US09999974B2

A robot includes a plurality of joints including a first joint and a second joint that rotates in a direction different from a rotation direction of the first joint, a plurality of arm members including a first arm member provided to be rotatable with respect to a base via the first joint, and a first angular velocity sensor provided in the first arm member or the first joint. A first inertial sensor is provided in the first arm member (or a portion that rotates together with the first arm member in the first joint). The plurality of joints are controlled on the basis of an output of the first inertial sensor.
US09999972B2

An object of the present invention is to prevent unnecessary driving stop of a stepping motor. A robot arm section includes a robot arm, a stepping motor 31a, a motor driver 31b, an encoder 31c and a step-out detection section 31e. The robot arm has a joint J1. The stepping motor generates power for operating the joint. The motor driver drives the stepping motor according to a target angle. The encoder outputs an encoder pulse every time a drive shaft of the stepping motor rotates by a predetermined angle. The step-out detection section detects a step-out of the stepping motor based on the target angle and a current angle of the stepping motor that is identified based on the encoder pulse. When the stepping motor does not recover from the step-out before a predetermined grace time elapses from a time at which the step-out is detected, the motor driver stops driving the stepping motor at the time point at which the grace time elapses.
US09999965B2

A detachable and torque-adjustable cross wrench includes a primary bar and a torque-setting secondary bar, and an end of the primary bar is a socket insertion end and the other end of the primary bar is installed with an assistant turning handle provided for pivoting. A penetrating hole formed at a thickening middle section is provided for connecting the torque-setting secondary bar to form a cross wrench. The torque-setting secondary bar includes a plugging inner rod with a spacer ring slot, a force applying outer rod containing a torque-setting module, a handheld turning handle, an elastic pushing member, a torque-adjusting screw cap and a retaining ring. The torque-adjusting screw cap is provided for rotating and adjusting the torque-setting module to a predetermined torque value, so as to achieve an expected torque-setting.
US09999964B2

A ratchet wrench with tooth breakage resistance includes a body having a driving hole and a transmission hole intersecting with the driving hole. An inner periphery of the driving hole includes two adjoining portions on opposite sides of the transmission hole. An arcuate portion extends between the two adjoining portions. A separate tooth breakage preventing device is mounted in the arcuate portion and includes a contact face in contact with one of first and second outer toothed sections of either of two first pawls to prevent tooth breakage between a toothed portion of the driving hole and the one of the first and second outer toothed sections of either of the first pawls when the body is rotated to provide a ratcheting function for driving the fastener.
US09999959B2

A deep hole drill head support pad whose edge chamfers are formed in a continuous grinding operation so that there are no discontinuities in the angled side surface leading up to the outer surface thereof. A method of manufacturing the support pad includes generating a virtual guide metric including a curved travel path for a grinding surface around a support pad blank, and a plurality of control surfaces intersecting with the curved path at separate locations along its length, each control surface defining an angle of orientation of the grinding surface. A CNC grinding machine can interpret the virtual guide metric to change the angle of orientation of a grinding surface relative to a support pad blank as it moves between adjacent control surfaces in a continuous manner.
US09999958B2

A device and methods are provided for deep rolling. In one embodiment, a deep rolling tool for applying compressive stress with rolling elements includes a fork having a base section and a plurality of fork arms, each fork arm extends outwardly from the base section and the fork arms are separated from one another to form an opening. The deep rolling tool may also include rolling elements, wherein each rolling element is mounted at the distal end of a fork arm, and the rolling elements are configured to apply a compressive stress to articles received by the deep rolling tool.
US09999951B2

Coupling members and pipe machining apparatuses including coupling members are provided. In one aspect, a coupling member includes a shaft and an engagement member defining a cavity there through and including a projection. The shaft is at least partially positioned within the cavity and extends through the cavity, and the shaft is adapted to rotate relative to the engagement member. The coupling member also includes a plunger at least partially positioned within the cavity and moveable relative to the engagement member, and further includes a biasing member at least partially positioned within the cavity between the plunger and the engagement member.
US09999945B2

A solder alloy may include a Sn—Cu hypereutectic area having Cu in the amount of up to 7.6 weight percent, from 0.006 to 0.5 weight percent of Al, Al2O3, or a combination thereof.
US09999942B2

There is disclosed a system and method for laser cutting of human allograft tissue. One embodiment includes a laser canister having a housing fabricated with a sterilizable material. The housing defines an interior portion, an exterior portion, and a selectively operable opening into the interior portion. The selectively operable opening includes a hermetic seal to maintain a sterile environment from the exterior portion when the selectively operable opening is closed. The canister includes an infrared (IR) transmissive optical window disposed in the housing and configured to allow a laser beam to penetrate therethrough to the interior portion. The canister also includes an insert within the interior portion configured to support human allograft tissue in a sterile environment, the insert being removable from the housing to move the human allograft tissue into another sterile environment after the housing has been exposed to a non-sterile environment. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09999937B2

A spot welding system 10 includes a spot welding gun having an opposite electrode 44, a movable electrode 48, and a drive part 52, a position detection part 54 that detects a position of the movable electrode 48, and a pressure change calculation part that calculates an amount of change between first pressurizing force at a first attitude and second pressurizing force at a second attitude based on a first position of the movable electrode 48 when the drive part 52 has been driven by a first pressurizing force command at the first attitude, a second position of the movable electrode 48 when the drive part 52 has been driven by the first pressurizing force command at the second attitude, and the first pressurizing force command. The first pressurizing force command and the first pressurizing force coincide with each other.
US09999934B2

A bevel gear manufacturing face cutter head (2) for face hobbing and face milling. The cutter head has blade positioning slots (20) having a four-sided shaped cross-section and positive blade seating surfaces (22, 24). The cutter head also has the capability to clamp cutting blades (8) tight to the positive blade seating surfaces and to adjust the cutting blades radially after they are pre-clamped and axially located.
US09999927B2

