US09997924B2
Various embodiments include systems and methods of operating a hybrid energy system that includes a gas-turbine generator configured to provide a full-load power output and a storage device configured to store energy. The hybrid energy system includes a generator step-up transformer, wherein the gas-turbine generator and the storage device are electrically co-located on a low side of the generator step-up transformer. Methods of operation include controlling power output from the storage device and/or the gas-turbine generator during scheduled and unscheduled grid power demands to achieve economic and environmental performance advantages.
US09997923B2
The invention relates to a grid synchronizer for connecting an AC output of a power converter to the AC grid mains. In one aspect the invention provides a grid synchronizer comprising an inverter controller to control an AC output of the inverter, the controller including a receiver to receive grid data from a grid sensor location remote from said inverter. In another aspect we describe techniques for rapid removal of charge from a control terminal of a power switching device such as a MOSFET, IGBT or Thyristor using a particular driver circuit.
US09997918B1
A system and method are provided for enabling multi-functional support of an extant synchronous alternating current (AC) grid. At least one extant electricity source and at least one extant electricity sink are connected by two or more high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission circuits connected in turn in series with each other with at least one pair of HVDC circuits interconnected through an intervening high-voltage AC (HVAC) point of interconnection. One or more of the HVDC transmission circuits includes a 2-terminal or a multi-terminal transmission link. A 2-terminal HVDC circuit is dedicated to connecting with the electricity sources and sinks.
US09997913B2
Systems and methods for operation of an AC power supply distribution circuit that has a limited supply capacity rely on dynamically measured available load capacity to regulate operation of the AC power supply circuit, and existing and potential loads, to avoid fault or damage.
US09997911B2
A method for generating electric substation load transfer control parameters includes adjusting elements in a fundamental scale matrix according to a condition change of a power grid, wherein the fundamental scale matrix is constructed based on the topology structure of the power grid, and the elements in the fundamental scale matrix represent switch information and risk values of paths between nodes of the power grid, wherein the switch information represents number of switching times required for connecting two nodes of the power grid; and performing operations on the adjusted fundamental scale matrix to generate switch information and risk values of paths for electric substation load transfer control, as electric substation load transfer control parameters.
US09997906B1
An over-current protection device comprises first and second electrode layers and a PTC material layer laminated therebetween. The PTC material layer has a resistivity less than 0.05 Ω·cm and comprises a polymer matrix, a conductive ceramic filler and a carbon-containing conductive filler. The polymer matrix comprises a fluoropolymer having a melting point higher than 150° C. and comprises 50-60% by volume of the PTC material layer. The conductive ceramic filler having a resistivity less than 500μΩ·cm is dispersed in the polymer matrix and comprises 40-45% by volume of the PTC material layer. The carbon-containing conductive filler is dispersed in the polymer matrix and comprises 0.5-5% by volume of the PTC material layer. At 25° C., a ratio of a hold current to an area of the over-current protection device is 0.21-0.3 A/mm2, and a ratio of an endurable power to the area of the over-current protection device is 4.8-7.2 W/mm2.
US09997904B2
Disclosed herein is a method for controlling a trip event of an inverter by taking into account the temperature of the inverter. The method includes: sensing a change in temperature of the inverter for an overload current measurement time using the temperature sensing circuit; determining an amount of heat emitted from the inverter based on the change in temperature; determining an electrical energy of the inverter consumed for the overload current measurement time; determining a compensation reference time based on the amount of heat and the electrical energy; and comparing the compensation reference time with the overload current measurement time to trip the inverter. As a result, the actual temperature of the inverter measured when the inverter is in operation is reflected, so that the trip event of the inverter can be controlled more accurately.
US09997900B2
A water proofing protecting cap that is placed over a terminal consolidation splice portion of a wire harness. The protecting cap being a dip molded transparent tubular body that is provided with a bottom portion wherein, from an opening for insertion at the other end, the protecting cap can be filled with a water sealant and a terminal consolidation splice portion of a wire harness is insertable. A marking line made by a rib on a male mold used in the dip molding is provided in a circumferential direction on an inner circumferential surface of a peripheral wall and is distanced by a required height from an inner surface of the bottom portion toward the opening, and a non-transparent line is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall following the marking line. The non-transparent line serving as a control line for a lower end position of the consolidation splice portion.
US09997898B2
A distributor block for connecting several electric connection cables, starting from an electric input cable to an electrically isolating housing as well as an electrically conducting terminal block, which is arranged in the housing, with the distributor block comprising at least one display unit indicating the type of input cable.
US09997894B2
A spark plug includes a cylindrical metallic shell having a ground electrode at a forward end of the cylindrical metallic shell, a cylindrical insulator held in the metallic shell, a center electrode disposed in the insulator, a resistor element disposed in the insulator and having a forward end located rearward of a rear end of the center electrode, a forward-end-side electrically conductive seal layer disposed in the insulator to be located between the center electrode and the resistor element, and a rear-end-side electrically conductive seal layer disposed in the insulator to be located rearward of the resistor element. The forward end of the resistor element is located forward of the rear end of the metallic shell, and the rear end of the resistor element is located rearward of the rear end of the metallic shell.
US09997893B2
Provided are a semiconductor laser diode and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor laser diode includes a c-plane substrate, a group III nitride layer disposed on the c-plane substrate, and a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer disposed on the group III nitride layer in the stated order, wherein each of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is exposed to the outside of the semiconductor laser diode.
US09997892B2
A semiconductor structure configured for use in a VCSEL or RCLED. The semiconductor structure includes an oxidizing layer constructed from materials that can be oxidized during a lithographic process so as to create an oxide aperture. The semiconductor structure further includes a number of layers near the oxidizing layer. A passivation material is disposed on the layers near the oxidizing layer. The passivation material is configured to inhibit oxidation of the layers.
US09997886B2
A method of forming a terminating end of a cable, comprising the steps of: providing a cable; cutting a circumferential slit through an outer insulation layer; clamping a first section of the outer insulation layer with a first clamping device, and clamping a second section of the outer insulation layer with a second clamping device; displacing the first clamping device, separating the first section from the second section and exposing a section of a metal braid; displacing the first clamping device; pushing and pressing the exposed section to fold the exposed section into a braid protrusion portion; loosening the first and second clamping devices, and removing the cable from the first and second clamping devices; cutting the braid protrusion portion with a cutting device to form a protruding braid portion, the protruding braid portion; and removing the first section of the outer insulation layer and a first protruding braid portion.
US09997885B2
A method is for producing a cable which comprises a conductor and a barrel. The conductor has individual wires and is enclosed, at least in portions, by a piece of insulation. The conductor is heated and a crimping process is carried out for electrically contacting the barrel with the conductor. The barrel is pressed together with the heated conductor during the crimping process in such a way that the conductor is initially compressed on a first axial sub-portion of the conductor and subsequently the compression of the conductor is spread to a larger second axial sub-portion.
US09997883B1
In an example, a first connector is associated with a first component and a second connector is attached to a cable that is subjected to a pulling force to effect decoupling, and an example apparatus for reducing risk of binding between the two connectors during decoupling of the two connectors includes a bracket that is rigidly affixed to the first component and that supports the first connector so as to enable the first connector to automatically align with the pulling force. An example method for reducing risk of binding between the two connectors during decoupling of the two connectors includes securing a bracket to the first component, and the bracket includes a pivot bracket. The method also includes aligning the first connector with the pulling force via one or more of translational or rotational movement of the pivot bracket.
US09997881B2
A pin connector includes a pin contact and a pin housing. The pin contact includes a battery fixing portion and a contact portion. The pin housing includes a pin housing body into which the contact portion is inserted in a connector removal direction, and a pin contact lock. When the pin contact lock is inserted into the pin housing body in a battery separating direction to be attached to the pin housing body, a projection upper surface faces a groove ceiling and a lower surface faces a contact lock surface.
US09997864B2
A plug connector includes: a ground contact conductor; an insulating housing; and a signal contact conductor. The ground contact conductor includes: a cylindrical main body having a slit that extends in an extending direction thereof; a pair of arms protruding from respective edges forming the slit of the main body in a radially outward direction of the main body; and fixing portions configured to fasten around the pair of arms from the exterior. Each fixing portion is provided with a protrusion protruding toward the corresponding arm and positioned at the center of the fixing portion in a protruding direction of the arms. In a state in which the arms are fastened with the fixing portions, the protrusions are in contact with the arms, and the arms and the fixing portions are separated from each other by the presence of the protrusions.
US09997861B2
A latch indicator apparatus for indicating a locked status of an attachment between a cable housing and a cable receptor. The latch indicator apparatus includes a latch indicator attached to a cable housing at an attachment point, a first resistive element having a first resistance, and is attached to the cable housing at the attachment point. The restive element of the latch indicator attaches to an indicator tab. The latch indicator includes an indicator window, which is positioned to indicate a locked status of the latch indicator based on the first resistance of the first resistive element. The latch indicator tests a connection between a cable housing and a cable housing by indicating a locked status. The locked status is indicated by exerting a first force on the indicator tab by pulling the indicator tab in a direction away from the connection between the cable housing and the cable receptor.
US09997853B2
A receptacle connector includes an insulative housing defining a base and a mating tongue extending from the base, the mating tongue defining a thicken step structure around a root thereof adjacent to the base; two rows of contacts disposed in the insulating housing with contacting sections exposed upon the mating tongue and mount tails out of the base; and a shielding plate embedded within the insulative housing and disposed between the two rows of contacts. The shielding plate defines a pair of locking sides for locking with an internal latch of a corresponding plug and the locking sides protruding beyond corresponding lateral sides of the mating tongue. The insulative housing and the shielding plate are integrally formed via an insert molding process while at least one row of the contacts are configured to be forwardly assembled to corresponding passageways in the insulating housing.
US09997839B2
A metal pattern formed in the electromagnetic absorber structure is provided. By performing the laser treatment to form the active layer thereon, the metal pattern can be regionally formed on the electromagnetic absorber structure in the following electroless plating processes.
US09997825B2
A wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a common module, is shaped as a sector of a cylinder and has a power supply. A sector radio module is coupled to the power supply and includes an access radio and an access antenna. The access antenna is configured to serve a sector of not more than 180°, and is also shaped as a sector of a cylinder.
US09997820B2
An enhanced hybrid-tee coupler (“EHT-coupler”), the EHT-coupler is described. The EHT-coupler includes a first waveguide, second waveguide, third waveguide, and fourth waveguide. The first waveguide defines a first port and the second waveguide defines a second port. Similarly, the third waveguide defines a fourth port and the fourth waveguide defines a fourth port. The first, second, third, and fourth waveguides meet in a single common junction and the first waveguide and second waveguide are collinear. The third waveguide forms an E-plane junction with both the first waveguide and the second waveguide and the fourth waveguide forms an H-plane junction with both the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The EHT-coupler also includes a first impedance matching element positioned in the common junction where the first impedance matching element includes a base and a tip.
US09997816B2
The present disclosure relates to micro-hybrid battery modules that include at least one battery cell having a titanate-based oxide anode active material with spinel structure and a high voltage spinel (LiMn2−xMxO4) cathode active material. The battery module may be configured to couple to an energy storage unit to enable the module to be used in start-stop applications.
US09997814B2
A zinc-air cell, a battery which is a low weight, low volume, or higher energy system, or a combination thereof and an apparatus for recharging the same are disclosed.
US09997809B2
A battery module, including a plurality of rechargeable batteries; a holder fixing the rechargeable batteries; an electrode tab connecting the rechargeable batteries, the electrode tab including a bent portion bent and then extending in a side direction of the rechargeable batteries; and a balancing wire connecting the electrode tab and the protection circuit board, the bent portion of the electrode tab including a protruding portion protruding from a surface of the electrode tab.
US09997798B2
Stable solutions comprising high concentrations of charged coordination complexes, including iron hexacyanides are described, as are methods of preparing and using same in chemical energy storage systems, including flow battery systems. The use of these compositions allows energy storage densities at levels unavailable by other iron hexacyanide systems.
US09997794B2
A membrane electrode assembly is provided which includes an anode; a cathode; a membrane between the anode and the cathode; and a protective layer between the membrane and at least one electrode of the anode and the cathode, the protective layer having a layer of ionomer material containing a catalyst, the layer having a porosity of between 0 and 10%, an ionomer content of between 50 and 80% vol., a catalyst content of between 10 and 50% vol., and an electrical connectivity between catalyst particles of between 35 and 75%. A configuration using a precipitation layer to prevent migration of catalyst ions is also provided.
US09997787B2
The present invention relates to an electrode assembly comprising fiber-shaped structures. The electrode assembly for a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first electrode including a plurality of first fiber-shaped structures extending in a first direction; a second electrode including a plurality of second fiber-shaped structures which extend in a second direction other than the first direction, and the polarities of which are different from the polarities of the first structures; and a first separator film interposed between the first structures and the second structures which intersect with each other, so as to separate the first structures and the second structures from each other.
US09997786B2
A steel foil according to an aspect of the present invention includes, by mass %, C: 0.0001 to 0.02%; Si: 0.001 to 0.01%; Mn: 0.01 to 0.3%; P: 0.001 to 0.02%; S: 0.0001 to 0.01%; Al: 0.0005 to 0.1%; N: 0.0001 to 0.004%; and a balance consisting of Fe and impurities, wherein a thickness is 5 to 15 μm, and a tensile strength is more than 900 MPa and 1.200 MPa or less.
US09997783B2
A positive electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a positive active material and a binder including polyvinylidene fluoride, a carboxyl group-containing polyvinylidene fluoride, and poly(vinylidenefluoride-tetrafluoroethylene). The positive electrode may have an improved binding force and increased flexibility. A rechargeable lithium battery includes the positive electrode. The rechargeable lithium battery may have high capacity and excellent performance.
US09997781B2
Provided is an anode active material including a transition metal-metaphosphate of Chemical Formula 1: M(PO3)2
US09997778B2
Improved V2O5 materials are disclosed herein in the form of 2D leaf-like nanosheets. Methods of forming the V2O5 nanosheets and batteries (e.g., lithium-ion) incorporating the V2O5 nanosheets are also provided.
US09997776B2
Disclosed is an alloy powder for electrodes for nickel-metal hydride storage batteries having a high battery capacity and being excellent in life characteristics and high-temperature storage characteristics. The alloy powder includes a hydrogen storage alloy containing elements L, M, Ni, Co, and E. L includes La as an essential component. L includes no Nd, or when including Nd, the percentage of Nd in L is less than 5 mass %. The percentage of La in the hydrogen storage alloy is 23 mass % or less. M is Mg, Ca, Sr and/or Ba. A molar ratio α to a total of L and M is 0.045≤α≤0.133. A molar ratio x of Ni to the total of L and M is 3.5≤x≤4.32, and a molar ratio y of Co is 0.13≤y≤0.5. The molar ratios x and y, and a molar ratio z of E to the total of L and M satisfy 4.78≤x+y+z<5.03.
US09997766B2
A highly effective positive electrode is obtained by using a material such as Na which is an inexpensive abundant resource. A positive electrode active material of sodium transition metal phosphate of olivine structure in which the sodium transition metal phosphate of olivine structure includes, a phosphorus atom that is located at the center of a tetrahedron having an oxygen atom in each vertex, a transition metal atom that is located at the center of a first octahedron having an oxygen atom in each vertex; and a sodium atom that is located at the center of a second octahedron having an oxygen atom in each vertex, and adjacent sodium atoms are arranged one-dimensionally in a <010> direction.
US09997761B2
A rechargeable battery having a decreased size by including a membrane of an external short-circuit part in a cap plate is provided. The rechargeable battery includes a case having an electrode assembly accommodated therein, a cap plate closing an opening of the case, first and second electrode terminals extending through the cap plate and electrically coupled to the electrode assembly, and an external short-circuit part coupled to an outer portion of the case for electrically disconnecting or short-circuiting the first and second electrode terminals from or to each other. The external short-circuit part includes a membrane coupled to an inner surface of the cap plate and electrically coupled to the second electrode terminal, and a connection plate electrically coupled to the first electrode terminal and spaced from the membrane. The membrane extends around an outer circumference of a short-circuit hole in the cap plate to cover the short-circuit hole.
US09997759B2
A battery wiring module is to be combined with a battery module including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a state of being alternatively reversed so that a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal are adjoined between the adjacent battery cells. The battery wiring module is provided with a plurality of linear conductors which are arranged at an interval, a plurality of bus bars which are arranged at an interval along to at least one side of the plurality of linear conductors so that each of the plurality of bus bars electrically connects the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal adjacent to each other, andan insulation resin part including both a covering part for covering an outer periphery of the plurality of linear conductors and a bus bar connection part.
US09997758B2
Disclosed herein is a battery module including a unit module assembly including unit modules, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells or a plurality of cell assemblies, each of which includes two or more battery cells, as unit cells, the unit modules being arranged while being adjacent to each other, each of the unit modules having electrode terminals arranged at one side thereof, a battery disconnect unit (BDU) arranged at one side of the unit module assembly, the battery disconnect unit having terminal connection parts arranged at the same side as the electrode terminals, a module case in which the unit modules of the unit module assembly are mounted, the electrode terminals of the unit modules being exposed through the module case, and a bus bar assembly including a cover plate mounted on the electrode terminals of the unit modules at the module case, the cover plate being formed of an insulative material, and two more bus bars mounted to the cover plate.
US09997749B2
A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly comprising: a first electrode and a second electrode; a case comprising an opening at a side of the case, the case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap assembly comprising a cap plate covering the opening of the case, a first terminal protruding out of the cap plate and electrically coupled to a first electrode, and a second terminal protruding out of the cap plate and electrically coupled to a second electrode; a first current collector coupled to a lower part of the cap assembly and having a first side electrically connected to the first terminal and a second side coupled to the first electrode; and a deformation preventer coupled to the lower part of the cap assembly and formed to accommodate a part of the first current collector.
US09997742B2
A method of manufacturing an organic EL display device includes disposing a second base material that is disposed to face a first base material having a display region and including a TFT layer on a supporting substrate that supports the second base material, disposing the first base material on a side opposite to a side where the supporting substrate of the second base material is disposed, disposing a dam material that surrounds the display region between the first base material and the second base material, filling an inside of the dam material with a filling material between the first base material and the second base material, disposing an auxiliary wall to be separated from an outside of the dam material between the first base material and the second base material, and cutting the second base material through the supporting substrate between the dam material and the auxiliary wall.
US09997739B2
Disclosed white organic light emitting device includes an anode and a cathode opposing each other; a charge generation layer interposed between the anode and the cathode; a first stack interposed between the anode and the charge generation layer, the first stack including a first hole transport layer and a first light emitting layer emitting blue fluorescent light; and a second stack interposed between the charge generation layer and the cathode, the second stack including a second hole transport layer and a second light emitting layer formed by doping one host with at least one of phosphorescent dopant, wherein a triplet energy level of the first hole transport layer is higher than a triplet energy level of the first light emitting layer, and a hole mobility of the first hole transport layer is 5.0×10−4 cm2/s·V to 9.9×10−3 cm2/s·V.
US09997738B2
A method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display apparatus includes: preparing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; forming a through-hole penetrating the substrate from the first surface to the second surface; forming a humidity preventing layer on the substrate; forming a plurality of organic light emitting diodes on the substrate; and removing an organic light emitting diode adjacent to the through-hole from among the plurality of organic light emitting diodes, in which the humidity preventing layer may be formed on the substrate via a sequential vapor infiltration (SVI) process.
US09997737B2
A structure including a first resin layer and a second resin layer sandwiching a self-light emitting element layer, a first stopper layer, a first resin sacrificial layer and a first glass substrate which are stacked on the first resin layer on the opposite side of the self-light emitting element layer, and a second glass substrate stacked on the second resin layer is prepared. The first glass substrate is peeled off from the first resin sacrificial layer by irradiating the first glass substrate with a laser beam. The first resin sacrificial layer is decomposed by a chemical reaction using a gas. The first stopper layer has a resistance to the chemical reaction, and the first resin sacrificial layer is removed while leaving the first stopper layer in a step of decomposing the first resin sacrificial layer.
US09997736B2
An organic EL device includes a TFT substrate 1, a first electrode 5 provided on the TFT substrate 1, an organic EL layer 6 provided on the first electrode 5, a second electrode 7 provided on the organic EL layer 6, and a sealing film 10 covering the second electrode 7. The TFT substrate 1 is provided thereon with upward projections 11 and 12. The upward projections 11 and 12 are covered with the sealing film 10.
US09997734B2
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a light emitting display device comprising a plurality of subpixels, the plurality of subpixels including at least a first subpixel and a second subpixel. The light emitting display device includes a common layer shared by a first light emitting diode of the first subpixel and a second light emitting diode of the second subpixel, the common layer disposed between a first anode electrode and a first cathode electrode of the first subpixel and between a second anode electrode and a second cathode electrode of the second subpixel, and an auxiliary electrode disposed on a different layer from the common layer, the first anode electrode, the first cathode electrode, the second anode electrode, and the second cathode electrode, the auxiliary electrode connected to the common layer through a contact hole.
US09997724B2
The present disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescent compound and an organic electroluminescent device comprising the same. The organic electroluminescent compound of the present disclosure has good color purity, solubility, and thermal stability. By comprising the organic electroluminescent compound of the present disclosure, an organic electroluminescent device showing low driving voltage, excellent current and power efficiencies, and significantly improved lifespan can be provided.
US09997722B2
An organic light-emitting device includes: a first electrode; a second electrode facing the first electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer including an emission layer, wherein the organic layer includes the compound represented by Formula 1: The organic light-emitting device according to embodiments of the present disclosure may have high efficiency and long lifespan characteristics.
US09997720B2
An organic light emitting display element according to an example embodiment includes: a first electrode, an emission layer positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the emission layer, in which the emission layer includes at least one of the compounds represented by the following Chemical Formulas 1 to 3.
US09997705B2
A porous memory device, such as a memory or a switch, may provide a top and bottom electrodes with a memory material layer (e.g. SiOx) positioned between the electrodes. The memory material layer may provide a nanoporous structure. In some embodiments, the nanoporous structure may be formed electrochemically, such as from anodic etching. Electroformation of a filament through the memory material layer may occur internally through the layer rather than at an edge at extremely low electro-forming voltages. The porous memory device may also provide multi-bit storage, high on-off ratios, long high-temperature lifetime, excellent cycling endurance, fast switching, and lower power consumption.
US09997695B2
Methods to utilize piezoelectric materials as gate dielectric in high frequency RBTs in an IC device
Methods to utilize piezoelectric materials as a gate dielectric in RBTs in an IC device to generate and sense higher frequency signals with high Qs and resulting devices are disclosed. Embodiments include forming, on an upper surface of a semiconductor layer, RBTs comprising even multiples of sensing RBTs and driving RBTs, each RBT including a piezoelectric gate dielectric layer, a gate, and a dielectric spacer on opposite sides of the piezoelectric gate dielectric layer and gate, wherein at least one pair of sensing RBTs is directly between two groups of driving RBTs; forming metal layers, separated by interlayer dielectric layers, above the RBTs; and forming vias through a dielectric layer above the RBTs connecting the RBTs to a metal layer.
US09997692B2
Disclosed is an article having: a porous thermally insulating material, an electrically conductive coating on the thermally insulating material, and a thermoelectric coating on the electrically conductive coating. Also disclosed is a method of forming an article by: providing a porous thermally insulating material, coating an electrically conductive coating on the thermally insulating material, and coating a thermoelectric coating on the electrically conductive coating. The articles may be useful in thermoelectric devices.
US09997686B2
A low-cost conductive carrier element provides structural support to a light emitting device (LED) die, as well as electrical and thermal coupling to the LED die. A lead-frame is provided that includes at least one carrier element, the carrier element being partitioned to form distinguishable conductive regions to which the LED die is attached. When the carrier element is separated from the frame, the conductive regions are electrically isolated from each other. A dielectric may be placed between the conductive regions of the carrier element.
US09997683B2
A light emitting device package is provided. The light emitting device package may include a frame, a first lead frame spaced apart from the frame, a second lead frame spaced apart from the frame, a body coupled to the frame and the first and second lead frames and having a first cavity, and a plurality of light emitting devices on the frame exposed through the first cavity. The body may include a reflective part provided inside the first cavity to surround at least one of the light emitting devices, thereby improving light extraction efficiency.
US09997682B2
A light emitting element unit according to the present invention includes a semiconductor light emitting element that has a surface, a back surface, and a side surface, where the surface or the back surface is a light extracting surface from which light generated inside is emitted, a submount which has a bottom wall and a side wall, has a recess portion defined by the bottom wall and the side wall, and supports the semiconductor light emitting element by the bottom wall in a position in which the light extracting surface is directed upward at the recess portion, and has an inclined surface on the side wall, inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom wall so as to face the side surface of the semiconductor light emitting element, and a light reflecting film formed on the inclined surface of the submount.
US09997673B2
A light emitting diode (LED) includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an active layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer, a first conductive layer disposed on a portion of the second semiconductor layer, a second conductive layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer including a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer, and overlapping the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the second conductive layer, in which the insulation layer has a first region having different thicknesses and a second region having a substantially constant thickness.
US09997653B2
A method for manufacturing a back-contact solar cell, comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a semiconductor substrate comprising an n-layer and a p-layer at the back side of the semiconductor substrate; (ii) applying a conductive paste on both the n-layer and the p-layer, wherein the conductive paste comprises a silver (Ag) powder, a palladium (Pd) powder, an additional metal powder selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), boron (B) and a mixture thereof, a glass frit, and an organic medium; and (iii) firing the applied conductive paste.
US09997649B2
An electrode composition, an electrode, and a solar cell, the composition including a conductive powder; glass frit; an organic binder; and a solvent, wherein the organic binder is a compound that includes a moiety represented by Chemical Formula 1:
US09997648B2
A composition for solar cell electrodes and a solar cell electrode, the composition including silver powder; glass frit that contains tellurium, the glass frit having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of about 150° C. to about 300° C.; an organosilane compound; and an organic vehicle.
US09997646B2
A solar cell is provided. The solar cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer, disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The solar cell further includes an ionizable charged film disposed on one of the outermost surface of the first electrode and the outermost surface of the second electrode.
US09997645B2
A package for an optical sensor device has a double-molded structure in which a first resin molded portion and a second resin molded portion are integrated. The first resin molded portion has a structure in which peripheries of a die pad portion on which an optical sensor element is mounted and a part of each of a plurality of leads are molded with a resin so as to be integrated, the part of each of the plurality of leads being embedded in and completely surrounded by the first resin molded portion. The second resin molded portion is molded over at least a portion of the first resin molded portion to form an outer shape of the package and has embedded therein and completely surrounds a part of each of the plurality of leads. A glass substrate having a filter function is bonded to an upper surface of the resin molded portions to form a cavity in which is mounted the optical sensor element.
US09997638B2
An object is to reduce to reduce variation in threshold voltage to stabilize electric characteristics of thin film transistors each using an oxide semiconductor layer. An object is to reduce an off current. The thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor layer is formed by stacking an oxide semiconductor layer containing insulating oxide over the oxide semiconductor layer so that the oxide semiconductor layer and source and drain electrode layers are in contact with each other with the oxide semiconductor layer containing insulating oxide interposed therebetween; whereby, variation in threshold voltage of the thin film transistors can be reduced and thus the electric characteristics can be stabilized. Further, an off current can be reduced.
US09997637B2
The semiconductor device includes a first transistor provided in a driver circuit portion and a second transistor provided in a pixel portion; the first transistor and the second transistor have different structures. In an oxide semiconductor film of each of the transistors, an impurity element is contained in regions which do not overlap with a gate electrode. The regions of the oxide semiconductor film which contain the impurity element function as low-resistance regions. Furthermore, the regions of the oxide semiconductor film which contain the impurity element are in contact with a film containing hydrogen. Furthermore, the first transistor provided in the driver circuit portion may include the oxide semiconductor film in which a first film and a second film are stacked, and the second transistor provided in the pixel portion may include the oxide semiconductor film which differs from the first film in the atomic ratio of metal elements.
US09997636B2
An optical sensing device includes a thin film transistor disposed on a substrate, an optical sensor, a planar layer, and an organic light emitting diode. The optical sensor includes a metal electrode disposed on a gate dielectric layer of the thin film transistor and connecting to a drain electrode of the thin film transistor, an optical sensing layer disposed on the metal electrode, and a first transparent electrode disposed on the optical sensing layer. The planar layer covers at least a part of the thin film transistor and the optical sensor. The organic light emitting diode is disposed on the planar layer. The anode electrode and the cathode electrode of the organic light emitting diode are electrically coupled to a gate line and a data line respectively.
US09997628B1
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, the semiconductor device includes a substrate having a well region, a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region, a buried channel and a gate structure. The first source/drain region is located within the well region. The gate structure includes a co-doped gate including polysilicon and having a first concentration of a n-type impurity and a second concentration of a p-type impurity, in which the n-type impurity and the p-type impurity are mixed and distributed.
US09997626B2
An NLDMOS device that includes a drift region, a P well, and a first PTOP layer and a second PTOP layer formed on the drift region, wherein the first PTOP layer has the same lateral size with the second PTOP layer, the first PTOP layer is spaced from the second PTOP layer in the longitudinal direction and located on the bottom of the second PTOP layer, with the depth of the first PTOP layer less than or equal to that of the bottom of the P well. The present invention also discloses a method for manufacturing the NLDMOS device.
US09997614B2
Methods and systems for power semiconductor devices integrating multiple quasi-vertical transistors on a single chip. Multiple power transistors (or active regions) are paralleled, but one transistor has a lower threshold voltage. This reduces the voltage drop when the transistor is forward-biased. In an alternative embodiment, the power device with lower threshold voltage is simply connected as a depletion diode, to thereby shunt the body diodes of the active transistors, without affecting turn-on and ON-state behavior.
US09997613B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of gate stacks spaced apart from each other on a substrate, an etch stop layer formed on an upper surface of each gate stack, a dielectric cap layer formed on each etch stop layer, a plurality of source/drain regions formed on the substrate between respective pairs of adjacent gate stacks, and a plurality of contacts respectively corresponding to each source/drain region, wherein the contacts are separated from the gate structures and contact their corresponding source/drain regions.
US09997609B2
A method of forming a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact, a transistor including the MIS contact, and the MIS contact are described. The method includes etching an opening for formation of the contact, the opening extending to an upper surface of a semiconductor region. The method also includes implanting metal ions at a selected depth within the upper surface of the semiconductor region and converting the upper surface of the semiconductor region to a metal oxide insulating layer. The method further includes forming a metal layer on the insulating layer.
