of the head mounted display. The system includes a user input control for translating input from a user into a velocity of the user in a single direction within the immersive virtual reality environment. A control module is provided in communication with the user input control and head mounted display for limiting movement of a user through the virtual reality environment to a direction corresponding to a center of the field of view when a velocity input is detected from the user input control.
US09996146B2
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus including a power supply part and a voltage compensating circuit. The power supply part is configured to supply electric power to a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The voltage compensating circuit is configured, when the first electronic device is connected to the information processing apparatus, to increase a voltage output from the power supply part and to switch a power supply path for supplying the output voltage to the second electronic device from a first power supply path to a second power supply path including a step-down element so as to decrease the increased output voltage and to supply the decreased output voltage to the second electronic device.
US09996144B2
A system on chip (SoC) includes an internal read-only memory (ROM) configured to store a first boot loader; a first internal static random access memory (SRAM) configured to receive a second boot loader output from a booting device, store the second boot loader, and perform a booting sequence according to control of the first boot loader; a second internal SRAM configured to receive a third boot loader output from the booting device, store the third boot loader, and perform a wake-up sequence according to control of the first boot loader; and a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) controller configured to load an operating system (OS) from the booting device into a DRAM according to control of the second boot loader.
US09996141B2
The disclosure storage device provides a hard disk drive (HDD) module, the HDD module includes a plurality of HDD units, and each the HDD unit include a plurality of HDDs, a switching unit, and a plurality of indication units. The switching unit configured for operating in a first state or a second state. Each indication unit is configured to electrically couple to the switching unit. When the switching unit outputs a first state signal, the switch control circuit outputs a first control signal to turn off the corresponding indicating control circuits. When the switch control circuit operates in the second state, the switch control circuit outputs a second control signal to turn on the corresponding indicating control circuits. An electronic device using the same is also provided.
US09996137B2
Embodiments generally provide techniques for waking up a plurality of network devices from a power saving mode via layer 1 (L1) signaling. Embodiments include entering a power saving mode at a first network device, wherein logic for processing layer 2 and higher data is inactive during the power saving mode and receiving, while the first network device is in the power saving mode, a L1 bit stream from a second network device connected to the first network device. Additionally, embodiments include, upon determining that a predefined code is present within the received L1 bit stream, exiting the power saving mode at the first network device and transmitting a second L1 bit stream containing the predefined code to a third network device.
US09996125B2
A drive-removal mechanism may include, but is not limited to: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is detached from at least one drive to be removed. A drive enclosure may include, but is not limited to: at least one drive-receiving member including at least one drive-receiving channel; and at least one drive-removal mechanism including: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is configured to at least partially remove at least one hot swappable drive from the at least one drive-receiving channel.
US09996119B2
A module connectivity device includes a stationary pivot plenum, a number of rocker-arm assemblies movably coupled to the stationary pivot plenum in which the rocker-arm assemblies move between an open position and a closed position, and a number of module connectors movably coupled to the rocker-arm assemblies, in which the module connectors move between a disengaged position and an engaged position with respect to the connectors on system modules. A module connectivity system includes a number of rocker-arm assemblies and a number of module connectors movably coupled to the number of rocker-arm assemblies. The system also includes a module connectivity manager to manage the connectivity of the module connectors.
US09996116B2
A hinge mechanism includes a shaft, a first connecting member pivoted to the shaft and connected to a first body, a second connecting member fixed to the shaft and connected to a second body, a limiting frame, a rail base, a pin movably disposed through a slot of the limiting frame, and an elastic member connected to the pin and abutting against the first connecting member for driving the pin against the rail base. The limiting frame is fixed to the first connecting body and pivoted to the shaft. The rail base is fixed to the shaft and has first, second, third arc-shaped rails and a transition rail. When the first body rotates an expanding angle relative to the second body in a first rotating direction, the pin moves along the first arc-shaped rail to the transition rail and abuts against a first stopping end surface of the transition rail.
US09996112B2
An electronic assembly including a portable electronic device and a docking station is provided. The portable electronic device has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, and the first surface is a display. The docking station includes a body, and first, second, and third supporting plates disposed thereon, wherein the first, the third, and the second supporting plates are located on the body side by side sequentially. The first supporting plate is hinged to the body along a first axis, the second supporting plate is hinged to the body along a second axis, the third supporting plate is freely pivoted to the second supporting plate along the first axis, and freely pivoted to the first supporting plate along the second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel to but not overlapped with each other. A docking station is also provided.
US09996111B2
Disclosed is a docking station for an electronic device including a first connector block slidably connected to a first side of the docking station, a second connector block opposite the first connector block and slidably connected to a second side of the docking station, a first plug of the first connector block positioned to interface with a first port of the electronic device, a security hole for receiving an external lock; and a sensor in the security hole.
US09996094B2
Coupling a first and second nodes, and a monitor node together within a facility via network; via the monitor node, broadcasting whether a non-system device consumes a resource; via the first node, transmitting data and status via the network for generation of schedules, and operating a first device within an acceptable operating margin to maintain a first environment by cycling on and off according to the schedules; and via a network operations center external to the facility, generating the schedules to control peak demand of the resource, where one or more run times start prior to when otherwise required to maintain local environments, and coordinating run times for the first device and a second device, where coordination is based on a global schedule, an adjusted first descriptor set characterizing the first environment, and an adjusted second descriptor set characterizing a second environment, and data broadcast by the monitor node.
US09996079B2
Systems, devices and methods are disclosed for detecting, characterizing and engaging unmanned vehicles. In one aspect, a method includes detecting an object, such as an unmanned aerial, land or aquatic vehicle that communicates using a radio control (RC) communications protocol, traveling to a zone including scanning one or more frequencies of RF signals; analyzing one or both of time and frequency information of the RF signals to characterize the detected object; and engaging the detected object as an authorized or unauthorized object in the monitored zone.
US09996077B2
A system and method for reducing the magnitude of one or more harmonica of one or more uniformity parameters in a cured tire involves selective removal of tire material at one or more track/area locations along first and second bead profiles. Selective removal may occur via ablation at the bead seat, low flange and/or high flange zones to correct for a selected number of harmonic of such parameters as radial, lateral and tangential force variation. Ablation pattern are calculated and implemented on first and second tire beads to achieve desired levels of force reduction at selected angular locations (within the expanse from 0-360 degrees along each tire bead). Ablation patterns may be calculated for implementation at fixed or varied tire rotational speeds and/or fixed or varied levels of laser power.
US09996072B2
Gauge system, including methods and apparatus, for positioning workpieces according to entered and/or calculated target dimensions and processing the workpieces with a tool to generate products having the target dimensions.
US09996070B2
A programmable logic controller includes control units. In the programmable logic controller, the control units are installed in such a manner that side surfaces of adjacent ones of the control units have an interval therebetween. In the programmable logic controller, the control units are configured in such a manner that the interval between the side surfaces of adjacent ones of the control units can be set according to an installation environment of the programmable logic controller.
US09996069B2
A computer-implemented method for programming a universal control system includes generating a list of devices associated with a network; based on configuration data and statistical data associated with a first set of devices included in the list of devices, generating programming for a first activity to be performed via the network, wherein first activity is associated with the first set of devices included in the list of devices, and the programming is associated with a device configuration for the first set of devices and includes commands for transmission to the first set of devices by the universal control system; and causing the programming for the first activity to be stored, wherein, when the first activity is selected, the device configuration for the first set of devices is implemented.
US09996067B2
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for indicating energy savings for a distributed site. The energy savings is indicated by an energy management system, which receives energy consumption data of the distributed site for a first observation period. Further one or more service windows are defined for the distributed site and an energy saving strategy is applied to at least one service window. Further, the energy consumption data for the second observation period is received and a compared of one or more service windows of the first observation period with the corresponding service windows of the second observation period is done. The energy management system further determines adjustment factors in the energy profiles based on parameters affecting the energy profiles which were not considered during the first observation period and hence indicate the energy savings for the distributed site based on the first saving and adjustment factor.
US09996065B2
A method for controlling an appliance is provided. The method includes: receiving a notification message from a control device, wherein the notification message includes address information regarding the control device; receiving quality data of a target object from an appliance configured to process the target object, wherein the quality data of the target object is obtained by measuring quality of the target object by the appliance; and sending an appliance control prompt to the control device according to the address information when determining that the quality data of the target object does not reach a threshold, wherein the appliance control prompt is configured to prompt a user of the control device to start the appliance for processing the target object.
US09996061B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method and system for reducing building energy consumption is provided. The method is provided for saving building energy consumption by obtaining at least one energy use strategy in association with a current or future activity in a building. The method includes aggregating activity data from at least one system associated with the current or future activity and estimating an energy demand level based at least on the aggregated activity data. The method also includes generating at least one energy use strategy based at least on the estimated energy demand.