A tool assembly for heavy duty machining includes an insert, tool and clamp for securing the insert to a rigid insert seat of the tool. The insert is a solid cutting insert including a single cutting edge located at a corner region thereof. At a diagonally opposed corner region the insert is not subjected to clamping forces.
US09999926B2

A method for manufacturing high aspect ratio silver nanowires is provided, wherein a total glycol concentration is <0.001 wt % at all times.
US09999919B2

A primary object of this invention is to provide a method for operating a continuous casting machine with which a mold can oscillate with a predetermined oscillation waveform since the start of operation of an oscillator. This invention is a method for operating a continuous casting machine, the method comprising: withdrawing a slab from a mold while vertically oscillating the mold with an oscillation waveform represented by the following formula (1) by selecting a value of φ according to a value of b so that the following formula (1) satisfies r(0)=0: r(t)=(S/2){sin(ωt+φ)+b cos 2(ωt+φ)+b}  (1) where r(t): displacement of the mold (mm), S: vibration stroke of the mold S (mm), ω: angular velocity (=2πf) (rad/s), f: oscillation frequency of the mold (Hz), t: time(s), φ: initial phase (°), and b: non-sine coefficient (0
US09999911B2

A system and method for detecting a defective part and the type of defect formed during stamping operations. The system and method will not only detect the defect but also the nature of the defect and the time at which the defect occurred during stamping operations. Such information is useful not only in quality control but also in isolating a problem which may exist in stamping operations and thus eliminating time for isolating such problems and correcting them. The system and method uses a profile of a properly stamped part to detect a defect, and the root cause of the defect.
US09999909B2

A system for intercepting, treating and venting vapors from contaminated soil in the vadose zone and from contaminated groundwater includes a large borehole and at least one small borehole each having an open top end, a porous liner against the outer wall and porous fill material inside the liner. The fill material can include materials to retard and degrade contaminants in the vapors. The large and small boreholes can have impermeable sections in the liner, and impermeable ground cover around the top ends. The large borehole can also include a slotted aeration tube in the borehole and vegetation planted in the open end of the borehole. A method for intercepting, treating and venting of vapors from contaminated soil in the vadose zone and contaminated groundwater includes the system and pulling vapors out the top end of the large borehole with variations in atmospheric barometric pressure.
US09999907B2

A method includes immersing an article comprising a yttrium based oxide in an acidic cleaning solution comprising water and 1-10 mol % HF acid. A portion of the yttrium based oxide is dissolved by the HF acid. A yttrium based oxy-fluoride is formed based on a reaction between the HF acid and the dissolved portion of the yttrium based. The yttrium based oxy-fluoride is precipitated onto the article over the yttrium based oxide to form a yttrium based oxy-fluoride coating. The acidic cleaning solution may include a yttrium based salt, which may additionally react with the HF acid to form more of the yttrium based oxy-fluoride.
US09999896B2

A piston pump with an improved arrangement by which a piston-forming element is movable relative to a piston chamber-forming element between locked and unlocked positions. The piston chamber-forming body has a collar member having an inner guide tube coaxially about an axis with a lug member extending radially inwardly therefrom and the piston-forming element has a slide tube coaxially radially inwardly of the collar member with the slide tube carrying motion control features for interaction and engagement with the lug member whereby relative axial and rotational movement of the piston-forming element relative to the piston chamber-forming body provides for the adoption of positions in which the pump is operable to dispense fluid and positions in which the pump is inoperative.
US09999891B2

A reducing machine having an air cooled cutting discs is disclosed. The air cooled discs have cutting surfaces on both sides. The cutting surfaces have edges which are sharpened for cutting input material when the cutting surface is facing the cutting surface of the opposed disc. When the cutting surface of the stationary disc is facing the housing, the cutting surface acts as a heat sink to air cool the stationary disc and the mill assembly in general. Air inlets in the housing lid permit air to flow over the cooling surface of the stationary plate. Air inlets in the carrying plate permit the carrying plate to channel air flow over the rotating cooling surface. A damper restricts air flow over the air cooling surfaces to control the temperature of the reducing machine, such as during start up.
US09999884B2

A disposable cartridge for rapidly metering a sample for measuring a property of the sample is described. The cartridge can receive a sample when it is in an unsealed configuration, and a cap is used to facilitate metering of the sample and sealing the cartridge. When the cartridge is in a sealed configuration, pressurized air is used to push the metered sample into a chamber containing at least one reagent, and subsequently into a detection chamber for measuring a property of the sample.
US09999880B2

A method for purifying water in a spent fuel pool in a nuclear power plant, the method including passing the water at a linear flow velocity of 50 m/h or less through a purification apparatus. The apparatus includes an ion exchange resin layer and a metal-doped resin layer laid at a bed height of 2 cm or more on a surface layer of the ion exchange resin layer. The method includes contacting the water with the metal-doped resin layer to decompose a pro-oxidant contained in the water and subsequently contacting the water with the ion exchange resin to produce purified water.
US09999876B2

Provided is a catalyst for the selective reduction of NOx comprising a two molecular sieve materials having a CHA structure, wherein the first molecular sieve has a mean crystal size of about 0.01 to 1 μm and the second molecular sieve has a mean crystal size of about 1-5 μm, and wherein the first molecular sieve contains a first extra-framework metal, the second molecular sieve contains a second extra-framework metal, and wherein said first and second extra-framework metals are independently selected from the group consisting of cesium, copper, nickel, zinc, iron, tin, tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, bismuth, titanium, zirconium, antimony, manganese, chromium, vanadium, niobium, and combinations thereof.
US09999870B2

A combined catalyst and catalyst support comprising: a nanostructured solar selective support to which at least one catalyst is affixed; the catalyst comprising at least one material that activates chemical reactions that produce fuels; the nanostructured solar selective support comprising material that is highly absorbing over a portion of the solar spectrum and exhibits low emissivity toward thermal radiation and/or has a surface textured to lower emissivity; the combined catalyst and catalyst support exhibiting at least one of a photochemical effect and a photothermal effect; wherein these effects cause the chemical reaction rates to increase with exposure to an increasing number of incident photons within the solar spectrum.
US09999862B2