US09997606B2
A method is presented for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a bilayer buried insulator over a substrate, forming an extremely thin silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) over the bilayer buried insulator, forming a dummy gate, and forming a source/drain next to the dummy gate, the source/drain defining a raised source/drain region. The method further includes depositing a dielectric material over the raised source/drain regions, removing the dummy gate to define a recess, implanting a species within a first layer of the bilayer buried insulator, and depositing a gate dielectric and a conducting material within the recess. The method further includes removing the substrate, etching the implanted portion of the first layer of the bilayer buried insulator to expose a surface of a second layer of the bilayer buried insulator, and forming a back gate over the exposed second layer, the back gate self-aligned to the ETSOI channel.
US09997601B2
A metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) includes a substrate, a source and a drain in the substrate, a gate electrode disposed over the substrate between the source and drain, and a gate dielectric layer disposed between the substrate and the gate electrode. At least a portion of the gate dielectric layer is extended beyond the gate electrode toward at least one of the source or the drain.
US09997599B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a drift region, a source region, a gate region, a drain contact and a base region. The substrate is doped with a first dopant type. The drift region is disposed above the substrate, and is doped with the first dopant type. The source region, doped with the first dopant type. The gate region is disposed above the drift region and above the source region. The base region is disposed between the source region and the drift region. At least a portion of the base region includes at least one trench having a vertical wall and a horizontal wall. The base region is further configured to conduct current in a horizontal direction on the vertical wall and in a horizontal direction the horizontal wall.
US09997588B2
A display device according to an embodiment includes a display panel and a circuit board connected to the display panel. The circuit board is connected to a bonding area of the display panel by an anisotropic conductive film. The display panel includes a cover insulating layer exposing the bonding area. The cover insulating layer includes at least one trench crossing an edge area, which is located outside the bonding area.
US09997574B2
The present disclosure provides an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display substrate. The OLED display substrate includes a substrate and a plurality of organic light-emitting diode units. An organic light-emitting diode unit includes a first layer having an anode and a first electrode apart from the anode; an organic light-emitting layer; a cathode; and a second electrode insulated from the cathode. The anode and the cathode are configured to drive the organic light-emitting layer to emit light; and the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to recognize touch patterns.
US09997570B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment includes: a first wiring extending in a first direction as a longitudinal direction thereof; a second wiring extending in a second direction as a longitudinal direction thereof, the second direction intersecting with the first direction; a memory cell disposed at an intersection portion of the first wiring and the second wiring, the memory cell including a variable resistive element; a select transistor having one end connected to the second wiring; and a third wiring connected to the other end of the select transistor. A semiconductor layer included in the select transistor has a first impurity concentration at the second end. An impurity concentration of the semiconductor layer decrease to a second impurity concentration from the first impurity concentration as approaching to the first end from the second end.
US09997564B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to data storage systems, and more particularly, to a SHE-MRAM device. The SHE-MRAM device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of first leads, a plurality of second leads, and a plurality of memory cells disposed between the plurality of first leads and the plurality of second leads. The second leads are made of a material having large spin orbit interactions and high electrical resistivity. The SHE-MRAM device further includes a periphery circuitry having multiple pairs of transistors. The multiple pairs of transistors reduce the length a current has to flow through a second lead of the plurality of second leads. By limiting the distance a current can flow through the second lead, applying excessive voltage to the second lead is avoided.
US09997562B1
A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a circuit component formed on a substrate surface. Back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing is performed to form a plurality of inter-level dielectric (ILD) layers over the substrate. A storage unit in the memory region of the via level of an ILD level. A cell dielectric layer is formed over the storage unit. The cell dielectric layer comprises a step structure created by an elevated topography of the memory region relative to the non-memory region of the via level. The elevated topography is defined by the storage unit. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is performed on the cell dielectric layer to remove the step structure of the cell dielectric layer and form a planar cell dielectric top surface extending uniformly across the memory region and the non-memory region of the via level.
US09997559B2
An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes a first functional region having an active zone provided for generating radiation or for receiving radiation, and a second functional region, which is suitable for contributing to the driving of the first functional region. The first functional region and the second functional region are integrated on the same carrier substrate.
US09997550B2
A photodetector is formed in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) type semiconductor layer. The photodetector includes a first region and a second region of a first conductivity type separated from each other by a central region of a second conductivity type so as to define a phototransistor. A transverse surface of the semiconductor layer is configured to receive an illumination. The transverse surface extends orthogonally to an upper surface of the central region.
US09997541B2
A liquid crystal display includes: first and second thin film transistors and a compensation transistor formed on a first insulation substrate; a first gray subpixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the first thin film transistor; a second gray subpixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the compensation transistor and a drain electrode of the second thin film transistor; and first and second reference voltage lines overlapping at least one of the second gray subpixel electrode and the first gray subpixel electrode, wherein a pixel area occupied by the first gray subpixel electrode and the second gray subpixel electrode is extended in a first direction, the first and second reference voltage lines are extended in a second direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, to overlap the pixel area, and one of the first and second reference voltage lines is connected to a source electrode of the compensation transistor.
US09997530B2
A three-dimensional semiconductor memory device includes a peripheral circuit structure on a substrate, a horizontal active layer on the peripheral circuit structure, stacks provided on the horizontal active layer to include a plurality of electrodes, a vertical structure vertically penetrating the stacks, a common source region between ones of the stacks and in the horizontal active layer, and pick-up regions in the horizontal active layer. The horizontal active layer includes first, second, and third active semiconductor layers sequentially stacked on the peripheral circuit structure. The first and third active semiconductor layers are doped to have high and low impurity concentrations, respectively, and the second active semiconductor layer includes an impurity diffusion restraining material.
US09997527B1
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a logic well and a high voltage well are respectively formed in second and third regions of a substrate. A first device structure and a second device structure are formed on a first region of the substrate, third and fourth device structures are respectively formed on the logic well and the high voltage well. A first word line Vt, a source side junction, and a second word line Vt are formed adjacent to the first device structure, between the first device structure and the second device structure, and adjacent to the second device structure. The fourth device structure is removed. A source line junction is formed in the source side junction. The third device structure is removed. First word line and second word lines are respectively formed on the first word line Vt and the second word line Vt.
US09997506B2
A method of forming a wafer stack includes providing a sub-stack comprising a first wafer and a second wafer. The sub-stack includes a first thermally-curable adhesive at an interface between the upper surface of the first wafer and the lower surface of the second wafer. A third wafer is placed on the upper surface of the second wafer. A second thermally-curable adhesive is present at an interface between the upper surface of the second wafer and the lower surface of the third wafer. Ultra-violet (UV) radiation is provided in a direction of the upper surface of the third wafer to cure a UV-curable adhesive in openings in the second wafer and in contact with portions of the third wafer so as to bond the third wafer to the sub-stack at discrete locations. Subsequently, the third wafer and the sub-stack are heated so to cure the first and second thermally-curable adhesives.
US09997477B2
A semiconductor package and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor package includes: a substrate having a plurality of conductive lands and a plurality of bonding pads surrounding the conductive lands formed on a surface thereof; a plurality of passive devices mounted on the conductive lands; an insulation layer formed on the surface and having a portion of the passive devices embedded therein; a semiconductor chip mounted on a top surface of the insulation layer; a plurality of bonding wires electrically connecting the semiconductor chip and the bonding pads; an encapsulant formed on the surface of the substrate to encapsulate the insulation layer, the bonding wires and the semiconductor chip, wherein a region of the semiconductor chip projected onto the substrate covers a portion of an outermost one of the passive devices. Therefore, the mounting density of the passive devices is improved.
US09997469B2
An electronic package is provided, which includes: a carrier; a plurality of electronic elements disposed on the carrier; a barrier frame disposed on the carrier and positioned between adjacent two of the electronic elements; an encapsulant formed on the carrier and encapsulating the electronic elements and the barrier frame with a portion of the barrier frame protruding from the encapsulant; and a shielding element disposed on the encapsulant and being in contact with the portion of the barrier frame protruding from the encapsulant. Therefore, the electronic package has an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effect improved. The present disclosure further provides a method for fabricating the electronic package.
US09997463B2
A modular interconnect structure facilitates building complex, yet compact, integrated circuits from vertical GAA FETs. The modular interconnect structure includes annular metal contacts to the transistor terminals, sectors of stacked discs extending radially outward from the vertical nanowires, and vias in the form of rods. Extension tabs mounted onto the radial sector interconnects permit signals to fan out from each transistor terminal. Adjacent interconnects are linked by linear segments. Unlike conventional integrated circuits, the modular interconnects as described herein are formed at the same time as the transistors. Vertical GAA NAND and NOR gates provide building blocks for creating all types of logic gates to carry out any desired Boolean logic function. Stacked vertical GAA FETs are made possible by the modular interconnect structure. The modular interconnect structure permits a variety of specialized vertical GAA devices to be integrated on a silicon substrate using standard CMOS processes.
US09997457B2
An embodiment includes a metal interconnect structure, comprising: a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate; an opening in the dielectric layer, wherein the opening has sidewalls and exposes a conductive region of at least one of the substrate and an interconnect line; an adhesive layer, comprising manganese, disposed over the conductive region and on the sidewalls; and a fill material, comprising cobalt, within the opening and on a surface of the adhesion layer. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09997437B2
Semiconductor module has a first member, a second member, a conductor column extending in the vertical direction between the first member and the second member and a sealing resin covering a first conductor layer and a first power device of the first member, a second conductor layer and a second power device of the second member and the conductor column. Positions of the first power device and the second power device on the horizontal plane are shifted, the second conductor layer is not provided in the vertical direction from a first connection part connected to the first power device, and the first conductor layer is not provided in the vertical direction from a second connection part, connected to the second power device, of the second power device.
US09997435B2
A heat sink includes a plurality of layers being disposed substantially parallel with a surface of a heat source. The layers include a plurality of pin portions spaced apart from each other in a planar arrangement wherein the pin portions of the layers are stacked and bonded to form pin fins extending in a transverse direction relative to the heat source to sink heat. A compliant layer is disposed between the pin fins and a mechanical load. The compliant layer provides compliance such that the pin fins accommodate dimensional differences when interfacing with the heat source.
US09997434B2
An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate that may be disposed in a housing. The substrate includes a sprayer to spray coolant.
US09997432B2
A semiconductor device includes: a heat spreader; a semiconductor element on the heat spreader; and a connection member arranged between the heat spreader and the semiconductor element. The heat spreader is arranged in an order of the first heat spreader, the second heat spreader and the first heat spreader in one direction of a plane of the heat spreader. Each of the first and second heat spreaders includes multiple anisotropic heat conductive planes having a high heat conductivity. The anisotropic heat conductive plane of the first heat spreader is in parallel to both a stacking direction and a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction. The anisotropic heat conductive plane of the second heat spreader is in parallel to both the stacking direction and a second direction perpendicular to the stacking direction. A projection region of the semiconductor element overlaps with the second heat spreader.
US09997430B2
A heat dissipation structure of a semiconductor device with excellent heat dissipation applicable to surface-mount thin semiconductor devices is provided, and preferably a heat dissipation structure of a semiconductor device also with excellent insulating reliability is provided. In a heat dissipation structure 101 of a semiconductor device 10, the semiconductor device 10 has an electric bonding surface 11a electrically connected with a substrate 20 and a heat dissipation surface 11b on an opposite side thereof, wherein the heat dissipation surface 11b is bonded or contacted to a heat spreader 31 via a non-insulated member 32, and the heat spreader 31 is bonded or contacted to a heat sink 30 via an insulated member 41.
US09997429B2
The present invention discloses a trench-type heat sink structure applicable to semiconductor devices. An embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first semiconductor substrate; a heat source including at least one heat spot, in which the heat source is on/in the semiconductor substrate or being a part of the semiconductor substrate; at least one first heat conduction layer; at least one first heat conduction structure configured to connect the at least one heat spot with the at least one first heat conduction layer; at least one heat sink trench; and at least one second heat conduction structure configured to connect the at least one first heat conduction layer with the at least one heat sink trench, so as to transmit heat from the heat source to the at least one heat sink trench.
US09997418B2
A method for fabricating a dual silicide device includes growing source and drain (S/D) regions for an N-type device, forming a protection layer over a gate structure and the S/D regions of the N-type device and growing S/D regions for a P-type device. A first dielectric layer is conformally deposited and portions removed to expose the S/D regions. Exposed S/D regions for the P-type device are silicided to form a liner. A second dielectric layer is conformally deposited. A dielectric fill is formed over the second dielectric layer. Contact holes are opened through the second dielectric layer to expose the liner for the P-type device and expose the protection layer for the N-type device. The S/D regions for the N-type device are exposed by opening the protection layer. Exposed S/D regions adjacent to the gate structure are silicided to form a liner for the N-type device. Contacts are formed.
US09997417B2
A semiconductor device structure and method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a gate stack structure formed on the substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes gate spacers formed on the sidewall of the gate stack structure, and the gate spacers include a top portion and a bottom portion adjoined to the top portion, and the bottom portion slopes to a top surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device structure further includes an epitaxial structure formed adjacent to the gate spacers, and the epitaxial structure is formed below the gate spacers.
US09997413B1
A semiconductor structure containing a plurality of stacked vertical field effect transistor (FETs) is provided. After forming a first vertical FET of a first conductivity type at a lower portion of a semiconductor fin, a second vertical FET of a second conductivity type is formed on top of the first vertical FET. The second conductivity type can be opposite to, or the same as, the first conductivity type. A source/drain region of the first vertical FET is electrically connected to a source/drain region of the second vertical FET by a conductive strip structure.
US09997400B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first metal interconnection provided on a first region of the substrate, and a second metal interconnection provided on a second region of the substrate. A width of the second metal interconnection is greater than a width of the first metal interconnection. The first metal interconnection includes a metal pattern. The second metal interconnection includes a lower metal pattern having a concave surface at its top, an upper metal pattern disposed on the concave surface at the top of the lower metal pattern, and a first barrier pattern interposed between the lower metal pattern and the upper metal pattern. The metal interconnections are formed by a damascene process including deposition, reflow, metal implantation, and planarization processes.
US09997397B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, at least one first epitaxial layer, and at least one second epitaxial layer. The substrate has a plurality of recesses multidimensionally arranged therein. The first epitaxial layer is disposed at least in the recesses of the substrate. The second epitaxial layer is disposed on the first epitaxial layer.
US09997395B2
This method includes the following steps: a) providing a first structure successively including a substrate, an electronic device and a dielectric layer; b) providing a second structure successively including a substrate, an active layer, an intermediate layer, a first semiconducting layer and a porous second semiconducting layer; c) bonding the first and second structures by direct bonding between the dielectric layer and the porous second semiconducting layer; d) removing the substrate of the second structure so as to expose the active layer; e) adding dopants to the first semiconducting layer or to the active layer; f) irradiating the first semiconducting layer by a pulse laser so as to thermally activate the corresponding dopants.
US09997388B2
A breather assembly mounted to the purge port of a substrate carrier for coupling with a tool port. In various embodiments, the breather assembly comprises a grommet that presents either a planar or a concave mounting face for coupling to the tool port. In one embodiment, the grommet is of a “solid compliant” construction, wherein the mounting face complies with the mouth of the tool port without substantially changing shape. In other embodiments, the grommet is of a “flexible compliant” construction, wherein the grommet changes shape when engaged with the tool port. The grommet can be configured so that the force (pressure-area product) exerted in the direction towards the tool port is greater than the force exerted in the direction away from the tool port, thereby enhancing the seal between the grommet and the tool port.
US09997379B2
A gas dispenser in a process module for wet processing of wafer-shaped articles is substantially smaller than the article to be processed and is movable laterally of the article as it dispenses inert gas above the article.
US09997378B2
In a substrate processing apparatus, with an internal space of a chamber brought into a pressurized atmosphere, an etching process is performed by continuously supplying a first processing liquid onto an upper surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. It is thereby possible to suppress vaporization of the first processing liquid on the substrate and further suppress a decrease in the temperature of the substrate due to the heat of vaporization as it goes from a center portion of the substrate toward a peripheral portion thereof as compared with under normal pressure. As a result, it is possible to improve the uniformity in the temperature of the upper surface of the substrate during the etching process using the first processing liquid and improve the uniformity of etching over the entire upper surface of the substrate.
US09997374B2
An etching method performed by an etching apparatus includes a first process of causing a first high-frequency power supply to output a first high-frequency power with a first frequency and causing a second high-frequency power supply to output a second high-frequency power with a second frequency lower than the first frequency in a cryogenic environment where the temperature of a wafer is −35° C. or lower, to generate plasma from a hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas and to etch, with the plasma, a multi-layer film of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride and a single-layer film of silicon dioxide that are formed on the wafer; and a second process of stopping the output of the second high-frequency power supply. The first process and the second process are repeated multiple times, and the first process is shorter in time than the second process.
US09997371B1
Methods and apparatuses for patterning carbon-containing material over a layer to be etched are provided herein. Methods involve trimming carbon-containing material by atomic layer etching including exposing the carbon-containing material to an oxygen-containing gas without a plasma to modify a surface of the carbon-containing material and exposing the carbon-containing material to an inert gas and igniting a plasma to remove the modified surface of the carbon-containing material. Methods may be used for multiple patterning techniques such as double and quad patterning. Methods also include depositing a conformal film over a carbon-containing material patterned using atomic layer etching without breaking vacuum.
US09997366B2
A method for ion-assisted etching a stack of alternating silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers in an etch chamber is provided. An etch gas comprising a fluorine component, helium, and a fluorohydrocarbon or hydrocarbon is flowed into the etch chamber. The gas is formed into an in-situ plasma in the etch chamber. A bias of about 10 to about 100 volts is provided to accelerate helium ions to the stack and activate a surface of the stack to form an activated surface for ion-assisted etching, wherein the in-situ plasma etches the activated surface of the stack.
US09997360B2
Multigate devices and fabrication methods that mitigate the layout effects are described. In conventional processes to fabricate multigate semiconductor devices such as FinFET devices, long isolation cut masks may be used. This can lead to undesirable layout effects. To mitigate or eliminate the layout effect, fabrication methods are proposed in which the interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer remains intact at the gate cut location during the fabrication process.
US09997358B2
In a vertical MOSFET of a trench gate structure, a high-concentration implantation region is provided in a p-type base region formed from a p-type silicon carbide layer formed by epitaxial growth, so as to include a portion in which a channel is formed. The high-concentration implantation region is formed by ion implantation of a p-type impurity into the p-type silicon carbide layer. The high-concentration implantation region is formed by p-type ion implantation and has an impurity concentration profile in which concentration differences in a depth direction form a bell-shaped curve at a peak of impurity concentration that is higher than that of the p-type silicon carbide layer. In the p-type base region, disorder occurs partially in the crystal structure consequent to the ion implantation for forming the high-concentration implantation region.
US09997343B2
An electrostatic ion trap for mass analysis includes a first array of electrodes and a second array of electrodes, spaced from the first array of electrode. The first and second arrays of electrodes may be planar arrays formed by parallel strip electrodes or by concentric, circular or part-circular electrically conductive rings. The electrodes of the arrays are supplied with substantially the same pattern of voltage whereby the distribution of electrical potential in the space between the arrays is such as to reflect ions isochronously in a flight direction causing them to undergo periodic, oscillatory motion in the space, focused substantially mid-way between the arrays. Amplifier circuitry is used to detect image current having frequency components related to the mass-to-charge ratio of ions undergoing the periodic, oscillatory motion.
US09997331B1
A charged-particle beam microscope includes a charged-particle beam source to generate a charged-particle beam. A stage is provided to hold a sample in the path of the charged-particle beam. Beam optics are provided to illuminate the sample with the charged-particle beam. One or more detectors are provided to detect radiation emanating from the sample as a result of the illumination. A controller may control one or more of the beam optics, stage, and detectors to generate an image of the sample based on the detected radiation.
US09997324B2
This invention relates to a flat panel display and a fabricating method thereof that are adaptive for conducting a patterning process without using a photo process to thereby reduce its process time and minimize pattern defects. A fabricating method and device of a flat panel display according to an embodiment of the present invention spreads an etch-resist on a thin film and forms an etch-resist pattern on a thin film by pressing a soft mold of a permeable structure to the etch-resist.
US09997318B2
The disclosure relates to a relay having a relay contact, having an electrical connection terminal at which an electrical variable can be tapped off, a control connection for receiving a control signal for opening the relay contact, and a controller. The controller is configured to respond to the reception of the control signal by sensing a change of amplitude of the electrical variable and to open the electrical relay contact with a time delay when a rising amplitude of the electrical variable is sensed, in order to reduce an electrical loading on the relay contact. The controller is further configured to respond to the reception of the control signal by opening in a first disconnection process, to sense the amplitude of the electrical variable, to close the relay contact when the rising amplitude is sensed and to open it again, with a time delay, in a second disconnection process.
US09997310B2
A subassembly includes an intermediate knob serving as a first knob rotatably fitted to and supported by a middle serving as a fixing portion, a first spring and a first ball for giving a detent feeling upon a rotary movement between the middle serving as the fixing portion and the intermediate knob, a distal end knob serving as a second knob rotatably fitted to and supported by the middle serving as the fixing portion, and a second spring and a second ball for giving a detent feeling upon a rotary movement between the middle serving as the fixing portion and the distal end knob. In such a subassembly, the intermediate knob, the first spring and the first ball, and the distal end knob, the second spring and the second ball are integrally assembled as a subassembly.
US09997303B2
An exemplary circuit breaker terminal cover includes a cover and at least one attachment portion. The cover has first and second side walls and a vented surface extending between the first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending to form a wire opening. The at least one attachment portion is configured to hold the terminal cover in place and to removably engage at least one of an opening, a side, an edge, a protrusion, a fastener, a wire, and a handle.An exemplary strip of circuit breaker terminal covers includes a plurality of terminal covers and at least one frangible connection joining two adjacent terminal covers of the plurality of terminal covers.
US09997301B2
Electrode, electric double-layer capacitor using the same, and manufacturing method of the electrode
Provided are an electrode formed by mixing carbon powder and a fibrous carbon, wherein influence of a resin-based binder or the like and an conductivity promoting material or the like is eliminated to have low electric resistance and an excellent property of capacitance; an electric double-layer capacitor using the electrodes; and a manufacturing method of the electrode. Provided is a dispersion step in which the carbon powder with a particle size of less than 100 nm and the fibrous carbon are dispersed into a solvent. The dispersion step is to allow jets of the solution to collide with each other or to apply shear stress and centrifugal force to the solution, thereby dispersing the carbon powder and the fibrous carbon. Furthermore, the method comprises the sheet electrode forming step in which the solution subjected to the dispersion step is filtered to obtain the carbon powder/fibrous carbon sheet.
US09997300B2
A capacitor electrode includes a substrate having electrical conductivity, a conductive layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and an electrode layer formed on the conductive layer. The electrode layer is allowed to adsorb and desorb ions on a surface thereof. The conductive layer contains flake graphite. A density of the conductive layer is greater than 1.1 g/cm3. An average particle size D50 of the flake graphite, which is measured by using a dynamic light scattering method, is less than or equal to 10 μm.
US09997297B2
A multilayer electronic component includes an element body having internal electrode layers and dielectric layers. These are substantially parallel to a plane including a first axis and a second axis and are alternately laminated along a third axis direction. Side surfaces oppositely facing in the first axis direction are respectively equipped with an insulating layer. End surfaces facing each other in the second axis direction are respectively equipped with an external electrode. End portions in the first axis direction of the internal electrode layers are recessed from end portions in the first axis direction of the dielectric layers to an inner side along the first axis direction. The retraction distances are varied at a predetermined range in each layer of the internal electrode layers.
US09997296B2
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body having a stacked plurality of dielectric layers and first and second end portions and a plurality of lateral surfaces. A plurality of internal electrodes stacked in the ceramic body face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween and exposed to first and second lateral surfaces of the ceramic body opposing each other through respective lead portions thereof. At least two first external electrodes and at least two second external electrodes are provided on the first and second lateral surfaces to be connected to the respective lead portions, respectively. An insulation layer is provided on the first and second lateral surfaces of the ceramic body except for the first and second external electrodes.
US09997287B2
An apparatus includes a housing, a solenoid coil disposed within the housing, a pole member, and an armature configured to move from a first position to a second position when the solenoid coil is energized. A contact surface of the armature is spaced apart from a contact surface of the pole member by a first distance when the armature is in the first position, and a second distance when the armature is in the second position. The housing, the pole member and the armature collectively define a flux path characterized by a first reluctance when the armature is in the first position and a second reluctance when the armature is in the second position. The difference between the first reluctance and the second reluctance is less than about thirty percent of the value of the first reluctance.
US09997276B2
An aluminum alloy wire rod having a composition comprising Mg: 0.1-1.0 mass %, Si: 0.1-1.2 mass %, Fe: 0.10-1.40 mass %, Ti: 0-0.100 mass %, B: 0-0.030 mass %, Cu: 0-1.00 mass %, Ag: 0-0.50 mass %, Au: 0-0.50 mass %, Mn: 0-1.00 mass %, Cr: 0-1.00 mass %, Zr: 0-0.50 mass %, Hf: 0-0.50 mass %, V: 0-0.50 mass %, Sc: 0-0.50 mass %, Co: 0-0.50 mass %, Ni: 0-0.50 mass %, and the balance: Al and inevitable impurities, wherein a number of compound particles present on a surface and having a diameter of greater than or equal to 1 μm in terms of equivalent circle diameter is less than or equal to one per 100 μm2, and a tensile strength is greater than or equal to 200 MPa.
US09997269B2
A radiographic apparatus may comprise: a radiation irradiating module configured to irradiate radiation to an object; and/or a processing module configured to automatically set a part of a region to which the radiation irradiating module is able to irradiate the radiation, to a region of interest, and further configured to determine at least one of a radiation irradiation position and a radiation irradiation zone of the radiation irradiating module based on the region of interest.
US09997266B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a protective device including a sliding door and a housing, together forming a closed space, wherein, a guide rail is provided on the housing, and the sliding door is slidable along the guide rail to open or close the closed space. In addition, embodiments of the present invention also provide a laser Raman safety inspection apparatus including the abovementioned protective device.
US09997259B1
Health care costs must be extremely lowered, and the business manner by which it is distributed simplified for the average person. A business method is described that allows the average person to obtain their own blood tests while shopping at a local store. Diagnostics for cancer, heart disease, infection, liver disease, kidney disease, hormonal imbalance, and many other maladies can be ascertained.
US09997255B2
An embodiment of the invention discloses a method for testing the retention mode of an array of SRAM cells. A data pattern is written to the array. After the data pattern is written, a retention circuit is enabled for a period of time that drops the voltage on a supply line. During this period of time, a first current is drawn from the supply line by sources internal (i.e. leakage current) to the array. Also during this time period, current is drawn from the supply line by a discharge circuit. The second current is provided to shorten the time required to test the retention mode of the array. After the period of time has expired, the retention mode and the discharge circuit are disabled and the data pattern is read from the array and compared to the data pattern written to the array.
US09997239B1
Higher word line voltages facilitate write operations in spin-torque magnetic memory devices, but overdriving the gate of a selection transistor with such higher word line voltages can damage the selection transistor if the gate-to-source voltage for the selection transistor is too high. Therefore in order to support the word line voltage needed on the gate of the select transistor for an up-current write operation without exceeding limits on the gate-to-source voltage for the select transistor, the gate of the selection transistor can be driven in a two-step process. The gate of the selection transistor is first driven to a lower voltage within the limits of the gate-to-source voltage for the transistor when the source of the transistor is grounded or at a voltage near ground. A voltage is then applied across the memory cell, which results in the source of the selection transistor being raised above its initial ground or near-ground state. After the source of the selection transistor has been raised, the gate voltage of the selection transistor can also be raised at least as much as the source of the selection transistor has been elevated without violating the limits on the gate-to-source voltage for the selection transistor.
US09997238B2
A sense amplifier circuit includes: a data line; a sense amplifier output node; a keeper circuit; a logic gate; a noise threshold circuit; and an inverter. The keeper circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series and coupled between a first power node and the data line. A gate node of the first transistor is coupled to the sense amplifier output node. The logic gate has an input connected to the bit line and an output connected to the sense amplifier output node. The noise threshold circuit includes: a third transistor and a fourth transistor connected in series between a second power node and the sense amplifier output node; and an inverter connected between a gate node of the third transistor and the sense amplifier output node.
US09997235B2
A device is disclosed that includes first memory cells, second memory cells, a first conductive line and a second conductive line. The first conductive line is electrically disconnected from the second conductive line. The first conductive line receives a first power voltage for the plurality of first memory cells. The second conductive line receives a second power voltage that is independent from the first power voltage, for the plurality of second memory cells.
US09997232B2
Apparatuses and methods are provided for logic/memory devices. An example apparatus comprises a plurality of memory components adjacent to and coupled to one another. A logic component is coupled to the plurality of memory components. At least one memory component comprises a memory device having an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array. The sensing circuitry includes a sense amplifier and a compute component. Timing circuitry is coupled to the array and sensing circuitry and configured to control timing of operations for the sensing circuitry. The logic component comprises control logic coupled to the timing circuitry. The control logic is configured to execute instructions to cause the sensing circuitry to perform the operations.
US09997227B2
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first power domain having a first inverter to be powered by a first switchable positive supply and a first switchable negative supply; and a second power domain having a second inverter including p-type and n-type FE-FETs, the second inverter having an input coupled to an output of the first inverter.
US09997226B2
In one embodiment, a SO-STT device has a non-symmetric device geometry. The device may be fabricated to have a non-symmetric magnetic pattern by tilting a shaped magnetic pattern (e.g., an ellipse, diamond, rectangle, etc. shaped magnetic pattern) such that the pattern's main (long and short) axes are tilted with respected to an in-plane current direction. Alternatively, the non-symmetric device geometry may be produced by locating the magnetic pattern away from the center of a current injection line. The non-symmetric may permit switching absent application of an external magnetic field. A SO-STT device with non-symmetric device geometry, or another type of SO-STT device, may further integrate an additional semiconductor, insulator or metal layer into the device's multilayer stack. By integrating the additional semiconductor, insulator or metal layer, a significant reduction of SO-STT switching current density may be achieved. Depending on the embodiment, the additional semiconductor, insulator or metal layer may be disposed adjacent to the FM layer, or within the FM layer, among other possibilities.
US09997216B2
A nonvolatile random access memory including a memory cell array including banks, each bank including rows; an address latch circuit; and a control circuit receiving a first set of signals including a precharge command and a first row address, and a second set of signals including an active command and a second row address. The control circuit executes a first operation in which one of the banks is deactivated when the first set of signals is loaded, executes a second operation in which the first row address is loaded when the first set of signals is loaded, and executes a third operation in which at least one of the rows in the bank is selected and activated based on the second row address when the second set of signals is loaded after the first set of signals.
US09997205B2
A disc drive (digital book data playback apparatus) includes a cabinet, a disc insertion part through which a digital book data disc is inserted into the cabinet, the disc insertion part being provided in a surface of the cabinet, and a guide groove formed in a surface of the cabinet, the guide groove having a starting end portion formed at an opening end and a terminating end portion continued to the disc insertion part, the guide groove being capable of receiving an outer peripheral edge of the digital book data disc to be inserted into the disc insertion part until the outer peripheral edge reaches a necessary depth.