US09996059B2
A high accuracy on-chip thermal sensor includes an integrated circuit and sensing elements. The thermal sensor finds application in various mobile and battery powered devices and includes a processor that analyzes a measured temperature signal and decides if the thermal sensor operates in low or high power operational mode, or if the device's CPU is to be reset. A method utilizing the thermal sensor includes making comparisons to two threshold temperatures and operating at low power mode below the first threshold temperature, high power mode between the two threshold temperatures and causing reset if the second threshold temperature is exceeded. Low power operational mode includes a lower clock frequency, lower bias current and lower power consumption. Higher power operational mode is used when the upper threshold temperature is being approached and includes a higher data sampling frequency and more accurate temperature control and uses higher power.
US09996048B1
An access door of an imaging device is movable between a raised closed position, a lowered open position, and a raised open position. A linkage assembly includes a lower link connected to the access door using a first revolute joint and an upper link connected to the access door using a compound joint. The compound joint is transformable between a prismatic joint and a second revolute joint, with the compound joint forming the prismatic joint as the access door moves between the raised closed position and the lowered open position and forming the second revolute joint as the access door moves between the lowered open position and the raised open position. The compound joint as the prismatic joint allows translational motion of the access door relative to the upper link. The compound joint as the second revolute joint allows rotational motion of the access door relative to the upper link.
US09996047B2
Provided is a cleaning blade including: an elastic member; and a supporting member supporting the elastic member. The elastic member includes a free end portion, and the free end portion has an edge and a first surface and a second surface that form the edge. At least one of the first surface and the second surface has a hardened surface. The following expression (1): 0.1≤DHs≤0.4 and the following expression (2): DHs
US09996039B2
An image forming apparatus includes at least a load unit, a driving unit that drives the load unit, and a controller that controls the driving unit. The controller determines that at least one of the load unit and the driving unit malfunctions if a velocity change time period that the driving unit has taken to reach a second velocity from a first velocity is off a predetermined threshold value.
US09996028B2
A developer container includes a developer containing portion capable of containing a developer, a discharge port through which the developer contained in the developer containing portion is discharged, and a storing portion configured to store the developer to be discharged through the discharge port. The storing portion is in fluid communication with an inside of the developer containing portion and the discharge port. In addition, a displacement portion is provided in the storing portion and arranged to be displaceable, and includes a displaceable shaft portion configured to extend along the storing portion and a coil spring which biases the displaceable shaft portion. A rotatable member is provided above the storing portion and has first and second portions arranged in a rotational direction of the rotatable member, the first portion being contactable to a part of the shaft portion and the second portion not being contactable to the shaft portion.
US09996015B2
The disclosure relates to a mirror module, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including a mirror, which has a mirror body and an optically effective surface. The mirror body has a first material, and a supporting structure for connecting the mirror body to an objective structure. The supporting structure has a second material. The first material and the second material differ in terms of their coefficients of thermal expansion by less than 0.5*10−6K−1 in a temperature range around an operating temperature which is reached by the mirror module during operation in the region of the connection of the mirror body to the supporting structure.
US09996011B2
A method provides an integrated circuit (IC) substrate having first and second alignment marks defined in a first pattern layer, and third and fourth alignment marks defined in a second pattern layer. The first and second alignment marks are illuminated, through a photomask, with a first light to determine a first layer alignment error including a first alignment error and a second alignment error. The first alignment error has more weight than the second alignment error in determining the first layer alignment error. The third and fourth alignment marks are illuminated with a second light to determine a second layer alignment error including a third alignment error in relation to the third alignment mark and a fourth alignment error in relation to the fourth alignment mark. The third alignment error has more weight than the fourth alignment error in determining the second layer alignment error.
US09996007B2
Provided are a polymer used for a manufacturing process of a semiconductor and a display, a resist underlayer film composition containing the polymer for a manufacturing process of a semiconductor and a display, and a method for manufacturing semiconductor device using the composition, and more specifically, the polymer of the present disclosure simultaneously has optimized etching selectivity, planarization characteristic, and excellent thermal resistance, such that the resist underlayer film composition containing the polymer is usable as a hard mask for a multilayer semiconductor lithography process.
US09996006B2
Methods disclosed herein provide apparatus and methods for applying an electric field and/or a magnetic field to a photoresist layer without air gap intervention during photolithography processes. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to apply an electric field to a substrate via a non-gas phase intermediate medium. Methods described herein include dissociation of a photoacid generator to generate anions and cations. The anions may be moved within the photoresist layer by the electric field to more precisely control the speed and location of acid generation and regeneration processes.
US09995988B2
A shake correction apparatus includes: a stationary portion (21) having coils (22S, 22L, 23S, 23L, 24S, 24L) arranged; a movable portion including magnets (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d, 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d, 54a, 54b, 54c, 54d) opposed to the coils and an imaging element; a supporting member for movably supporting the movable portion to the stationary portion along a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of light entering into the imaging element; means for detecting a position of the movable portion; and means for controlling current flowed into the coils based on output of the detection means, the coils including at least three coil pairs when two coils opposed to each other along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis are paired, driving forces of two coils forming each coil pair being different.
US09995953B2
The present invention provides a method for improving visibility of an image display device which is capable of providing an image display device excellent in anti-reflection properties and bright-field contrast even using an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence, such as a polyester film. The method of the present invention is a method for improving visibility of an image display device that has an optical layered body including a light-transmitting substrate having in-plane birefringence and an optical functional layer disposed on one surface of the substrate. The method includes the step of disposing the optical layered body such that the slow axis showing a greater refractive index of the light-transmitting substrate is in parallel with the vertical direction of a display screen of the image display device.
US09995947B2
A prosthesis capable of being worn on the eye of a wearer having a convex surface and a concave surface. The prosthesis is configured to widen the natural palpebral fissure of a wearer's eye. The prosthesis may have an aperture widening zone located on the convex surface and including an area of increased surface friction. A method of widening the natural palpebral fissure of a wearer's eye is also provided.
US09995932B2
A head-up display with variable focal length includes a projector which provides a beam with image, a magnifier lens module which is disposed on the route of the beam, and an array of lens which is movably disposed between the projector and the magnifier lens module. The beam forms an inter-image after passing the array of lens, then forms a virtual image after passing the magnifier lens module. To change the position of the virtual image, adjust the relative position between the array of lens and the magnifier lens module. A dispersion angle of the array of lens is θd, a magnification of the magnifier lens module is M, a distance between the virtual image and user's eyes is VID, a visible range of user's eyes is Et, and satisfies the relationship as following: θd=M*2*cot−1 (2VID/Et).
US09995931B2
An imaging device is implemented that corrects contour distortion of the telephoto and wide-angle ends of zoom lens and a reflex lens where the way the contour is distorted significantly differs between the centerward and receding directions. A UHDTV imaging device with a landscape aspect ratio such as 16:9 uses a high-power zoom lens or a reflex lens, obtains type information and aperture ratio information of the lens, obtains and stores coma aberration information of the lens, and individually and independently calculates the amounts of left and right horizontal contour correction in proportion to a distance from the center of a screen (h−H/2), based on the obtained type information and aperture ratio information of the lens and the stored coma aberration information, and individually and independently performs left and right horizontal contour correction, using one of multi-stage horizontal contour correction, multi-stage vertical contour correction, and multi-stage oblique contour correction.
US09995930B2
A focusing device includes a substrate and a plurality of scatterers provided at both sides of the substrate. The scatterers on the both sides of the focusing device may correct geometric aberration, and thus, a field of view (FOV) of the focusing device may be widened.
US09995929B2
The invention concerns a method for tuning at a targeted resonance wavelength at least one micro and/or nanophotonic resonator, the resonator having dimensions defining resonance wavelength of said resonator, the resonator being immersed in a fluid containing ions so that the resonator is surrounded by said fluid, wherein the method comprises a step of injecting light, having a light wavelength equal to the resonance wavelength, into the resonator, so that the injected light resonates within the resonator and triggers a photo-electrochemical etching process enabled by the surrounding fluid containing ions, said etching process being enhanced by the optical resonance which amplifies light intensity in the photonic resonator, the etching decreasing dimensions of the photonic resonator, hereby lowering and tuning the resonance wavelength of the photonic resonator.
US09995927B2
An illumination device includes: an excitation light source that emits excitation light having a first wavelength; a fluorescent substance that, when irradiated with the excitation light, emits light having a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength and transmits a part of the excitation light, and thereby multiplexes and emits the transmitted excitation light having the first wavelength and the emitted excitation light having the second wavelength; and a driving unit that moves an irradiation position of the excitation light in the fluorescent substance with the passage of time.
US09995926B1
A display device includes a first support plate. A pixel region is positioned over the first support plate. The pixel region includes a pixel and an electrode layer disposed between the first support plate and the pixel region. A specular reflective layer is disposed on the electrode layer. The specular reflective layer has a first refractive index. A diffusion layer is disposed on the specular reflective layer. The diffusion layer includes a plurality of islands. Each island of the plurality of islands is separated by a distance from an adjacent island of the plurality of islands, wherein a portion of the specular reflective layer is exposed between two adjacent islands of the plurality of islands. Each island has a second refractive index greater than the first refractive index.