A rehydration capsule, and a method of rehydrating media within such capsule, the capsule including a capsule body having an inlet and an outlet, a member proximate the inlet having at least an opening therethrough, a filter proximate the outlet, and a hollow flow tube corresponding to each of said at least one opening mounted to the member and having an inlet at one end aligned with the at least one opening and having at least one opening through its body.
US09999860B2

An article with a body having spaced channels created at a surface of the body and extending into the body, wherein the channels are located at controlled spaced locations. The channeled or microchanneled articles may be in the form of channeled or microchanneled membranes or otherwise. Methods of manufacturing channeled articles and uses of the channeled articles are described.
US09999855B2

Disclosed are systems, devices, methods, and other implementations, including a device to detect at least one target species in a sample, with the device including a microfluidic channel configured to receive the sample containing the at least one target species and a biocompatible ferrofluid in which the at least one target species is suspended, a detector to determine the at least one target species in the sample, and at least two of electrodes positioned proximate the microfluidic channel, the at least two electrodes configured to generate controllable magnetic forces in the sample containing the ferrofluid when a controllable at least one electrical current is applied to the at least two electrodes. The generated controllable magnetic forces causes the at least one target species to be directed towards the detector. Also disclosed are devices for separating target species in a ferrofluid, and for focusing target species suspended in a ferrofluid.
US09999853B2

The present invention provides processes for filtering undesired chemicals in streams of contaminated air for supply to confined areas. The processes provide (1) contacting air with a filter comprising by volume from about 5% to about 95% impregnated zirconium hydroxide, from about 5% to about 95% activated impregnated carbon, and optionally, up to about 50% ammonia removal material; and (2) supplying the contacted air to a confined area.
US09999852B2

A method for removing SOx from a gas by using a compound alcohol-amine solution is provided. The compound alcohol-amine solution is made by mixing ethylene glycol and/or polyethylene glycol with hydroxyl and/or carboxyl organic compound having basic group containing nitrogen. The compound alcohol-amine solution is contacted with the gas containing SOx to absorb the SOx in the gas, wherein x=2 and/or 3. The compound alcohol-amine solution with absorbed SOx is regenerated by one or more of heating method, vacuum method, gas stripping method, ultrasonic method, microwave method, and radiation method to release by-products of sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, and the regenerated compound alcohol-amine solution is recycled for use. This method can be used for removing SOx from flue gas, burning gas, coke-oven gas, synthesis waste gas from dyestuff plants, sewage gas from chemical fiber plants, and other industrial raw material gases or waste gases containing SOx.
US09999850B2

A method of filtering contaminants from a fluid is disclosed. A feedstream of fluid containing contaminants is directed into a filter chamber containing a filter element. Part of the feedstream fluid flows in one of: a forward flow direction where it passes in a first direction through a wall of the filter element; and a reverse flow direction where it passes in a second, opposite direction through the wall. The filtrate is directed into a flowline for collection. The feedstream fluid is then arranged to flow through the filter element in the other direction, to remove contaminant material from a surface of the element wall. Following removal of contaminant material, the feedstream fluid is continued to be directed through the wall of the filter element in said other direction, to filter out contaminants from the fluid during flow in said other direction.
US09999849B2

A dual bag filter is provided where a replaceable filter element resides in and is sealed to a filter housing. The filter element has a mounting ring, an inner bag, and an outer bag. The inner bag is sized such that it has more surface area than the outer bag and is constrained by the outer bag. The inner bag is formed from a filter medium of different densities such that when the inner bag is crumpled, fluid flow is not restricted. A perforated central core keeps opposing sides of the inner bag from making contact.
US09999845B2

A method of removing entrained air from a coolant in a coolant system that may not include a fluid reservoir, includes connecting a de-aeration tank to the coolant system. The de-aeration tank is connected in fluid communication to the coolant system in parallel with a heat exchanger, such that a first connection device connects the de-aeration tank to the coolant system upstream of the heat exchanger, and a second connection device connects the de-aeration tank to the coolant system downstream of the heat exchanger. The coolant is circulated from the coolant system, through the de-aeration tank, and back to the coolant system, with a pump, until substantially all entrained air is removed from the coolant. The de-aeration tank may then be disconnected from the coolant system.
US09999839B2

A ball is provided forming an inside structure of the snow person, the ball having an inner and outer surface. The ball is a unitary work piece that is free and unconnected to other work pieces. An adhesion surface is disposed on the outer surface of the ball, the adhesion surface provided with nodules that extend away from the surface of the ball to adhere snow while the ball is rolled. Light units are integrated into the surface of the ball and having light emitting portions that extend away from the surface of the ball. A light output of the light units is selected to transmit light through a layer of snow. Connections between the light units situated within the ball connect the light units together.
US09999835B2

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing motion sickness of a user while the user is wearing a head-mounted device (HMD). One method includes an operation for monitoring the physical characteristics of the user while wearing the HMD that is presenting a virtual reality with multimedia content, where the physical characteristics including motions of the user. The multimedia content includes audio and video for presentation on a display of the HMD. Additionally, the method includes an operation for determining if the user is experiencing motion sickness based on the monitoring of the physical characteristics of the user while the virtual reality is being presented. When the user is experiencing motion sickness, supplemental sound is delivered to the user, where the supplemental sound is combined with sound from the multimedia content for delivery to the user, and the supplemental sound is defined to decrease the motion sickness experienced by the user.
US09999834B2

A method of and system for handling latency issues encountered in producing real-time entertainment such as games of skill synchronized with live or taped televised events is described herein. There are multiple situations that are dealt with regarding latencies in receiving a television signal with respect to real-time entertainment based on the unfolding games played along with the telecasts. Systemic delays, arbitrarily imposed delays of a broadcast signal and variances in the precise broadcast times of taped television programs have to be equalized so as to provide fair entertainment.
US09999825B2