US09997202B2
A playback method is provided for reading out and playing streams from a recording medium. Recorded in the recording medium are a stream file including a first luminance video expressed by luminance of a first dynamic range, and a second luminance video expressed by luminance of a second dynamic range that is broader than the first dynamic range; a playlist file for controlling playback of the stream file; and a number of elementary streams. The playback method includes when playing the first luminance video, reading out any one of the elementary streams listed in the first combination information of the playlist file, and playing at the same time with the first luminance video; and when playing the second luminance video, reading out any one of the elementary streams listed in the second combination information of the playlist file, and playing at the same time with the second luminance video.
US09997197B2
A method for a device to control playback, includes: obtaining a video file; determining a vision field of a user: and selecting, from the vision file, a video clip corresponding to the vision field of the user and playing back the video clip.
US09997196B2
A novel method for retiming a portion of a media content (e.g., audio data, video data, audio and video data, etc.) in a media-editing application is provided. The media editing application includes a user interface for defining a range in order to select a portion of the media content. The media editing application performs retiming by applying a speed effect to the portion of the media content selected by the defined range. For a faster speed effect, the media editing application retimes the selected portion of the media content by sampling the media content at a faster rate. For a slower speed effect, the media editing application retimes the selected portion of the media content by sampling the content at a slower rate.
US09997192B1
Embodiments described herein provide an apparatus that is operable with a disk drive. The apparatus includes a memory device operable to store a plurality of bit sets. Each bit set identifies a track and a sector of the disk drive and a number of times that the track of the disk drive has been written. A controller of the disk drive is operable to increment the number when the track is written. Each bit set comprises a number of bits that is established according to track location of the disk drive.
US09997179B2
A storage element is provided. The storage element includes a memory layer; a fixed magnetization layer; an intermediate layer including a non-magnetic material; wherein the intermediate layer is provided between the memory layer and the fixed magnetization layer; wherein the fixed magnetization layer includes at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer, and wherein the first magnetic layer includes a CoFeB composition. A memory apparatus and a magnetic head are also provided.
US09997174B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, disclosed is a method and an apparatus for voice activity detection (VAD). The VAD comprises creating a signal indicative of a primary VAD decision and determining hangover addition. The determination on hangover addition is made in dependence of a short term activity measure and/or a long term activity measure. A signal indicative of a final VAD decision is then created.
US09997171B2
A method includes: processing the digital audio input signal to generate M delayed digital audio signal samples; converting the delayed digital audio signal samples to frequency domain representation in N number of frequency bands to compute respective signal spectrum values; determining respective signal level estimates; computing respective frequency domain gain coefficients based on the respective signal level estimates and band gain laws; transforming the frequency domain gain coefficients to time domain representation to produce M time-varying filter coefficients of a processing filter; convolving the M delayed digital audio signal samples with the time-varying filter coefficients to produce the processed digital output signal; and updating the delayed digital audio signal samples in accordance with a sample-by-sample or a predetermined block rate; wherein two of the signal spectrum values for at least two of the frequency bands are updated at different rates; and wherein M and N are positive integer numbers.
US09997165B2
A coder and decoder, and methods therein, are provided for coding and decoding of spectral peak positions in audio coding. According to a first aspect, an audio signal segment coding method is provided for coding of spectral peak positions. The method comprises determining which one out of two lossless spectral peak position coding schemes that requires the least number of bits to code the spectral peak positions of an audio signal segment; and selecting the spectral peak position coding scheme that requires the least number of bits to code the spectral peak positions of the audio signal segment. A first one of the two lossless spectral peak position coding schemes is suitable for periodic or semi-periodic spectral peak position distributions; and a second one of two lossless spectral peak position coding schemes is suitable for sparse spectral peak position distributions.
US09997164B2
Methods for generating an object based audio program which is renderable in a personalizable manner, e.g., to provide an immersive, perception of audio content of the program. Other embodiments include steps of delivering (e.g., broadcasting), decoding, and/or rendering such a program. Rendering of audio objects indicated by the program may provide an immersive experience. The audio content of the program may be indicative of multiple object channels (e.g., object channels indicative of user-selectable and user-configurable objects, and typically also a default set of objects which will be rendered in the absence of a selection by a user) and a bed of speaker channels. Another aspect is an audio processing unit (e.g., encoder or decoder) configured to perform, or which includes a buffer memory which stores at least one frame (or other segment) of an object based audio program (or bitstream thereof) generated in accordance with, any embodiment of the method.
US09997160B2
Systems and methods for dynamic download of embedded voice components are disclosed. One embodiment may be configured to receive an application via a wireless communication, where the application comprises a speech recognition component, receive the voice command from a user, and analyze the speech recognition component to determine a translation action to perform, based on the voice command. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the translation action includes downloading a vocabulary from a first remote computing device, the vocabulary may be downloaded from the first remote computing device to utilize the vocabulary to translate the voice command. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the translation action includes communicating the voice command to a second remote computing device, the voice command may be sent to the second remote computing device and receive a translated version of the voice command.
US09997155B2
A system and method of adapting a speech system includes the steps of: receiving confirmation of a phonetic transcription of one or more names, receiving confirmation of a selected stored text result, and storing the phonetic transcription with the selected stored text result using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, a text-to-speech (TTS) system, or both.
US09997148B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of generating a sound by using a touch screen. A sound modulation apparatus according to the present invention includes: a sensor information input unit configured to receive sensing information on a position, at which a touch input of a user is applied to the screen, and pressure according to the touch input applied to the screen; and a sound modulation unit configured to set a tone frequency and volume of a sound to be output, and set the tone frequency according to the position, to which the touch input of the user is applied, and set the volume according to a size of the pressure according to the touch input.
US09997137B2
An electronic display includes a display side and an ambient light sensor configured to measure received light received through the display side. The electronic display also includes multiple pixels located between the display side and the ambient light sensor. The multiple pixels are configured to emit display light through the display side.
US09997135B2
A method of producing a color image using a display comprised of pixels comprising red, green and blue primary color subpixels. The method comprises reducing the color gamut and increasing the brightness of the image relative to a base level, decreasing power to the display to reduce the brightness of the image, restoring color to the image to approximately the base level by modifying image pixel data using a three-dimensional lookup table to produce output image pixel data, and communicating the output image pixel data to the display. The display may be an LCD display, an LED display, an OLED display, a plasma display, and a DMD projector. Reducing the color gamut and increasing the brightness of the image may be accomplished by adding white to the image. The white may be added adaptively according to an algorithm by which the amount of white added decreases with increasing color saturation.
US09997128B2
A display panel driving apparatus includes a data processor configured to receive N-th line data of image data. N is a natural number not less than 2. The data processor is further configured to perform a first line delay on the N-th line data to output (N−1)-th line data, to output (N−1)-th line substitution data which is obtained by N-th line substitution data, which is based on the N-th line data and the (N−1)-th line data, and to compensate the N-th line data based on the N-th line data and the (N−1)-th line substitution data to output compensation image data. The display panel driving apparatus further includes a data driver and a gate driver.
US09997123B2
A switching power supply circuit has: a switching output generator that generates an output voltage from an input voltage by using an output transistor; a switching controller that turns ON and OFF the output transistor so as to keep the output voltage, or a feedback voltage commensurate therewith, with a predetermined reference voltage; and a maximum duty controller that varies the maximum duty of the output transistor according to the reference voltage, the output voltage, or the feedback voltage.
US09997118B2
A system for powering and controlling a backlit electronic display where redundancy is used to provide two independent paths from a pair of power sources to the backlight. Further, two independent paths are also used from a pair of power sources to the electronic display. If any one of the paths were to fail or begin to degrade in performance, the system contains monitoring devices which can direct another path to be used by the system. Two separate control circuits for the electronic may be used so that either one may be used to control the electronic display if one were to fail. Two separate temperature sensors and luminance sensors may also be used to increase the durability of the system.
US09997117B2
The invention discloses a common circuit for GOA test and eliminating power-off residual images, including a first test end (3), a test signal line (AT1) connected to the first test end (3), a second test end (5), a feedback signal line (AT2) connected to the second test end (5), and the same number of test TFTs (T0) as cascade GOA unit circuits. By connecting the gate of each test TFT (T0) to test signal line (AT1), the source to feedback signal line (AT2) and the drain to the output end of corresponding GOA unit circuit and gate scan line, the invention can test the output signal of any stage GOA unit circuit to determine the location of a malfunctioning GOA unit circuit, and releasing the residual charges of the liquid crystal capacitor and storage capacitor at the display area of LCD panel when powering off to eliminate residual images.
US09997116B2
An integrated circuit device that drives an electro-optical panel using a driving waveform which is set in a plurality of phases includes: a driving voltage generation unit that operates while receiving a supply of a power supply voltage generated by a power supply circuit, and generates a plurality of driving voltages to be applied to a plurality of electrodes in the electro-optical panel in each of a plurality of phases, in accordance with display data; and a power supply control unit that sets current supply capability of the power supply circuit to a first level synchronously with a timing of start of a phase, and sets the current supply capability to a second level, which is lower than the first level.
US09997115B2
An electrophoretic display apparatus and an image processing method thereof are provided. The electrophoretic display apparatus includes a display panel and a display driver. The display driver is configured to determine whether a plurality of pixel data of an image signal needs to being recoded according to one or more judgment conditions. If so, the pixel data is recoded. The display driver drives the display panel by using a plurality of driving signals having different signal waveforms, so that the display panel displays an image frame according to pixel data without being recoded and the recoded pixel data.
US09997108B1
An electroluminescent (EL) display apparatus and method are provided. A display screen includes pixels. A pixel circuit of each of pixel includes, in part: a first switch transistor on a path through which current flows from a power line through a driving transistor to an EL device; a second switch transistor to supply an image signal to the driving transistor; and a third switch transistor for initially resetting the pixel circuit before the second switch transistor supplies the image signal. A gate terminal of the first switch transistor is connected to a first gate driver circuit. Gate terminals of the second and third switch transistors are connected to a second gate driver circuit, which includes a second gate signal line connected to both the gate terminal of the second switch transistor of a Nth row and the gate terminal of the third switch transistor of a (N+1)th row.
US09997090B2
A display includes a first optical effect layer including a first interface part, the first interface part being provided with recesses or protrusions arranged two-dimensionally at the minimum center-to-center distance in a range of 200 nm to 500 nm, each of the recesses or protrusions having a forward-tapered shape; a reflective material layer covering at least a part of the first interface part; and a second optical effect layer including, at a position of a first portion of the first interface part that is covered with the reflective material layer, a portion that faces the reflective material layer with the first optical effect layer interposed therebetween or faces the first optical effect layer with the reflective material layer interposed therebetween, the second optical effect layer containing at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal, a pearl pigment and a multilayer interference film.
US09997089B2
A cover assembly for a mattress is provided that includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and a continuous side panel collectively defining a cavity for enclosing the mattress. The second cover includes a top surface and a bottom surface, with the second cover being positioned over and dimensionally-sized to cover at least the top panel of the first cover. A fastener then connects the second cover to the first cover along the perimeter of the second cover. Methods for marking a mattress are also provided that include the step of marking an indicia indicative of a characteristic of a mattress on the top surface of the second cover of the cover assembly.
US09997083B2
One embodiment provides a system comprising at least one learner application module for receiving feedback data from at least one user via at least one electronic device, about information presented to the users by a presenter. The system further comprises at least one sensor for capturing contextual data associated with the users. The system further comprises a recommendation provider for collecting feedback data and contextual data from each learner application module and each sensor, respectively. The recommendation provider determines at least one personalized recommendation for each user based on the collected data and the presented information.
US09997078B2
An obstacle avoidance system is provided to assist a pilot in avoiding obstacles. The obstacle avoidance system includes a set of proximity sensors and a pilot interface device. The set of proximity sensors detects nearby obstacles by emitting a signal and receiving a reflected signal from an obstacle. A processor receives an obstacle indication from the set of proximity sensors and detects the obstacle that is in proximity to the aircraft based at least in part on the reflected signal. The processor acquires a distance and a direction to the obstacle and calculates a threat level posed by the obstacle. The pilot interface device is operable to display the following: an ownship icon indicative of the aircraft, a velocity vector icon indicative of a velocity vector of the aircraft, and an obstacle graphic indicative of the distance, direction, and threat level of the obstacle.
US09997071B2
A system for providing parking guidance includes storing historical parking violation related data correlated to real-time, parking violation related data, where a central computing system communicates with a user's computing device for notifying a user how to avoid receiving parking violation citations. The data is stored in a unified database, where the data is clustered by data types and by type of vehicle or type of vehicle plate. The user's computing device is used to identify parking intent, and a location determining apparatus identifies a current location of the user. A user engagement panel is used to share parking violation related data, where rewards are allocated to a user for contributing useful data, which are rated. Highly rated data is incorporated into notifications. The data is analyzed to predict a violation. A notification corresponding to the current location and user type are generated when violations are predicted.
US09997068B2
Method for conveying driving conditions and using the conveyed driving conditions for vehicular control includes generating information about a travel surface or an environment around the travel surface using sensors fixed in position relative to the travel surface. Each sensor includes a measuring or detecting component that measures or detects a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface. A communication of the information generated by that sensor to a vehicle or its occupant is initiated only when that vehicle is within the set distance from a sensor. Operation of a display, navigation, control and/or guidance system in that vehicle is caused to change from an existing operating state to one of several different operating states as a result of reception of the communication from the sensor.
US09997066B2
In an optical fiber network for transmitting optical signals in a robot having three or more joints connecting a plurality of links in series such that the links include two end links located at either end and intermediate links provided between the two end links, and the links connected by the joints are moveable relative to each other, a plurality of optical transceiver modules are provided on the links such that at least one optical transceiver module is provided on each link; and a plurality of optical fiber cables connect the optical transceiver modules in a ring; wherein at least one end of each optical fiber cable connecting the optical transceiver modules provided on different links is connected to one of the optical transceiver modules provided on the intermediate links.
US09997063B2
A remote controller for a vehicle includes: a communication module in communication with an external device; and a processor coupled to the communication module and configured to determine whether the remote controller is positioned outside of the vehicle or is positioned inside of the vehicle through communication with the external device, to provide a first function set when the remote controller is positioned outside of the vehicle, and to provide a second function set when the remote controller is positioned inside of the vehicle.
US09997059B2
A data collection system includes a plurality of sensor modules each provided with a sensor unit, and a data collecting device. The data collecting device (200) is provided with: a clock output unit (201) which outputs a clock signal; an enable signal output unit (202) which outputs to a prescribed sensor module (100) an enable signal at intervals equal to or greater than the number of clock signals corresponding to the number of sensor modules (100); a counter (203) which counts the number of clock signals; and a sensor signal input unit (205) into which data output by the sensor modules (100) is input via a bus line, and which records said data in association with the count value. Using the clock signal as a trigger, each sensor module (100) functions as a shift register feeding the enable signal to the subsequent stage sensor module (100), and each sensor module (100) outputs output data from the sensor unit (110) in said sensor module (100) to the sensor signal input unit (205) only when the enable signal has been fed to said sensor module (100).
US09997058B2
A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.
US09997056B2
The invention relates to a wireless communication device for a security system that may include a device communicator configured for wireless communication with a security panel and for providing an additional wireless communication path to a monitoring center; and a premises power supply for removably connecting the device to a power source at the premises. The device may also include an alternate power supply, and an input device for enabling a user to initiate communications. The device may also be programmed so that the device can delay the transmission of an event signal for a predetermined period of time and then initiate transmission of the event signal if it does not receive a signal from the security panel to cancel transmission of the event signal during the predetermined period of time.
US09997053B2
The present invention relates to a method for a surveillance system, comprising the steps of receiving an image from a surveillance camera capturing a sequence of images of a predetermined area, detecting motion within the predetermined area, generating an alarm if motion is detected, determining the type of alarm, setting a non-alarm area within the image if the type of alarm is determined to be on a list of predefined alarm types, and suppressing, for a predefined time period, detection of motion in the non-alarm area. The invention also relates to a corresponding surveillance system and a computer program product.
US09997049B2
A monitoring system and method monitor one or more operational conditions of first equipment during operation of the first equipment and predict a life span of the first equipment based on the one or more operational conditions. The life span that is predicted differs from a designated life span of the first equipment that is determined prior to operation of the first equipment. The system and method can create or modify schedules for repair or replacement of other equipment to include repair or replacement of the first equipment based on the life span that is predicted.
US09997048B2
Embodiments of a power failure monitoring device of a digital protection relay capable of preventing a relay operation error and a data loss by determining a power failure when an electric power voltage being detected is dropped to be equal to or less than a prestored power failure reference voltage to enable a controller to perform a power failure preparation operation are provided.
US09997039B1
A web portal communicates with a variety of information sources that produce monitoring data. Information sources are configurable to user preferences and are trainable to detect patterns of sensory input. The information sources transmit the monitoring data to a central server that receives the data and traverses one or more logical rule sets to determine whether the inputted data violates policies and rules set by the user. The policies and rules define the level of monitoring desired and an appropriate response in the evaluation of the monitoring data against the rules. Based on an evaluation of the rules, the central server then generates outputs in the form of communication to the user via a variety of communication mediums and devices.
US09997033B2
A safety rail monitoring system, and associated methods of operation, for monitoring use of a safety rail that borders a footpath to help prevent injuries while the user traverses the footpath. The safety system includes a sensor system for detecting the presence of a user on the footpath and the presence of a contact by the user on the safety rail. A sensor observation system in communication with the sensor system receives signals indicating whether the user is present on the footpath and whether the user is holding on to the safety rail. If the user is not holding on to the safety rail, the sensor observation system generates an alert signal to the user to remind the user to hold the safety rail. In some embodiments, the safety system may include a barrier that prevents the user from continuing along the footpath without contacting the safety rail.
US09997029B2
Apparatus and methods for a sensor system are provided. The system may be configured to detect a dispensing of cash from an automated teller machine (“ATM”). The system may be configured to orient one or more sensors to capture a first information stream that includes the dispensing of cash. The system may be configured to detect a retraction of cash by the ATM. The system may orient one or more sensors to capture a second information stream that includes the retraction. The system may be configured to determine an estimate of cash collected by an ATM customer. The estimate may be based on a comparison of the first information stream and the second information stream.
US09997021B2
A gaming machine configured to provide a play of a game, the gaming machine comprising a symbol selector for selecting a) a plurality of backgrounds from a set of backgrounds for display at respective ones of a plurality of display positions, the set of backgrounds including winning backgrounds and non-winning backgrounds, and b) a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols for display at respective ones of said plurality of display positions, the selected symbols being displayed at each display position overlaid upon a selected background. The gaming machine also comprises an outcome evaluator for determining when a trigger event occurs, said trigger event being defined when at least two winning backgrounds of said plurality of backgrounds are selected for display adjacent to each other. The plurality of symbols and said plurality of backgrounds are selected independently of each other and wherein the set of backgrounds is such that at least one outcome of the game includes a display position at which a symbol is overlaid upon a non-winning background.
US09997018B2
A system to manage prize accumulation and distribution includes an interface to receive publication data from a publishing user. The publication data is to be published by the computer system. The interface further receives a prize contribution value, at the computer system and from the publishing user, in exchange for the presentation of an opportunity to win a cumulative prize. The opportunity to win the cumulative prize is to be presented by the computer system in conjunction with the publication of the publication data. A publication module is to electronically publish the publication data on behalf of the publishing user, and is to electronically present the opportunity to win the cumulative prize in conjunction with the publication of the publication data. A prize processing module is to calculate a value of the cumulative prize, based on a cumulative contribution of prize contribution values received from a plurality of publishing users.
US09997013B2
A gaming system enables enhancement of wagering outcomes using: a) a gaming table having a game play surface for multiple players; b) a programmable electronic random number generator; c) a player input control at a player position; d) a display system capable of indicating a secondary random event outcome provided by the programmable electronic random number generator for each of the multiple players; and e) the random number generator configured to control of a display individual player position secondary random events determined by the random number generator. The gaming system is configured so that i) after at least one wager has been locked in at a player position, ii) the secondary random event for the player position is indicated and locked into the display system for a round of play of an underlying primary wagering event at the gaming table.
US09997012B2
A gaming machine may award a number of spins of a plurality of reels in an instance of the bonus game. A symbol counter may be set to an initial value. Until the awarded number of bonus game spins have been performed, the gaming machine may repeatedly carry out iterations of bonus game operations including: (i) selecting a first symbol set or a second symbol set for display on the plurality of reels, where the first symbol set excludes a predetermined symbol, where the second symbol set includes a number of the predetermined symbol equivalent to the symbol counter, and where, when the second symbol set is selected, the symbol counter is incremented, and (ii) transmitting, to a client machine, a representation of the selected symbol set.
US09997011B2
Gaming apparatus and methods of conducting a wagering game of chance. A gaming machine is disclosed which is configured for mutually concurrent play of a plurality of games of chance on a single display screen. A method of conducting a wagering activity includes providing a player with a plurality of differing games of chance, at least some of which are mutually concurrently playable on a single screen display of a gaming device and enabling mutually concurrent play of the plurality of differing games of chance on the single screen display. Various other gaming machine configurations and methods of play related to multiple differing games of chance on a single display screen are also disclosed herein. Networked gaming machines are also disclosed.
US09997007B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices and methods for implementing mystery bonus results in place of base game results on a gaming display. The gaming device comprises a base game having a base game display. A random number generator is optionally operable with the base game to obtain a base game result, and the base game display operative to display the base game result. A base game pay table is tied to the base game result and includes winning outcomes and non-winning outcomes. A bonus game award mechanism is configured to determine a threshold tied to a bonus result, track play of the base game, advance a counter responsive to play at the base game, display the bonus result at the base game display in place of the base game result when the counter bears a predefined relationship with the threshold, and award a bonus to a player.
US09997006B2
A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: electronically directing at least one second automated treatment occurrence of the at least one automated device to treat at least a portion of the automated ingestible product dispensing equipment other than removing material from the automated ingestible product preparation equipment including other than removing the at least one first substance, other than removing the first ingestible product, and other than removing other materials associated with preparation of the at least one first ingestible product prior to at least one second operation occurrence of the automated ingestible product dispensing equipment, the at least one second operation occurrence electronically initiated via electronically receiving first input associated with a particular individual living being. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US09997003B2
A paper sheet handling apparatus (banknote handling apparatus 100) includes: a housing 12; a transport path forming member 711 disposed inside the housing and configured to form a transport path that transports paper sheets while sandwiching each paper sheet in a direction of the thickness of the paper sheet; and a handing unit (non-bundling stacker module 54) disposed at a predetermined position inside the housing. When jamming of paper sheets occurs in the middle of the transport path, the transport path forming member is displaced so as to open the transport path, in a state where the inside of the housing is opened by an opening and closing unit being opened. The handling unit disposed adjacent to the transport path is movable from the predetermined position so as to form a space that allows the transport path forming member to be displaced.
US09996997B2
The invention relates to a method for controlling access to or exit from a controlled area, implemented in a system comprising at least one database comprising: a first data set, comprising biometric data of persons linked with identifiers of means of transport or travel; and a second data set including at least one piece of data such as marital status and/or identity document and at least one piece of personal biometric data, the method being characterized by implementing steps that comprise: for each vehicle, acquiring an identifier of the means of transport or travel, and biometric data of at least one passenger in the vehicle; for each passenger for which biometric data has been acquired, determining whether said passenger is recorded in the first data set linked with the vehicle; if a passenger is not recorded in the first data set linked with the vehicle, verifying that the passenger is recorded in said set linked with another vehicle or, failing that, that said passenger is recorded in the second data set; and, in accordance with the result of the verification carried out, updating the first data set such that said set includes biometric data of the passenger linked with the vehicle. The invention also relates to a control system suitable for implementing the method.
US09996991B2
An engine generator includes a generator body connected to an engine, a converter including rectifiers that convert an output from the generator body to DC current, an inverter that converts an output from the converter to AC current, an input voltage detector that detects an input voltage from the generator body to the converter, and an AC current detector that detects an AC current output from the inverter. An abnormality in the engine generator is determined if a state that a current detected by the AC current detector is not higher than a first threshold value and a duty ratio of a voltage detected by the input voltage detector is not higher than the second threshold value continues for a first predetermined time; or if the current detected by the AC current detector is not higher than a third threshold value and the duty ratio change rate is not higher than a fourth threshold value.
US09996975B2
A virtual reality ride system includes a platform having at least one seat, a first headset, a second headset, and one or more rendering processors. The first and second headsets each have a motion-sensing unit and a display unit configured to display animated video. The one or more processors are configured to render a first animated video of a virtual environment from a perspective based on the physical location and orientation of the first headset, and to render a second animated video of the virtual environment from a perspective based on the physical location and orientation of the second headset.
US09996970B2
In a system and method for inspecting a property, a microphone receives one or more audio waves propagating from a structure. One or more processors generate a 3D point cloud based on the received audio waves, analyzed the generated 3D point cloud to identify features of a surface or subsurface of the structure, and generate an estimate of a condition of the surface or subsurface.
US09996949B2
Views of a virtual space may be presented based on predicted colors of individual pixels of individual frame images that depict the views of the virtual space. Predictive models may be assigned to individual pixels that predict individual pixel colors of individual pixels at individual time points. Individual models may be updated and/or reprojected to other pixels based on comparisons of the predicted pixel colors and colors specified by in a raster input signal.
US09996940B1
Methods, devices, and systems for expression transfer are disclosed. The disclosure includes capturing a first image of a face of a person. The disclosure includes generating an avatar based on the first image of the face of the person, with the avatar approximating the first image of the face of the person. The disclosure includes transmitting the avatar to a destination device. The disclosure includes capturing a second image of the face of the person on a source device. The disclosure includes calculating expression information based on the second image of the face of the person, with the expression information approximating an expression on the face of the person as captured in the second image. The disclosure includes transmitting the expression information from the source device to the destination device. The disclosure includes animating the avatar on a display component of the destination device using the expression information.
US09996939B2
The present invention relates to a large-range-first cross-camera visual target re-identification method. The method comprises: step S1, obtaining initial single-camera tracks of targets; step S2, calculating a piecewise major color spectrum histogram feature of each track, and obtaining a track feature representation; step S3, obtaining a calculation formula of the similarity between any two tracks by using a minimum uncertainty method, so as to obtain the similarity between any two tracks; and step S4, performing global data association on all the tracks by using a maximum posterior probability method, so as to obtain a cross-camera tracking result. The target re-identification method of the present invention achieves high correct identification accuracy.
US09996938B2
A method of blink detection in a laser eye surgical system includes providing a topography measurement structure having a geometric marker. The method includes bringing the topography measurement structure into a position proximal to an eye such that light traveling from the geometric marker is capable of reflecting off a refractive structure of the eye of the patient, and also detecting the light reflected from the structure of the eye for a predetermined time period while the topography measurement structure is at the proximal position. The method further includes converting the light reflected from the surface of the eye into image data and analyzing the image data to determine whether light reflected from the geometric marker is present is in the reflected light, wherein if the geometric marker is determined not to be present, the patient is identified as having blinked during the predetermined time.
US09996928B2
An image processing method for diagnosing a disease using a captured image of an affected area, includes separating the captured image memorized into a brightness component and a color information component; separating the brightness component into a base component and a detail component; performing a highlighting process on the detail component; and restoring a brightness component from the base component and a highlighted detail component, and then generating a highlighted image using a restored brightness component and the color information component. The highlighting process includes highlighting the detail component depending on likelihood of vessel of a region to be diagnosed. In the highlighting process, the color information component that corresponds to a direction of a red-based color in a first color space is acquired; a predetermined range of the color information component is normalized; and a likelihood (V) of vessel of the region as acquired via the normalization is reflected in a highlighting coefficient of the detail component to generate a highlighted detail component image.
US09996915B2
Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing user interface validation or diagnostics, and, in particular embodiments, for implementing automated forensic artifact reconstruction and replay of captured and recorded display interface streams. In some embodiments, a computing system might retrieve stream data from a database, the stream data having been captured and recorded by a data stream recording system as display data is being sent from an embedded processor of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) system to a display device, without disturbing the display data being sent. The computing system subsequently parses pixel data from the display data, formats the parsed pixel data, reconstructs one or more display screen images based at least in part on the formatted pixel data, then compares each pixel of each screen image or frame of the reconstructed display screen images with each pixel of a model screen image of each corresponding screen image.
US09996914B2
Techniques for generating an arbitrary view from a plurality of other existing views are disclosed. In some embodiments, arbitrary view generation includes retrieving a first image having a first perspective and a second image having a second perspective, transforming each of the first image and the second image into a third perspective; and generating a third image having the third perspective by combining at least some of the pixels from the transformed first image and at least some of the pixels from the transformed second image.
US09996913B2
A system for two color image fusion blending co-registered low light level images in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with thermal infrared images maximizes the information content of the scene by detecting in which of the two image types, IR and visible, there is more structural information and increasing the weight of the pixels in the image type having the most structural information. Additionally, situational awareness is increased by categorizing image information as “scene” or “target” and colorizing the target images to highlight target features when raw IR values are above a predetermined threshold. The system utilizes Red, Green and Blue (RGB) planes to convey different information such that for targets the Red plane is used to colorize regions when raw IR exceeds the predetermined threshold. For scene images, the Green plane provides improved situational awareness due to the above weighted blend of the two image types.
US09996912B2
One of the challenges in bringing computational imaging to a mass market is that computational imaging is inherently computationally expensive. The computational challenges associated with computational imaging are apparent with the computation of a histogram of gradient descriptors. Oftentimes, generating a histogram of gradient descriptors involves computing gradients of an image, binning the gradients according to their orientation, and, optionally, normalizing the bins using a non-linear function. Because each of these operations is expensive, the histogram of gradient descriptor computations is generally computationally expensive and is difficult to implement in a power efficient manner for mobile applications. The present application discloses a computing device that can provide a low-power, highly capable computing platform for computing a histogram of gradient descriptors.
US09996904B2
Techniques are described for processing an electronic image for presentation in a display of an enterprise application according to a format for presenting electronic image in the enterprise application. A format for an enterprise application may indicate display attributes such as an aspect ratio, a frame size, a resolution, or the like. The format for presenting an electronic image may correspond to a type of an enterprise application, a function of an enterprise application, a feature of an enterprise application, one or more subjects of the electronic image, other criteria associated with an enterprise application, or a combination thereof. These techniques may enable an electronic image to be adjusted for presentation in enterprise applications that have different formats. Users may benefit by not having to provide an electronic image adjusted to the different formats, thereby enabling a single electronic image to be used for a variety of enterprise applications.