US09995922B2
Provided is an analysis target region setting apparatus that can accurately set an analysis target region, based on an observation image of a sample obtained with an optical microscope and the like irrespective of texture on the sample surface when the analysis target region is set therein. The analysis target region setting apparatus according to the present invention divides the observation image into a plurality of sub-regions based on pixel information on each pixel constituting the observation image. Subsequently, consolidation information on each sub-region is calculated, and two adjacent sub-regions themselves are consolidated based on the consolidation information. According to this, it is possible to divide the observation image into sub-regions having similar pixel information with a disregard of noise attributed to the shape of a surface and the like. A user designates one sub-region from among the sub-regions finally obtained, as the analysis target region.
US09995914B2
A compact low-cost imaging lens which provides brightness with an F-value of 2.5 or less and a wide field of view and corrects aberrations properly, meeting the demand for low-profileness. The imaging lens elements are arranged in the following order from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex surface on the object side; a second lens with negative refractive power; a third lens with positive or negative refractive power having at least one aspheric surface; a fourth lens with positive refractive power; a fifth lens as a meniscus double-sided aspheric lens having a concave surface near an optical axis on the image side; and a sixth lens as a meniscus lens having a concave surface near the optical axis on the object side. The both surfaces of the fifth lens have pole-change points off the optical axis.
US09995911B2
The optical imaging lens includes, sequentially from an object side to an image side, an aperture stop, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lens elements. The first lens element is made of plastic. The object-side of the second lens element has a convex portion in a vicinity of its periphery. The third lens element has positive refracting power. The object-side surface of the fourth lens element has a concave portion in the vicinity of the optical axis, and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element has a concave portion in the vicinity of the optical axis. Though controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces and/or the refracting power of the lens elements, the optical imaging lens shows better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens is shortened.
US09995909B2
A five-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with positive refractive power having an object-side surface which can be convex; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens which can have negative refractive power, wherein an image-side surface thereof can be concave, and at least one surface of the fifth lens has an inflection point; both surfaces of each of the five lenses are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
US09995904B2
An actuator driving device includes: a linearizer configured to linearize a first signal, indicative of a displacement of a lens module, to generate a second signal; a position controller configured to generate a position control signal in response to the second signal and a control input signal indicative of a target location of the lens module; and a driver configured to drive an actuator in response to the position control signal.
US09995901B2
An adjustment dial assembly for a sealed system includes a knob having a flanged head and a body, wherein the body is dimensioned to extend through an opening in a housing wall, wherein the flanged head is dimensioned to interface with the housing wall. The body includes a seal detent disposed below of the flanged head for receiving a seal, a fastener interface disposed below the seal detent configured to interface with a fastener for retaining a movement regulation assembly and the knob to the housing wall, and a drive screw opening disposed within the body and configured to receive a drive screw such that the drive screw can be axially moved relative to the knob when the knob is rotated and the drive screw is rotationally fixed.
US09995900B2
The present invention relates to a stacked optical fiber storage compartment formed to receive optical fibers, facilitate the connection of optical fibers and optical jumper cords, and facilitate the arranging and grouping of optical fibers. The stacked optical fiber storage compartment according to the present invention comprises: a compartment body including a main body portion having a receiving space and an open upper portion, and an opening and closing cover pivotably coupled on the main body portion to open and close the open upper portion of the main body portion; and an optical fiber connecting unit installed on the main body portion to receive and connect the respective optical fibers withdrawn from each of the tubes for optical cables extending into the compartment body. The optical fiber connecting unit comprises: a support plate mounted on the main body portion; connecting tube storing trays pivotably coupled through a hinge shaft to the support plate, and having optical connecting tube storing portions for connecting optical fibers; first and second keeping trays disposed at both sides of the respective connecting tube storing trays and including first and second keeping receiving portions that keep optical fibers or optical jump fibers and support same; and an optical fiber connecting unit installed on the support plate, and having an optical jump fiber when an optical fiber supported on the first keeping tray or the second keeping tray is jumped to a connecting tube storing tray from among the tube storing trays.
US09995898B2
A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis defining an interior region and a tray assembly disposed in the interior region. The tray assembly includes a tray and a cable spool assembly. The cable spool assembly is engaged to a base panel of the tray. The cable spool assembly is adapted to rotate relative to the tray. The cable spool assembly includes a hub, a flange engaged to the hub and an adapter module. The flange defines a termination area. The adapter module is engaged to the termination module of the flange. The adapter module is adapted to slide relative to the flange in a direction that is generally parallel to the flange between an extended position and a retracted position.
US09995891B2
An optical module includes a case including an optical filter, a receptacle coupled to the case, an optical receiver, and an optical transmitter. The receptacle includes a recess formed along an outer circumferential surface thereof. The recess may be formed by a first side wall and a second side wall which face each other and a bottom surface coupling the first side wall to the second side wall. Further, at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall may include an insulating material.
US09995890B2
Thermal management of a locker etalon in a transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA). In one example embodiment, a TOSA includes a case, a laser positioned within the case and electro-thermally connected to the case, a locker etalon positioned in the case and thermally connected to the case, and a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) positioned within the case and in thermal contact with both the laser and the locker etalon.
US09995887B2
Methods and systems for a multi-fiber push-on/pull-off connector locking clip are disclosed and may include operatively coupling a multi-fiber push-on/push-off (MPO) connector to an MPO adaptor by inserting the MPO connector into the MPO adaptor, where the MPO connector comprises an MPO connector pull-to-release housing. The MPO connector may be secured to the MPO adaptor by placing an MPO locking clip adjacent to the MPO connector pull-to-release housing, thereby preventing the MPO connector pull-to-release housing from being actuated. An optical cable may be coupled to the MPO connector. The adaptor may be coupled to an optical device, which may include an optical transceiver. The MPO locking clip may be plastic or metal. The MPO connector and the MPO connector pull-to-release housing may be plastic.
US09995882B2
The present invention provides a telescope array and related components and methods. In various embodiments, the telescope array may include a plurality of telescopes, each telescope associated with a focal plane package and a telescope control system configured to control the focus and tracking of the telescope, such that each telescope may be independently focused and pointed. The focal plane package may comprise an optical fiber feed configured to provide a an optical signal to an optical fiber; and a mirror array configured to provide two shifted simultaneous signals to an image capture device. The telescope array may further comprise at least one switchable multi-fiber coupler configured to couple the signals of at least some of the plurality of telescopes and an array control system in communication with each of the telescope control systems.
US09995877B2
In order to solve the problem of making optical signals pass at a low loss and low polarization dependence, this optical circuit element is configured from rib-type optical waveguides, each of which is configured from a core region, including a planar slab and protruding ribs, and cladding regions that are provided in contact with the top and the bottom of the core region. A first optical waveguide that is provided in the optical circuit element is provided with a plurality of intersection points where the first optical waveguide intersects optical waveguides other than the first optical waveguide, said intersection points being disposed on one straight line. The core width of the first optical waveguide in a region between the intersection points is larger than the core width of the first optical waveguide in regions other than the region between the intersection points, the first optical waveguide regions having different core widths are connected by means of a taper optical waveguide wherein the core width monotonously changes, and the thickness of the slab of the first optical waveguide in the region having the large core width is larger than the thickness of the slab of the first optical waveguide in the regions other than the region having the large core width.
US09995873B2
Optical fibers having a large effective area are disclosed. Three main embodiments of the optical fiber allow for single-mode operation at wavelengths of 850 nm, 980 nm and 1060 nm, respectively and have a large effective area with low bend losses. The large effective area optical fiber is expected to be particularly useful for data center applications due to its ability to efficiently optically couple with photonic integrated devices. Integrated systems and optical communication systems that employ the optical fibers are also disclosed.
US09995871B2
A backlight 200 is provided with a frame body 9 that is in contact with a side surface of a light guide plate 5, and a non-light emitting region surrounding a light emitting region of a light emitting surface of an LED 60. The side surface of the light guide plate 5 and the LED 60 can be brought close to each other, while preventing a contact therebetween by means of the frame body 9. Furthermore, by means of the frame body 9, light emitted from the LED 60 is prevented from leaking out from between the light emitting surface of the LED 60 and the side surface of the light guide plate 5. Consequently, the ratio at which the light emitted from the LED 60 is inputted to the light guide plate 5 is increased, thereby improving luminance or power saving performance of the backlight 200.