A Smart-court system, adaptive to constrained sport environment, for enabling real time analysis and debriefing of sport activities is provided herein. The Smart-court system is comprised of: (i) an automatic recording system comprising a plurality of video cameras located in a court, arranged to real-time (RT) recording of a sport session and utilizing automatic calibration and stabilization module; and (ii) a data processing system comprising: (a) a capture module for grabbing a video stream; (b) an objects' detector module arranged to extract during the RT sport session, the objects from the foreground of each frame; (c) an event module for automatically analyzing, the motion and the activities of the tracked objects for automatically identifying and classifying events, creating a synchronized event log and calculating statistics that occurred during the RT sport session; and (d) a presentation module enabling to perform instant debriefing, combined biomechanical and tactical analysis of the video.
US09999823B2

A system for analyzing a golf swing process includes a sensor system for simultaneously measuring human body movements, club head trajectories and the ball trajectories; a processor for reading data of the sensor system; synchronizing and processing the data; generating the human body 3D model, the club trajectories and the initial flying trajectory of the ball; and calculating a complete flying trajectory of the ball according to the initial flying trajectory; and a visual device, wherein the visual device provides the integrated display of the human body 3D model, the feet pressures, the club trajectories and the ball trajectories, for tracing the club trajectories according to the ball trajectories, and tracing the human 3D model and the feet pressures according to the club trajectories. A method for analyzing the golf swing process is also provided.
US09999802B2

Disclosed is an exercise device having an elongated body, a slot formed length-wise in the body, the slot having an undercut portion on each side, a plurality of holes in slot for receiving one of a plurality of fasteners, an exercise accessory having a connecting member, and a head of the connecting member, the head sized to be received in the slot of the body and configured to be slidably retained in the slot. The slot can have undercut portions. The undercut portions can have locking features. The head of the connecting member can have complimentary locking features. A tightening member can fix the connecting member in a position in the slot. The elongated body can have a cutout for receiving the head of the connecting member.
US09999801B2

A leg and foot strength training device for infants. The device includes a support bed and a partition at one end of the support bed. The partition cooperates with the support bed to form a cavity. An infant lying on the support bed maybe positioned such that their legs and feet maybe located substantially within cavity. When the infant pushes or kicks his or her legs or feet toward and/or against the partition from within cavity, the partition may provide an amount of resilient resistance against the legs or feet kicks or pushes.
US09999799B2

Apparatus for performing an arm extension exercise comprising: a frame, a seat having a seating surface (S), an elbow pad having an engaging surface (ES), an input arm assembly interconnected to a resistance mechanism and a manually graspable mechanism, the input arm assembly being adapted to reside in a start motionless position (SMP) that disposes the manually graspable mechanism in a start exercise position (SEP) that is disposed vertically above UW) the user's elbows, the input arm assembly being pivotable around a linear axis disposed rearwardly of the user's elbow.
US09999798B2

Versatile exercise apparatus is portable and provides adjustable volume to weight ratio for multi-purpose weight, cardio, sport-specific, and martial arts training. Versatile exercise apparatus provides a user with the ability to adjust volume to weight ratio using a waterproof fillable cavity. The different markings on the transparent viewing window of the apparatus allow a user to vary the difficulty level of workouts by changing the corresponding weight of either water or sand added to the apparatus. Versatility is provided by the apparatus either being used as a backpack or a hand-held free weight, or a punching bag.
US09999797B2

An assisted chin/dip exercise apparatus has a main frame and an assist or foot bar pivotally mounted on the frame and linked to a weight stack or resistance for assisting a user standing on the foot bar during performance of chin and dip exercises. The main frame has a first, overhead handle assembly and a second, dip handle assembly below the first handle assembly. The first handle assembly includes a pair of adjustably mounted handles freely pivotable between a first, chin-up position in which the handles extend towards one another at a rearward angle with a small spacing between the handles and a second, pull-up position in which the handles extend in a forward direction and are spaced apart by a larger spacing sufficient to provide head clearance for a user stepping onto the foot bar or while performing a dip exercise.
US09999792B2

A dual air vent allows air or gas to be vented from a wet pipe fire protection sprinkler system, but inhibits water from spilling out. A conventional first air vent valve is operative to vent air or gas as a pipe is filled with water, but not vent the water. However, it may discharge a small amount of water when the pipe fills and substantially all air or gas has been vented. The output of the first air vent valve is not released into the protected premises, but rather is routed to a reservoir having a second air vent. Air or gas is vented through the second air vent, but any water discharged by the first air vent valve is retained in the reservoir. The reservoir is connected to the pipe by a one-way valve which allows air flow in either direction, and allows water flow from the reservoir to the pipe, but blocks water flow from the pipe to the reservoir. When the pipe is again drained, water retained in the reservoir is allowed to flow into the pipe, where it is also drained.
US09999791B2

An apparatus is disclosed for extinguishing a stovetop fire over a stovetop having a first burner, the apparatus including a container detachably mountable to a microwave positioned above the stove top, the container having a closure retained in a closed position on the container. A supply of fire suppressant material is retained within the container when the closure is in the closed position. A heat responsive actuator is disposed on the container. When the container is mounted to the microwave over the first burner, and the fire actuates the heat responsive actuator, the closure moves to an open position and at least a portion of the supply of fire suppressant material falls toward the first burner.
US09999790B2

Novel systems and methods for performing treatment (e.g., coloration) of keratinous fibers are disclosed. The methods and systems utilize one or more of a dispensing device which is configured to provide customized composition for treating keratinous fibers (e.g., a coloring composition), optionally formed from tablets; an optical reader, for obtaining sufficient characteristics of the keratinous fibers to make a realistic prediction of the outcome of a treatment (e.g., coloring treatment); a computational units for predicting an outcome of a treatment, optionally being interfaced with the dispensing device and for selecting a customized treatment; and tablet formulations which are useful in preparing customized composition for treating keratinous fibers. Further disclosed are rapidly disintegrating tablets for use in the preparation of compositions for treating keratinous fibers.
US09999787B1