US09996896B2
There are provided a display compensation method, a display compensation module and a display apparatus. The method comprises following steps: receiving an image signal to be displayed (S1); obtaining a user position (S2) which is a relative position of a user relative to a the display apparatus; compensating for the image signal to be displayed according to the user position to obtain a compensated image signal (S3); and outputting the compensated image signal (S4). The display compensation method, the display compensation module and the display apparatus can be used for manufacturing the display, and can avoid the image distortion occurred to the image viewed by the user due to the different distances from the user to respective points on the display such that the user's experience in the display effect of the display can be raised.
US09996889B2
Systems and methods for individual risk factor identification include identifying common risk factors for one or more risk targets from population data. Individuals are stratified into clusters based upon the common risk factors. A discriminability of each of the common risk factors is determined, using a processor, for a target cluster using individual data of the target cluster to provide re-ranked common risk factors as individual risk factors for the target cluster, such that the discriminability is a measure of how a risk factor discriminates its cluster from other clusters.
US09996886B1
A claim-based capitation model is proposed for handling vehicle repair insurance claims. Rather than determining a detailed estimate of the expected actual cost of repair, the estimate may be determined using a simpler model. For example, the insurance company and a repair facility may agree to following a predictive payment model in which the insurance company pays a fixed predicted capitated amount of money for each repair claim, regardless of the amount of repair work that will be needed. Alternatively, the insurance company may pre-pay a fixed capitated amount for a predicted number of future insurance claims.
US09996885B1
A system and method to facilitate providing vehicle insurance services includes providing a specialty vehicle data identifier template for facilitating translation of a vehicle data identifier used to identify a vehicle, the specialty vehicle data identifier template including a plurality of segments, each segment of the plurality of segments representative of a vehicle attribute; receiving a request of a database for vehicle attribute data based on a search term, identifying each vehicle data identifier stored in the database including vehicle attribute data that substantially matches at least a portion the search term, compiling an output including any identified vehicle data identifier, and providing the output in an accessible format in response to the request for information.
US09996881B2
Systems and methods are provided for insurance risk analysis, insurance policy comparisons, benchmarking, and purchasing. A consumer-focused interview may be used. Conversation-style user interviews may be used, and interviews may be augmented with cognitive techniques. Interview topics may include consumer lifestyle, activities, possessions, and objectives, and other information pertinent to insurable risks. A data import-export engine may be provided to import data from various insurance companies, departments of insurance or data warehouses. Entered, imported, and/or previously stored data may be used to produce one or more of a risk profile report, a risk analysis, a recommended coverage report, a policy download, a gap analysis report, a comparison report of multiple proposals from multiple insurance companies, a policy forms analysis, a policy forms analysis comparison, and/or a benchmark report. Apparatuses and method may include modules for accounting, marketing, communication, consumer and prospect tracking and documentation, and/or insurance and risk management education.
US09996875B2
A method and computer program product is provided for an online bidding system. The method may include receiving a plurality of bids from a plurality of online bidding communities during a live auction event at one of a primary technology provider and a relying technology provider, wherein the live auction event simultaneously occurs on a physical auction floor and virtually. The method may also include processing the plurality of bids at the primary technology provider. The method may further include providing the processed plurality of bids to a single designated clerking console associated with the primary technology provider for the live auction event. The method may also include receiving an accepted bid from the single designated clerking console.
US09996872B1
This application describes systems, methods, and techniques for presenting supplemental information. The systems, methods, and techniques described herein determine that a message includes a keyword and, based at least on the identified keyword, determine at least one item to recommend. The message can be annotated with an identifier of the recommended item, and responsive to activation of the identifier, the supplemental information regarding the item can be presented.
US09996865B2
A system and method provides a user of a network-based commerce system drag and drop functionality that allows a user to purchase goods from a network-based transaction system through the use of links and images.
US09996855B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to determine a consumer classification segment. A disclosed example method involves generating, with a processor, a list of consumer classification segments based on geographic indicators associated with a mobile device, associating, with the processor, the mobile device with a first consumer classification segment of the list of consumer classification segments if the geographic indicators were retrieved while a first application was executed, and associating, with the processor, the mobile device with a second consumer classification segment of the list of consumer classification segments if the geographic indicators were retrieved while a second application was executed.
US09996853B2
Methods and systems are described for selecting an engaging ad campaign among advertising campaigns having different types of bid strategies. In one embodiment, an advertising system designed for selecting relevant and engaging ad campaigns for delivering to a device of a user includes an adaptive decision unit having filter logic for filtering eligible ad campaigns, a storage medium to store instructions of the system, and processing logic coupled to the storage medium. The processing logic is configured to execute the instructions of the system to receive and process an ad request from the device upon initiation of a software application on the device, filter eligible ad campaigns, convert each bid strategy of the filtered ad campaigns into an effective cost-per-mille (CPM) strategy, compare effective CPM strategies for the filtered ad campaigns, and select an ad campaign based on the comparison of the effective CPM strategies.
US09996847B2
Embodiments are presented for controlling usage of a communications device, whereby for a given number of messages generated from the device the operator (e.g., a child, person, etc.) has to successfully answer a question before a further batch of messages can be sent. The number of messages that can be sent before a question is to be answered can be configured by a parent. Further, a modifiable data store can be utilized to store questions, from which questions for presentation on the communication device can be sourced. The questions can relate to subject matter the child is studying at school, a standardized test, trivia, provided by a third party.
US09996843B2
A method and system for reading a security seal having a unique far-field pattern are described. Periodic nano-structure is generated on the surface of a substrate having spacings of hundreds of nanometers, or smaller, and affixed on a product, or generated directly onto the product. A laser beam having a wavelength longer than the periodic spacings directed onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate at a chosen angle of incidence and a selected azimuthal angle relative to a chosen direction produces a unique far-field pattern that may be imaged by a digital image detector disposed at a chosen distance from the illuminated region, compared with a stored reference, and validated. The nanoscale sub-wavelength patterns can be printed using extreme ultraviolet light and read with readily available visible or ultraviolet light. The security seal contains a pattern that is invisible to the eye and to an optical microscope. Brand protection at different stages of the life-span of a product, from production to purchase is therefore available.
US09996842B2
Method for tracking procedures performed on personal protection equipment and actions of individuals
A method for tracking procedures performed on personal protection equipment (PPE) and actions of individuals includes the following steps. An article of PPE configured with a smart tag is provided to an individual prior to performance of a task. After the individual performs the task, the article of PPE is processed. Information is retrieved from the smart tag during at least one of: before, during and after processing the article of PPE. After the performance of the task, the individual's data is read and the individual enters into a designated area.
US09996807B2
A method is provided for qualifying and analyzing business intelligence. At a first part of a data management system receives first, second and third streams of data. The first stream is client provided source data, the second is public source data and the third is data management system internal data previously collected and managed source data in the data management system. The three streams of data are organized into items and their attributes at the data management system. The source data is transformed at a data warehouse where it becomes normalized. Logic is applied to provide multi-dimensional analysis of transformed source data relative to a scale for at least one business intelligence. The data warehouse includes updated data from the multi-dimensional analysis. A user interface communicates with the data management system to create statistical information that illustrates impact over time and value.
US09996805B1
Systems and methods for automated shipping optimization are described herein. In some embodiments, items may be loaded into a receptacle. As items are loaded into a receptacle, a imaging device monitors the items in order to determine if a package is inefficiently oriented in a receptacle. If a package is inefficiently oriented in a receptacle, in some embodiments, the imaging device may send instructions to a robotic device to re-orient the inefficiently oriented item. The imaging device and robotic device, in some embodiments, can monitor multiple receptacles.
US09996788B2
A method and apparatus for producing an electronic device are disclosed. An adhesive material is jetted in a first pattern on a surface of a receiver substrate. A carrier having a metal foil disposed thereon is brought into contact with the first substrate such that a portion of the metal foil contacts the adhesive material. The adhesive material is activated using at least one of mechanical pressure and heat while the portion of the metal foil is in contact with the adhesive material. The first substrate and the second substrate are separated, whereby the portion of the metal foil is transferred to the first substrate.
US09996787B2
The invention relates to a layered structure (10) comprising the following layers: a) a first substrate layer (2), wherein the first substrate layer (2) has a first surface (4) and a second surface (6) and is configured as a dielectric; b) a first electrically conductive layer (8) which overlaps at least in part the first substrate layer (2) at least on the first surface (4) of the first substrate layer (2), wherein the first electrically conductive layer (8) comprises an electrically conductive polymer, wherein the first electrically conductive layer (8) has at least one first part region (18) and at least one further part region (20), wherein the at least one first part region (18) has a higher bonding strength to the substrate layer (2) than to the at least one further part region (20).
US09996785B1
A transaction card may comprise a first card component having an electrically conductive surface configured to receive an electrically applied coating. An electrically applied coating may be formed on the electrically conductive surface. The transaction card may be manufactured by forming a first card component having an electrically conductive surface configured to receive an electrically applied coating. The method may also include applying an electrically applied coating to the electrically conductive surface.
US09996782B2
A system for and a method of communicating barcode information using a mobile device. A method comprises steps of: invoking an application print feature using a first software application of the mobile device, the first software application being print-capable; extracting one or more barcodes from the print content using a second software application; and transmitting an extracted barcode from the mobile device as pulsed light using light-emitting hardware of the mobile device.
US09996775B2
A method for configuring the further processing of printing substrates in a digital printing machine includes modifying settings for configuring the further processing while the machine is in operation. The settings of the further processing are created by using a configuration program running on a control unit of the digital printing machine. The modified settings have an effect on at least one region to be further processed on the printing substrate and the settings are printed onto the printing substrate so as to be allocated to a corresponding region to be further processed.
US09996766B2
Imaging-based methods for detecting defects in an extruded cellular ceramic article having a web array are disclosed. The methods may include capturing a digital image of the web array to establish an intensity-based initial web array representation. The methods also may include performing an intensity threshold process on the initial web array representation to define an intensity-based high-resolution web array representation having sub-pixel resolution, and performing piecewise cubic spline fits to define corresponding web skeletons. The method may also include comparing intensities of the high-resolution web array representation along the web skeletons to a threshold intensity to determine the defect locations and sizes. The methods can be applied to determining the size and location of skin defects as well.
US09996754B2
An apparatus adapted to provide visual attitude reference to occupants seated in an inboard area of a cabin of a vehicle, that includes at least one interior partition positioned in the cabin in proximity to the occupants and at least one video camera mounted on the vehicle for capturing an electronic image of an environment exterior to the vehicle. At least one video monitor is adapted to serve as a virtual window mounted on the at least one interior partition in a substantially vertical and substantially parallel direction relative to a direction of forward travel of the vehicle in viewing proximity to the occupant, and further adapted to receive the electronic image from the at least one video camera and provide to the occupant an image of the environment external to the vehicle to the occupant.
US09996753B2
The present disclosure provides for a method, device, and computer-readable storage medium for performing a method for discerning a vehicle at an access control point. The method including obtaining a video sequence of the access control point; detecting an object of interest from the video sequence; tracking the object from the video sequence to obtain tracked-object data; classifying the object to obtain classified-object data; determining that the object is a vehicle based on the classified-object data; and determining that the vehicle is present in a predetermined detection zone based on the tracked-object data.
US09996743B2
Methods, systems, and media for detecting gaze locking are provided. In some embodiments, methods for gaze locking are provided, the methods comprising: receiving an input image including a face; locating a pair of eyes in the face of the input image; generating a coordinate frame based on the pair of eyes; identifying an eye region in the coordinate frame; generating, using a hardware processor, a feature vector based on values of pixels in the eye region; and determining whether the face is gaze locking based on the feature vector.
US09996731B2
Systems, devices and methods are described including receiving a depth image and applying a template to pixels of the depth image to determine a location of a human head in the depth image. The template includes a circular shaped region and a first annular shaped region surrounding the circular shaped region. The circular shaped region specifies a first range of depth values. The first annular shaped region specifies a second range of depth values that are larger than depth values of the first range of depth values.
US09996718B2
Carriers and carrier assemblies for use in apparatus, such as tools, are provided. A carrier assembly generally includes a carrier and an RFID tag which may be coupled to the carrier. The carrier assembly may be inserted at least partially into a bore in an apparatus and removably coupled to the apparatus at least partially within the bore. The carrier may advantageously increase the range at which RFID signals transmitted to and/or from the RFID tag may be detected, either by the RFID tag or an RFID reader.
US09996711B2
An integrated circuit (IC) provisioned for asset protection has a primary circuit portion, such as a microprocessor or system-on-chip, that can be selectively disabled and enabled via an operability control input. The IC includes a secure register to store lock state indicia and unlock criteria, where a signal at the operability control input is responsive to the lock state indicia. In operation, a firmware data store receives and stores firmware code that includes a lock/unlock command, and firmware data that includes an unlock key. An authorization module verifies authenticity of the firmware code. A lock/unlock (LUL) module is operative to write lock state indicia to the secure register based on the lock/unlock command only in response to a positive verification of the authenticity of the firmware code by the authorization module, and to write lock state indicia to the secure register.
US09996708B2
A processing system includes a processing core and a hardware accelerator communicatively coupled to the processing core. The hardware accelerator includes a data register having a plurality of data bits and a key register having a plurality of key bits. The hardware accelerator also includes a data mode selector module to select one of an encrypt mode or a decrypt mode for processing the plurality of data bits. The hardware accelerator further includes a key mode selector module to select one of the encrypt mode or the decrypt mode for processing the plurality of key bits.
US09996704B2
Systems and methods for protecting the privacy of users by controlling access to the users' data. In particular, some embodiments provide for a higher-level declarative language for expressing privacy policies which can be verified using a computer-aided verification tool. The verification tool uses the expressed privacy policies along with language-level assumptions and assertions in the verification process. For example, high-level models of the privacy policies can be reduced to a simpler verification representation (e.g., a Boolean representation) based on a set of assertions. This verification representation can then be submitted to a constraint solver (e.g., Satisfiability Modulo Theories solver) for verification.
US09996701B2
The present disclosure involves a method including: receiving a request to access an object from a user; prompting the user to go to a target location; receiving feedback from the user with respect to the user's location; determining, electronically by a processor, whether the user has reached the target location; granting access of the object to the user in response to the determining. The present disclosure involves a system including: a storage storing an electronic item; an electronic communications interface that: detects a request to access the item from an entity and prompts the entity to go to a target location in response to the request; a computer processor that: analyzes feedback from the entity with respect to the entity's location, determines whether the entity's location is sufficiently close to the target location, and grants or denies access of the item to the entity based on the determination.
US09996699B2
The present disclosure provides a screen shielding method, applied to a display device of an electronic device, wherein the display device has a display region, and the electronic device is arranged to execute a plurality of applications. The screen shielding method includes determining whether a first predetermined input signal has been received when a first application of the plurality of applications has been executed in the foreground, and producing a privacy block in response to the first predetermined input signal for entering a privacy protect mode.
US09996698B2
A shared networked storage may be separated from a key vault system. A storage request with data to be stored and the storage request with a confidentiality rating may be received. The confidentiality rating may indicate a level of confidentiality the data is associated with. The storage request with the data and the confidentiality rating may be received via a shared networked storage access interface by a security layer. The data to be stored by the key vault system and the confidentiality rating may be encrypted on request of the security layer and into a data container. The shared networked storage may be categorized into Cloud zones. Each Cloud zone may be assigned a trust level. The data container may be stored in one of the Cloud zones of the shared networked storage. The trust level of the one of the Cloud zones may correspond to the confidentiality rating.
US09996684B2
Systems and methods are provided for authorizing a user to access an access-controlled environment. The system includes a system server platform that communicates with fixed PC's, servers and mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) operated by users. The systems and methods described herein enable a series of operations whereby a user attempting to access an access-controlled environment is prompted to biometrically authenticate using the user's preregistered mobile device. Biometric authentication can include capturing images of the user's biometric features, encoding the features as a biometric identifier, comparing the biometric identifier to a previously generated biometric identifier and determining liveness. In addition, the authentication system can further authorize the user and electronically grant access to the access-controlled environment. In this manner the secure authentication system can, based on biometric authentication, authorize a user's access to devices, online services, physical locations or any networked environment that require user authorization.
US09996680B2
The apparatus disclosed herein, in various aspects, includes a digital asset, and an amulet that comprises an encrypted self-validating string. The amulet may be external to the digital asset. The apparatus may include a manager that cooperates securely with the digital asset and cooperates securely with the amulet to control access to the digital asset as specified by the amulet. In some aspects, the manager cooperates with the digital asset and with the amulet, at least in part, through shared memory in process space. In other aspects, the manager cooperates with the digital asset and with the amulet, at least in part, through a RAM drive in memory, the RAM drive at least partially hidden from an operating system of the computer. In yet other aspects, the manager cooperates with the digital asset and with the amulet, at least in part, through a virtual machine accessible only by said apparatus. The amulet, the manager, and the digital asset are either operably receivable by a computer or are operably received by the computer, in various aspects. Related methods and compositions of matter are also disclosed.This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus, methods, and compositions of matter disclosed herein or to delineate the scope of this disclosure.
US09996678B2
Methods and systems for facilitating health research by utilizing one or more wearable sensor devices with a research mode are provided herein. Systems include a wearable sensor device that can pair with a first portable computing device of a user and a second computing device of a researcher in a first and second pairing, respectively. The wearable sensor device obtains one or more health parameters of a user. In one aspect, the wearable sensor device communicates research related and non-research related health information to the first computing device via the first pairing link and communicates only research related health information to the second computing device via the second pairing link. Methods for pairing one or more wearable sensor devices with one or more research computing devices and switching between operating modes to provide additional research related features are also provided.
US09996676B2
A device agent including an information accessor for accessing association information obtained via an information reader. The association information includes medical device information for uniquely identifying the medical device, and device agent information for facilitating in an association between the medical device and the information reader. The device agent also includes an associator for associating the medical device and the information reader based on the association information.
US09996674B2
A cosmetic regimen and/or a nutrition regimen is outputted almost instantly to a user who transmits a digital color image, preferably video, of the surface tissue, for example at the face of a human to a web site. The regimen is custom tailored to the surface tissue type of the subject. The surface tissue type is based on value ranges of multiple surface tissue bioparameters, such as surface tissue moisture, surface tissue collagen levels, surface tissue pH and surface tissue sun sensitivity. The system may track changes in the surface tissue parameters between one digital color image provided by a user at one time and a further digital color image provided later.
US09996673B2
A method and system for monitoring a user's intoxication including receiving a set of signals, derived from a set of samples collected from the user at a set of time points; providing a sobriety task to the user proximal to a time point of the set of time points; generating a performance dataset characterizing performance of the sobriety task by the user; receiving a supplementary dataset characterizing a demographic profile of the user and/or a physiological state of the user; determining a set of values of an intoxication metric, derived from the set of signals; generating a predicted temporal profile of the intoxication metric for the user based upon the set of values, the set of time points, and the supplementary dataset; generating an analysis of the user's sobriety based upon the performance dataset and the predicted temporal profile; and providing a notification to the user based upon the analysis.
US09996668B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for backfilling. In some example embodiments, there is provided a method that includes receiving, at a receiver, backfill data representative of sensor data stored, at a continuous blood glucose sensor and transmitter assembly, due to a loss of a wireless link between the receiver and the continuous blood glucose sensor and transmitter assembly; generating, at the receiver, at least one of a notification or a graphically distinct indicator for presentation at a display of the receiver, the at least one of the notification or the graphically distinct indicator enabling the backfill data to be graphically distinguished, when presented at the display, from non-backfill data; and generating, at the receiver, a view including the backfill data, the non-backfill data, and the generated at least one of the notification or the graphically distinct indicator. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
US09996667B2
Implementations are directed to providing a user of a mobile device access to patient information and patient physiological data. Actions can include receiving user input, the user input indicating a user command to display a consults screen, in response to the user input, processing user-specific data to determine one or more user-specific patient icon groups, and displaying the consults screen on the mobile device, the consults screen including one or more display regions and one or more patient icon groups, each display region displaying a patient icon group, the patient icon groups including a pending patient icon group.
US09996662B1
A method comprises obtaining results of metagenomics sequencing performed on biological samples from respective sample sources, identifying particular ones of the biological samples that are related to a disease, infection or contamination based at least in part on the results of metagenomics sequencing, generating a genomic comparison component comprising hit abundance score vectors for respective ones of the identified samples, generating an epidemiologic comparison component comprising a graph in which nodes corresponding to patients are connected in the graph based at least in part on patient comparative indexes, collectively processing portions of the genomic comparison component with portions of the epidemiologic comparison component to further characterize the disease, infection or contamination, and updating a profile of the disease, infection or contamination based at least in part on the further characterization.
US09996651B2
A method and apparatus for translating a hierarchical IC layout file into a format that can be used by a mask writer that accepts files having a limited hierarchy. Cover cells of the original IC layout file or a modified file are designated, and the hierarchical file is redefined to include only those designated cover cells. Non-designated cover cells and other geometric data are flattened into the designated cover cells. The hierarchy of the modified file is then redefined to be less than or equal to the hierarchy limit of the mask writing tool.
US09996650B2
Disclosed are a system, a method and a computer program product for accurately modeling the performance of a body-contacted, asymmetric double gate, dynamically depleted (DD), semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) field effect transistor (FET). This modeling can be performed, using iterative processing, to determine the conditions (e.g., back gate bias voltage, front gate bias voltage, body resistance and body charge) under which the FET channel region transitions from being in a partially depleted (PD) state such that the FET functions as a PD SOI FET to being in a fully depleted (FD) state such that the FET functions as a FD SOI FET. Once these conditions are known (i.e., once the model is generated), the DD SOI FET can be incorporated into top-level integrated circuit designs with specifications that either meet the conditions or do not meet the conditions, depending upon the desired function of the DD SOI FET within the integrated circuit.
US09996649B2
A method for analyzing power in a circuit includes identifying equivalent elements in a source netlist representing the circuit. Abstract elements are formed combining the equivalent elements of the source netlist. A reduced netlist is formed, substituting the abstract elements in the reduced netlist for the collective equivalent elements in the source netlist. Metrics or properties associated with equivalent elements of the source netlist are combined and associated, in the reduced netlist, with the abstract elements. The reduced netlist can be analyzed with results equivalent to analyzing the source netlist.
US09996648B2
The present disclosure relates to customization of a circuit layout using information from a netlist, and more particularly, to customization of a circuit layout using embedded formulas and a netlist. The system includes a CPU, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage device. The system also includes first program instructions to generate a graphical layout of a circuit, second program instructions to place a text formula on the graphical layout of the circuit, and third program instructions to activate the text formula in order to customize the graphical layout of the circuit. The first program instructions, the second program instructions, and the third program instructions of the system are stored on the computer readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.
US09996645B2
A hardware verification system according to one embodiment includes, in part, a plurality of programmable devices. The plurality of programmable devices include a master scheduler, a plurality of schedulers and a plurality of programmable delay elements. A first one of the plurality of schedulers is configured to receive one or more delay values associated with one or more of the plurality of delay elements. Each of the plurality of programmable delay elements corresponds to a delay. The first scheduler is further configured to send a parameter corresponding to the one or more delay values to the master scheduler, and generate one or more signals corresponding to the one or more delay elements in response to a control signal the first scheduler receives from the master scheduler.
US09996636B2
Example systems and methods for virtual visualization of a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object in a two-dimensional (2D) environment. The method may include capturing the 2D environment and adding scale and perspective to the 2D environment. Further, a user may select intersection points between ground planes and top planes, join these intersection points with intersecting lines and form walls, thereby converting the 2D environment into a 3D space. Additionally, the method allows the user to extend the wall plane, enabling the user to form a larger 3D space. The user may further add 3D models of objects on the wall plane such that the objects may remain flush with the wall plane.
US09996631B2
New ways of presenting information in a web browser are presented wherein documents categorized as belonging to the same web site or application are grouped together and presented in either an first mode where a browser window is open and one of the resources categorized as belonging to the group is displayed, or in a second mode where the group is represented by an icon.
US09996629B2
Various systems and methods for creating, storing, structuring, displaying, enhancing, and/or referencing publications and related content in an online user network are described. In some embodiments, document contents are stored in the form of individually addressable document elements, which can be displayed selectively based on display criteria received from a user.
US09996628B2
This disclosure includes, for example, methods and computer systems for providing audio-activated resource access for user devices. The computer systems may store instructions to cause the processor to perform operations, comprising capturing audio at a user device. The operations may also comprise using a speaker recognition system to identify a speaker in the transmitted audio and/or using a speech-to-text converter to identify text in the captured audio. The speaker identity or a condensed version of the speaker identity or other metadata along with the speaker identity may be transmitted to a server system to determine a corresponding speaker identity entry. The operations may also comprise receiving a resource corresponding to the identified speaker entry in the server system.
US09996619B2
Crawling computer-based documents by performing static analysis on a computer-based document to identify within the computer-based document one or more execution vectors, where each execution vector includes a computer program segment including a call to an entity that is external to the computer-based document, and one or more additional computer program segments whose execution precedes and leads ultimately to execution of the computer program segment that includes the call to the entity, and causing any of the computer program segments in any of the execution vectors to be executed during a crawling of the computer-based document, and any computer program segment within the computer-based document that is excluded from the execution vectors to be excluded from execution during the crawling of the computer-based document.
US09996618B2
Technologies are described herein for locating relevant content items across multiple disparate content sources. Query parameters are received from a user interface for defining a query for searching a number of content sources located on multiple, disparate content servers. A native search is executed on each of the content servers based on the received query parameters, and query statistics and other data regarding content items in the content sources matching the query parameters are received. The query statistics are aggregated across the content servers and presented in the user interface. The presentation of the query statistics may be broken out by each content source, by each query phrase segmented from the query, and the like. In addition, a preview of a number of content items matching the query parameters is presented based on the data received.
US09996604B2
A mechanism is provided in a question answering system for generating a usage report based on question categorization. The mechanism clusters documents from a corpus of documents to form a nested structure of clusters of documents. The mechanism record questions answered by question answering system in a database in association with answers returned and answer confidence values. The mechanism maps the questions to the nested structure of clusters of documents to form a nested structure of clusters of questions. The mechanism generates a usage report based on the nested structure of clusters of questions and presenting the usage report responsive to a requesting user.
US09996599B2
According to one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic causes the processor to receive, at a remote site connected to a production site via a network, an incremental file list from the production site, each incremental file indicated by the incremental file list being either updated or new as determined during a time period between a data image at a previous synchronization (sync) point and a data image at a current sync point. The logic also causes the processor to tally a remote access count of each incremental file on the incremental file list received at the remote site by users at the remote site, record the tallied remote access counts in the incremental file list at the remote site, and transfer the incremental file list including the tallied remote access counts to the production site.
US09996591B2
A system and method for implementing a database system is presented. A database system comprises a load balancer and a database partitioned into a first and second shard. Coupled to the load balancer are a first plurality of database servers and a second plurality of database servers. Each of the first plurality of database servers contains a copy of the first shard of the database. Each of the second plurality of database servers contains a copy of the second shard of the database. Queries are sent to a database server in the first plurality of database servers based on a suitability score of the database server determined by characteristics of each server and a current status of each server, where the query is sent to the server in the first plurality with the highest suitability score. Other embodiments also are disclosed.
US09996585B2
A stream of tuples are processed by a plurality of processing elements, each including one or more stream operators, operating on computer processors. A method determines whether a first stream operator includes a first operation that is deterministic and whether a second stream operator includes a second operation that is equivalent to the first operation. In response to determining that the first operation is deterministic and the second operation is equivalent to the first operation, the first stream operator is configured to include in a tuple output from the first stream operator a result of performing the first operation using a first input. The second stream operator, which uses a second input when performing the second operation, determines whether the second input is the same as the first input, and uses the result in lieu of performing the second operation when the first and second inputs are the same.
US09996582B2
Tuning a production database system through the use of a remote mimic. In response to receipt of a query tuning request against a database system, information about that system is obtained and a mimic of the system is set up in a remote system environment. The mimic aims to imitate the database system in all relevant ways with respect to the tuning request. A tuning analysis is then performed on this mimic system such that there is substantially no impact to operations of the original database system. Tuning results are then applied to the original database system. The entire process takes place with little or no human intervention.
US09996577B1
In an embodiment, a method includes accessing a call tree for a transaction, wherein the call tree traces routines called during execution of the transaction. The method further includes generating a graphical representation of the call tree in relation to two or more performance properties. In addition, the method includes causing the graphical representation of the call tree to be displayed. Further, the method includes allowing a user to graphically select a group of routines from the graphical representation of the call tree. In addition, the method includes creating a filtered call tree comprising the graphically selected group of routines. Furthermore, the method includes generating a drill-down visualization of the filtered call tree. The method also includes causing the drill-down visualization to be displayed.
US09996571B2
Storing and executing a search on log data and data obtained from a real-time monitoring environment
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize, index, search, and present time series data based on searches. Time series data are sequences of time stamped records occurring in one or more usually continuous streams, representing some type of activity. In one embodiment, time series data is stored as discrete events time stamps. A search is received and relevant event information is retrieved based in whole or in part on the time stamp, a keyword indexing mechanism, or statistical indices calculated at the time of the search.
US09996562B2
A method of migrating data from one or more source databases to one or more target databases may include generating a pre-migration analysis for a plurality of objects stored in the one or more source databases, and generating a plurality of migration scripts that transfer the plurality of objects from the one or more source databases to the one or more target databases. The method may also include generating a migration plan that defines an execution order for the plurality of migration scripts, and migrating the plurality of objects from the one or more source databases to one or more target databases according to the migration plan. The method may further include validating the plurality of objects on the one or more target databases.
US09996559B2
A method, a system, and a computer program product for performing maintenance actions and user-specific settings of the attribute value derivation instructions set user interface are disclosed. A maintenance function is provided for changing a target attribute data value corresponding to a source attribute stored in a hierarchical data model. An instruction corresponding to the source attribute is also provided. Using the maintenance function, the target attribute data value is changed. Based on at least one user setting, a user interface for displaying the hierarchical data model and the changed target attribute data value is generated.
US09996550B2
A server may be configured to receive behavior information associated with a user device. The behavior information may indicate a set of geographical locations at which the user device has been present. The server may generate a mode based on the behavior information. The mode may indicate a set of conditions based on which the mode is to be activated, and a set of information to be presented when the mode is activated. The server may output the mode to the user device. The user device may determine, after receiving the mode, that the set of conditions has been satisfied. The determining may be based on a geographical location of the user device. The user device may activate the mode, based on determining that the set of conditions has been satisfied; and may present at least a portion of the set of information, based on activating the mode.
US09996544B2
A processing method and a touch terminal for merge and deduplication operations on contact entries may include opening an address book and displaying all contact entries, recording selected contact entries according to a selection action on contact entries, receiving a drag action to merge contact entries, and merging the selected contact entries according to the drag action. The processing method and touch terminal may further include removing the duplicated information in the selected contact entries during merging, and detecting conflict information in the selected contact entries. Thereby, redundant records in an address book may be deleted by dragging contact entries to be merged, removing the duplicated information while merging, and detecting conflict information, which may enhance a smart effect of the touch terminal and may improve user experience.