US09995864B2
A wire grid polarizer (WGP) can have a conformal-coating to protect the WGP from at least one of the following: corrosion, dust, and damage due to tensile forces in a liquid on the WGP. The conformal-coating can include a silane conformal-coating with chemical formula (1), chemical formula (2), or combinations thereof: A method of applying a conformal-coating over a WGP can include exposing the WGP to Si(R1)d(R2)e(R3)g. In the above WGP and method, X can be a bond to the ribs; each R1 can be a hydrophobic group; each R3, if any, can be any chemical element or group; d can be 1, 2, or 3, e can be 1, 2, or 3, g can be 0, 1, or 2, and d+e+g=4; R2 can be a silane-reactive-group; and each R6 can be an alkyl group, an aryl group, or combinations thereof.
US09995856B2
A lens array fabrication method for fabricating a lens array includes: receiving pins (16) of a film attaching instrument (jig) in second guide holes (10) of a film-containing base plate; bonding a placement area and an adhesion layer (F); removing the pins (16); causing a detachment between a first detachment film (C) and a pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film (D); separating three layers (D) to (F) from two layers (B) and (C); receiving the pins (16) in first guide holes (7) of a lens array main unit; fitting a film holding protrusion (15) in a depression part (6); bonding the film (D) to a bonding region (i); removing the pins (16); and causing a detachment between the film (D) and a second detachment film (E).
US09995850B2
A polarization control device includes a first wave plate having a first surface profile and a second wave plate having a second surface profile complementary to the first surface profile. The optical axis of the first wave plate is orthogonal to the optical axis of the second wave plate. The first wave plate and the second wave plate are positioned to align the first surface profile with the second surface profile and maintain a constant thickness across the polarization control device. The first wave plate and the second wave plate may control polarization rotation as a continuous function of transverse position across a pupil plane of an optical system. The first wave plate and the second wave plate are separated by a sufficiently small distance so as to limit wave front distortion below a selected level.
US09995840B1
A drilling rig apparatus is disclosed for improving geosteering control by reducing the amount of bandwidth necessary to convey log data to the surface in real time. A bottom hole assembly receives measurement data from azimuthal measurement sensors. The BHA sorts the measurement data into appropriate bins in a radial plot. The BHA selects a hemisphere for transmission of the measurement data in those bins for the selected hemisphere, instead of transmitting the data for all bins in the plot. The BHA may average the data in the bins for the selected hemisphere with the data of the mirroring bins in the non-selected hemisphere. The BHA transmits the measurement data to a surface controller, which mirrors the data transmitted to the corresponding bins in the non-selected hemisphere to reconstitute the full set of data for the radial plot, which is used for image log generation, geosteering and other control functions.
US09995820B2
A distance-measuring sensor (10) is provided for detecting and determining the distance of objects (18) in a monitored zone comprising a transmitter (12) for transmitting transmitted pulses; a receiver (20) for generating a received signal from the transmitted pulses remitted in the monitored zone; a first comparator unit (36a) for digitizing the received signal with reference to a first threshold; and a control and evaluation unit (30) which is configured to transmit a plurality of transmitted pulses via the transmitter (12), to collect the received signals thereupon generated by the receiver (20) in a histogram and to determine a received time point from the histogram and thus to determine a measured value for the signal transit time from the sensor (10) to the object (18). In this respect, a second comparator unit (36b) is provided for digitizing the received signal with reference to a second threshold, wherein the first comparator unit (36a), the second comparator unit (36b) and the control and evaluation unit (30) are configured to acquire three digital states of a respective section of the received signal with reference to the first threshold and to weight the contributions of the section to the histogram in dependence on the digital state.
US09995819B1
A computer-implemented method for processing radar return signals to identify spherical objects from within a cluster of objects, collects by a radar receiver, a plurality of radar return signals over N-point measurement windows corresponding to objects within the cluster of objects, the radar return signals corresponding to electronic pulses transmitted by a radar transmitter. The radar processor extracts radar cross section data from the collected plurality of radar return signals, and computes, based on the radar cross section data, a plurality of standard deviation values, each standard deviation value based on the radar cross section data corresponding to one of the N-point windows. The radar processor determines, based on analysis of the sequence of standard deviation values of the return signals, whether the object is a spherical object.
US09995813B2
The invention disclosed herein provides methods for implementing Sampling Interval Modulation Magnetic Resonance Elastography (“SLIM-MRE”), based on simultaneous encoding and acquisition of individual displacement components using motion encoding gradients with different time discretization intervals to MRI analysis. The components are modulated with different frequencies in the MR signal phase, which can be expressed as a harmonic function of the start time, or equivalently of initial phase, of the motion encoding gradient components. As a result, all displacement components can be acquired faster than in conventional MRE, and can be derived from the same temporally-resolved MR phase images. This also allows for simultaneously acquired 3D displacement data and storage of such data in the same k-space.
US09995811B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of an embodiment has a setting unit configured to set a pulse sequence having a pre-pulse for fat suppression and a pulse train for data acquisition for acquiring echo data for image reconstruction, the pulse sequence being provided with a plurality of dummy pulses between the pre-pulse for fat suppression and the head of the pulse train for data acquisition, a data acquisition unit configured to apply an RF pulse and a gradient magnetic field pulse based on the pulse sequence set by the setting unit to a test object so as to acquire the echo data, and an image generation unit configured to reconstruct an image of the test object from the acquired echo data, wherein an application time during which the plural dummy pulses are applied or flip angles of the plural dummy pulses can be adjusted.
US09995795B2
A system and method to detect the loss or disruption of one or more phases of a three phase alternating current (AC) power source used in the operation of a valve actuator. The loss of one or more phases of a three phase AC power source may cause a peak in AC power output. While a peak in AC power output may not affect an operation of electronic circuitry, all three phases are often required to safely operate other hardware components, such as an AC motor that is associated with the valve actuator. Therefore, in response to detecting the loss or disruption of at least one phase of a three phase AC power source, this disclosure presents a system and method to inhibit damaging operations such as operating an AC motor associated with a valve actuator, and continuing to operate communications and diagnostic circuitry to report the condition.
US09995777B2
Inventive aspects include systems, methods, and apparatuses for detecting placement of a wireless power receiver in a charging region of a wireless power transmitter. For example, the apparatus may include a transmit circuit comprising a transmit coil and be configured to wirelessly transmit power via a wireless filed applied to the charging region to a receive coil of the receiver. The apparatus may also include a detection circuit configured to detect a characteristic waveform resulting from the field that is applied to the charging region or changed between the transmit and receive coils, in response to the receiver being placed in the charging region.
US09995774B2
Determining a property of an electrical signal at a node instant at the current instant (INSTC); determining a previous function indicative of a property of the signal at the node at a previous instant; determining an error function in a previous frequency estimation at the node at a previous instant; determining a first current function indicative of the property of the signal at the node at INSTC in accordance with the determined property, the previous function, and the error function; receiving, from another node, a second current function indicative of a property of an electrical signal at the at least one other node at INSTC; combining the first current function and the second current function to produce a current combined function (CCF) indicative of a property of the signal at the node at INSTC; and estimating a current frequency of the signal at the node in accordance with the CCF.
US09995768B2
Interconnection meter socket adapters are provided. An interconnection meter socket adapter comprises a housing enclosing a set of electrical connections. The interconnection meter socket adapter may be configured to be coupled to a standard distribution panel and a standard electrical meter, thereby establishing connections between a distribution panel and a user such that electrical power may be delivered to the user while an electrical meter measures the power consumption of the user. An interconnection meter socket adapter may be configured to be coupled to a DC-AC converter, which may be coupled to various energy sources. As such, the energy sources are coupled to an electrical power system. In addition, a connector such as a flexible cable or flexible conduit containing insulated wires can be provided for connecting various energy sources and/or sinks.
US09995767B2
In one embodiment, a universal test container can include a universal external electrical interface configured to couple to each of a plurality of different devices to test. In addition, the universal test container is configured to enclose each of the plurality of different devices to test.
US09995745B2
Methods for producing a protein extract from cells, such as cells or cellular samples containing viral proteins, are provided. In general terms, the methods may involve: increasing the pH of the cells to a pH of at least about pH 10.0 to produce an intermediate composition, and then, in the presence of a non-ionic detergent such as a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, neutralizing the pH of the intermediate composition to produce the protein extract. Such methods can be used in conjunction with methods for detecting one or more target proteins in a sample, such as viral proteins. Systems, kits and compositions for practicing the subject methods are also provided.
US09995726B2
One object is to provide a lubricant deterioration sensor that can maintain accuracy of sensing the deterioration of a lubricant having low transmissivity and an optical sensor used therein for sensing the amount of received light. The lubricant deterioration sensor is used for determining deterioration state of a lubricant. The lubricant deterioration sensor includes an optical sensor having: an LED for emitting detection light; an oil entering gap in which the detection light passes through a lubricant to be inspected; a color sensor for sensing color information of the detection light having passed through the lubricant; and a logarithmic amplifier for logarithmically amplifying the detection value sensed by the color sensor and outputting the amplified detection value.