To overcome the difficulties inherent in conventional proton therapy systems, new techniques are described herein for synchronizing the application of proton radiation with the periodic movement of a target area. In an embodiment, a method is provided that combines multiple rescans of a spot scanning proton beam while monitoring the periodic motion of the target area, and aligning the applications of the proton beam with parameters of the periodic motion. For example, the direction(s) and frequency of the periodic motion may be monitored, and the timing, dose rate, and/or scanning direction and spot sequence of the beam can be adjusted to align with phases in the periodic motion.
US09999780B2

Device and method for generating brief strong current pulses in a coil for generating magnetic field pulses which according to the electromagnetic induction principle induce stimulation currents in the body tissue triggering an action potential of the nerve and/or muscle cells, where the coil is positionable close to the body tissue to be stimulated so that its magnetic field passes through the body tissue, and where the device comprises a power generating unit that can generate a freely selectable temporal course of the current through the coil during the current pulse. A method for determining an optimized temporal course of a brief strong current pulse through the coil, where the temporal course of the current pulse is calculated using a method which numerically simulates the electrical behavior of nerve and/or muscle cells and the coil and optimizes the course of the current pulse regarding at least one parameter, or which by means of stimulating the nerve and/or muscle cells with predetermined current pulses optimizes the temporal course of the current pulse regarding at least one parameter and therefrom determines essential parameters of nerve and/or muscle cells.
US09999779B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for applying low magnetic fields (<400 G) to mammalian cells, tissues and organs for protection from the damaging effects of ionizing radiation and other oxygen dependent injuries that involve the radical pair mechanism. The magnetic fields are generated by fixed magnets or active magnets and used to enhance the survival of healthy cells during radiation treatment for cancer, to protect workers from radiation within nuclear power plants, to protect astronauts from radiation during long space voyages, to increase working time in exposed environments, to provide a safe room in hazardous locations, and to protect normal tissue during radiation treatment and in medical imaging modalities that use ionizing radiation (X-ray, CT, mammography). The method described herein may also be used to mitigate the damaging effects of reperfusion, stroke, oxygen toxicity, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and the like by applying protective magnetic fields.
US09999772B2

A system and method for performing deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy are provided. The method and system include pre-operatively acquiring at least one pre-operative image of the brain with at least one imaging sub-system and determining a location of a Nucleus Basalis of Meynert (NBM) for therapy in the at least one pre-operative image, and intra-operatively acquiring at least one intra-operative image of the brain after obtaining an access opening through the skull. The method and system further provide performing surgical planning based on the pre-operative image in the intra-operative image, advancing a lead having DBS electrodes on the lead to a target position proximate to or within the NBM area, and coupling the lead to an implantable pulse generator (IPG) configured to deliver DBS pulses through the DBS electrodes to the NBM. Further, the IPG is configured to deliver DBS pulses for treating symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease.
US09999762B2

The invention relates to an apparatus for application of a pulsed radio frequency therapy in a vascular system or another cavity or tissue of the human or animal body comprising a catheter with at least one electrode disposed thereon for insertion into the vascular system or another cavity or the tissue of the human or animal body; a probe with at least one further electrode disposed thereon, wherein the probe is insertable via the catheter into the vascular system or the other cavity or the tissue of the human or animal body; and a generator electrically connected with the electrodes for generating a pulsed electro-magnetic field between the electrodes.
US09999759B2

The present invention is directed to linear surgical staplers for joining tissue layers comprising a disposable cartridge installed in a first jaw connected to an opposing second jaw, said cartridge containing a plurality of deployable staples in arrays separated by a tissue resection slot and a plurality of resorbable medicant-releasing microneedles, said microneedles comprising elongated rods having a sharp tissue-penetrating distal end and a proximal end; said microneedles are releasably disposed on or within a tissue-facing surface of the cartridge, wherein the proximal end of the microneedles is supported on the cartridge. The present invention is also directed to methods of use of such stapler assembly devices.
US09999758B2

An in-situ material delivery device for handheld, stereotactic table or MRI stage use may comprise a work element configured to selectively open and close at least one articulable beak configured to penetrate tissue to a target delivery site, or follow a central lumen of another device or other guiding modality, and then to deliver selected materials. Such a device may deliver a variety of materials such as markers, radio-active pellets, medications, other devices, and other materials of solid, liquid or gaseous form to a target site, and materials of similar nature may also be captured and removed from a target site. A single tube with or without coatings or an inner sheath and an outer sheath which may be co-axially disposed relative to a work element may be configured to actuate a beak or beaks and internal delivery mechanisms simultaneously. One embodiment of this device may be applicable to field use or one time use.
US09999757B2

The invention relates to applicators for applying a solution or other composition (e.g., an antiseptic composition) to skin of a patient. The applicator may include a container body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a frangible member disposed at the distal end of the body. The applicator includes a first position where the container body and frangible member are a unitary piece (e.g., blow molded as a single piece), and a second position when the frangible member is rotated relative to the body to irreversibly break a weak point therebetween, releasing the composition in the hollow body through an opening. A porous applicator head may be positioned adjacent the distal end of the body and frangible member, so that the composition flows out the body, through the opening, and onto the head. The applicator may be formed in a blow-fill-seal process for improved sterility and ease of manufacture.
US09999752B2

A suctioning and irrigating sinus balloon catheter is provided for treating a patient's paranasal sinus system, including dilating prepared openings, and natural ostia and ducts and excising sinus cavities and choana. The catheter has a number of fluid carrying conduits to provide irrigation, suction and inflation/deflation to the distally mounted balloon. The catheters have sufficient stiffness and column strength that the balloon carrying distal segment of the catheter can be pushed into the prepared opening, natural ostium or duct, choana or sinus to be excised. Some catheters can be hand bendable by the surgeon. Some catheters provide the capability of threading an endoscope through one of the conduits. The methods use the balloon catheters to dilate prepared openings to selected parts of the sinus system, to dilate natural ostia and ducts of the sinus system, choana, and/or to dilate sinus cavities to remove them.
US09999751B2