US09996541B2
Systems and methods for performing hash-based mount point lookup in virtual file systems. An example method may include: receiving a first character string representing a file name; identifying, within an array of mount point strings, a second character string having a second string length not exceeding a first string length of the first character string; responsive to ascertaining that the first character string comprises the second character string, identifying a file system object associated with a mount point path represented by the second character string; and utilizing the file system object to access a file referenced by the file name.
US09996535B1
Systems and methods are provided for generating organization data for an efficient presentation and/or organization of a collection of items. In some embodiments, the organization data may be based on metadata associated with items, such as keywords. The metadata may be generated from natural language processing of the items. Organization data and/or a hierarchical data organization may be a tree data structure that can be efficiently navigated to reach and/or locate an item. In some embodiments, organization data may be automatically updated in response to a document removal, addition, and/or a user selection. For example, as items are removed and/or added to the collection, keywords, counts, directories, nodes, and/or levels of the organization data may update and/or change to reflect the updated collection of items.
US09996533B2
A method of question answering from multilingual information sources is disclosed. The present invention discloses a method, a computer system and a program product for selecting an information source language of an information source, the method comprising; receiving a question; analyzing the question to obtain a category information of at least one word included in the question; obtaining a word included in the category information as estimated topic or region related to the question; determining a candidate for an information source language using the estimated topic or region; and selecting the information source language and corresponding information sources for retrieving documents to generate an answer of the question.
US09996528B2
An electronic documents verification system (and method) detects related contracts, and analyzes contents in the related contracts including a primary contract and associated amendments from raw input data. One embodiment of a disclosed configuration includes a system (and method) for identifying clauses used in the related contracts. The system (and method) extracts features including key references or descriptions within each contract. Additionally, the system (and method) groups the related contracts, and establishes linkages of the related contracts based on the extracted features. Furthermore, the system (and method) analyzes contents in the related contracts based on advanced policy group including a plurality of policy groups.
US09996523B1
Systems and methods for autosuggesting related objects to a user are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving data indicative of a user input. The method includes identifying one or more ontologies based, at least in part, on the user input. Each ontology is associated with a category that is related to the user input. Each ontology includes a plurality of object types, each object type including one or more terms. The method includes determining one or more suggested related objects based, at least in part, on the user input and one or more of the plurality of object types. The one or more suggested related objects include one or more of the terms that are related to the user input. The method includes providing data indicative of the suggested related objects for display on a user interface via a display device.
US09996522B2
A dictionary device includes a display; a touch panel; and a CPU. The CPU is configured to display a sentence including a plurality of words; detect a plurality of touched positions of a user on the touch panel; specify, as an object to be searched for, a plurality of words included in the displayed sentence and that corresponds to the plurality of detected touched positions; detect a relative positional change of the plurality of detected touched positions after the plurality of words is specified as the object to be searched for; search dictionary data in a dictionary storage, which stores dictionary data of an example sentence or a phrase including a plurality of words, for an example sentence or a phrase including the plurality of specified words by a search method corresponding to the relative change of the plurality of detected touched positions; further detect, while detecting the relative positional change, whether the plurality of touched positions is moved closer to each other along with movements of the plurality of touched positions; search for an example sentence or a phrase, which includes the plurality of specified words adjoiningly without a different character therebetween in the same order as in the sentence, in the searching processing in a case where it is detected that the plurality of touched positions is moved closer to each other; and search for an example sentence or a phrase, which includes the plurality of specified words adjoiningly or separately in order that is the same as or different from the order in the sentence, in a case where it is not detected that the plurality of touched positions is practically moved closer to each other.
US09996519B2
Context sensitive computations in a spreadsheet application are disclosed. In some embodiments, semantics with respect to various spreadsheet operations are specified for each of a plurality of number formats in a spreadsheet application. The semantics associated with a particular number format specify behavior for values of that number format with respect to various spreadsheet operations.
US09996507B2
For dynamically changing a rendering of content, the content including a textual character is received at a mobile device. An encoding of the textual character uses a first code point according to a character encoding standard. The mobile device's presence at a geographical location is detected. The mobile device is associated with a user. A variant selection rule is selected at the device. The variant selection rule specifies a location based condition to select a variant corresponding to the textual character. A variant is selected at the device according to the variant selection rule, a variant mapping corresponding to the first code point. The variant mapping includes the variant. The encoding of the textual character is replaced at the device with an encoding of the variant in the rendering of the content.
US09996505B2
A method for managing a display of an electronic document (ED) on a display screen includes obtaining the ED specifying a plurality of text and a first graphical element; identifying a starting reference and an ending reference to the first graphical element within the plurality of text; displaying a portion of a segment of the plurality of text in a first region of the display screen, the segment being located between the starting reference and the ending reference; displaying, while displaying the portion of the segment, the first graphical element within a second region of the display screen, wherein the second region is adjacent to the first region on the display screen; removing the segment from the first region; and removing the first graphical element from the display screen in response to removing the segment such that the first region expands into the second region.
US09996482B2
When an instruction to access a web server of an external device connected via a local interface is acquired from a user, access destination information for accessing the web server via the local interface is acquired. Based on the acquired access destination information, communication is performed with the web server of the external device via the local interface.
US09996481B2
A system, a method and a computer program product for managing memory access of an avionics control system having at least one control computer having at least one memory control device. The method includes assigning a memory access of at least one unique memory region of at least one memory unit to each of at least one application task or task set. A memory access of at least one application data update task is assigned to at least one subregion of one or more of the at least one unique memory region. At least one data parameter is written to the at least one subregion and the assigned memory access of the at least one application data update task de-activated.
US09996476B2
A process for caching data according to one embodiment includes maintaining a random data list and a sequential data list, and dynamically establishing a desired size of the sequential data list. Dynamically establishing the desired size of the sequential data list includes increasing the desired size of the sequential data list in response to at least one of: detecting a hit on a bottom of the sequential data list, and detecting a read miss on sequential tracks. Dynamically establishing the desired size of the sequential data list also includes decreasing the desired size of the sequential data list in response to detecting a hit on a bottom of the random data list.
US09996475B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes switching between a first address space and a second address space, determining if the second address space exists in a list of address spaces; and maintaining entries of the first address space in a translation buffer after the switching. In such manner, overhead associated with such a context switch may be reduced.
US09996469B2
The invention introduces a method for prefetching data, which contains at least the following steps: receiving a first read request and a second read request from a first LD/ST (Load/Store) queue and a second LD/ST queue, respectively, in parallel; obtaining a first cache-line number and a first offset from the first read request and a second cache-line number of a second offset from the second read request in parallel; obtaining a third cache-line number from a cache-line number register; obtaining a third offset from an offset register; determining whether an offset trend is formed according to the first to third cache-line numbers and the first to third offsets; and directing an L1 (Level-1) data cache to prefetch data of a cache line when the offset trend is formed.
US09996465B2
Methods and apparatus for supporting cached volumes at storage gateways are disclosed. A storage gateway appliance is configured to cache at least a portion of a storage object of a remote storage service at local storage devices. In response to a client's write request, directed to at least a portion of a data chunk of the storage object, the appliance stores a data modification indicated in the write request at a storage device, and asynchronously uploads the modification to the storage service. In response to a client's read request, directed to a different portion of the data chunk, the appliance downloads the requested data from the storage service to the storage device, and provides the requested data to the client.
US09996447B2
Embodiments of the invention may provide for collecting specified data each time that a call to a given method occurs, wherein a given call to the given method is associated with a set of arguments comprising one or more particular argument values for the given method, and the collected data includes an element uniquely identifying each of the particular argument values. The process may further include storing the collected data at a selected location, and selecting a call threshold for the given method, wherein the call threshold comprises a specified number of occurrences of the given call to the given method, when the program is running. The collected data may be selectively analyzed at the storage location, to determine whether an occurrence of the given call to the given method has exceeded the call threshold.
US09996440B2
Examples provide a fault tolerant virtual machine (VM) using pooled memory. When fault tolerance is enabled for a VM, a primary VM is created on a first host in a server cluster. A secondary VM is created on a second host in the server cluster. Memory for the VMs is maintained on a shared partition in pooled memory. The pooled memory is accessible to all hosts in the cluster. The primary VM has read and write access to the VM memory in the pooled memory. The secondary VM has read-only access to the VM memory. If the second host fails, a new secondary VM is created on another host in the cluster. If the first host fails, the secondary VM becomes the new primary VM and a new secondary VM is created on another host in the cluster.
US09996437B2
A method, system, and computer program product for managing performance of an application I/O comprising determining paths from a first host to a node in a cluster that are flaky; and initiating a failover mechanism for the application I/O from the node in the cluster to a second node in the cluster ensuring seamless execution of the application I/O in the cluster.
US09996433B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for performing storage control. Member storage media and a hot spare storage medium are identified in a storage system. The member storage media are members of a storage medium array, and the hot spare storage medium is for joining in the storage medium array when a member storage medium fails. Data on a member storage medium having a write amplification effect is migrated to the hot spare storage medium. In the member storage medium having a write amplification effect, an erase operation is performed on a storage medium where the migrated data is located. Embodiments of the present invention can alleviate adverse impact caused by a write amplification effect.
US09996427B2
The capability to perform data backup and restore within a distributed database system environment is provided. The embodiments includes initiating a backup operation of a database distributed across a plurality of nodes, and coordinating synchronization of the backup operation within and among the plurality of nodes for parallel, local data dumping with transactional consistency to a single point in time.
US09996416B2
Systems and method relating generally to data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for accessing a data set from a solid state storage device, using a data decoding circuit to apply a data decoding algorithm to the data set to yield a decoded output, where the decoded output includes at least one error, identifying at least one critical location in the data set, and estimating a voltage associated with the data in the data set corresponding to the critical location.
US09996412B2
Memory systems may include a memory storage, and a controller suitable for, receiving a plurality of codewords, each codeword including a user bits portion divided into a number of sub-trunks, determining whether a codeword in the plurality of codewords is decidable, identifying a location of an erroneous sub-trunk in a codeword determined to be undecodable, and recovering the erroneous sub-trunk by summing sub-trunks of other codewords that have a location in their respective codewords that is the same as the location of the erroneous sub-trunk.
US09996402B2
NUMA-aware reader-writer locks may leverage lock cohorting techniques and may support reader re-entrancy. They may implement a delayed sleep mechanism by which a thread that fails to acquire a lock spins briefly, hoping the lock will be released soon, before blocking on the lock (sleeping). The maximum spin time may be based on the time needed to put a thread to sleep and wake it up. If a lock holder is not executing on a processor, an acquiring thread may go to sleep without first spinning. Threads put in a sleep state may be placed on a turnstile sleep queue associated with the lock. When a writer thread that holds the lock exits a critical section protected by the lock, it may wake all sleeping reader threads and one sleeping writer thread. Reader threads may increment and decrement node-local reader counters upon arrival and departure, respectively.
US09996400B2
In an asymmetric multi-CPU system on which a plurality of type of CPUs with different data processing performance and power consumption are mounted in groups for each type, a plurality of forms of combination of the types and numbers of CPUs are defined in such a way that the maximum numbers of the overall data processing and power consumption very by stages. Then, the system performs a control of allocation of the data processing to the CPU identified by the form selected from the definition information according to the data processing environment, in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption according to the data processing environment, such as data processing load, and to easily achieve the required data processing performance.
US09996399B1
A system, method, computer program, and/or computer readable medium for providing hierarchical interception for applications within isolated environments. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. The computer-executable instructions may be for installing interceptors, configuring interceptors, preloading shared libraries, using trampoline functions, removal of interceptors, mapping between resources inside and outside the isolated environment, providing an interception database, loading the interception database, redirection of resources, and providing the hierarchy of interceptors.
US09996391B2
A management device includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including: storing therein an assignment table including first assignment information indicating whether a job is assigned to the information processing devices and second assignment information indicating that a job is constantly assigned to virtual information processing devices arranged at ends of a connection relation of the information processing devices; searching regions in which idle information processing devices assigned with no job are arranged continuously, using the assignment table stored at the storing; specifying a region appropriate for assignment of a job as an assignment target among the regions searched by the searching; and assigning the job as the assignment target to the region specified by the specifying.
US09996390B2
Exemplary embodiments provide a method for managing a transaction for a memory module in a computer system. The memory modules have latencies. A busyness level of the memory module for the transaction is determined. A projected response time for the transaction is predicted based on the busyness level. In some embodiments whether to perform a context switching for the transaction is determined based on the projected response time and context switching policies. The context switching may be performed based on this determination.
US09996388B1
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for managing the execution of processing jobs. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a processing job associated with a set of processing job parameters. The processing job is sent from a user interfacing device associated with a user. The method also includes determining a processing job priority for the processing job using the set of processing job parameters, identifying a destination processing device capable of executing the processing job using the set of processing job parameters, and initiating execution of the processing job at the destination processing device to form processed data in response to determining to execute the processing job based on the processing job priority.
US09996378B2
A technique for failure monitoring and recovery of a first application executing on a first virtual machine includes storing machine state information during execution of the first virtual machine at predetermined checkpoints. An error message that includes an application error state at a failure point of the first application is received, by a hypervisor, from the first application. The first virtual machine is stopped in response to the error message. The hypervisor creates a second virtual machine and a second application from the stored machine state information that are copies of the first virtual machine and the first application. The second virtual machine and the second application are configured to execute from a checkpoint preceding the failure point. In response to receipt of a failure interrupt by the second application, one or more recovery processes are initiated in an attempt to avert the failure point.
US09996376B2
A virtual machine monitoring method and a system thereof are provided. The virtual machine monitoring method includes: detecting at least one hardware resource of an electronic device and storing corresponding hardware configuration data, detecting display information of the electronic device and storing corresponding display configuration data, connecting a server and receiving image data therefrom, establishing a virtual machine based on the image data, configuring the at least one hardware resource on the virtual machine based on the hardware configuration data, setting a display image on the virtual machine based on the display configuration data, and clearing the image data to end the virtual machine, so as to provide a user-friendly interface and achieve corporate data security.
US09996374B2
An update is deployed to a guest virtual machine of a hypervisor during runtime of the guest virtual machine. An executing thread of the guest virtual machine is identified and execution of the thread is redirected to a function to open a handle to a file, of the guest virtual machine, to which data of the update is to be written. The data is provided to a component of the guest virtual machine, and then execution of the thread is redirected to a function to write the data provided to the component to the file.
US09996373B1
An approach for avoiding overloads of network adapters. The approach receives one or more requests from one or more virtual machines, wherein the one or more requests are directed to one or more network adapters. The approach determines whether a first network adapter of the one or more network adapters is saturated. Responsive to a determination that the first network adapter is saturated, the approach sends a first busy event to a first virtual machine of the one or more virtual machines.
US09996371B2
A virtual switching method, a related apparatus, and a computer system are provided. The method includes receiving a first message sent by a source node, where the first message is used to request a first virtual machine to perform switching processing on to-be-switched data, where the to-be-switched data is sent from the source node to a target node and at least one of the source node and the target node is a second virtual machine; and determining a second message according to an address of the target node contained in the to-be-switched data and a configured port mapping table, and sending the second message, where the second message is used to instruct the target node to acquire the to-be-switched data from a storage device of a hardware layer.
US09996368B2
A method, system and computer program product for creating, editing, and generating operating manuals utilizing scripts. Operations performed by an author during manual creation are saved as scripts. The operations are replayed when regenerating or modifying the manual. When replaying the script of the operating manual, the script may be stopped at convenient points to add additional operations and/or modifications. These additional operations and/or modifications are also recorded as scripts to enable generation of the edited/modified manual.
US09996366B2
A user interface for dynamically validating at least a portion of programming codes as an application program interface (API) modification request. A first window area statically displays data definitions for one or more configurable elements for a request to be operably connected to an API. A second window area displays programming codes structured according to the data definitions for the request. The second window area also receives a first input from a user to modify the configurable elements. In response to receiving the first input, a dynamic request display area receives an instruction from the user to submit the programming codes to the API for validation. The submitted programming codes are not complete as a complete transaction request for processing by the API. The dynamic request display area displays a response substantially immediate after the programming codes are submitted, and response indicates whether the submitted programming codes are valid.
US09996365B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product formats a layout of an application graphical user interface (GUI). A description of a layout of an operating system (OS) GUI is received. The OS supports an application, and the layout of the OS GUI identifies positions of representations of OS features that are displayed on the OS GUI. The OS features are mapped to application features of the application that is supported by the OS. A layout of an application GUI for the application is formatted to mirror an appearance of the OS GUI, such that representations of the application features are displayed in a same relative position on the application GUI as representations of mapped-to OS features on the OS GUI.
US09996349B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for clearing specified blocks of main storage. In one embodiment, an EADM start subchannel is executed. The instructions of the execution of the EADM start subchannel may include a SAP receiving an ADM request block, which specifies a main-storage-clearing operation command. The address and size of a block of main memory to be cleared by the SAP is specified in an MSB designated by the ADM request block.
US09996343B2
A system and method that include collecting device version profiles from a plurality of device sources; classifying the device version profiles into a device profile repository; receiving a component version query request; querying the device profile repository according to the version query request; and responding to the query request with results of the query.
US09996342B2
In an approach to detection of potential merge errors when merging source code, a computer detects a source code merge process start. The computer compares at least one change made to a main stream of source code to a child stream. The computer determines whether one or more of the at least one change made to the main stream are not included in the child stream. Responsive to determining one or more of the at least one change made to the main stream are not included in the child stream, the computer determines the one or more of the at least one change made to the main stream that are not included in the child stream were removed from the child stream during a software development activity. The computer flags one or more files of the child stream corresponding to the one or more of the at least one change.
US09996335B2
Particular embodiments described herein provide for a communication system that can be configured to receive a request for an update to a plurality of devices in a system, determine an amount of time to deploy the update, and que a deployment of the update for a least total wait time. In an example, the update is an operating system update.
US09996333B2
Provided are an apparatus for automating the installation and configuration of infrastructure. The apparatus comprises, an installation information management module which receives installation information of an open-source solution and manages the installation information in a tree structure based on a parent-child relationship, an environment setting management module which receives environment setting information of equipment and manages the environment setting information in a tree structure based on a parent-child relationship, and an installation package management module which generates an installation package and an installation automation script using the installation information and the environment setting information.
US09996331B1
An example method for managing application deployment in a cloud environment may maintain a state machine. The state machine may include a plurality of application states, a plurality of state operations, and relationships among the plurality of application states and the plurality of state operations. In response to a client request for performing a deployment operation on an application in the cloud environment, the method may retrieve a current state of the application in the cloud environment. In response to a determination that the deployment operation is allowed based on the state machine and the current state, the method may generate a deployment plan based on a blueprint associated with the application. The blueprint defines how to perform the deployment operation in the cloud environment.
US09996327B2
Method, program and system for code optimization. A sign assignment instruction with identically sized packed decimal format input and output operands is detected where the sign assignment instruction assigns a value of zero to a packed decimal data value input operand having a value of negative zero. If the input operand to the sign assignment instruction does not result from an add or subtract operation, or the value of the input operand is not greater than a value prior to that operation, the possibility that the value of the input operand of the sign assignment instruction is negative zero is checked when the input operand and the output operand have identical addresses. An instruction is generated and inserted for executing the sign assignment instruction only when there is the possibility that the operand value is negative zero.
US09996325B2
In one example, a device includes one or more processors configured to determine a set of optimization pass configuration data for code of a software program to be compiled, wherein the optimization pass configuration data defines a sequence of optimization passes for the software program during compilation, and execute the sequence of optimization passes on code for the software program based on the set of optimization pass configuration data.
US09996321B2
Customizations, made at various levels in the customization channel, are saved as separate sets of customization deltas that are applied to a base computing system in order to generate a given solution. In a multi-tenant environment, groups of tenants access different solutions or customization deltas. The tenants are automatically grouped, based upon the solution or customization deltas that they access, and the deltas for those customizations are applied to the base system at runtime, for each group.
US09996319B2
An example processor includes a register and an ADD low functional unit. The register stores first, second, and third floating point (FP) values. The ADD low functional unit receives a request to perform an ADD low operation and, responsive to the request: adds the first FP value with the second FP value to obtain a first sum value; rounds the first sum value to generate an ADD value; adds the first FP value with the second FP value to obtain a second sum value; subtracts the ADD value from the second sum value to generate a difference value; normalizes the difference value to obtain a normalized difference value; rounds the normalized difference value to generate an ADD low value; and sends the ADD low value to an application.
US09996315B2
Systems and methods of using audio input with a mobile device. A method comprises receiving content at a mobile device; annotating, at the mobile device, a selectable item of a user interface associated with the content with an annotation; receiving, at the mobile device, an audio input associated with the annotation; converting, at the mobile device, the audio input into a user interface command; and causing the mobile device to perform a function in response to the user interface command.
US09996308B2
Provided are a tethering-type head-mounted display (HMD), and a control method thereof. The HMD is in communications with a mobile terminal and includes a display to selectively display content. A sensor detects a state in which the HMD is worn by a user, and the HMD presents notification information about an event detected in the mobile terminal. The controller further pauses, when the sensor senses a change in the state in which the HMD is worn by the user while the notification information is being presented by the display, the presentation of the content, and generates, based on pausing the presentation of the content, bookmark information identifying the content and a point in time when the sensor senses the change in the state in which the HMD is worn by the user.
US09996305B2
A print control method that is capable of canceling the unprintable state without troubling a user. An image forming apparatus performs a print process according to print data transmitted from an information processing apparatus by the print control method. An anomaly detection step detects anomaly in a print related process, which is relevant to the print process, under execution by the information processing apparatus. A state shifting step stops the print process under execution by the image forming apparatus, and makes the image forming apparatus shift to a printable state for preparing a new print process that is different from the print process that the image forming apparatus is executing when anomaly is detected in the print related process. A reboot step reboots the information processing apparatus in response to the shift of the image forming apparatus to the printable state.
US09996296B2
An electronic control unit includes: a nonvolatile memory capable of erasing data in units of erasure blocks and also writing data in units of write blocks smaller than the erasure blocks; and a processor. In response to a data rewrite request from outside, the processor of the electronic control unit erases data in a portion of the nonvolatile memory in units of erasure blocks and writes data into the portion of the nonvolatile memory in units of write blocks. The amount of data sent to the electronic control unit from outside is thereby decreased and the time needed to rewrite data in the nonvolatile memory is reduced.
US09996295B2
Semiconductor memory device having buffer/sensing circuit and scrambling/descrambling method thereof
A semiconductor memory device and a scrambling method thereof are provided, which are capable of realizing a balance between a data scrambling function and an accessible time. The semiconductor memory device of the invention includes a page buffer/sense circuit with the data scrambling function. During a programming operation, the page buffer/sense circuit holds data to be programmed, performs a scrambling process on the held data and programs the scrambled data to a selected page of a memory array. During a reading operation, the page buffer/sense circuit holds data read from the selected page and performs a descrambling process on the held data.
US09996280B2
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for data register copying for a non-volatile storage array. An apparatus may include an array of non-volatile storage cells. A set of write buffer data registers may be configured to store target data for a program operation for an array. Write buffer data registers may communicate target data to corresponding columns of an array. A set of shadow data registers may be configured to receive target data from peripheral circuitry for an array. A portion of target data received by a shadow data register may be copied to a corresponding write buffer data register while the shadow data register receives the portion of the target data.
US09996278B2
During normal power operation, an erased free block is prepared in nonvolatile memory so that at least one erased free block is continuously available as a standby block. If a power failure occurs, volatile data and its address conversion information are written into the standby block in the nonvolatile memory.
US09996274B2
A method and system for controlling an MBC configured flash memory device to store data in an SBC storage mode, or a partial MBC storage mode. In a full MBC storage mode, pages of data are programmed sequentially from a first page to an Nth page for each physical row of memory cells. Up to N virtual page addresses per row of memory cells accompany each page to be programmed for designating the virtual position of the page in the row. For SBC or partial MBC data storage, a flash memory controller issues program command(s) to the MBC memory device using less than the maximum N virtual page addresses for each row. The MBC memory device sequentially executes programming operations up to the last received virtual page address for the row.
US09996271B2
A storage controller includes a co-access pattern mining unit configured to detect co-access patterns of data co-accessed during a particular time duration and to generate co-access groups including a plurality of pieces of data complying with the co-access patterns. The storage controller further include a co-access group matching unit configured to select a co-access group matched with read-requested data, among the generated co-access groups, and a data placement unit configured to store the data included in the selected co-access group in a pre-fetch buffer.
US09996267B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for adjusting synchronization rates of volumes. Volumes and their copies (i.e., mirrored volumes) provide physical or virtual storage on a data storage medium. Depending on the function (i.e., the purpose) of mirrored volumes, a certain synchronization rate is recommended. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for an automatic dynamic adjustment of individual synchronization rates by adapting to changes in system workloads in order to avoid degradation of user-driven input/output (IO) and to efficiently achieve nearly 100% synchronization for all mirrored volumes.
US09996261B2
Systems and methods for configurable trading interfaces that allow a trader to quickly and easily submit trading commands to a trading system are provided. Using these systems and methods, a trader can using various trading interfaces to initiate trading commands, configure various display features and default command settings, and control a level of command entry verification that is provided to protect against inadvertent entry of incorrect trading commands.
US09996259B2
The invention relates to a method for the detection of the selection of a character of a character string to be input from a character set on an input surface, wherein the selection of at least one character of the character string is detected by evaluating a direction vector and/or by recognizing a shape of a gesture which is input on the input surface.
US09996249B2
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication; a display unit configured to display a first screen layer including first screen information; and a controller configured to display a second screen layer including second screen information such that at least part of the first and second screen layers overlap, and activate one of the first and second screen layers for receiving a touch input.
US09996248B2
An apparatus and a method for providing a private chat in a group chat without having to switch between respective display screens. In the method, at least one group chat participant selected from group chat counterparts is designated as a private chat participant, identification information regarding the private chat participant is displayed in a message input window of a group chat window which is commonly used in a group chat and a private chat. Moreover, a group chat participant corresponding to the motion, such as a drag motion or tap motion is designated as a private chat participant, when a drag motion from a chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in a chat log window to the message input window is detected.
US09996247B2
Technologies are generally described for a cloud-based trash-can. In some examples, a method performed under control of a user device may include displaying a remote trash-can icon on a display of the user device, receiving a first user input that includes moving an icon representing a locally stored file to be discarded onto the remote trash-can icon, displaying on the display a request for a reason for discarding the locally stored file, and moving the discarded file to a server.
US09996246B2
Provided are a device and method for displaying association information associated with a first application and a second application. The method may include: presenting a list of applications executable by the device; receiving a user input of moving an icon of the first application, in the presented list of the applications, to an icon of the second application; obtaining the association information associated with the first application and the second application by using at least one piece of preset data corresponding to the icon of the first application, in response to the received user input; and presenting the obtained association information in a periphery of the icon of the second application.
US09996234B2
A system includes a processor, a display device, an input device and a memory with an application executable on the processor. The display device has a display frame of reference with an origin, in which the display device displays an object with the origin contained within the object. The object includes an object start point and the frame of reference includes a predetermined target point. In a user rotation mode the display device shows at least one rotation indicator, where one of multiple axes is associated to the rotation indicator. The object start point is indicated by a location on the rotation indicator. The input device selects the location on the rotation indicator and the processor in turn rotates the object to a new orientation by rotating the object about the associated axis to align the object start point with the target point.
US09996229B2
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing entity performance. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided that includes receiving data associated with a geographic region and transforming the received data into an object model. The method also includes analyzing the object model to associate the received data with a plurality of entities and to associate the received data with a plurality of sub-geographic regions of the geographic region. The method also includes applying a prediction model to the plurality of sub-geographic regions using the object model to determine a predicted performance for at least one entity of the plurality of entities. Further, the method includes determining actual performance for the at least one entity and providing a user interface that includes information associated with the predicted performance, the actual performance, or a combination of the predicted performance and the actual performance.
US09996223B2
A contextual organization chart based on two selected individuals is constructed from a database of individual names, manager names, and profiles. Awareness data is provided for people in the organization, a people awareness indicator and a nesting control indicator are appended to names in the constructed view. A user may access profile data by selecting a name in the view, expand the view to show additional individuals by selecting a nesting control indicator, or initiate a communication with an individual by selecting an awareness indicator.
US09996217B2
A method, computer program product, and system for contextual determination of emotion icons. The method includes, for a particular user, determining an emotion icon to automatically input into a message, based on a class of the user, a current mood of the user, and the recipient of the message. The determined emotion icon is then inserted into the message.
US09996216B2
A platform is provided to capture data displayed on a screen of a graphical user interface. The platform can find relevant foreground windows and determine whether the windows belong to a monitored process. The platform can also identify the context of the screen and record any changes. Related system, method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium are also provided.
US09996213B2
Method and apparatus to enable selection of a user interface element based on the spatial interaction between a footprint assigned to a user input and the footprint assigned to a user interface element. The respective areas assigned to one or more of the respective footprints is based on at least one of the time period between the entered user input and the previous user input, and the distance between the entered user input and the previous user input.
US09996210B2
Enabling active host content related actions on a client device can begin with a client device receiving guest screen data and optionally host screen metadata from a server. The content of the guest screen data can be presented on the client device. A passive element corresponding to each active element of the server host screen can be identified. The active element of the server host screen can be selectable by the presenter and, upon selection (active event), can launch an active action on the server. The passive element of the client guest screen can have a defined selectable overlay hot spot. A hot spot can be can be associated with a hot spot action at the client. The hot spot action taken by the client, upon a hot spot event, can correspond to the active action taken by the server.
US09996209B2
An approach is provided for sending pre-defined workflows to a display device of a user device. In one example, the approach includes receiving a request for steps to complete a task associated with a software application. In response to receiving the request for steps, the system obtains at least a first workflow and a second workflow, each workflow including one or more steps that the user device can execute to complete the task. The system receives a request to format the first workflow and the second workflow into one or more view formats. The system generates a summary of the first workflow and a summary of the second workflow. Each summary includes one or more salient attributes of the each workflow. The system sends to the display device at least the first workflow and the second workflow in the one or more view formats.
US09996197B2
A method, system and apparatus is provided for controlling and interacting within an interaction volume and/or surface of a computer. The method, apparatus and system is optionally employed together with, or even be integrated into, data projectors of all types and its fixtures/stands, and used together with flat screens (LCD, plasma, OLED, rear-projection screen and so forth) to render such display systems interactive. The apparatus incorporates a camera covering the interaction area from either a very short distance or from a larger distance to determine the lateral positions (X, Y) and even capturing the pose of the finger(s), hand(s) or other interacting object(s), which optionally include the determination of “touch” and “hovering”.