US09995724B2
The mercury detecting paper provides a visual indication of the presence of mercury in an applied water sample. The mercury detecting paper is formed as a hydrophobic substrate having a reagent layer deposited thereon. The hydrophobic substrate is made from paper having a layer of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) deposited thereon, and the reagent layer is a layer of 6-hydroxy-3-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylideneamino)-2-thioxo-2H-1,3-thiazin-4(3H)-one (HOTT). In use, a water sample is applied to the reagent layer and a visual color change of the reagent layer upon contact with the water sample indicates a presence of mercury in the water sample. Specifically, HOTT turns a brick red color upon contact with Hg2+ ions.
US09995713B2
Apparatus for detecting a ferromagnetic object located on or in a person being screened comprises a first magnetic sensor which in use measures an ambient magnetic field or gradient within a first volume of space and produces a corresponding measurement signal, a primary power supply which provides power to the magnetic sensor, a signal processing circuit arranged in communication with the magnetic sensors configured to identify temporal variations in the measurement signal and from the identified temporal variations provide an output signal indicative of the presence of a ferromagnetic object within the volume of space, and a warning device operable by the output from the signal processing circuit to provide within the vicinity the apparatus at least one of an audible and a visible warning in response to the output signal from the signal processing circuit. The apparatus include a user operable input means which enables the warning device to be disabled by a user without powering down the magnetic sensors.
US09995710B2
A nanosensor for detecting molecule characteristics includes a membrane having an opening configured to permit a charged carbon nanotube to pass but to block a molecule attached to the carbon nanotube. The opening is filled with an electrolytic solution. An electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field relative to the opening to drive the charged carbon nanotubes through the opening. A sensor circuit is coupled to the electric field generator to sense current changes due to charged carbon nanotubes passing into the opening, and to bias the electric field generator to determine a critical voltage related to a force of separation between the carbon nanotube and the molecule.
US09995705B2
The disclosed invention relates to an amperometric gas sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte, comprising: a solid support; and a working electrode in contact with the solid support; wherein the analyte comprises a dopant which when in contact with the solid support increases the electrical conductivity of the solid support. A sterilization process employing the amperometric gas sensor is disclosed.
US09995698B2
Disclosed is a method and system for integrating measurements from known laboratory techniques of fluid extraction (Dean Stark, Retort, Rock-Eval), which conducted independently by multiple disciplines and which have been so far treated as independent evaluations. In using these results, particularly Dean Stark and Retort, the oil industry has shown specific preferences between these two methods, with some groups advocating the validity of one method over the other, and others showing the opposite. Forums and discussions have been organized by the technical community to debate the benefits and drawbacks of each of these and to define which is the more suitable for reservoir characterization. Commercial laboratories have specialized in one method or the other based on their perceived validity. Both methods are correct, but each measure an incomplete assessment of the properties needed, and that together they provide considerable more information than when considered independently.
US09995695B2
An imaging system can use high-energy electrons at a low dose level to generate 3D computed tomography images and/or 2D radiographic images of living tissue and other objects. In some embodiments, a nozzle directs a source of high-energy electrons to the imaging target, and a detector system detects physical quantities of electrons that interact with the imaging target. In some embodiments, a computer system can calculate estimated paths taken by individual electrons within the imaging target, determine interactions between voxels of a digitized image of the imaging target and individual electrons, and reconstruct a digitized image of the imaging target based at least in part on the determined interactions between individual electrons and voxels. The imaging target can include but is not limited to living tissue, humans, pediatric patients, small animals, and other objects, such as those used in industrial applications.
US09995683B2
An apparatus for detecting an object capable of emitting light. The apparatus includes a light source and a waveguide. The waveguide includes a core layer and a first cladding layer. At least one nanowell is formed in at least the first cladding layer. The apparatus further includes a light detector. The light detector can detect a light emitted from a single molecule object contained in the at least one nanowell.
US09995682B2
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide on a sapphire substrate. The first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide each include a core portion of gallium nitride (GaN), and a cladding layer laterally surrounding the core portion. The cladding layer includes a material having a refractive index less than a refractive index of the sapphire substrate. The method further includes etching a portion of the cladding layer to form a microfluidic channel therein and forming a capping layer on a top surface of the first optical waveguide, the second optical waveguide and the microfluidic channel.
US09995680B2
Provided herein are compositions and methods including the step of thermally scanning a sample that can be used and implemented to detect the presence of and/or concentration of a molecule in a sample.
US09995675B2
A device for determining a concentration of at least one gas in a sample gas flow by infrared absorption spectroscopy. The device includes a gas cell which includes a thermal insulation, a chamber, a heating source arranged within the thermal insulation which heats the sample gas flow to a desired temperature, and a sample gas duct having an outlet. The sample gas duct is heated by the heating source upstream of the outlet. An infrared radiation source emits a radiation which is conducted through the chamber of the gas cell. The sample gas flow is conducted into the chamber and into the radiation. A detector has the radiation exiting the chamber conducted thereto to determine an absorption spectrum.
US09995674B2
A laser vibrometer for measurement of ambient chemical species includes a laser that produces a beam that is split into a reference readout beam and a signal readout beam. A probe laser beam is tuned to an absorption feature of a molecular transition, and generates acoustic signals when incident on a gaseous species via the photo acoustic effect. The scattered acoustic signals are incident on a thin membrane that vibrates. The readout laser beam reflected from the vibrating membrane is mixed with the reference beam at the surface of a photo-EMF detector. Interferrometric fringes are generated at the surface of the photo-EMF detector. Electric current is generated in the photo-EMF detector when the fringes are in motion due to undulations in the signal readout beam imparted by the vibrating membrane. A highly sensitive photo-EMF detector is capable of detecting picoJoules or less laser energy generated by vibrating processes.
US09995664B2
Seat members 31 are held in a state of being movable with respect to first slide members 21 or second slide members 22 correspondingly. By rotating screws 39 in directions to increase the distances d between surfaces A of the first slide members 21 or the second slide members 22 and surfaces B of the seat members 31, chucks 25 are moved in directions to increase the distance between the chucks to apply pretension to a test piece correspondingly. When backlash in a force transmission system from a support part to the respective chucks 25 is eliminated, a biaxial tensile test is started.
US09995663B2
The present invention relates to a method for extracting acrylamide from a matrix comprising matrix components and acrylamide, comprising the steps: bringing said matrix in contact with water to obtain an aqueous extract, and, optionally, adding a base to the aqueous extract; loading a portion of the aqueous extract obtained in the previous step onto an inert support; allowing the inert support to absorb the aqueous extract; extracting acrylamide from the aqueous extract by passing a water immiscible organic solvent through the inert support; thereby obtaining an organic extract. It further relates to a method for analyzing acrylamide content in a matrix comprising matrix components and acrylamide.
US09995660B2
A smear staining machine and a smearing control method and device thereof. The viscosity of the test sample is used for guiding the configuration of at least one smearing parameter. Because the viscosity of the test sample presents multiple influences of many effecting parameters, it is more suitable for presenting the characteristics of the test sample. Therefore, a better smearing effect could be acquired by referring the viscosity of the test sample to get the smearing parameter.
US09995659B1
A system for on-stream sampling of pressurized process gas such as natural gas or the like, said system optimized for use with pressurized process gas having liquid entrained therein, or otherwise referenced as “wet”. In the preferred embodiment, the probe tip is situated laterally from one side of the inner pipe wall to the other so as to span the entire inner diameter (ID) of the pipe, the probe tip having formed along its outer surface sample collection slot along the length of said outer surface, providing a “linear sample” of the fluid flow of the entire breadth of the flow, providing an accurate sample of even disassociated flow with entrained liquid particles and flow. Embodiments for continuous sampling, batch mode, spot sampling are provided, as well as an anti-vibration feature.
US09995648B2
Provided is an optical measurement system. The optical measurement system includes: an optical module which includes an optical system and which is configured to illuminate a sample and register a defocused image of a nanostructured surface of the sample, an optical system parameter control module configured to set optical parameters of the optical system, an optical transfer function (OTF) measurement module configured to measure an OTF, a defocused image calculation module configured to calculate the defocused image based on the measured OTF and the optical parameters, and a critical dimension (CD) evaluation module configured to compare the registered defocused image with the calculated defocused image of the nanostructured surface of the sample and to output a CD value of the nanostructured surface.
US09995644B2
A plate-like supporting body (200) is arranged below a plate-like force receiving body (100) and a deformation body (300) is connected between them. The deformation body (300) is provided with an elastically deformed portion (310) arranged along a connection channel (R1) which connects a first force receiving point (P1) with a second force receiving point (P2), a first base portion (320) and a second base portion (330) which support the elastically deformed portion (310) from below. The upper end of the first base portion (320) supports the vicinity of a first relay point (m1) on the connection channel (R1) so as to sway freely, and the upper end of the second base portion (330) supports the vicinity of a second relay point (m2) on the connection channel (R1) so as to sway freely. An arm-like member (312) which couples a pair of relay points (m1, m2) is used to lower the detection sensitivity of moment around an origin (O) which is exerted on the force receiving body (100), thereby easily adjusting the balance of detection sensitivity between moment and force.