Various embodiments enable an introducer for a catheter to be rotated around an axis and/or traversed backward and/or forward along the axis. In various embodiments, positioning of an introducer may be enabled by an introducer support configured to be rotated around an axis and/or extended or retracted along the axis. The introducer may be manually operated and/or operated by motors in a nose cone of a catheter positioning system. In various embodiments, a portion of the introducer support may be configured to flex. In other embodiment, positioning of an introducer may be enabled by an adjustable nose cone of a catheter positioning system.
US09999750B2

Disclosed herein are a method and a medical system for utilizing of an intravascular ECG signal for central venous catheter placement. The medical system is capable of detecting the position of a catheter tip and assessing its location relative to the cavoatrial junction. The detection and assessment are performed by a multiscale analysis of the complexity of the intravascular signal data points.
US09999741B2

The accurate measurement of inspired and expired gas volume flow and gas composition are important in respiratory therapy. The invention provides a gas flow sensor for a ventilator comprising: a flow path extending between a first end that connects to a supply of gas and a second end that couples to a patient airway interface; and a constant temperature anemometer sensor arranged within the flow path between those ends. It further comprises a sampling port that may be coupled to a gas analyser device; and an orifice which is in fluid communication with the flow path and the sampling port so that, in use, gas may be drawn from the flow path for analysis, the gas being drawn from the flow path at a position located between the anemometer sensor and the first end.
US09999738B2

The present invention is a gel cushion that is placed on a user's nose bridge before putting on a ventilator mask. The gel cushion is composed of a tacky gel material, such as a viscoelastic polymer gel. The gel cushion is wider than the edges of the ventilator mask and remains in place even if the mask is repositioned. The gel cushion adapts to the user's face in the area on and around the nose bridge to cushion and seal the ventilator mask in that area.
US09999735B2

The present invention safety device is a one-piece needle assembly that has a base and a housing pivotally connected to the base. The base has a distal portion to which a needle is fitted. At the base there is formed longitudinally along its distal portion a catch mechanism that may be in the form of an anchor projection. At the back wall of the housing there is extended another catch mechanism that may be configured in the form of two clasping fingers. Also providing in the housing is an integral hook. As the housing and the base are pivoted relative to each other, and as the needle makes contact with the hook, the respective catch mechanisms at the base and the housing also make contact with each other, resulting in the coupling of the catch mechanisms and the coupling of the needle to the hook. As a result, the catch mechanisms are interlocked and the needle is fixedly retained by the hook within the housing. The catch mechanisms may also be configured as a hook and a latch in the form of a rib with an opening whereto the hook is fixedly coupled. The catch mechanisms may further be configured as respective interlockable pairs of loops and bosses. The gauge of the needle may be determined by the color of both the base and the housing, which are molded as a unitary single unit.
US09999717B2

A system for detecting whether a vascular access has been interrupted in an arrangement in which two catheters or needles are present in a blood vessel, fistula or graft. A fluid line leading to a pump is connected via a first connector to a first indwelling catheter, and a fluid line leading from a pump is connected via a second connector to a second indwelling catheter. Each connector is equipped with an electrode in contact with the lumen of the connector, the electrodes electrically connected to an electronic circuit that measures the impedance or conductivity of fluid between the first connector and second connectors via a fluid path through the blood vessel, fistula or graft. An electronic controller receives the impedance or conductivity data and processes the data to determine whether a vascular access disconnection has occurred. The processing may involve filtering the signal received by the controller, and/or setting provisional flags for a disconnection event that may be cleared if the signal changes before the expiration of a counter.
US09999712B2

A peristaltic pump includes a driver, a pump body, a hose, a rotor and a connecting member. The driver includes a supporting shaft. The pump body includes a chamber housing the rotor. The hose is assembled to an internal side of a wall of the chamber. The connecting member connects the driver with the rotor, and is received in the chamber. The rotor is configured to sequentially squeeze the hose to cause medium in the hose to flow. The connecting member and the rotor rotate about and are supported by the supporting shaft. The medical peristaltic pump has a simple structure and is easy to operate.
US09999711B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing reduced or negative pressure, and more particularly cyclical reduced pressure, to treat a wound. The system can include a wound dressing, a fluid collection container, a suction source, filters, and conduits. In addition, the system can include a control device and sensors. The sensors may be configured to monitor certain physiological conditions of a patient such as temperature, pressure, blood flow, blood oxygen saturation, pulse, cardiac cycle, and the like. Application of cyclical reduced pressure between two or more values below atmospheric pressure may be synchronized with the physiological conditions monitored by the sensors. Certain embodiments of the system utilize an air reservoir and one or more valves and pressure sensors or gauges to allow for rapid cycling of the level of reduced pressure within the wound dressing between two or more reduced pressure values.
US09999709B2

Devices, systems, and methods for treatment of an eye alter aspiration flow from the eye in response to an occlusion of the aspiration conduit pathway. Where aspiration is drawn from the eye using a volumetric pump, the pump can be reversed so as to induce fluid reflux from the aspiration conduit pathway into the eye to help clear the occlusion. The pump may vary the reverse flow in response to sensed aspiration pressure or the like, and the reverse flow may be halted before the pressure within the aspiration conduit pathway adjacent the eye significantly exceeds the irrigation fluid pressure and/or the pressure within the eye. Reflux may alternatively be generated by modulating a vent valve disposed between an irrigation conduit pathway and the aspiration conduit pathway.
US09999705B2