US09996177B2
First and second wiring patterns which are formed on both surfaces of a base have first and second patterns which are different from each other, respectively, and are superimposed as a composite wiring pattern on a pixel array pattern. A plurality of spectrums in a two-dimensional Fourier space of transmittance image data of the pixel array pattern and the composite wiring pattern are excluded from a plurality of spectrums in a two-dimensional Fourier space of transmittance image data of a composite pattern of the pixel array pattern and the composite wiring pattern to extract a plurality of spectrums of only noise and moire generated by interference between the pixel array pattern and the composite wiring pattern. The sum of all of the extracted plurality of spectrums is calculated and an extraction quantitative value of the moire and the noise calculated from the sum is in a predetermined range.
US09996167B2
A dynamic RFID-based input device may include an input surface and an input station. The input surface may include a plurality of RFID transmitting devices provided on at least one flexible layer, and the input station may include one or more RFID receiving devices, e.g., antennas and/or readers, provided in communication with a computing system or network. A worker may contact one or more portions of the input surface, and thereby cause one or more of the RFID transmitting devices to transmit one or more RFID signals including information, data, commands or instructions to be provided to the RFID receiving devices. Audible, visible or haptic feedback may be provided to the worker in response to the transmission of the one or more RFID signals.
US09996165B2
The description relates to 3D gesture recognition. One example gesture recognition system can include a gesture detection assembly. The gesture detection assembly can include a sensor cell array and a controller that can send signals at different frequencies to individual sensor cells of the sensor cell array. The example gesture recognition system can also include a gesture recognition component that can determine parameters of an object proximate the sensor cell array from responses of the individual sensor cells to the signals at the different frequencies, and can identify a gesture performed by the object using the parameters.
US09996148B1
Features are disclosed for presenting multiple media items based on one or more rules defining how the items are to be presented. One media item may be presented, and during presentation any number of additional media items may be received or scheduled for presentation. Rules may define which media items have priority over others, which media items may interrupt others or be interrupted, which media items may be delayed or presented early, whether particular media items are time-critical such that they are not to be delayed but rather should take presentation priority over others, etc. Metadata may be associated with particular media items or categories thereof. The metadata can provide details regarding how the rules should be applied to those media items. User feedback may also be obtained, and may affect the further application of the rules.
US09996147B2
The invention discloses a high temperature and high humidity testing device and a high temperature and high humidity testing system. The high temperature and high humidity testing device comprises: a test platform composed of a work area and a non-work area, the work area is used for carrying a under-test portion of a display panel, and the non-work area is used for carrying a non-test portion of the display panel; and a sealing cover arranged above the work area, wherein the sealing cover and the test platform jointly form a sealed chamber in the work area, the test platform is provided with a gas guide through groove in the work area, and the gas guide through groove is used for delivering high temperature and high humidity gas to the sealed chamber.
US09996142B2
Technologies for updating firmware in a pre-boot environment include a mobile computing device having a firmware environment and an operating system. In the pre-boot environment, the mobile computing device extracts a firmware update from a capsule previously generated by the operating system and determines a power consumption setting for a hardware component as a function of the firmware update. The mobile computing device configures the hardware component based on the power consumption setting and applies the firmware update in response to configuring the hardware component. The firmware update may include a firmware driver executable in the firmware environment. The hardware component may include a peripheral device or a device controller of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device may determine a power policy as a function of the firmware update, and determine the power consumption setting as a function of the power policy. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09996138B2
An electronic system includes a plurality of function modules, each of the plurality of function modules operates according to one of a plurality of clock signals; and a clock management module, for generating the plurality of clock signals according to a plurality of performances requirements of the plurality of function modules.
US09996135B2
In an embodiment, a processor includes a core domain with a plurality of cores and a power controller having a first logic to receive a first request to increase an operating voltage of a first core of the core domain to a second voltage, to instruct a voltage regulator to increase the operating voltage to an interim voltage, and to thereafter instruct the voltage regulator to increase the operating voltage to the second voltage. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09996132B2
A distributed processing method of a system in which communications apparatuses communicate data by multi-hop communication is executed by a given communications apparatus among the communications apparatuses. According to the method, the given communications apparatus executes a given process based on a result of a first process executed by a first communications apparatus that among the communications apparatuses, communicates directly with the given communications apparatus and operates using power stored in a charging device charged by power generated from energy obtained corresponding to an environment where installed. The given communications apparatus executes the given process when receiving the result of the first process from the first communications apparatus. The given communications apparatus further determines whether a given period has elapsed since receiving the result of the first process, and transmits a result of the given process to the first communications apparatus when determining that the given period has elapsed.
US09996130B2
An electronic device is provided including a processor; a connection unit including a power supply terminal and an identification terminal; a first switch coupled to the power supply terminal and the processor; a second switch coupled to the identification terminal and the processor; and an interface control circuit configured to control an amount of current supplied to the processor by opening or closing each of the first switch and the second switch in accordance with voltage that is applied to at least one of the power supply terminal and the identification terminal by an external device connected to the connection unit.
US09996129B2
An uninterruptible power supply system includes an AC input interface and a DC output interface, and a plurality of power supply paths coupled between the AC and DC interfaces. A first one of the power supply paths has a lower component count, whereas a second one of the power supply paths has a higher component count. At least one of the power supply paths is structured to supply DC electrical power to a power bus in the DC output interface at a varying voltage.
US09996126B2
The present application is directed at pin programming od controllers for power converters and provides for the programming of a plurality of different controller parameters using a single programming resistor. The value of the programming resistor is used as a pointer to select a table storing a plurality of different settings for the controller.
US09996120B1
A printed circuit board (PCB) module that includes a processor package, an upper PCB and a lower PCB. The processor package includes a processor substrate and a processor. An upper socket is disposed on a lower surface of the upper PCB, and the upper socket electrically connects to a top electrical interface on the upper surface of the processor substrate. The lower PCB electrically interfaces with a bottom electrical interface on a lower surface of the processor substrate.
US09996118B1
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication; a display on the terminal body, an acceleration sensor; a low-energy image sensor; and a controller configured to control the acceleration sensor to sense an acceleration of the mobile terminal, control the low-energy sensor to capture a surrounding image of the mobile terminal, in response to the sensed acceleration of the mobile terminal being related to a body movement of a user carrying the mobile terminal based on the surrounding image, output information related to the body movement of the user of the mobile terminal based on the sensed acceleration, and in response to the sensed movement of the mobile terminal being related to a movement different than the body movement of the user based on the surrounding image, disregard the sensed acceleration.
US09996113B2
Embodiments of an apparatus, system and method are described for managing one or more solar cells for a mobile computing device. An apparatus may comprise, for example, a power management module operative to manage a power output received from a plurality of solar cells and an interface management module operative to identify one or more solar cells having a lower power output than other solar cells and to adjust one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements based on the identification. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09996110B2
Methods and apparatus relating for direct attach dock cooling leveraging Maximum Silicon Junction Temperature (Tj) control are described. In an embodiment, performance of a mobile computing device is increased based at least in part on an indication that the mobile computing device is coupled to a dock. The dock includes a cooling fan proximate to a hotspot on a back skin of the mobile computing device. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US09996109B2
In one example, a method includes determining, by a processor (104) of a wearable computing device (102) and based on motion data generated by a motion sensor (106) of the wearable computing device, one or more strokes. In this example, the method also includes generating, by the processor and based on the motion data, a respective attribute vector for each respective stroke from the one or more strokes and classifying, by the processor and based on the respective attribute vector, each respective stroke from the one or more strokes into at least one category. In this example, the method also includes determining, by the processor and based on a gesture library and the at least one category for each stroke from the one or more strokes, a gesture. In this example, the method also includes performing, by the wearable device and based on the gesture, an action.
US09996107B2
An example accessory can be attached to an information processing device. The accessory includes a housing, a movable operation section, and a movable portion. An inside of the housing is visible from an outside thereof through at least a portion thereof. At least a portion of the operation section is exposed on the outside of the housing. The movable portion is placed at a position inside the housing that is visible from the outside of the housing through the portion of the housing. A position and/or an attitude of the movable portion changes in response to the operation section being operated.
US09996104B2
A frequency adjustment method, a System-On-a-Chip, and a terminal are provided. In the embodiments of this application, when an access bandwidth requirement on a DDR memory changes, a first frequency adjustment request for a DDR interface is generated using a CPU, and a working frequency of the DDR interface is adjusted. Because during adjustment of the working frequency of the DDR interface, the working frequency of the DDR interface is gradually adjusted according to a predetermined adjustment amount by which a frequency adjustment coefficient of a spread spectrum clocking generator is adjusted each time and a predetermined interval between two adjacent adjustments, it is ensured that a DLL in the DDR interface and a phase-locked loop in the spread spectrum clocking generator are in locking-in states, so that the DDR memory can still be accessed during frequency adjustment of the DDR interface and system performance is ensured.
US09996103B2
A method for employing a controlled-modification current time value is presented. In the method, the current time value is maintained. Also, requests for modification of the current time value are received. The requests are processed so that the requested modification associated with one of the requests is immediately incorporated into the current time value, and so that the requested modification associated with another one of the requests is not immediately incorporated into the current time value.
US09996101B2
Identification of a power source in a multiple power source scenario and characterization of loads. Embodiments herein relate to loads being supplied by multiple power sources and more particularly to identifying the power source supplying power to the load. Embodiments herein disclose a method and system for determining a power source providing power to a load, wherein the load is connected to a plurality of power sources. Disclosed herein is a method and system for characterizing at least one load currently connected to at least one power supply.
US09996093B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit for a regulator includes the following: a voltage controlling transistor; a controlling circuit; a first and second transistor; a first external terminal to connect a current voltage converting element; a first and second voltage comparing circuit which compares a converted voltage with a predetermined comparison voltage and determines which is large or small; and a first and second output terminal which externally outputs a result of comparison by the first and second voltage comparing circuit, respectively. When a current larger than a predetermined open-circuit abnormality detecting current value flows in the first transistor, output of the first voltage comparing circuit is inverted. When a current larger than a predetermined short-circuit abnormality detecting current value flows in the second transistor, output of the second voltage comparing circuit is inverted.
US09996092B2
Aspects include a method, system, and computer program product for determining a time to a threshold temperature of a device in a data center. A method includes measuring parameters for a device and the data center. A rate of change of temperature is determined based on the parameters. The change is compared to a change threshold. It is determined that a cooling system is operating below a threshold when the change is above the threshold. A first time is determined based on the rate of change of temperature and a machine learning model. The first and second time are compared, where the second time is a time to restore the cooling system above the threshold. A signal is transmitted when the first time is less than the second time. A cooling capacity is determined to have the temperature change of the device be equal to or less than the threshold.
US09996090B2
Methods are described for filling gas mixture supply vessels with constituent gases to achieve precision compositions of the gas mixture, wherein the gas mixture comprises at least two constituent gases. Cascading fill techniques may be employed, involving flowing of gases from single source vessels to multiple target vessels, or from multiple source vessels to a single target vessel. The methods may be employed to form dopant gas mixtures, e.g., of boron trifluoride and hydrogen, for ion implantation applications.
US09996087B2
A flow control device that includes an orifice placed in an opening of a duct. A flexible sheet of material is wrapped around a first duct section to include an extended section which is crimped inwardly around the face of the orifice. A sleeve with tightening straps can be wrapped around the aligned first and second duct sections, with the sections having the orifice positioned between. A bead on the duct sections can assist in orifice positioning, attachment, and sealing. The orifice can also be attached to the duct section using tabs and a retention ring. A duct sleeve is also provided for placement in the opening of a duct. The duct sleeve includes a reception slot that receives an orifice plate that is attached in a secure and sealable manner.
US09996085B2
An automatic guiding system for analyzing pavement curvature in or on an autonomous mobile device comprises an image acquisition module, a pavement curvature analysis module, a posture sensing module, and a pavement curvature database. The image acquisition module collects pavement curvature images as the autonomous mobile device moves. The pavement curvature analysis module processes the pavement curvature images, and extracts contour information of the pavement curvature images. The posture sensing module continuously senses the posture of the autonomous mobile device. The pavement curvature database is configured to stores the contour information and the posture.
US09996084B2
A system of controlling a vision device based on motion commands may include: a movable body; a vision device driven by being connected to the body and receiving image information; a driving unit driving the body in accordance with a motion command; and a control unit which calculates motion information of the body using the motion command and drives the vision device so as to compensate an influence caused by the motion of the body using the calculated motion information. By using the system, reliable image information may be obtained in a manner such that a vision device included in a subject such as a locomobile robot is controlled to watch a predetermined target even when the subject moves.
US09996082B2
An example autonomous vehicle includes a communication interface for receiving instructions to perform a first task in an environment using a first strategy, sensors for detecting conditions in the environment to carry out the first task, data storage storing a plurality of task interruption scenarios each having an associated priority setting, and a processor for executing instructions for autonomous decision-making to perform functions. The functions include during performance of the first task, identifying that the conditions in the environment are associated with one of the plurality of task interruption scenarios, determining that the identified task interruption scenario is associated with a second task that has a higher priority setting than the first task, determining an asset needed to perform the second task, and based on the autonomous vehicle having the asset, autonomously (i) stopping performance of the first task and (ii) changing to perform the second task.
US09996081B2
This disclosure provides a device and a system for retrofitting a vehicle for unmanned operation. The system can have a navigation computer that can provide commands to a plurality of actuators for manipulating the onboard controls of a vehicle. The navigation computer can receive input from one or more remote operators and from a variety of sensors. The plurality of actuators can include a steering actuator that surrounds a steering column or a steering column housing to engage with a steering wheel of the vehicle. The steering actuator can have tongs that engage the steering wheel. The tongs can be coupled to an inner gear ring that can rotate within an outer housing of the steering actuator. Rotation of the tongs can interact with and move the steering wheel in response to commands from the navigation computer.
US09996080B2
A controller for an autonomous vehicle receives audio signals from one or more microphones. The audio signals are input to a machine learning model that classifies the source of the audio features. For example, features may be classified as originating from a vehicle. A direction to a source of the audio features is determined based on relative delays of the audio features in signals from multiple microphones. Where audio features are classified with an above-threshold confidence as originating from a vehicle, collision avoidance is performed with respect to the direction to the source of the audio features. The direction to the source of the audio features may be correlated with vehicle images and/or map data to increase a confidence score that the source of the audio features is a parked vehicle with its engine running. Collision avoidance may then be performed with potential paths of the parked vehicle.
US09996078B1
Herein provided are methods and systems for detecting failure of a sensor in a control system for a gas turbine engine. A filtered signal is received from the sensor. A high-pass filter is applied to the filtered signal to produce a high-frequency component signal. A rate of occurrence of signal spikes in the high-frequency component signal is determined. The high-frequency component signal is compared to a component signal threshold based on at least one known healthy component signal and at least one faulty component signal, wherein the faulty component signal is based on a known faulty signal caused by intermittent open circuits. The presence of intermittent open circuits caused by the sensor is detected based on the comparing and on the rate of occurrence of signal spikes.
US09996073B2
A method for operating a plant to produce tablets that has at least one rotary press and one computer system, wherein the computer system contains operating and control software for controlling and monitoring the operation of the rotary press, and wherein the rotary press is designed for installing different types of rotors, wherein a record adapted to the respective rotor type is saved in a memory and communication component on the rotors, and before the rotor type is initially operated, the record is read out and is saved in the computer system to automatically adapt the operating and control software and user interface to the rotor type.
US09996066B2
Identifying errors with home HVAC systems and notifying the homeowner of the error and potential remedial steps can be useful. In some embodiments, a method is provided including receiving, at an electronic device, a temperature value and an airflow value from sensors located at a vent grate of the HVAC system. A temperature delta value can be calculated using the temperature value and an ambient temperature value. The temperature delta value can be compared with predetermined temperature delta threshold value. The airflow value can be compared with predetermined airflow threshold value. Based on comparing the temperature delta value step and/or the comparing the airflow value step, an error with the HVAC system can be identified. A notification of the error and subsequent potential remedial steps can be sent from the electronic device to the homeowner.
US09996060B2
The invention relates to controlling power consumption of a group of plurality of groups of power consuming devices by determining power consumption control value for controlling power consumption of devices of the group by use of at least one of the following: load shedding flexibility value of at least one group of plurality of groups, wherein the load shedding flexibility value of the corresponding group indicates maximum amount of power, by which power consumption of devices of the corresponding group can be reduced such that minimum power consumption permissible in the corresponding group is maintained; load restoration flexibility value of the at least one group of plurality of groups, wherein the load restoration flexibility value of the corresponding group indicates maximum amount of power, by which the power consumption of devices of the corresponding group can be increased such that maximum power consumption permissible in the corresponding group is maintained.
US09996058B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to end devices (e.g., meters, sensors, pumps, etc.) of an industrial monitoring system or an industrial control system. A system includes an end device having processing circuitry configured to execute instructions stored in at least one memory device to enable the end device to collect and store a plurality of measurements of operational parameters of a monitored system in the at least one memory device according to a dynamic mapping that is updatable.
US09996055B2
A configurable watch stand capable of supporting and charging a smart watch, such as an Apple Watch is disclosed. The watch stand includes a base support, a multisided open-ended sleeve extending from the base support, and a post configured to be removably inserted into an opening of the sleeve and fixedly positioned thereon. The post includes an angled support surface that is configured to retain a watch charger and a helical groove that encircles the exterior of the post that is configured to receive and manage a cable wrapped thereabout. The base support may be sloped and may include a lip structure on one side, a cable management system on the underside, and a wireless charging surface on the top side. The height and/or orientation of the angled support surface relative to the base may be configurable or adjustable.
US09996041B2
A belt feeding device includes a belt, a first roller, an opposing roller, a second roller, and a brush roller. (|D2s−D2m|/2)×10≥λ≥(|D2s−D2m|/2)×(b/(a+b)) is satisfied, where D2m is a minimum diameter of the first roller, D2s is a maximum diameter of the first roller, λ is an entering amount of the opposing roller into the brush roller with respect to a reference line A between a portion of the first roller having the minimum diameter D2m and the second roller, a is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the first roller and a line passing through a rotation center of the opposing roller, and b is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the second roller and a line passing through the rotation center of the opposing roller.
US09996035B2
A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is endless and rotatable in a rotation direction and a nip former stretching the fixing belt. A pressure rotator presses against the nip former via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A presser is disposed downstream from an exit of the fixing nip in the rotation direction of the fixing belt. The presser brings the fixing belt into contact with the pressure rotator. A mover is coupled to the presser to move the presser between a contact position where the presser brings the fixing belt into contact with the pressure rotator and an isolation position where the presser isolates the fixing belt from the pressure rotator.
US09996034B2
According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes determination means for determining the size of a medium, heating means for including plural heat-generating members which are two-dimensionally arranged such that the heat-generating members are lined up along two parallel lines or more which are vertical to a transport direction of the medium and divided at locations on the parallel lines, and are disposed so as to come into contact with an inner side of the rotating body, and a switching unit which switches individual conduction, and heats the medium, pressing means for forming a nip by performing pressing and contact at a position of the plural heat-generating members, and heating control means for selecting a group of the heat-generating members which are lined up in the two-dimensional arrangement, conducting the selected group of the heat-generating members, and controlling the heating means.
US09996024B2
A toner case includes a case main body and a rotating member. The rotating member is rotatable around a rotation axis. A side wall of the case main body has a base part, a recess part and a bearing part. The base part is formed so as to cross a direction of the rotation axis. The recess part is recessed inward in the direction of the rotation axis with respect to the base part. The bearing part protrudes outward in the direction of the rotation axis from the recess part and supports one end portion of the rotating member in the direction of the rotation axis. An outer end portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the bearing part is positioned closer to an inner side in the direction of the rotation axis than an outer face of the base part.
US09996020B2
A cylindrical shaft of a roller has facing surfaces which form a depression-protrusion-shaped portion of a joint of the cylindrical shaft and which face or make contact with each other and moreover which extend in a direction non-parallel to an axial direction of the cylindrical shaft, and the facing surfaces are inclined at a predetermined engagement angle with respect to a circumferential direction. A generating line of a circumferential surface of a coating layer that coats an outer circumference of the cylindrical shaft and a generating line of a circumferential surface of a photosensitive drum cross each other at a crossing angle smaller than the engagement angle.
US09996018B2
In a toner containing a resin, a pigment, and a pigment dispersant, the resin contains a polar resin having an acid value of 2.0 to 30.0 mgKOH/g, and the pigment dispersant has the structure represented by the following formula (1) and a polymer moiety bonded thereto.
US09996016B2
An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner mother particles containing at least a binder resin, elastomer particles including a first oil, and inorganic particles including a second oil, wherein a viscosity of the first oil is equal to or higher than a viscosity of the second oil.
US09996013B2
An extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system is disclosed. The system includes an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask with three states having respective reflection coefficient is r1, r2 and r3, wherein r3 is a pre-specified value that is a function of r1 and r2. The system also includes a nearly on-axis illumination (ONI) with partial coherence σ less than 0.3 to expose the EUV mask to produce diffracted light and non-diffracted light. The system further includes a projection optics box (PUB) to remove a portion of the non-diffracted light and to collect and direct the diffracted light and the remaining non-diffracted light to expose a target.
US09996010B2
An illumination optical assembly for projection lithography serves for illuminating an object field, in which an object to be imaged is arrangeable. The object field has a scan length along an object displacement direction. The illumination optical assembly has two facet mirrors for the reflective guidance of illumination light towards the object field. Second facets of the second facet mirror serve for guiding a respective illumination light partial beam into the object field. The second facet mirror is a pupil distance from a pupil plane of the illumination optical assembly that is closest adjacent to the second facet mirror. The second facets are arranged in a grid, wherein at least one grid constant of the grid is predefined by the pupil distance and by the scan length. This results in an illumination optical assembly which achieves an illumination of predefined pupil sections that is relatively homogeneous.
US09996008B2
Provided are methods of trimming photoresist patterns. The methods involve coating a photoresist trimming composition over a photoresist pattern, wherein the trimming composition includes a matrix polymer, a free acid having fluorine substitution and a solvent, the trimming composition being free of cross-linking agents. The coated semiconductor substrate is heated to cause a change in polarity of the resist polymer in a surface region of the photoresist pattern. The photoresist pattern is contacted with a developing solution to remove the surface region of the photoresist pattern. The methods find particular applicability in the formation of very fine lithographic features in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
US09996003B2
Provided are an active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition having high depth of focus and excellent resolving power; a pattern forming method using the composition; and a method for manufacturing an electronic device. The composition is an active-light-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing a resin (P), in which the resin (P) includes a repeating unit (a) having an acid-decomposable group and a repeating unit (b) having a lactone structure and the like; the repeating unit (a) includes at least a specific repeating unit (a1) represented by General Formula (1); the content of the repeating units (a1) with respect to all the repeating units of the resin (P) is 35% by mole or more; and the resin (P) does not include any of a specific group represented by General Formula (X1), a specific structure represented by General Formula (X2), a hydroxyadamantyl group, and a hydroxyadamantyl group in which a hydroxy group is protected with a group that decomposes by the action of an acid to leave.
US09995993B2
A photo shooting support device or selfie device, includes a telescopic stick and a clamping device for holding and clamping a camera device. The clamping device includes a carrier and a stretchable clamping mechanism arranged above the carrier. The clamping device is pivotally or rotatably connected to the top end of the telescopic stick. A notch is arranged on the carrier. The middle portion of the clamping mechanism is provided with a bending portion corresponding to the notch. The telescopic stick can be accommodated in the notch and the bending portion after folding. The clamping device is always rotatably connected to the top end of the telescopic stick; so it does not require temporary assembly for use, bringing great convenience to users; and after use, the telescopic stick can be directly received in the notch of the carrier and the bending portion of the clamping mechanism, so it saves space and is easy to carry.
US09995990B2
A camera is configured for use with a removable camera lens cover, which can be secured to or removed from the camera by a user without the use of a tool set. The mechanism which allows the lens cover to be secured to and removed from the camera includes a set of wires embedded into the lens cover and a set of wedges protruding from the lens wall of the camera. To secure the lens cover to the camera, the lens cover is placed onto the front of the camera and rotated until the wires align with corresponding wedges, securing the wires underneath the tapered surface of the wedges. To remove the lens cover from the camera, a force is applied outward and normal to the lens cover, causing the wires to flex outward and enabling the rotation and removal of the lens cover from the camera.
US09995982B2
A display device including a substrate, a gate line, a data line, a plurality of thin film transistors, a first pixel electrode, and a second pixel electrode. The gate line is disposed on the substrate. The data line is disposed on the substrate. The data line includes a first branch line and a second branch line. The first branch line and the second branch line form a closed loop. The plurality of thin film transistors is connected to the data line. The first pixel electrode is connected to at least one of the plurality of thin film transistors. The second pixel electrode is connected to at least another one of the plurality of thin film transisters. The first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode are arranged in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to each another. The first branch line is connected to a source electrode of said at least one of the plurality of thin film transistors. The second branch line is connected to a source electrode of said at least another one of the plurality of thin film transistors.
US09995981B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can be miniaturized while preventing display defects such as flicker. The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device including a wiring connected to an electrode to supply a common signal. The electrode includes a first electrode portion formed in a transparent conductive layer. The wiring is formed outside a display region and includes at least one of the first wiring portion and a second wiring portion and a third wiring portion facing the at least one of the first wiring portion and the second wiring portion. The first wiring portion, the second wiring portion, and the third wiring portion are respectively formed in a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer.
US09995980B2
An LCD panel and an LCD device are provided. The LCD panel includes a first substrate, which includes a first metal layer, a first insulating layer, an active layer, a second metal layer, a second insulating layer, a color barrier layer, a first transparent conductive layer, a planarization layer, and a second transparent conductive layer electrically connected with the first transparent conductive layer sequentially formed. The first metal layer includes scanning lines. Black matrices are arranged on positions corresponding to scanning lines and corresponding to channels.
US09995975B2
A pixel structure of display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a first pixel electrode, a patterned insulation layer, a second pixel electrode and a common electrode. The first substrate has a plurality of alignment regions. The second substrate and the first substrate are disposed opposite to each other. The first pixel electrode is a full-surfaced electrode, which includes a plurality of branch electrodes disposed in the alignment regions. The patterned insulation layer is disposed between the first pixel electrode and the liquid crystal layer. The second pixel electrode is disposed in at least one boundary of each of the alignment regions. The common electrode is disposed on the second substrate.
US09995969B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a first alignment film, a second substrate including a second alignment film opposed to the first alignment film, and a liquid crystal layer held in a cell gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal layer is formed of a liquid crystal material having a viscosity of 20 mPa*s or more under a condition of 65° C. The cell gap is greater than or equal to 2.3 μm and smaller than or equal to 3.3 μm.
US09995967B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device with reduced power consumption as well as reduced flicker. The liquid crystal display device is one in a transverse electric field mode, including: paired substrates; a photo-alignment film disposed on at least one of the substrates; a horizontal alignment liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates; and pixels arranged in a matrix form, the liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules with a bicyclohexyl skeleton and liquid crystal molecules with a difluorobenzene skeleton, the liquid crystal layer having negative anisotropy of dielectric constant, one of the substrates including TFTs disposed in the respective pixels, the TFTs each including a semiconductor layer that contains an oxide semiconductor, the liquid crystal display device having a frame rate of lower than 50 Hz.
US09995950B2
A spectacle lens having a front surface intended to be fitted away from the eye. The spectacle lens includes a substrate made from mineral glass or an organic material. The spectacle lens has selective light wavelength filter properties. The selective light wavelength filter properties include a spectral transmittance between 80% and 95% for all wavelengths in a wavelength range between 428 nm and 452 nm for a light ray entering the spectacle lens on the front surface at an angle of incidence of 0°, a spectral transmittance between 95% and 100% for all wavelengths in a wavelength range between 500 nm and 700 nm for a light ray entering the spectacle lens on the front surface with an angle of incidence of 0° and a yellowness index of no more than 10 for a standard illuminant D65 and a standard observer function of 2° (D65/2°).
US09995948B2
Apparatus and methods are described, including a corrective optical film for converting a corrective single-focal lens to a multi-focal lens and/or a progressive lens. A thickness and/or a curvature of the corrective optical film is different in different regions of the corrective optical film, such that the corrective optical film is configured, upon being adhered to the single-focal lens, to change a focal length of the single-focal lens differently in different regions of the single-focal lens. Other applications are also described.
US09995945B2
A dual-lens camera system is provided, including a first lens driving module and a second lens driving module each including a lens holder for receiving a lens, at least one magnetic element, and a driving board. The driving board has at least one driving coil for acting with the magnetic element to generate an electromagnetic force to move the lens holder along a direction that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. On two adjacent sides parallel to each other of the first and second lens driving modules, the magnetic elements are arranged in different configurations.
US09995939B2
Integral optical stacks and optical systems including the integral optical stack are described. The integral optical stack may include first and second lenses, a partial reflector, a reflective polarizer curved about two orthogonal axes, and a quarter wave retarder. The reflective polarizer is curved about two orthogonal axes and includes at least one layer that is substantially optically biaxial at at least one first location on the at least one layer away from an optical axis of the optical stack and substantially optically uniaxial at at least one second location away from the optical axis.
US09995928B2
A circuit may include a first circuit configured to generate a voltage signal for generating an optical pulse, the voltage signal being generated based on a phase control signal, and an array of single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) cells configured to detect a phase of the optical pulse. The circuit may include a phase control circuit configured to generate the phase control signal based upon a target phase value and the detected phase of the optical pulse.
US09995925B2
In order to obtain an observation optical system which has high optical performance while having a wide field of view, and can easily reduce variation of aberration at the time when an eye relief has changed, the present invention provides an observation optical system which is used for an observer to observe an image displayed on an image display surface, and includes in order from an observation side to an image displaying surface side: a first lens having a positive refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; and a third lens having a positive refractive power, wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens, a focal length f2 of the second lens and a focal length f3 of the third lens are each appropriately set so as to satisfy the conditional expression of: 0.40 < f 1 - f 2 × f 3 < 0.80 .
US09995924B2
A three-dimensional position information acquiring method includes acquiring a first image of a first optical image, acquiring a second image of a second optical image, and performing a predetermined computation using data of the first image and data of the second image, wherein acquisition of the first image is performed based on light beams having passed through a first area, acquisition of the second image is performed based on light beams having passed through a second area, the position of the center of the first area and the position of the center of the second area are both away from the optical axis in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the first area and the second area respectively include at least portions that do not overlap with each other, and three dimensional position information about an observed object is acquired by the predetermined computation.
US09995923B2
A control apparatus includes a lens, an SLM presenting a modulation pattern on a modulation plane and outputting modulated light L2 for forming light spots P1 and P2 on a pupil plane of the lens, an imaging device imaging a fringe pattern image formed on a focal plane of the lens and generating image data Da indicating the fringe pattern image, a calculation unit calculating at least one kind of parameter among an intensity amplitude, a phase shift amount, and an intensity average from the image data Da, an analysis unit obtaining a deviation in relative positions of an optical axis of the lens and a reference coordinate of the modulation plane based on the parameter, and a changing unit changing an origin position of the reference coordinate so that the deviation in the relative positions is decreased.