US09995640B2
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, which can comprise a thermocouple input module. The thermocouple input module can be adapted to determine one or more calibration factors. The thermocouple input module can be adapted to store the calibration factors. The thermocouple input module can be adapted to apply the calibration factors to an incoming thermocouple voltage value to obtain an adjusted thermocouple voltage value.
US09995635B2
The invention relates to a thermal element comprising a shaft and a test prod arranged on one end of the shaft. The thermal element comprises a first conductor and a second conductor, which are manufactured from different conductor materials and which are in electrical contact on one contact point provided in the region of the test prod. The first conductor and the second conductor are embedded at least in sections in a material of the shaft. The contact point is additionally or alternatively to the shaft material shielded with respect to the outside space at least in sections by means of a shield formed by a shielding material, wherein the shielding material has a lower diffusion coefficient and/or a higher thermal conductivity than the shaft material.
US09995632B2
A radiation thermometer has a broadband light source which generates broadband light; an optical filter which, when the broadband light is incident on the measuring target object, passes only light in a predetermined wavelength range of reflected light and heat radiation light from a measuring target object; a light receiver which receives the light in the predetermined wavelength range through the optical filter; and a calculator which calculates a temperature of the measuring target object by using reflected light intensity and heat radiation intensity of the light in the predetermined wavelength range received by the light receiver, wherein an emission spectrum of the broadband light is a spectrum with a full width at half maximum which is equal to or wider than the predetermined wavelength range, and with light intensity increasing while a wavelength thereof becomes longer in the predetermined wavelength range.
US09995624B2
To improve light use efficiency and thereby achieve even higher sampling rates. An optical measurement device includes: a light source configured to emit illumination light including a plurality of wavelength components; an optical system configured to introduce an axial chromatic aberration into the illumination light from the light source and to receive reflection light reflecting from a measurement object where at least a portion of the measurement object lies along a line extending from the optical axis of the optical system; a spectrometer for separating the reflection light received at the optical system into wavelength components, and a detector including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged one-dimensionally to correspond to the dispersion direction of the spectrometer.
US09995622B2
A method of detecting an optical signal, comprising the steps of: providing an avalanche photodiode (APD) comprising a multiplication region capable of amplifying an electric current, said multiplication region, in operation, having a first ionization rate for electrons and a second ionization rate for holes, wherein said first ionization rate is different in magnitude from said second ionization rate, and exposure to the optical signal causes an impulse response; exposing the APD to a modulating optical signal; providing an external circuit that induces an APD bias to the multiplication region; providing an external circuit for amplifying and processing an electric signal from the avalanche photodiode; and modulating the APD bias in a manner that is correlated with the optical signal.
US09995621B2
A compression assembly (5) forms an airborne sound sensor for detecting sound pressure level. The airborne sound sensor includes a piezo electric transducer (11) compressed against a top element (9) and a lower element (12) so as to compress the transducer (11) across a first face and a distal second sensing face.
US09995617B2
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container, comprising: a mechanically oscillatable unit; an electrodynamic transducer unit for exciting the oscillatable unit by means of an exciter signal to execute mechanical oscillations and for receiving the mechanical oscillations of the oscillatable unit and transducing them into an electrical, received signal; and an electronics unit, which at least determines and/or monitors the process variable based on the received signal. The invention is distinguished by features including that the electrodynamic transducer unit has exactly one coil, which serves both as a drive element as well as also a receiving element.
US09995611B2
Various systems and methods for detecting air in a chamber of an infusion system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a determination is made that air is contained in the chamber on the basis of a change in the average force exerted against the plunger utilizing a derivative spike for event detection and a systematic reduction in the average force to confirm the nature of the change. In another embodiment, a determination is made that the chamber contains air when a difference between the current force profile and a baseline force profile crosses a threshold. In an additional embodiment, a force profile is classified as being an air force profile or a liquid force profile based on extracted features of the force profile.
US09995606B2
To provide an inexpensive indicator member which can prevent a dark area from being formed at a location above a reflection part, an indicator unit having the indicator member and an indicator instrument having the indicator unit. A hollow reflection part provided to an indicator part of an indicator main body of a light-emitting indicator includes a plurality of partial reflection parts having at least an pointing direction reflection face, a rear end direction reflection face and a corner formed at an intersection of the pointing direction reflection face and the rear end direction reflection face and arranged at a location opposed to the base part. The corners of the respective partial reflection parts adjacent to each other are displaced in a pointing direction or in a rear end direction.
US09995599B2
A motor includes a rotating shaft, a rotor that surrounds the rotating shaft, rotates along with the rotating shaft, and includes a drive magnet, and a sensing unit that surrounds the rotating shaft, is disposed over the rotor, and detects rotation of the rotor, wherein the sensing unit includes a sensing plate that includes a plurality of holes that are formed along with an edge of the sensing plate, a sensing magnet that is mounted on the sensing plate and is disposed closer to the rotating shaft than the plurality of holes, a first sensor that is disposed over the sensing plate and detects a change in the sensing plate, and a second sensor that is disposed over the sensing magnet and detects a change in the sensing magnet.
US09995597B2
The present invention enables to obtain an approximate position of a zero crossing point in a shorter time period. A magnetic position sensor detects, with an array in which multiple magnetic detection elements are arranged in a straight line, the zero crossing point at which the magnetic flux density from a pair of magnetic poles is zero in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the array. The magnetic detection elements are elements whose output changes in polarity when the direction of the magnetic flux density is inverted, and detect an approximate position of the zero crossing point by reading an output of every k-th magnetic detection element of the array (where k is an integer of 2 or greater). Then, the position of the zero crossing point is detected according to outputs of at least two magnetic detection elements on both sides of the zero crossing point.
US09995578B2
In view of the active vision model based on structured light, a hardware structure of a depth perception device (a chip or an IP core) for high-precision images is disclosed. Simultaneously, the module is not only capable of serving as an independent chip, but also an embedded IP core in application. Main principle of the module is as follows. Speckle image sequence (obtained from an external image sensor and unknown depth information) is processed by adaptive and uniform pre-processing sub-module, then is inputted to the module to be compared with the standard speckle image (known depth information), then motion-vector information of the inputted speckle image is obtained by pattern matching of image blocks (similarity calculation) by the block-matching motion estimation sub-module, then depth image is obtained by depth calculation, and finally high-resolution sequence of depth image is outputted by post-processing the depth image.
US09995574B2
A method is provided to assist adjustment for a movement path of a probe. A coordinate measuring machine includes a probe having a tip for detecting a surface of an object, and a movement mechanism for moving the probe, and measures a shape of the object by allowing the probe tip to scan the surface. A controller controls operation of the coordinate measuring machine by calculating a scanning path for allowing the probe tip to perform scanning movement and the movement path followed by the probe when the probe tip moves along the scanning path, setting control points on a line connecting each position of the probe tip and each corresponding position of the probe accepting a change in position of the control points by a user, and changing the movement path accordingly. An adjustment guide unit in the controller allows the control points to move collectively.
US09995565B2
The optical coherence tomography includes a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: vectorize the Jones matrix and then convert the vectorized Jones matrix into an expanded matrix; calculate at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the expanded matrix by performing an eigenvalue decomposition to the expanded matrix; and estimate the polarization characteristic of the subject by using at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the Jones matrix acquired based on the at least eigenvalue and the at least eigenvector of the expanded matrix.
US09995561B2
A high strength polymer-based cartridge casing includes a cartridge body, molded from a polymer, having a first end and an opposing second end, and enclosing a volume. A bullet is removably engaged with the first end and an insert is engaged to the second end. A shoulder portion is located proximate the first end and a propellant chamber formed in the volume. The propellant chamber has a first diameter proximate to the shoulder, a second diameter proximate to the insert and greater than the first diameter, and a linear slope disposed between the first diameter and the second diameter.
US09995560B2
The ignition device according to the present disclosure implements in a reliable manner a one-time transient switching process for high voltages (>1.5 kV) and high currents (>3 kA) in combination with a minimal space requirement, maximum environmental durability and at the same time low cost expenditure by integrating the essential components on a flexible printed circuit system.
US09995554B2
An apparatus, system and method for cleaning the internal bore of the barrel of a firearm, is provided. More specifically, an apparatus, system and method is provided for efficiently and effective cleaning the bore of a firearm, wherein a cleaning cloth or patch is easily attached and removed from the body of the apparatus using a magnetic attachment. The cleaning cloth drapes over the body of the apparatus, which then fits tight, but moveable, within the bore for maximum contact with the interior surface. The result is an improved firearm cleaning apparatus that not only provides for more effective and less time consuming cleaning, but it also requires less cleaning cloths and solvent, which results in less waste and thus is more environmentally friendly.