The present invention relates to protein biocoacervates and biomaterials and the methods of making and using protein biocoacervates and biomaterials. More specifically the present invention relates to protein biocoacervates and biomaterials that may be utilized for various medical applications including, but not limited to, drug delivery devices for the controlled release of pharmacologically active agents, coated medical devices (e.g. stents, valves . . . ), vessels, tubular grafts, vascular grafts, wound healing devices including protein suture biomaterials and biomeshes, dental plugs and implants, skin/bone/tissue grafts, tissue fillers, protein biomaterial adhesion prevention barriers, cell scaffolding and other biocompatible biocoacervate or biomaterial devices.
US09999701B2

One aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant nucleophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant electrophilic groups. Another aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant electrophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant nucleophilic groups. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for reducing lung volume in a patient comprising the step of administering a hydrogel composition as described herein. Further, hydrogels of the invention may be used to achieve pleurodesis, seal brochopleural fistulas, seal an air leak in a lung, achieve hemostasis, tissue sealing (e.g., blood vessels, internal organs), or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods described herein are intended for use in the treatment of patients with emphysema.
US09999692B2

The present invention relates to a novel composition comprising 1-amino-3-[18F]-fluorocyclobutanecarboxylic acid ([18F]-FACBC) wherein said composition has certain superior properties in comparison with known compositions comprising [18F]-FACBC. Also provided by the invention is a method to obtain said composition.
US09999684B2

The present disclosure is directed to adeno-associated viral vector monoclonal antibody constructs and compositions thereof, methods of improving locomotor function after spinal cord injury, methods of treating neurodegenerative diseases.
US09999682B2

A method for preparing chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles for protein immobilization includes forming ferrous ferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles by co-precipitation and coating the nanoparticles with chitosan in the presence of glutaraldehyde. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles can be coated by dispersing ferrous ferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles into a solution comprising chitosan and acetic acid, adding a surfactant, adding excess 50% glutaraldehyde solution, and washing the nanoparticles with a solvent. The chitosan coated ferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles can be used to immobilize proteins or other biomolecules.
US09999678B2

The invention relates to a method of preparation hydrophobized hyaluronic acid (Formula I) and further to a method of encapsulating biologically active substances into the nanomicelles of hydrophobized hyaluronan serving as carriers of biologically active hydrophobic substances. The hydrophobization of hyaluronan is carried out through an esterification reaction of hyaluronan with long-chain carboxylic acids, the latter being activated by a halogenide derivative of 2,4,6-trichlorobenzoic acid or by another organic chloride. In an aqueous environment, water-soluble hydrophobized derivatives can form nanomicelles in which nonpolar substances can be bound by means of non-covalent physical interactions. The core of a nanomicelle is formed by hydrophobic acyl functional groups while the shell of a nanomicelle is formed by hyaluronic acid. The encapsulation of the substances into nanomicelles can be performed by means of the solvent exchange method or by means of sonication. Hyaluronic nanomicelles support the penetration of bound substances in topical applications and enable the bound substances to be transferred into the individual cells. The nanomicelles obtained from hydrophobized hyaluronan derivatives are usable in cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
US09999674B2

The present invention provides stable liquid or semi-solid pharmaceutical compositions of apomorphine, more particularly composition comprising apomorphine and an organic acid, which are useful in treatment of neurological or movement diseases or disorders, e.g., Parkinson's disease, or conditions associated therewith.
US09999671B2

Compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems for the delivery of negatively charged proteins, protein complexes, and fusion proteins, using cationic polymers or lipids are provided. Delivery of proteins into cells can be effected in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro. Proteins that can be delivered using the compositions, methods, strategies, kits, and systems provided herein include, without limitation, enzymes, transcription factors, genome editing proteins, Cas9 proteins, TALEs, TALENs, nucleases, binding proteins (e.g., ligands, receptors, antibodies, antibody fragments; nucleic acid binding proteins, etc.), structural proteins, and therapeutic proteins (e.g., tumor suppressor proteins, therapeutic enzymes, growth factors, growth factor receptors, transcription factors, proteases, etc.), as well as variants and fusions of such proteins.
US09999660B2

The present invention is directed to polypeptides and compositions thereof useful for the prevention and treatment of allergic disorders, in particular atopic asthma. More particularly, the invention relates to tolerogenic agents and compositions thereof that are useful for the prevention and treatment of hypersensitivity to allergens, in particular strategies of desensitization to allergens.
US09999657B2

Conjugates of a Factor VIII moiety and one or more water-soluble polymers are provided. Typically, the water-soluble polymer is poly(ethylene glycol) or a derivative thereof. Also provided are compositions comprising the conjugates, methods of making the conjugates, and methods of administering compositions comprising the conjugates to a patient.
US09999656B2

Intestinal absorption is enhanced in short bowel syndrome patients presenting with colon-in-continuity by treatment with a GLP-2 receptor agonist, such as teduglutide.
US09999651B2

A composition comprises a water-soluble polymer matrix in which are dispersed droplets of oil, the composition comprising an active principle. The invention includes embodiments in which the active principle is included in at least some of the oil droplets as well as embodiments in which the oil droplets are free of active principle. The oil droplets are released as the matrix containing them dissolves in an aqueous medium. In one embodiment, the oil droplets are substantially immobilized in or by the matrix and the immobilizing feature is lost as the matrix dissolves in aqueous media. In certain embodiments, the oil drops may collectively be referred to as the oil phase of the composition of the invention. The product may be in the form of mini-beads. The oil phase and/or the polymer matrix may each include a surfactant.
US09999650B2

The present invention provides inhibitors and/or antagonists of plasma kallikrein. Also provided are methods of utilizing the inhibitors as therapeutics.
US09999643B2

A therapeutic composition for wet and dry gangrene includes an herbal composition alone, or in combination with one or more animal-derived products. The herbal composition can include a mixture of Saussurea acrophila Diels, Saussurea ceratocarpa, and Aucklandia lappa Decne. The mixture can include, for example, a mixture of extracts or whole herbs of Saussurea acrophila Diels, Saussurea ceratocarpa, and Aucklandia lappa Decne. The one or more animal-derived products can include at least one of camel milk and camel saliva.
US09999642B2