US09995916B2
A variable magnification optical system according to the present invention includes, in order from an object side: a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, and a following lens group, wherein at least the second lens group is moved so that a gap between the first lens group and the second lens group increases and a gap between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases when zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, and a predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.
US09995907B2
An optical image capturing system, sequentially including a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element and a fourth lens element from an object side to an image side, is disclosed. The first lens element has negative refractive power. The second through third lens elements have refractive power. The fourth lens element has positive refractive power. At least one of the image-side surface and the object-side surface of each of the four lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens elements can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09995903B2
Provided is a lens device, including: a lens barrel, a control unit mounted to the lens barrel; and a cable having one end connected to the control unit. In the lens device, a cable housing groove configured to house a part of the cable therein in such a manner that the part of the cable is wound around the cable housing groove from a radially outer side of the lens barrel is formed along a circumferential direction of the lens barrel so as to be exposed.
US09995902B2
There is provided a lens actuator, including: a lens barrel in which at least one lens is provided on an optical axis; a magnetic part provided on one surface of the lens barrel; and a printed circuit board in which a coil pattern part generating electromagnetic force is provided, the printed circuit board having one surface facing the magnetic part, wherein magnetic material is provided on the other surface of the printed circuit board.
US09995884B2
Structures and techniques are described for aligning multicore optical fibers in a multicore optical fiber cable having a plurality of optical fiber cores, at least one end portion and a protective coating. The protective coating is removed from the end portion of the multicore fiber cable to create an exposed end portion of the multicore fiber. The exposed end portion of the multicore fiber is inserted into a guide hole defined longitudinally through a ferrule subassembly. The cores of the fiber are aligned rotationally, in a predetermined orientation, relative to the ferrule. Each fiber is biased within its respective guide hole in a predetermined orientation relative to the ferrule. The multicore fiber is bonded within the ferrule. The fiber is trimmed at the ferrule tip and the ferrule and fiber end faces are polished, so that a selected alignment of the multicore fiber is achieved.
US09995875B2
We provide methods and apparatus for preparing crystalline-clad and crystalline core optical fibers with minimal or no breakage by minimizing the influence of thermal stress during a liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) process as well as the fiber with precisely controlled number of modes propagated in the crystalline cladding and crystalline core fiber via precisely controlling the diameter of crystalline fiber core with under-saturated LPE flux. The resulting crystalline cladding and crystalline core optical fibers are also reported.
US09995863B2
A polarizing plate includes a polarizer, and a polyester film formed on one or both surfaces of the polarizer. The polyester film has a tensile strength ratio of about 3 or greater, as calculated by Equation 4, and an orientation displacement (°) of about −5° to about +5° with respect to a transverse direction (slow axis) of the polyester film at a wavelength of 550 nm. A liquid crystal display apparatus includes the polarizing plate Tensile strength ratio=TD tensile strength/MD tensile strength Equation 4.
US09995861B2
Low loss, high reflectivity wide band mirror films provide a desired mix of specular reflection and diffuse reflection or scattering to provide semi-specular reflectivity. The mirror films generally include both a specularly reflective multilayer optical film (MOF) having a wide reflection band, and a scattering layer. In some cases a low refractive index TIR layer is sandwiched between the MOF and the scattering layer. In other cases the scattering layer contacts the MOF directly. In embodiments that include the TIR layer, the TIR layer preferably has a nanovoided morphology and includes a plurality of particles and a polymer binder. In embodiments wherein the scattering layer contacts the MOF directly, the scattering layer preferably also has a nanovoided morphology and includes a plurality of particles and a polymer binder.
US09995859B2
Structures for scattering light at multiple wavelengths are disclosed. Scattering elements are fabricated with different geometric dimensions and arrangements, to scatter or focus light at the the same focal distance for each wavelength, or at different focal distances according to the desired application. The scattering elements fabricated on a substrate can be peeled off with a polymer matrix and attached to a lens to modify the optical properties of the lens.
US09995843B2
Blasting video analysis techniques and systems are presented using vibration compensated background analysis with automated determination of blast origin coordinates and highest point coordinates using blast outline coordinates for post-origin frames. Blast expansion trajectories of the highest particle are estimated in frames preceding the highest point frame, and estimated blast parameters including maximum height and initial blast velocity are computed independent of blast data.
US09995838B2
A system for measuring geological data is disclosed. The system includes several transceivers distributed over a geographical area. Each of the transceivers has at least one transmitter and at least one receiver. The transceivers are in communication with each other. The receivers are adapted to measure at least one electrical signal. The transmitters are adapted to inject an electrical current into a subsurface area. The transmitters operate simultaneously to inject the electrical current into the subsurface area simultaneously from a number of locations.
US09995835B2
Embodiments of a method for implementing a finite difference time domain modeling with multiple APCs are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods and systems overcome the memory capacity limitation of APCs by having each APC perform multiple timesteps on a small piece of the computational domain or data volume in a APC queued manner. The cost of transferring data between host and compute accelerator can then be amortized over multiple timesteps, greatly reducing the amount of PCI bandwidth required to sustain high propagation speeds. The APC queued nature of the algorithm achieves linear scaling of PCI throughput with increasing number of APCs, allowing the algorithm to scale up to many dozens of APCs in some embodiments.
US09995834B2
Embodiments related to addition of a variable mass load to the shell of a marine vibrator to compensate for air spring effects. An embodiment provides a marine vibrator, comprising: an outer shell; a driver disposed at least partially within the outer shell and coupled thereto; and a mass load coupled to an exterior surface of the outer shell; wherein the marine vibrator has a resonance frequency selectable based at least in part on the mass load.
US09995831B2
An X-ray detector (1) includes a light detection arrangement (3) such as a CMOS photodetector, a scintillator layer (5) such as a CsI:Tl layer, a reflector layer (9) and a light emission layer (7) interposed between the scintillator layer (5) and the reflector layer (9). The light emission layer (7) may include an OLED and may have a thickness of less than 50 μm. Thereby, a sensitivity and resolution of the X-ray detector may be improved.
US09995829B2
When detecting scintillation events in a nuclear imaging system, time-stamping and energy-gating processing is incorporated into autonomous detection modules (ADM) (14) to reduce downstream processing. Each ADM (14) is removably coupled to a detector fixture (13), and comprises a scintillation crystal array (66) and associated light detect or (s) (64), such as a silicon photomultiplier or the like. The light detector(s) (64) is coupled to a processing module (62) in or on the ADM (14), which performs the energy gating and time-stamping.
US09995822B2
A disclosed collision detection system for a vehicle includes a radar sensor mounted to the vehicle proximate that is capable of detecting objects in proximity to the vehicle, and at least one component at least partially defining a cavity. The cavity is at least partially filled by a material that modifies a portion of radar energy emitted from the radar sensor and transmitted back to the radar sensor.
US09995821B2
An apparatus includes an array of pixels, each pixel including in-cell pixel logic and a piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) element, each in-cell pixel logic being communicatively coupled with at least one adjacent pixel in the array. Transceiver electronics may operate the array in a selectable one of a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the array may generate a substantially plane ultrasonic wave. In the second mode, the array may generate, from at least one superpixel region, a focused beam of relatively high acoustic pressure, each superpixel region including at least one inner pixel disposed in a central portion of the superpixel region and at least a first group of outer pixels disposed in an outer portion of the superpixel region. The transceiver electronics may be configured to operate the array by configuring at least one in-cell pixel logic.
US09995817B1
A tracking computer system may track a target using a single linear array. The system may receive first sensor measurements and one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear array. The system may determine whether a location of the target can be identified based on a cone intersection algorithm. When the target location can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, the first and the one or more additional sensor measurements may be applied to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the target location. When target location cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, the first and the one or more additional sensor measurements may be applied to an angular motion model to determine a best fit arc path corresponding to the target. A true target angle estimate and a target angular velocity may be determined based on the determined best fit arc path.
US09995816B2
The invention introduces a method for indoor positioning, executed by a processing unit of a first reference node, which contains at least the following steps. Broadcast signals of second reference nodes are listened. Signal measurements of the broadcast signals are obtained. Identification information is obtained from broadcast messages sent by the second reference nodes. A distance associated with each identification information is obtained. A MLM (Machine Learning Model) is updated according to the signal measurements and the distances, where the MLM describes a linear function between signal measurements and distances.
US09995808B2
Systems and methods for performing MRI include using a RF gradient field for spatial encoding. In particular implementations, |B+i|-selective pulses designed using the Shinnar-Le Roux algorithm can be provided as the excitation pulse for the RF gradient field. Further, frequency encoding for the RF gradient field can be based on the Bloch-Siegert (BS) shift. Together, these techniques can be used to support MRI based on RF gradient encoding instead of the conventional Bo encoding.
US09995806B2
In a method and a magnetic resonance (MR) system for automated determination of the resonance frequency of a nucleus for magnetic resonance examinations, at least one MR signal is detected, and is Fourier-transformed into a spectrum composed of elements that can be represented as a vector. An analysis of the spectrum is conducted, wherein at least two cross-correlation coefficients of at least one model spectrum are determined by use of the measured spectrum. Prior to the analysis, a spectrum matrix having at least two vectors is determined from the spectrum, with each vector of the spectrum matrix being formed using all or some of the spectrum.
US09995791B2
Examples are disclosed for an integrated circuit (IC) device coupled to a battery-operated power supply unit, such as an IC in a mobile computing device or wireless phone, to accurately determine energy usage drawn from the power supply unit under rapidly dynamic circumstances. A current sense signal of a power line from the power supply unit is digitized. The digitized current sense is added to an accumulator at a rate that is approximately proportional to a voltage of the power line from the power supply unit. The accumulator is then outputted and scaled to units relevant to energy measurements. The energy measurement is used to estimate remaining battery life. Triggering the digitization of the current sense signal may be by use of a pulse generation circuit, or by use of an overflow indicator of an accumulator for a digitized voltage sense signal. Other examples are described and claimed.
US09995776B2
The invention relates to a method for ascertaining an insulation resistance (2) of a test object (3) to be examined, wherein a decoupling capacitor (4) having a first capacity, and a measuring capacitor (5) having a second capacity are connected in series with the test object (3) in such a way that the decoupling capacitor (4) and the measuring capacitor (5) form a low-pass with the insulation resistance (2) of the test object (3), wherein a predetermined voltage (9) is applied to the series connection, the measuring capacitor voltage (8) declining on the measuring capacitor (5) is ascertained, and, by means of an evaluation unit (7), considering the first capacity, the second capacity and the ascertained measuring capacitor voltage (8), the insulation resistance (2) of the test object (3) is determined. The invention also relates to a device (1) for ascertaining an insulation resistance (2) of a test object (3) to be examined, said device (1) having a circuit assembly, a measuring unit (6) and an evaluation unit (7). The invention further relates to a high-voltage battery system having a device (1) according to the invention for ascertaining an insulation resistance (2).
US09995770B2
One or more probe cards, wafer testers, and techniques for testing a semiconductor arrangement are provided. Testline arrangements are formed within scribe lines of a semiconductor wafer, in multiple directions, such as an x-direction and a y-direction. A wafer tester is configured to concurrently test the semiconductor arrangement in multiple directions using a multidirectional probe arrangement of a probe card. In some embodiments, a first pin arrangement of the multidirectional probe arrangement is mated with a first testline arrangement in a first direction, and a second pin arrangement of the multidirectional probe arrangement is mated with a second testline arrangement in a second direction. The wafer tester concurrently tests the semiconductor arrangement in multiple directions, such as in the first direction and the second direction, through the pin arrangements mated with the testline arrangements.
US09995763B2
A scanning probe microscope (SPM) system and associated method. The SPM system having a probe adapted to interact with nanoscale features of a sample and scan within a target region to produce a three-dimensional image of that target region, the system maintaining location information for a plurality of features of interest of the sample according to a sample-specific coordinate system, wherein the SPM system is configured to adjust positioning of the probe relative to the sample according to a SPM coordinate system, the SPM system further configured to manage a dynamic relationship between the sample-specific coordinate system and the SPM coordinate system by determining a set of alignment errors between the sample-specific coordinate system and the SPM coordinate system and apply corrections to the SPM coordinate system to offset the determined alignment errors.
US09995759B2
A method for determining whether a subject has or is predisposed to abnormal expression of inflammasomes and/or to dysfunctional HDL suitable for use in diagnosing atherosclerosis, chronic inflammatory disease, Incident Cardiovascular Disease (ICD) and other pathologies characterized by an inflammatory response. Specifically, a protein assay that measures LAG-3 can be used as a diagnostic predictor of pathologies such as infection, inflammation, chronic inflammatory disease, and coronary artery disease. The diagnostic is combined with the therapeutic use of a remediating drug for treatment.
US09995758B1
The present application describes methods and systems for measuring and controlling oxidative stress in animals and humans. The degree of oxidative stress can be measured directly by inducing all of the blood cells to produce excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) by exposure to an elevated concentration sulfide or other ROS inducing chemical and measuring the fluorescence intensity of a fluorescent dye or color intensity of dye that reacts with ROS. Oxidative stress can be reduced by reducing dietary sulfur, consumption of a methanogenic probiotic, or apheresis methods to replace ROS-positive blood cells with normal blood cells. Plasma oxidative stress can be compared in venous and arterial blood samples to evaluate small vessel disease. Oxidative stress can be increased by increasing dietary sulfur or the use of an intravenous method that exposes blood cells to an elevated blood concentration of sulfide or other ROS inducing chemical.
US09995756B2
Described herein are, inter alia, methods for diagnosing and treating arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) by detecting cardiac intercalated disk proteins, e.g., desmosomal proteins, mechanical and gap junction proteins, in buccal cells. Exemplary desmosomal and gap junction proteins that can be evaluated in the methods described herein include plakoglobin, plakophilin 1, desmoplakin, and Cx43. The methods can also include selecting and/or administering a treatment for ACM to the subject.
US09995752B2
Described are methods and compositions for evaluating the relapse risk n subjects having an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Some embodiments include selecting a treatment for an evaluated IBD relapse risk in a subject.
US09995743B2
A test apparatus including a cassette main body, a test strip and a pressurizing assembly is provided. The cassette main body has a sample entrance. The test strip is disposed in the cassette main body, and the sample entrance of the cassette main body exposes a sample collecting region of the test strip. The pressurizing assembly is detachably combined to the cassette main body, and is adapted to exert a pressure on a liquid sample located at the sample entrance, such that the liquid sample enters the sample collecting region, and reacts with the test strip to display a test result. The test apparatus is able to implement quick and convenience test, by which a complicated pre-processing of a test sample is omitted to save a time and test cost.
US09995729B2
According to one embodiment, a measurement device includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a partition provided between the first and second chambers, a through hole which is provided in the partition and with which the first chamber and the second chamber communicate each other, a first electrode provided in the first chamber, and a second electrode provided in the second chamber. The first electrode and the second electrode contain different metals or alloys at least in surface layers thereof, and a relationship of Ia
US09995722B2
A measurement system includes a light source having semiconductor sources configured to generate an input optical beam, a multiplexer configured form an intermediate optical beam from the input optical beam, fibers including a fused silica fiber configured to receive the intermediate optical beam and to form an output optical beam. The output optical beam comprises wavelengths between 700 and 2500 nanometers with a bandwidth of at least 10 nanometers. A measurement apparatus is configured to deliver the output beam to a sample to generate a spectroscopy output beam. A receiver is configured to receive and process the spectroscopy output beam to generate an output signal, wherein the receiver processing includes chemometrics or multivariate analysis methods to permit identification of materials within the sample, the light source and the receiver are remote from the sample, and the sample includes plastics or food industry goods.
US09995718B1
The electrostatic sensors of bridge or cantilever type with multiple electrodes, the electrostatic sensors of comb type and piezoelectric sensors are used for the single molecule detection of ligands. The electrical driving of sensors is separated in some cases from the sensing for increased sensitivity. The large arrays of sensors with individual or common sensing circuits are employed to further improve detection sensitivity. The fabrication of the sensors, their functionalization for detection of many chemical and biological species and electrical circuitry, packaging, microfluidic subsystem and the system architecture are also disclosed. The individual, specific sensing of single species or simultaneous detection of multiple species is realized. The freeze drying or critical point drying after exposure of sensors to ligands present in liquids and detection in reduced pressure or vacuum is employed for increased sensitivity, down to the single molecule.
US09995714B2
There is provided an apparatus for monitoring a condition of an elongated ferrous object having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus including at least one magnetizing circuit including magnetic poles separated along the longitudinal axis, and magnetic field sensors arranged at the poles, said poles including pole shoes for directing magnetic flux between the poles and the monitored object. The pole shoes include openings between the monitored object and the poles, an opening including two ends separated in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis by a mid-section defining a smaller opening than the ends for concentrating the magnetic flux at the mid-section. There is further provided an arrangement including one or more elongated objects for hoisting payload, wherein the monitoring apparatus is attached to the elongated objects.
US09995712B2
An ion mobility spectrometer or separator is disclosed comprises plural groups of electrodes, each group of electrodes comprising: (i) a first electrode connected to a first independently controllable voltage supply; (ii) one or more intermediate electrodes; and (iii) a second electrode connected to a second independently controllable voltage supply, wherein the first electrode, the one or more intermediate electrodes and the second electrode are interconnected by a series of resistors or other components so as to form a resistive divider so that the potential of the one or more intermediate electrodes is determined by the voltages supplied by the first and second voltage supplies and the resistance of the resistors; a drift region; a first device arranged and adapted to pulse a packet of ions into the drift region so that the ions are caused to separate temporally and assume one or more ion distributions; and a control system arranged and adapted: (i) to cause at least some of the independently controllable voltage supplies to supply voltages to at least two adjacent groups of electrodes so as to substantially continuously subject at least part or substantially the whole of the one or more ion distributions to a first non-zero voltage gradient or a first non-zero constant or linear electric field as the one or more ion distributions progress along the drift region; and (ii) to cause at least some of the independently controllable voltage supplies to supply voltages to groups of electrodes other than the at least two adjacent groups of electrodes to create, maintain or apply a second different voltage gradient or a second different electric field across one or more portions of the drift region which are distal from the one or more ion distributions.
US09995704B2
A gas sensor element which has water-permeable electrodes, and water-impermeable leads connected to the electrodes A first electrode (133) has a space exposure portion (133b) exposed to internal space (160) of a gas sensor element (10) which communicates with an ambient atmosphere. A first lead (137) is connected to the first electrode (133). The first electrode (133) includes a first connection portion (133d) which is disposed at a position not exposed to the internal space (160) and connected to the first lead (137), and which is a portion of the first electrode (133) located most distant from the internal space (160). The entire first connection portion (133d) is located in a region A1 which extends from the internal space (160) over a distance of 1.0 mm or less. Also enclosed is a gas sensor including the gas sensor element.
US09995684B2
The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for thermo-optical measurements in a droplet of aqueous solution comprising particles of interest, the method comprising the following steps: providing the droplet of aqueous solution with a volume of less than 200 nl, wherein the aqueous solution is a first liquid and at least a part of the particles of interest are fluorescent particles; embedding the droplet of aqueous solution at least partly in a second liquid; irradiating a laser light beam into the droplet to obtain a spatial temperature distribution in the droplet around the irradiated laser light beam; exciting fluorescently said fluorescent particles and detecting fluorescence at least at one position or at around one position in the droplet or detecting the fluorescence distribution of said fluorescently excited particles, wherein said detection of fluorescence is performed at least once at a predetermined time after the start of the laser irradiation; and determining a characteristic of the particles of interest from the detected fluorescence intensity or fluorescence intensity distribution.
US09995681B2
Device and methods for detecting/quantifying a fluorescent taggant in a liquid sample. Generally, the liquid samples are fuels having low concentrations (measured in ppb) of a fluorescent taggant. The detection/quantification generates a predicted concentration of the fluorescent tagging compound using a process selected from the group of a multivariate process, a background subtraction process, or a combination of both. The invention addresses the detection of an adulteration of gasoline and diesel fuels.
US09995677B2
A method of inspecting a silicon article includes irradiating a silicon article with infrared radiation, transmitting a portion of the infrared radiation through the silicon article, and filtering the infrared radiation transmitted through the silicon article. Image data is acquired from the filtered infrared radiation and an image of the silicon article reconstructed from the image data. Based on the reconstructed image of the silicon article, one or more anomalies defined within the silicon article are identified.
US09995671B1
In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D contact scanner includes a tactile sensor system having at least one tactile sensor for generating 3D data points based on tactile feedback resulting from physical contact with at least part of the structure. A 3D model is constructed from the 3D data and is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.
US09995667B2
A portable ambient air quality monitor having an enclosure to enclose and protect the monitor from an ambient environment and an airflow intake for controllably allowing ambient air to enter the monitor. A photodiode is disposed at a location downstream from a fan. The airflow from the fan is laminarized by a mesh or baffle to allow a thin stream of air to flow over the photodiode. A sensing region is defined by an intersection of an airflow sampling path and an optical path. The sensing region is also disposed above the photodiode. The airflow sampling path is configured to receive laminar airflow from the airflow intake and for directing the laminar airflow into the sensing region. A light beam is generated from a laser to reflect the light beam for reducing the required area of the sensing region to detect and measure the particles floating in the ambient air.
US09995666B2
A resonator that includes an elastic tube defining an interior surface and a conductor threaded through the elastic tube. Solid material fills space between the conductor and the elastic tube interior surface, such that motion of the conductor is directly transferred to the elastic tube. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic tube is electrically conductive and said solid material insulates said conductor from said elastic tube.
US09995653B2
A method for diagnosing the function of an exhaust gas sensor in an exhaust gas. The function is evaluated here according to whether during a heating phase an operating temperature of the exhaust gas sensor has been reached for a predefined time period. It is taken into account here whether during the heating phase sufficient heating power has been available to carry out a successful heating phase.
US09995651B2
The present invention aims to apply a vertical load to a specimen with high precision even if the specimen shifts horizontally. A load application device includes: a hydraulic actuator which applies a load to a specimen; a support structural body which supports the hydraulic actuator along a vertical direction; a horizontal guide surface which guides the support structural body along a horizontal direction; and a bearing which is interposed between the support structural body and the horizontal guide surface and bears the support structural body so as to be horizontally shiftable relative to the horizontal guide surface. This bearing includes a plurality of spherical bodies supported so as to be independently rollable, and the plurality of spherical bodies are held in contact with the support structural body or the horizontal guide surface.
US09995646B2
A measuring arrangement with a measuring cell for detecting a process parameter and a housing, surrounding the measuring cell at least radially, with the measuring cell being arranged in the axial direction at the front in the housing and a space between the measuring cell and the housing being sealed with a seal from the penetration of process medium, with the seal showing at least a first sealing element radially surrounding a measuring cell and a second sealing element radially surrounding the measuring cell, the second sealing element being distanced from the first sealing element in the axial direction and arranged in front thereof, and the housing showing at least one first section extending in the axial direction and at least one second section arranged thereat and extending in the radial direction between the sealing elements.
US09995645B2
A ventilator is configured to assist a user with breathing, while eliminating the need for extraneous sensors and tubing normally found in prior art ventilators. The ventilator relies on a predetermined relationship between a measurable quantity associated with a compressed gas and the maximum pressure of that compressed gas upon delivery to the user. The measurable quantity may be mass flow rate of the compressed gas or pressure within a delivery lumen used to transport the compressed gas, among others. Based on the predetermined relationship, the control logic within the ventilator determines whether the pressure of compressed gas delivered to the user exceeds a maximum allowable pressure. When the maximum pressure is exceeded, the control logic initiates corrective action to reduce the pressure of the compressed gas.
US09995643B2
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically determining a static tip resistance of a dynamically-loaded component having a tip. One example method comprises receiving gauge data from one or more gauges associated with the component proximate the tip. The gauge data may represent measurements related to one or more impacts on the component. The example method may further comprise determining measured data and estimated data corresponding to the one or more impacts on the component based at least in part on the gauge data. Furthermore, the method may comprise performing an inversion to select the estimated data having the least amount of difference in comparison to the measured data. The method may also comprise determining the static tip resistance based at least in part on the selected estimated data.
US09995638B2
Input terminal of a thermocouple (TC) instrument. The input terminal may include a printed circuit board (PCB), including an input portion configured to receive signals from a thermocouple, and an output portion configured to communicatively connect to the instrument. The input terminal may further include a sensor mounted on the PCB, configured to measure temperature at or near a cold junction of the input terminal. The PCB may include first traces connecting the input portion of the PCB to the output portion of the PCB, and configured to send TC signals to the TC instrument and second traces connecting the sensor to the output portion of the PCB, and configured to send temperature signals to the instrument. The traces may be configured to provide the TC signals and the temperature signals to the TC instrument without using metal pins.
US09995623B2
A spectroscopic device, which may be a handheld spectroscopic light source, which uses ambient light as a primary broadband light source, but which may be supplemented with an auxiliary light source to supplement band regions which may be deficient in the broad band source. The spectroscopic device makes use of a number of parallel control channels to monitor for sufficient light and to compensate for variations in the input light levels.
US09995620B2
This disclosure provides a combination scale including a dispersing feeder, linear feeders, a plurality of hoppers, and a collector. The dispersing feeder and linear feeders are respectively disposed in upper parts of a center base of the combination scale to disperse and deliver outwardly articles received therein. The hoppers are removably mountable to an outer periphery of the center base to hold and discharge the articles. The collector collects the articles discharged from the hoppers on a central side of the center base and discharges the collected articles. The collector constitutes a collecting and discharging channel for the articles to be collected and discharged. The combination scale further includes a shielding tool configured to block liquid that drops from the center base downward into the collecting and discharging channel.
US09995619B2
A fluid container measurement system employing a load cell linkage member is disclosed. The fluid container measurement system is configured to suspend a load measurement assembly a distance above a support surface. The load measurement assembly houses a load cell and a measurement control circuit. The measurement control circuit is coupled to the load cell and configured to receive electrical signals indicative of a force imposed on the load cell. The load measurement assembly also includes or is configured to receive a load cell linkage member mechanically linked to the load cell. In this manner, a load placed on the load cell linkage member will be exerted on the load cell. Electrical signals generated by the load cell indicative of the force exerted on the load cell can be used to measure the fluid container attached to the load cell linkage member.
US09995618B2
The present invention relates to a capsule-weighing device (1) comprising a capsule holder (2) for receiving at least one capsule lower part (4), preferably for medical preparations, a weighing unit (5) that can be positioned independently of the capsule holder (2) and that has at least one first electrode (8) for weighing the capsule lower part (4) in the capsule holder (2), a transport device (3) for moving the capsule holder (2), independently of the weighing unit (5), to different stations (S1-S12), and at least one second electrode (9), wherein an outer wall (7) of the at least one capsule lower part (4) is exposed in the capsule holder (2), or is only thinly enclosed by the capsule holder (2), such that, by means of an electric field between the first and second electrodes (8, 9), the capsule lower part (4) can be weighed without moving the capsule lower part (4) in the capsule holder (2).
US09995610B2
A method for operating a nuclear magnetic flowmeter having a measuring device for determining the flow of the medium through the measuring tube, the measuring device having a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field permeating the medium and the measuring tube and for carrying out nuclear magnetic measurements of measuring volumes that are adjustable in position and size in the magnetic field. The nuclear magnetic measurements involve adjusting the size of the measuring volume, positioning the measuring volume, generating excitation signals for exciting the medium, transmitting excitation signals into the measuring volume and measuring echo signals caused by the excitation signals. Deposits on the inner wall of the measuring tube are determined from echo signals of all nuclear magnetic measurements assigned to the position of the measuring volume of the respective nuclear magnetic measurement and at least one abrupt change in the echo signals detected.
US09995603B2
A position detector, including: a scale including a pattern array formed cyclically in a movement direction, the scale being provided to a fixed member or a movable member; a detector including detection elements arranged in the movement direction, the detector being provided to the other; a generating unit that selectively generates, from signals received from the detection elements, a first signal obtained by a first combination of the signals or a second signal obtained by a second combination of the signals; an output unit that outputs the first or second signal received from the generating unit; and a switcher that switches over between the first and second signals as a signal to be generated, wherein the first signal changes within a first range, corresponding to a relative position; and the second signal does not change beyond a second range smaller than the first range, corresponding to the relative position.
US09995600B2
A system and method for providing a position and orientation sensor package having a reduced size in at least one dimension is disclosed. The position and orientation sensor package includes a dielectric substrate and a first magneto-resistance sensor chip attached to the dielectric substrate, the first magneto-resistance sensor chip including at least one magneto-resistance sensor circuit. The position and orientation sensor package also includes a second magneto-resistance sensor chip attached to the dielectric substrate and positioned adjacent the first magneto-resistance sensor chip, the second magneto-resistance sensor chip including at least one magneto-resistance sensor circuit. The position and orientation sensor package is constructed such that the at least one magneto-resistance sensor circuit of the first magneto-resistance sensor chip is oriented in a different direction than the at least one magneto-resistance sensor circuit of the second magneto-resistance sensor chip.
US09995598B2
A method for measuring a position using a magnet and a sensor for detecting the magnetic field strength of the magnet. The magnet and/or the sensor interact with a movable element so that a relative movement between the sensor and the magnet can be effected. The position of the movable element in accordance with the coordinates in a system of coordinates can be ascertained on the basis of the magnetic field having a predetermined shape generated by the magnet and detected by the sensor. The sensor ascertains three linearly independent spatial direction components of the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field acting at the location of the sensor. Each coordinate along a coordinate axis of the system coordinates of the magnetic field is determined individually and unambiguously by the combination of the three linearly independent spatial direction components of the magnetic field strength detected by the sensor.
US09995595B2
A method for detecting the reciprocal position between a cylinder and a piston in a cylinder-piston unit, including the following phases: setup of a cylinder-piston unit featuring at least one tubular body (2) presenting at least one passing accommodation host (6); at least one moving body (5) which can be longitudinally shifted in the tubular body (2), featuring at least one reference area (5c) extending for a portion (5d) on the surface of the moving body (5); a detector (7) which can be accommodated in such passing accommodation host (6), oriented towards the moving body (5) and detecting the presence or absence of the reference area (5c) at one detection area (7c), and to generate at least one corresponding output electrical signal (s7), in response to detection of the reference area (5c); at least one elaboration and program control unit (8) receives as an input at least one of the output electrical signals (s7) and generates at least one electrical signal (s8) of detection; activation of the detector (7) (phase 100); elaboration by at least one of the elaboration and program control units (8) of at least one of the signals (s7) which are from the detector (7) (phase 200), the elaboration phase including a comparison (phase 220) between at least one of the output electrical signals (s7) and the respective maximum and minimum reference thresholds (Smax, Smin); based on the elaboration (phase 200), generating electrical signal of detection (s8) by at least one of the elaboration and program control units (8) (phase 300); the maximum and minimum reference thresholds (Smax, Smin) being periodically updated.