US09995553B1
An adjustable buffer optionally including at least some of a buffer element having an elongate buffer element body portion, wherein the buffer element body portion includes an externally threaded portion; a collar nut having a collar nut aperture formed therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the collar nut aperture is internally threaded so as to interact with the externally threaded portion of the buffer element body portion, and wherein one or more collar nut recesses are formed in the collar nut; and a locking collar having a locking collar aperture formed therethrough, wherein the locking collar aperture is formed so as to accept at least a portion of the buffer element body portion therethrough, wherein the locking collar includes one or more locking collar protrusions, and wherein the one or more locking collar protrusions are mateable with the one or more collar nut recesses.
US09995551B2
A universal custom recoil solution will comprise of, a provided firearm or barrel, prismatic shaped shell housing mounted or connected to the gas block, a gas block with pathways to direct firearms gas pressure from firing bullet into device interior pushing a counter weight, and spring to counter act the firearms recoil when fired. This device is fitted to or around a provided barrel where the counter weight and spring are mounted on and reciprocate from front to back of the systems interior volume. The systems main function is to create a counter balance to the firearms kinetic energy by providing a moving mass, to counter the recoil from the firearms action movement when firing. The gas pressure is also expelled and redirected allowing the device to cycle synergistically with the firearm actions.
US09995539B2
Corrugated fins that have high heat transfer performance and do not cause clogging even in a gaseous environment in which particulate matter such as dust is present have wall surfaces on which are formed alternating parallel ridges and furrows with an angle of inclination of 10-60°. Defining Wh as the height of the ridges and furrows, Wp as the period of the ridges and furrows, Pf as the period of the corrugated fins, and Tf as the thickness of the plate forming the fins, the following conditions hold. Wh≤0.3674·Wp+1.893·Tf−0.1584, 0.088<(Wh−Tf)/Pf<0.342, and a·Wp2+b·Wp+c
US09995538B2
An energy recovery system includes a heating or cooling system and an accessory operably connected to the heating or cooling system, or to a component of the heating or cooling system. One or more accessory interlocking mechanisms are located at the housing interlocked with one or more complementary interlocking mechanisms located at the system or the component of the heating or cooling system to secure the accessory directly to the component. A method of securing an accessory to a heating or cooling system or a component of a heating or cooling system includes aligning one or more accessory interlocking mechanisms with one or more interlocking mechanisms. The accessory is urged toward an installed position by moving the accessory along a length of the one or more complementary interlocking mechanisms. The one or more accessory interlocking mechanisms are interlocked with the complementary interlocking mechanisms to secure the accessory.
US09995535B2
Provided are cooling subsystems for a vehicle energy-storage system comprising a heat pipe disposed between two battery modules, the heat pipe being thermally coupled to each of a plurality of cells of the two battery modules at an end of each cell. The heat pipe comprises an envelope and a working fluid, the heat pipe transferring heat from the plurality of cells. Optionally, the cooling subsystem further includes a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat pipe, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the heat pipe.
US09995531B2
“MULTIPLE INTERMITTENCE BEEHIVE GRAIN DRYER”, refers to a dryer of seeds and other agricultural products that can be a constructive format honeycomb type dryer designed to provide a unprecedented process of multiple intermittence during fast, gentle, non-aggressive drying process of grains and seeds through complete and safe removal of accumulated moisture, being divided into the following stages: drying-resting-drying-resting-drying, and so on until drying is complete. Exposure time to drying air is monitored and allows recirculation of humid air, it also allows batch or continuous drying with a thermally insulated plenum that removes dirty humid air located in the bottom section, without releasing it directly into the environment, with advantages of low production cost, dry grain of much higher quality, better energy efficiency, environmentally friendly and capable of virtually eliminating any accidental risks.
US09995526B2
An ice maker for refrigeration equipment includes an ice making unit in the refrigerating compartment of the refrigeration equipment, an ice bucket disposed in the ice making unit and configured to store the ice made with an ice making tray, a cooling duct configured to form a cold air channel through which cold air is provided to the ice making unit, a refrigerant pipe enclosing the cooling duct to form a refrigerant channel, and an ice making refrigerant pipe configured make water into the ice through heat-exchange, where the ice making refrigerant pipe branches from the refrigerant pipe, and an end portion of the ice making refrigerant pipe is in the ice making tray.
US09995517B2
An operation control apparatus of air-conditioning apparatus having an outdoor unit and an indoor unit includes a controller programmed to execute energy conservation control of the air conditioning apparatus. The controller includes at least one required temperature calculation part calculating a required evaporation temperature or a required condensation temperature based on either a current amount of heat exchanged in a usage-side heat exchanger of the indoor unit and a greater amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger than the current amount, or an operating state amount that yields the current amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger and an operating state amount that yields the greater amount of heat exchanged in the usage-side heat exchanger than the current amount.
US09995515B2
A method is disclosed or detecting a frozen evaporator coil of a refrigerant vapor compression system for supplying conditioned air to a temperature controlled space before ice build-up on the evaporator coil becomes so excessive as to result in an undesirable on-off cycling of the refrigerant vapor compression system compressor when operating to a frozen temperature maintenance mode. The method may also include initiating a defrost of a frozen evaporator coil of the refrigerant vapor compression system before ice build-up on the evaporator coil becomes so excessive as to result in an on-off cycling of the refrigerant vapor compression system compressor when operating to a frozen temperature maintenance mode.
US09995509B2
A cascade heat recovery system connects an evaporator from a heating unit to a recovery condenser of the cooling unit, where the recovery condenser is different from a cooling condenser of the cooling unit, and/or connects the evaporator of the heating unit to the cooling loop of the cooling unit, for example in fluid communication with the evaporator of the cooling unit. Both configurations allow the heating unit to be isolated or decoupled from the heat rejection circuit on which the cooling condenser runs. The use of either or both configurations, depending on the operating conditions, can use heat rejected by the evaporator of the cooling unit to be available to the heating unit, so as to provide lift to the heating unit and improve its operating efficiency.
US09995504B2
An air conditioner includes: a heat exchanger housed inside a main body and arranged in a flow passage of air to be sucked into the main body through an air inlet and blown out to a target space through an air outlet; and an airflow-direction vane arranged at the air outlet. The airflow-direction vane includes a first curved portion and a second curved portion. The first curved portion is positioned on an upstream side with respect to the second curved portion, and a curvature of the first curved portion is larger than a curvature of the second curved portion.
US09995502B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for tracking computing enthalpy measurements indicating abnormalities associated with operation of a heating, ventilating, and cooling (HVAC) system. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method includes: obtaining, from one or more sensors associated with the HVAC system, (i) temperature data including a source vent temperature measurement and a return vent temperature of the HVAC system, and (ii) humidity data including a source vent humidity measurement and a return vent humidity measurement of the HVAC system; computing an enthalpy measurement associated with operation of the HVAC system; determining that the computed enthalpy measurement indicates an efficiency issue associated with operation of the HVAC system; and in response to determining that the computed enthalpy measurement indicates the efficiency issue associated with operation of the HVAC system, taking action related to the HVAC system.
US09995501B2
Remote contractor system with data analytics for identifying site specific operational abnormalities
A system that allows a contractor to remotely monitor and/or interact with its customers' building control systems, such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and analyze information obtained from the building control systems over time. Such a system may help the contractor monitor and diagnosis customer building control systems, setup service calls, achieve better customer relations, create more effective marketing opportunities, as well as other functions. In some cases, the disclosed system may help a contractor pro-actively identify possible issues with its customer's building control systems, and only then schedule maintenance as required. In some cases, based on the analysis of information obtained from the building control systems over time, the system may output indications of abnormalities in the operation of the building control systems from which information may be received.
US09995496B2
An air supply system and a method for controlling operation of an air supply system for supplying a conditioned air flow at a setpoint air temperature to a climate controlled space.
US09995490B2
A gas burner assembly includes an elongated burner and a round burner positioned at a middle portion of the elongated burner. The elongated burner defines a plurality of flame ports adjacent a first end portion of the elongated burner. Flame ports of the plurality of flame ports that are positioned on a pair of parallel linear segments of the elongated burner have a first total port area, and flame ports of the plurality of flame ports that are positioned on an arcuate segment of the elongated burner have a second total port area. The second total port area is greater than the first total port area.
US09995489B2
A pellet stove having a combustion assembly housing. Located within the housing in a vertical array are a primary combustion chamber, a secondary combustion chamber located below the primary combustion chamber, and an ash receptacle located below the secondary combustion chamber. The primary combustion chamber communicates with the secondary combustion chamber, and the secondary combustion chamber communicates with the ash receptacle. A pellet feed housing is located above the primary combustion chamber and has a feed plate configured to feed pellets directly into the primary combustion chamber along an inclined path. Air intake ducts communicate ambient air with the interior of the housing. The primary combustion chamber communicates with a combustion gas conduit that conducts combustion gases along an upwardly extending tortuous path to an exhaust stack to provide heating. A pivotal, latchable door is attached to the front of the combustion assembly housing.
US09995482B2
A gas burner assembly includes a grate that defines a first internal fuel passage and a second internal fuel passage. A burner defines an inner burner ring and an outer burner ring. The first internal fuel passage of the grate extends to the inner burner ring, and the second internal fuel passage of the grate extends to the outer burner ring. A fuel chamber of the inner burner ring is contiguous with the plurality of flame ports of inner burner ring, and a fuel chamber of the outer burner ring is contiguous with the plurality of flame ports of outer burner ring. At least a portion of the fuel chamber of the outer burner ring is positioned directly below the fuel chamber of the inner burner ring.
US09995479B2
A cavitation engine configured to produce superheat steam from injected liquid water. The cavitation engine includes a funnel shaped impact chamber having an impact surface having a temperature of at least 375 degrees Fahrenheit, a small diameter opening at a bottom of the impact chamber, and an expansion chamber below the small diameter opening. The engine includes a fluid injector having an outlet positioned adjacent a largest diameter of the impact chamber and located to inject hyperbaric liquid water onto the impact surface of the impact chamber at supersonic velocities such that cavitation bubbles are present in the injected water. The outlet of the fluid injector and the impact surface are located relative to one another such that the outlet is spaced a distance from the impact surface of between 0.150 and 0.450 inches and the injected water hits the impact surface at an angle of between 85 and 95 degrees. Impact of the water with the impact surface crushes the cavitation bubbles in the injected water to generate pressure above 1,000 pounds per square inch and produce superheated steam.
US09995455B2
Light indicator, which comprises: a support body provided with a support face on which a light source is mounted that is provided with a light emission axis, an optical lens which is placed to cover the support face and comprises a collimation portion placed to intercept the light emission axis of the light source, and an attachment portion projectingly extended around the collimation portion, integrally made with such collimation portion (9), and sealingly fixed to the support body.
US09995454B2
A lens for a light-emitting diode (LED) provides an even light pattern over a desired throw of light. An indentation on the top of the lens and a lens collector on the bottom are configured for a desired spread angle of light refracted an LED positioned on a circuit board below the light collector of the lens. One or more lenses may be formed in a lens unit for assembly with a circuit boards and molding into an LED module. The module may be used in sign cabinet and other lighting applications where LEDs are used as light sources.
US09995451B2
The invention relates to a lighting device (10) according to the invention for a motor vehicle external light having a light conductor (12), which extends along a longitudinal extension direction (14) and has two end faces (16, 18), at least one first light source (20) for coupling light into one of the two end faces (16, 18) of the light conductor (12), a plurality of second light sources (22) for coupling light into the light conductor (12) vertically with respect to the longitudinal extension direction (14) of the light conductor (12), and a control unit for separate actuation of the at least one first light source (20) and of the plurality of second light sources (22).
US09995442B2
A multi-function portable lighting apparatus is provided, including a lighting device, a carrier unit and a support unit. The carrier unit has two ends, with one end disposed with lighting device and the other coupled with support unit. The support unit includes a battery set, supplying power to lighting device. The carrier unit includes a clamping assembly, and the clamping assembly has a clamping opening, with direction perpendicular to light projection axis of lighting device. The clamping assembly includes a clamping base, a clamping element and a rotation element. The rotation element matches the clamping element in a means of screw. When the rotation element rotates, the clamping element moves in clamping base linearly to open or close clamping opening. The apparatus can be used as a flashlight or clamping onto a smart phone to provide lighting when the ambient light is insufficient for photography.
US09995437B2
An LED light bulb has a light emitting bulb part 22 which comprises a central core 24 running from the top towards the bottom and which provides an open passageway at least at the top. The LEDs are mounted in thermal contact around the central core 24. This design provides an air flow to promote cooling of the LEDs. This in turn enables a reduced size and cost of the heat sink, or avoids the need for a heat sink altogether.
US09995434B2
An internal bottom wall of the double hull bears a sump structure comprising a rigid container arranged through the thickness of the bottom wall of the tank and intended to accommodate a suction member of a pump. The rigid container comprises a bottom wall situated at a level further toward the outside than the secondary sealing membrane of the bottom wall of the tank. The sump structure comprises a primary connecting plate surrounding the container, the primary connecting plate having a connecting surface extending parallel to the primary sealing membrane of the bottom wall of the tank, the primary sealing membrane of the bottom wall of the tank being attached in a sealed manner to the connecting surface all around the sump structure.
US09995421B2
In a vibration damper of a turbomolecular vacuum pump, a vacuum tightness function and a vibration damping function are both performed by one ore more toroidal rings made of an elastic material. The elastic rings assume a resting configuration while the vacuum pump is not operating and the damper is at atmospheric pressure, and they assume a compressed configuration while the vacuum pump is operating and the damper is under vacuum conditions. In the compressed configuration, the elastic rings are deformed due to a compression force. This deformation of the elastic rings prevents metal-to-metal contact between the vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber to which the pump is connected through the damper.
US09995420B1
A fire engine hose connector system and a method for using the system are reported. The system allows for rapid connection between the fire hose and the fire engine, and more importantly the system enables even more rapid disconnection. The fire engine and firefighting personnel may make a rapid escape form an overtaking wildfire. The ability to rapidly disconnect and escape from the fire scene allows the fire engine and personnel to access hydrant supplies that would otherwise not be available due to safety procedures that preclude connection when the long disconnect time requirements of prior art connectors place the escape of the fire engine and personnel at risk in a rapidly moving fire. The connector further includes a means to bend the connector for stress relief and ease of handling and multiple safety interlocks.
US09995414B2
A cable hanger for securing a cable to a supporting structure having an aperture includes: a base panel having opposed ends; a pair of arms, each of the arms attached to a respective end of the base panel and having a free end; and a pair of locking projections, each of the locking projections attached to a respective free end of the arms. The arms and locking projections are configured to spread apart to enable insertion of a cable into a space between the arms, and the locking projections are configured to be inserted into the aperture of the supporting structure. The cable hanger further includes: a pair of tabs extending inwardly from each arm into the space between the arms; and a gripping finger extending generally perpendicularly from each tab and generally tangentially to an outer surface of the cable.
US09995413B2
An arrangement that brings all of the separate elements of equipment used to lay product offshore such as pipe, umbilicals, and power cables and assembles them into a single device that can be installed on a vessel of opportunity, and includes functional improvements of each. A base is used for mounting, integration, and installation of the separate elements onto a vessel. The base receives a movable lay chute, means for moving and stabilizing the lay chute, a movable hang off clamp and work table, a movable access platform, a product support arm and wheel, and a fixed chute.
US09995409B2
The present invention provides a fluid-related function device capable of suppressing deformation of a connection member and a case part which may adversely be generated by expansion of fluid stored in a space in which spatters at the time of resistance-welding are trapped. A pressure switch includes a space in which spatters generated at the time of projection-welding are trapped. The space is provided between a joint and a cap member. A communication passage brings inside and outside of the space into communication with each other. The communication passages is formed such that it permits fluid to pass through the communication passages and restrains spatters from passing through the communication passages.
US09995402B2
Disclosed herein is an upper housing 100 having openings that are respectively defined in a front surface and a rear surface thereof and in which first and second moving paths 110 and 120 are defined; a first blade 200 installed in the upper housing 100 to move upward from a lower side, thereby opening/closing the first moving path 110; a first shaft 300 coupled to a lower portion of the first blade 200; a lower housing 400 disposed below the upper housing 100, in which a rotation guide groove 410 for guiding rotation of a L-motion block 500 at a fixed position while the first blade 200 moves in a close direction C is defined in each of both inner surfaces of the lower housing (400).
US09995399B2
A self-sealing butterfly valve includes a valve body, wherein a fluid passage is provided in the valve body, a valve plate of which an outer surface is covered with an elastic sealing layer is provided within the fluid passage, an upper portion of the valve plate is dynamically connected with a driving shaft which is rotatably connected to the valve body, a lower portion of the valve plate is rotatably connected with a supporting shaft which is connected to the valve body, the elastic sealing layer—at outer edges of two end faces of the valve plate axially protrudes outwardly, forming two ring lips attached to an inner wall of the fluid passage, and the ring lips are gradually thicker from outside to inside, so that inner ring faces of the ring lips are inclined faces.
US09995393B2
A piston ring for a piston of an internal combustion engine or a compressor may include a substantially annular shaped body defining an inner surface facing towards a groove configured to receive the body, an upper surface facing towards a combustion chamber and extending substantially at a right angle to the inner surface, and a lower surface disposed substantially opposite the upper surface. A layer of thermally insulating coating may be disposed at least partially on at least one of the inner surface, the upper surface and the lower surface.