US09995594B2
A facility is connected to an electricity utility and includes a plurality of control computer controlled devices and a plurality of devices that is uncontrolled by control computers. An operational status of each of the control computer controlled devices is monitored by a server. The facility has a power meter that provides data representing actual power consumption to the server which is connected via a network to the control computer. The server is configured to determine power consumption of each device in the plurality of controlled devices from operational status data and power consumption data.
US09995591B2
The disclosure includes a system and method for determining a departure time for a Plug-in Electric Vehicle (“PEV”). The method may include analyzing power meter data to determine that a connector of a control device is coupled to an inlet of the PEV. The method may include charging a battery set of the PEV with electricity. The method may include determining a next day of a next journey for the PEV based on clock data provided by a clock. The clock data may describe time information describing a present day and a category of the next day. The method may include analyzing history data associated with the category of the next day to determine a habitual time associated with the category of the next day. The method may include estimating that a departure time for the next journey is substantially equal to the habitual time.
US09995590B1
A computing device detects that an ignition switch of the vehicle was activated, wherein the vehicle includes a navigation device. The computing device requests a destination from the navigation device. The computing device interlocking, an operation of the vehicle based on determining that the destination is not valid.
US09995583B2
Various embodiments of the invention allow for increased shock robustness in gyroscopes. In certain embodiments, immunity against undesired forces that corrupt signal output is provided by a chessboard-pattern architecture of proof masses that provides a second layer of differential signals not present in existing designs. Masses are aligned parallel to each other in a two-by-two configuration with two orthogonal symmetry axes. The masses are driven to oscillate in such a way that each mass moves anti-parallel to an adjacent proof mass. In some embodiments of the invention, a mechanical joint system interconnects proof masses to suppress displacements due to mechanical disturbances, while permitting displacements due to Coriolis forces to prevented erroneous sensor signals.
US09995581B2
A system that performs heterodyne optical imaging across multiple platforms gathers an optical signal from an optical sensor at each of the multiple platforms. At the same time, an optical frequency comb local oscillator (LO) at each of the platforms generates a reference comb signal comprising a set of optical frequency comb lines at different frequencies, wherein each optical frequency comb LO is locked to a local atomic clock at each of the platforms. Next, a mixer, at each of the platforms, is used to mix the optical signal gathered from the optical sensor with the reference comb signal generated by the optical frequency comb LO to generate a mixed signal. The system then communicates the mixed signals generated at each of the platforms to a central location. Finally, the system correlates the mixed signals received from each of the platforms and generates a reconstructed optical image.
US09995580B2
A level includes a top surface, a bottom surface parallel with the top surface, and a body accommodating at least one vial. The body has at least one through hole, at least one portion of the vial is exposed through the through hole, a close-ended locating hole is mounted at a side of the through hole, an opened-ended locating hole is mounted at another side of the through hole, and two sides of the vial are accommodated in the two locating holes respectively. A side of the opened-ended locating hole is mounted with a locating aperture so that a magnet is positioned in the locating aperture so as to fix the vial.
US09995572B2
A device and method for estimating the elevation angle of one or more objects surrounding a user terminal include a convex image-reflecting surface, a transparent sighting surface disposed above the convex image-reflecting surface, and an elevation limit marking formed on or in the sighting surface. The elevation limit marking generates a reflected image in the convex image-reflecting surface that defines an elevation angle above a horizon of the earth that the one or more objects in a field of view of the convex image-reflecting surface must remain below so that the user terminal has an unobstructed view of the sky in all azimuthal directions.
US09995557B2
Firearm weights and firearm rails having one or more weights that hug the interior surface of the firearm rail and/or orient a firearm sling loop in an appropriate position on the firearm.
US09995552B2
A retractable stand comprises a base, two ribbons, and a locking mechanism. Each ribbon has a coiled portion and an uncoiled portion. The uncoiled portions have a curved cross-sectional shape positioned in opposing relation to each other. The locking mechanism is movable between an unlocked position and a locked position where the at least one ribbon is substantially inhibited from moving relative to the base in at least one direction. The locking mechanism can comprise an auto-locking member biased toward the locked position. The locking mechanism can further comprise a trigger mounted on the base and accessible by the user to move the auto-locking member to the unlocked position. Preferably, the retractable stand further includes a manual locking mechanism that can be manually selectively moved between unlocked and locked positions to selectively lock and unlock a position of at least one of the ribbons relative to the base.
US09995550B2
A firearm slide is disclosed. The firearm may include a slide and a flash hider integrally formed into an end of the slide.
US09995547B2
The present invention relates to a gun (1) with a pair of barrels (6′, 6″) flanking each other, each delimiting a cartridge chamber (12′, 12″).The gun further comprises a pair of firing pin tips (8′, 8″) for a cartridge (10′, 10″), movable towards the cartridge chambers (12′, 12″) by means of a firing device operated by a trigger (4′, 4″); such device acts on the firing pin tips to allow a substantially simultaneous advancement thereof.The invention also relates to a two row magazine for a double barrelled gun.
US09995542B1
The invention pertains to the rotating head (20) found in the bolt action assembly (A) of the gas-operated, recoil-operated, or bolt action, or lever-action hunting shotguns and is characterized in that it pertains to a fixing shaft (13) with a fixing plane (14) formed at the end of the cam action groove (12) located on the body (10) of the bolt action (A), a spring shaft (22) formed on the rotating head (20) positioned within the passage hole (11) located in the body (10) of the bolt action (A), a mounting hole (23) formed in the spring shaft (22) on the rotating head (20) positioned within the passage hole (11) located in the body (10) of the bolt action (A), a rotation spring (30) with a mounting lug (31) located at one end and a fixing lug (32) at the other end.
US09995522B2
An ice bin and a method of crushing ice using the same, in which the ice bin includes a case having an upper portion configured to store ice produced by an ice maker, and a dispensing port at one side of a lower end or surface of the case configured to dispense the ice; a transferring unit that transfers the ice from a lower portion of the case to the upper portion of the case; and a crushing unit configured to crush the ice transferred by the transferring unit and discharge the ice to the dispensing port, wherein the crushing unit selectively discharges the ice as ice cubes or as crushed ice.
US09995518B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator comprising: a main body including a food storage space and a cold air generation portion, a door installed on the main body to open and close the food storage space, an ice machine installed in the food storage space to generate ice, an ice bucket arranged in the ice machine to accommodate the ice therein, a motor system installed in the door, and a transport system which includes a first end portion that is rotatably coupled to a rear surface of the ice bucket and a second end portion that is docked with the motor system when the door is closed, and is rotated together with a motor of the motor system to transport the ice accommodated in the ice bucket when the motor of the motor system is rotated.
US09995516B2
A superheat control utilizes a sensor at a location downstream of an evaporator after some heat is delivered to the refrigerant. In one embodiment, the compressor is a sealed compressor with at least a portion of the refrigerant being heated by an electric motor. The temperature is sensed after the refrigerant temperature has increased after passing over the electric motor. In another embodiment, the refrigerant temperature is measured after some minimal compression and minimal temperature rise has occurred within the compressor pumping elements. In either case, by measuring the temperature of the refrigerant after some additional heat has been added to the refrigerant, the refrigerant super-heat leaving the evaporator can be controlled to a lower value. The improved superheat control enhances the system performance by increasing system efficiency, system capacity and improving oil return to the compressor.
US09995513B2
Provided in an interior of a leeward tank unit of a leeward evaporation portion is a refrigerant flow changing portion that guides a refrigerant from a first refrigerant collecting portion to a second refrigerant distributing portion and guides a refrigerant from a second refrigerant collecting portion to a first refrigerant distributing portion. The refrigerant flow changing portion is configured such that a refrigerant flow guided from the first refrigerant collecting portion to the second refrigerant distributing portion and a refrigerant flow guided from the second refrigerant collecting portion to the first refrigerant distributing portion are in a non-crossed state when viewed from a longitudinal direction of tubes.
US09995512B2
A magnetic refrigeration system constructed in such a way that a refrigerant transfer part transfers refrigerant from a first refrigerant discharge part of one refrigerant port to a first refrigerant circulation circuit after a magnetic field is applied to a magnetic working material by a magnetic field applying and removing part and that the refrigerant transfer part transfers refrigerant from a second refrigerant discharge part of other refrigerant port to a second refrigerant circulation circuit after the magnetic field is removed from the magnetic working material by the magnetic field applying and removing part.
US09995494B2
An air conditioner (AC) indoor unit includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet; a heat exchanger arranged inside the housing; a blower fan for sucking in air at the inlet to be subject to heat exchange with the heat exchanger, and discharging the heat-exchanged air out of the outlet; and an air flow control device for controlling an air flow discharged from the outlet by sucking in air around the outlet. The AC indoor unit may control the direction of a discharged air flow without a conventional blade structure, thereby increasing an amount of discharged air, reducing circulation noise, and enabling design differentiation.
US09995492B2
An oven appliance includes a baking stone positioned within a housing at a bottom portion of a cooking chamber. An entrance of a venting channel is positioned over an opening of the housing, and an exit of the venting channel is positioned above the entrance of the venting channel. The exit of the venting channel is also positioned such that the exit of the venting channel is exposed to interior room ambient atmosphere about the housing.
US09995484B2
A damper opening/closing mechanism includes: a damper which swings about a shaft to open and close a flow passage; an actuating lever which swings so as to swing the damper about the shaft; a reciprocating part which moves reciprocatively; and elastic members which are attached to the reciprocating part and positioned on forward-and-backward both sides in a swinging direction of the actuating lever and moreover which elastically bias the actuating lever along with reciprocative motions of the reciprocating part.
US09995481B2
A method and apparatus for a burner adapted to heat a furnace or other environment of use. In particular, a burner for providing a fuel gas in combination with an oxidant to effect controlled reaction of the fuel gas in a manner to reduce NOx emissions is described. Combustion of the fuel gas is shifted from the burner combustor to a location outside the burner once the temperature within the furnace/radiant tube has reached a sufficient level to complete combustion of the fuel gas.
US09995480B2
A burner includes a burner inlet and outlet. The burner also includes a primary conduit defining a flow channel extending along a burner axis for conveying a mixture of fuel and gas and a secondary conduit defining a flow channel disposed about the primary conduit for conveying gas. The primary conduit defines a flow channel extending to a primary conduit outlet within the burner substantially upstream of the burner outlet, whereby the secondary conduit downstream of the primary outlet defines a common conduit for flow from the primary and secondary conduits. A swirl generation device imparts a swirl to the flow of gas from the secondary conduit upstream of the primary conduit outlet. A venturi arrangement is provided in the vicinity of the primary outlet to act on the primary flow stream to impart a flow deviation.
US09995478B2
A switch unit has a display part configured to display an image, and an operation part provided on the display part in a stacked manner. The operation part includes a plurality of press buttons each having a pressable top surface formed to be transparent, a transparent base having a plurality of openings formed so as to be spaced from each other in positions corresponding to a display region of the display part, while avoiding a peripheral edge of the display region, and a transparent substrate provided below the base and having a light source in a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the top surface. Each of the press buttons includes, and forms into a unit, a button body having the top surface, and a frame-like light guiding body provided in a flange shape below the button body and provided so as to cover the light source.
US09995477B2
The luminaires of the present disclosure provide a slim profile and simple construction for use in a variety of lighting applications. A circuit board can have a plurality of light sources thereon, and a lens can at least partially encapsulate the circuit board to protect and electrically insulate the circuit board. When used, for example, in a lighted shelf application, power can be provided to the luminaire through shelf brackets along the side of the shelf panel.
US09995476B2
In various embodiments, disclosed is a lighting device comprising a bulbous body mounted on a cap, and an inner surface of the bulbous body comprising a plurality of steps that are axially displaced relative to each other along a central axis of the lighting device. The plurality of steps comprising in one example a first step supporting a first plurality of solid state lighting elements; and a second step supporting a second plurality of solid state lighting elements, wherein the first step is located in between the cap and the second step. A luminaire including such a lighting device is also disclosed. The lighting device may further comprise a bulbous member separated from the cap by a transparent member having a stepped wall profile including the first step and the second step.
US09995470B2
The present invention provides a light-emitting panel attachment structure, a light-emitting panel aligned-arrangement structure, and a light-emitting panel that enable light-emitting panels to be arranged with no gap therebetween on an installation surface such as a ceiling. An attachment side fitting part is turnably attached to a coupling part. An attachment device is changeable between a parallel orientation in which the light-emitting panel is parallel to the installation surface and an intersecting orientation in which the light-emitting panel faces a direction intersecting the installation surface, along with the turn of the attachment side fitting part. When the light-emitting panel is attached to the attachment device, the attachment device is changed to or maintained in the intersecting orientation, and either the light-emitting panel or the attachment device is moved to slide parallel to an emission surface to fit a panel side fitting part with the attachment side fitting part.
US09995461B2
An optical lens, light emitting device, and lighting device are provided. The optical lens may include a first surface, a second surface disposed over the first surface, a third surface concaved with respect to the second surface towards the first surface, wherein the third surface converges toward a center thereof with a curved shape, and wherein a predetermined distance is provided between the third surface and the first surface along an optical axis, which is a straight line that passes through the center of the third surface and a center of the first surface, a protruder centrally arranged with respect to the first surface and that protrudes in a first direction along the optical axis, wherein a cross-section of the protruder taken along the optical axis includes two curved portions that each curve in the first direction and then curve in a second direction opposite to the first direction to substantially meet at the optical axis, and a plurality of supports that extend from the first surface in the first direction, and configured to provide a space below the protruder, wherein the plurality of supports is provided adjacent to the protruder.
US09995456B2
The various embodiments relate to a LED strobe lighting fixture comprising a plurality of LEDs arranged in a linear array and which is configured to generate a strobe light effect. The light fixture comprises a central illumination LED array arranged between a first optical reflector and a second optical reflector. At a least one LED pixel array is configured to illuminate at least one of said first optical reflector and said second optical reflector. In one embodiment the LED pixels are configured to illuminate different parts of said first optical reflector or of said second optical reflector.
US09995452B2
A light device, especially a headlight of motor vehicles, comprises at least one light unit (1), or a group (1a, 1b) of light units, at least one optical directing element (3, 2e, 3f), adapted to direct the light beam emitted by the light unit, or group of light units, to the required direction, and at least one output lens (4) for passage of at least a part of the light rays of the light beam or beams to create a light pattern (A, B, C) on the display surface (ZY). On the route of the light beam between the optical directing element and the output lens, there is at least one optical diaphragm element (11, 21, 31) containing a system of trim edges (13, 23, 33) to create the required shape of the cross-section of a part or parts of the light beam designed for transmission along the above-mentioned route.
US09995450B2
A film stack reflects incident light in some areas and transmits incident light in other areas, and it redirects incident light with one or more structured surfaces. The spatially variable reflection and transmission is achieved at least in part with reflective strips, and the reflective strips are attached to a first major surface of a structured optical film in the film stack. A second major surface of the structured optical film, opposite the first major surface, attaches to a substrate. The reflective strips attach to the structured optical film by a first discontinuous adhesive layer, having first adhesive areas. The structured optical film attaches to the substrate by a second discontinuous adhesive layer, having second adhesive areas. A major portion of the first adhesive areas, and a major portion of the second adhesive areas, is circumscribed by the reflective strips. The film stack may be part of a light duct.
US09995449B2
A sheet metal stamped light collecting reflector assembly including a generally parabolic reflector at one end of a deformable strap which at its free end is adhesively secured to the peripheral edge of a photovoltaic solar array useful to charge a storage battery connected to power a light upon the sensing an ambient light below a predetermined level for collecting sufficient light emitted by a selected grid powered light source and reflecting same to supplement said ambient light to said predetermined light level.
US09995447B2
A light fixture is disclosed having a plurality of light sources belonging to at least two types emitting light of different S/P ratio. The light sources are placed in the light fixture so that the light fixture, when in use, emits a light bundle having varying S/P ratios within the bundle. In an embodiment the light bundle has a central area with low S/P ratio, and peripheral areas having higher S/P ratio. The S/P ratio in the peripheral areas can be as high as 5 or even higher. In an alternate embodiment the light bundle has a central area with relatively S/P ratio, and peripheral areas having lower S/P ratio. The S/P ratio in the peripheral areas can be as low as 2 or even lower.The light fixtures are particularly suitable for outdoor lighting, for example street lighting.
US09995445B2
A strip of a flexible plastic has a transparent cover surface which permits passage of light and an opposed bottom surface and sides which are opaque to passage of light. A series of spaced apart light emitting diodes are positioned on the top surface in electrical contact with a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel electrical wires running along the length of the top surface and individual electric bulbs are positioned on top of each light emitting diode. When electric current flows through the electrical wires, light is transmitted from each light emitting diode through each bulb and out in a unidirectional manner.
US09995438B2
A lighting device, or LED lamp is described with a base element for electrical contacting and mechanical mounting and an LED arrangement with at least one LED element. The LED arrangement is spaced from the base element along a longitudinal axis. In order to provide a lighting device and a lighting arrangement with a matched optical and thermal design, i.e. where both effective heat dissipation and an advantageous light intensity distribution are achieved, a lower heat dissipating structure is arranged between the base element and the LED arrangement. The lower heat dissipating structure includes a plurality of planar heat dissipation elements made out of a heat conducting material, shaped to have at a first longitudinal position along the longitudinal axis a first extension in cross-section, and at a second longitudinal position a second extension in cross-section. The first longitudinal position is arranged closer to the LED arrangement than the second longitudinal position, and the first extension is smaller than the second extension in order to minimize obstruction of light emitted from the LED arrangement.
US09995432B1
A portable computing tablet holster comprising a handle assembly attached to a portable computing tablet retention assembly. The portable computing tablet retention assembly is adapted to retain a portable computing tablet therein using a pair of elongated retention channels extending along opposite elongated edges of a tablet rear support panel. The tablet is retained by a lateral retention channel extending along a lateral edge and at least one flexible retention element located proximate an opposite lateral edge thereof. The handle assembly can be rigidly fixed to the rear panel or moveably assembled to the rear panel. Movement between the handle and the rear panel can include a sliding movement, a rotating movement, and/or a pivoting movement. A user input device can be integrated into the handle for controlling at least one of a light and/or a camera integrated into the holster, the tablet, and the like.
US09995429B2
The present invention discloses a fastening structure based on ratchet mesh. The fastening structure includes a ratchet sleeve shaft comprising at least one first ratchet portion set on an outer surface thereof, an adjustable sleeve shaft sleeved in the adjustable sleeve shaft and being rotatable around a central axis thereof, and an elastic ratchet plate separately sleeved on the ratchet sleeve shaft. The elastic ratchet plate includes a second ratchet portion corresponding to the first ratchet portion and at least one end fixed to the adjustable sleeve shaft.
US09995418B2
A bulkhead fitting assembly that includes a tube, a mounting flange attachable to a bulkhead, a thermal shell joining the mounting flange and the tube and having a portion spaced away from the tube forming an air pocket between the tube and the thermal shell, a plurality of mounting studs extending from the mounting flange away from the thermal shell, and a plurality of bushings positioned between the mounting studs and the bulkhead. The plurality of bushings are each shaped to complete a current path from the tube to the plurality of mounting studs, from the plurality of mounting studs to the plurality of bushings, and from the plurality of bushings to the bulkhead. Nuts are threaded on the studs to secure the fitting assembly by sandwiching the bulkhead between the mounting flange and the bushings, which are retained by the nuts.
US09995417B2
An extended length tube structure includes a first ceramic tube segment having a first end and a second end, and a second ceramic tube segment having a first end and a second end, in which the second end of the first ceramic tube segment is arranged to face the first end of the second ceramic tube segment. A ceramic coupling component is positioned to circumscribe the end-to-end configuration of the tube segments, and is sinter-bonded to the tube segments to form an continuous, extended length tube structure having a seal, such as a sinter bond or an interference bond, that is free of bond materials.
US09995401B2
Valve wedge for a slide valve including a rough cast metal wedge core encapsulated in a soft seal encapsulation and having two guide members projecting transversely in opposite directions, each of the guide members including a sideways projecting rib of the rough cast wedge core and a prefabricated wear and corrosion-resistant slide shoe arranged thereon, each rib having laterally opposite lateral surfaces and each shoe including two opposite lateral walls with inner surfaces, each shoe being fixedly vulcanized to the respective one of the ribs by means of soft seal encapsulation present between the rough cast wedge core and the shoe where the outer lateral surfaces of the ribs are finished surfaces and the opposite inner surfaces of each of the slide shoes is laterally rigidly supported by the corresponding outer lateral surfaces of the respective one of the ribs so that each rib laterally rigidly supports the respective one of the slide shoes.
US09995400B2
A thermally compensated valve trim component for a fluid flow control device is provided. The valve trim component includes a base and a sleeve coupled to the base. The base is formed of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, while the sleeve is formed of a second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient different from the first thermal expansion coefficient. The valve trim component further includes a thermal compensating apparatus arranged within a gland defined between the base and the sleeve. The thermal compensating apparatus is formed of a third material having a third thermal expansion coefficient different from the first and second thermal expansion coefficients, such that the thermal compensating apparatus minimizes a resultant thermal expansion differential of the valve trim component.
US09995398B2
A double eccentric valve includes a valve seat having a seat surface, a valve element having an annular sealing surface, and a rotary shaft having an axis parallel to a radial direction of the valve element and offset from the center of a valve hole in a radial direction thereof. The sealing surface is positioned eccentrically from the axis toward an extending direction of an axis of the valve element. The valve element rotates about the axis of the rotary shaft between a fully-closed position in which the sealing surface is in surface contact with the seat surface and a fully-open position in which the sealing surface is furthest away from the seat surface. Simultaneously with start of rotation of the valve element from the fully-closed position, the sealing surface starts to separate from the seat surface and also move along rotation path about the axis of the rotary shaft.
US09995397B2
A seal housing is disposed to support an axially facing seal segment, and comprises a substrate and a coating. The substrate has an inner annular surface, an axially facing substrate surface, and a corner feature at an intersection of the inner annular surface and the axially facing substrate surface. The corner feature includes an annular notch in the inner annular surface, and a chamfer extending from the annular notch to the axially facing substrate surface. The coating is formed on the axially facing substrate surface and into the corner feature of the substrate, and has a coating surface, parallel to the axially facing substrate surface, that terminates at the inner annular surface and abuts the seal segment.
US09995395B2
A brush seal includes a bristle part formed by multiple bristles attached to a stationary part between the stationary part and a rotational part that undergo relative motion by maintaining a space in between and a back plate to restrict the movement of the bristle part. Such brush seal for sealing a fluid between the stationary part and the rotational part includes the bristle part formed by the multiple bristles such that the multiple bristles arranged in a direction of pressure difference between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side are mutually fixed between a base end and a free end to form planar bristles, and these planar bristles are arranged continuously in layers in a circumferential direction to form a circular bristle part, wherein circumferential grooves are formed on the sliding surface of the bristle part on its free end side.
US09995385B2
A method and device for actuating a shift element of an automatic transmission having a start-stop function and a pressure medium pump driven by an internal combustion engine. The shifting elements are clutches or brakes that can be actuated by a piston which is actuated for engagement via pressure supplied to a pressure space. The pressure space is depressurized when the engine stops. To enhance start-stop operation, the shifting elements comprise an additional pressure space that acts, in opposition to the pressure space acting in the engaging direction, as a controllable restoring mechanism which can be rendered inactive, if desired. If the engine stops and the automatic start-stop function is activated, the additional pressure spaces, acting in the restoring direction, are depressurized before the pressure drop in the pressure spaces, acting in the engaging direction, of the pistons, but are otherwise permanently pressurized during driving operation.
US09995381B2
A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a front cover, an impeller shell and a turbine axially movable to frictionally engage the impeller shell such that the turbine forms a piston of a lockup clutch. A first pressure chamber is defined axially between the turbine and the impeller shell. The torque converter further includes a reaction plate positioned axially between the front cover and the turbine. A second pressure chamber is defined axially between the reaction plate and the turbine and a third pressure chamber is defined axially between the reaction plate and the front cover. A method of forming a torque converter is also provided.
US09995376B2
A drive assembly for a slide out in an expandable enclosure, the drive assembly comprising a beam attachable to the slide out, the beam having a first row of teeth and a second row of teeth thereon, the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth extending parallel to each other on opposite sides of the beam wherein the teeth in the first row of teeth are offset relative to the teeth in the second row of teeth and a drive gear having a first gear wheel engagable with the first row of teeth and a second gear wheel engagable with the second row of teeth, and an actuator coupled to the beam to selectively extend and retract the beam.
US09995373B2
A manual drive for a motor with an external rotational member coupled to a main shaft of the motor features a transmission rotational member which is movable axially along a shaft about which it rotates, such that the transmission rotational member of the manual drive is movable between a driving position at one location along the shaft where the transmission rotational member is rotatable so as to drive the motor and a braking position at a different location along the shaft where the transmission rotational member is in engagement with a braking member for braking the motor. The shaft features a threaded portion which is arranged to draw the transmission rotational member rotating in the first rotational direction along the shaft towards a first portion of the braking member by threadable engagement with the transmission rotational member for braking the transmission rotational member rotating in the first rotational direction.
US09995362B2
A cylinder device includes a piston rod that is inserted into a cylinder so as to be movable back and forth. The piston rod has a rod portion that extends outside the cylinder, and a piston connected to an end portion of the rod portion, the piston moving in the cylinder in a slidable manner. The rod portion has a rod inner space formed in the rod portion, the rod inner space communicating with the piston-side chamber of the cylinder, a first communicating passage that connects the rod inner space and the rod-side chamber of the cylinder, and an orifice plug provided in the first communicating passage in a changeable manner. The piston is connected to the rod portion so as to cover a part of the orifice plug.
US09995358B2
A flexible joint for attachment to a suspension link. The flexible joint includes a housing. The housing includes an external surface and an internal surface. The flexible joint also includes a flexible joint insert. The flexible joint insert includes an inner sleeve. The inner sleeve includes a channel, where the channel is configured to receive at least a portion of an external device, and an external surface. The flexible joint insert also includes an inner elastomer. The inner elastomer is fused to at least a portion of the external surface of the inner sleeve. The flexible joint insert further includes an outer elastomer. The outer elastomer is harder than the inner elastomer. An interface between the inner elastomer and the outer elastomer is fused and a portion of the outer elastomer is in contact with the internal surface of the housing. The outer elastomer is not permanently attached to the housing.
US09995356B2
A back plate for a brake pad of a disc brake assembly is provided. The back plate comprises a plate body provided with a pair of opposite surfaces and lateral flanks. An engaging portion is defined on a first one of the surfaces, delimited by a corresponding perimeter, and adapted to receive a friction material. The engaging portion is provided with at least a first series of rectilinear parallel rows of retaining elements for the friction material. Each row comprises a plurality of grooves associated to corresponding protrusions. The protrusions are provided with a proximal end integrally connected to the material of the plate body and a free distal end. For each row of the at least first series of rows, a distance measured along the axis of each row between the mutually adjacent retaining elements closest to the perimeter of the engaging portion and the perimeter is constant.
US09995352B2
A rotational speed control device maintains a shaft rotation speed. The device includes a housing containing a viscous fluid and a shaft disposed in the housing and rotatable relative to the housing. A rotor is coupled with the shaft for rotation in the viscous fluid. The rotor is axially displaceable along the shaft between a low-shear position and a high-shear position. A spring mechanism is disposed in the housing and biases the rotor toward the low-shear position. The rotor may be designed to cooperate with the housing or other nonrotating features within the housing to vary a shear gap according to the axial position of the rotor. The rotor, housing and spring mechanism can be designed to cooperate to create large changes in braking torque in response to small changes in shaft rotational speed. This allows the rotation speed to be controlled within a relatively narrow range.
US09995351B2
A park brake system for an electric motor actuator is provided. The system may comprise a wrap spring that may rotatably engage the shaft. In this regard, the system may be configured to exert a radial force on a shaft of the electric motor actuator to lock the actuator. Moreover, in various embodiments, the system may be bi-stable.
US09995349B2
A rotation transmission device includes a one-way clutch which is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser and an input shaft of a generator, which makes a connection between the output shaft and the input shaft to be rotatable integrally in a state in which a rotation speed of the output shaft is higher than that of the input shaft, and which cuts off the connection between the output shaft and the input shaft in a state in which the rotation speed of the output shaft is lower than that of the input shaft. The rotation transmission device further includes: a measurement section which measures a state of the one-way clutch which changes depending on a load exerted to the one-way clutch; and an acquisition section which acquires the load exerted to the one-way clutch on a basis of a measurement result of the measurement section.
US09995346B2
The invention relates to a clutch disk (1) for a friction clutch, comprising a disk-shaped main part (2) with a support element (5), which support element (5) has an outer circumference (6) over which multiple receiving areas (7) for wing-like friction components (8) are distributed, the friction components (8) being connected to the support element (5), and each friction component (8) has a first friction lining (12) and a second friction lining (13), and the first friction linings (12) are arranged on first friction lining supports (14), the first friction lining supports (14) are connected to a spring element (16) and the spring elements (16) are connected to the support element (5), and the second friction linings (13) are arranged on second friction lining supports (15), and furthermore the spring elements (16) are arranged between the first and the second friction lining supports (14, 15) and the second friction lining supports (15) are directly connected to the support element (5).
US09995342B2
Self-adjusting bushing bearing with a shaft seal for engaging a shaft. The self-adjusting bushing bearing has a plurality of bearing segments configured to receive a shaft therein. A springy element engages an outer surface of the plurality of bearing segments and biases the plurality of bearing segments towards the shaft. A shaft seal coupled to the springy element is configured to contact the shaft when the shaft is received in the plurality of bearing segments so as to create an operable seal between the shaft and the housing.
US09995340B2
The spacer for rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and at least one row of angular contact rollers disposed between raceways provided on the rings. The spacer comprises two opposite faces 17 having a concave profile adapted to the rollers, at least one of said faces comprising two contact surfaces 17a, 17b with the associated roller and a concave recess 17c extending between said contact surfaces and directed outwards towards said roller.
US09995335B2
A coupling element for a multi-joint crank drive of an internal combustion engine includes a coupling lever having a first eye for a piston connecting rod, and a second eye for an articulation connecting rod. A bearing cover forms with the coupling lever a third eye for a crank pin. The coupling lever and the bearing cover are connected to each other by bolts which defined parallel longitudinal central axes. The coupling lever and the bearing cover abut each other at an outer periphery of the third eye at adjacent contact surfaces on both sides of the third eye to define a separating plane which extends through a center of the third eye at an acute angle with respect to a further plane which passes through the center of the third eye and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal central axes of the bolts.