Embodiments of the invention are directed to compositions, kits and methods for minimizing unsightly post-procedural effects associated with an oculoplastic procedure. The composition can include escin, arnica and phytonadione in a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.
US09999640B2

Microencapsulated probiotic bacteria protected from degradation by acidic aqueous solutions, high bile salt concentrations, elevated temperatures, and prolonged storage and having an increased anti-bacterial activity as compared to their non-microencapsulated counterparts. The microencapsulated probiotic bacteria comprise probiotic bacteria encapsulated in microcapsules. The probiotic bacteria comprise live Lactobacillus plantarum cells. Each of the microcapsules comprises a matrix of a gelled alginate. The matrix wholly envelops the probiotic bacteria within the matrix. An outer surface of the matrix has a coating consisting essentially of one vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of olive oil and canola oil, or an outer surface of the matrix is treated with sodium chloride. The microencapsulated probiotic bacteria have an average particle size of less than 1000 microns (μm) in diameter.
US09999639B2

The invention describes methods and agents for improving cosmetic appearance, for promoting, improving or restoring health of cells and tissues, preferably skin, and more preferably, for restoring aged or damaged skin to a healthy appearance. The agents include compositions of cells, eggs, cell extracts, egg extracts, and extract components such as purified nucleic acids, polypeptides, lipids, carbohydrates or other natural products.
US09999637B2

Disclosed herein are tissue treatment products that have been bound to at least one chelating agent. Also disclosed are tissue treatment products that have been functionalized with at least one metal and/or at least one metal-binding protein. The tissue treatment products can have antimicrobial properties and/or factors that promote or enhance native cell migration, proliferation, and/or revascularization after implantation into a subject. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the tissue treatment products. The tissue treatment products can be implanted into a tissue in need of repair, regeneration, healing, treatment, and/or alteration and can promote or enhance native cell migration, proliferation, and/or revascularization.
US09999636B2

Methods of promoting bone healing or regeneration by locally administering insulin mimetic agents to patients in need thereof and new uses of insulin-mimetic compounds for accelerating bone-healing processes are disclosed. Bone injury treatment and void filler devices, products and kit suitable for local administration of insulin-mimetic, agents or compositions thereof to patients in need of such treatment are also disclosed.
US09999634B2

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a tablet comprising at least 50% w/w of calcium carbonate, the method comprising i) providing a particulate composition comprising a) calcium carbonate, b) a binding sugar alcohol selected from sorbitol or isomalt, or combinations thereof, c) a non-binding sugar alcohol selected from mannitol, maltitol or xylitol, or combinations thereof, and ii) compressing said composition using a tabletting machine equipped with at least one pair of punches and dies, wherein the pair of punches and die before filling the die with said particulate composition is sprayed with a composition comprising a lubricant selected from magnesium stearate, calcium stearate or stearic acid or combinations thereof.
US09999633B2

Antimicrobial cationic polymers having one or two cationic polycarbonate chains were prepared by organocatalyzed ring opening polymerization. One antimicrobial cationic polymer has a polymer chain consisting essentially of cationic carbonate repeat units linked to one or two end groups. The end groups can comprise a covalently bound form of biologically active compound such as cholesterol. Other antimicrobial cationic polymers have a random copolycarbonate chain comprising a minor mole fraction of hydrophobic repeat units bearing a covalently bound form of a vitamin E and/or vitamin D2. The cationic polymers exhibit high activity and selectivity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive microbes and fungi.
US09999631B2

A dietary supplement composition is formulated in a therapeutic amount to treat and alleviate symptoms of joint pain. The composition includes pro-inflammatory low molecular weight microbial fermented sodium hyaluronate fragments having a molecular weight of 0.5 to 300 kilodaltons (kDa) in an oral dosage form.
US09999624B2

The present invention provides a method of treating a cognitive or neurodegenerative disease, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of the formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; in combination with an effective amount of an anti-N3pGlu Abeta monoclonal antibody.
US09999620B2

Provided herein are compounds, compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions, having anti-cancer activity. Also provided are methods for diagnosing, detecting, and treating cancer in a subject, as well as a method for evaluating cancer stage in a subject, wherein the methods include determining the amount of a Ca2+/calmodulin dependent kinase kinase (CaMKK) in a sample. Further provided are methods of screening and identifying a compound that inhibits CaMKK.
US09999611B2

The present invention relates to a compound of Formula 1, and an SIRT 1 activator including, as an active ingredient, derivatives thereof or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present invention also relates to a composition including the SIRT 1 activator for detoxification, for the improvement of metabolic disorders, for the prevention or improvement of eye diseases, or the prevention or improvement of immune diseases.
US09999595B2

The invention provides a sustained release intraocular drug delivery device comprising: (a) a polymeric matrix core into which at least one therapeutic agent is mixed, and; (b) a polymeric coating completely surrounding said polymeric matrix material; wherein said polymeric matrix core and polymeric coating are insoluble and inert in ocular fluids, and wherein said sustained release intraocular drug delivery device has a compliant annular segment shape and is to be inserted into the sulcus of the intact and/or pseudophakic eye.
US09999587B2

The present disclosure relates to methods for treating, preventing and improving the condition and aesthetic appearance of skin, particularly, treating, preventing, ameliorating, reducing and/or eliminating fine lines and/or wrinkles of skin, by application of one or a combination of natural compounds or extracts that stimulate MAGP-1 expression and which improves the appearance of aged and/or photodamaged skin. The compositions of the invention are topically applied to the skin, or are delivered by directed means to a site in need thereof in an amount effective to improve the condition and aesthetic appearance of skin.
US09999583B2

The present invention relates to a composition for dyeing keratin fibers, comprising: a) one or more liquid fatty substances; b) one or more amphoteric surfactants of formula (I) below: Ra′—C(O)—NH—CH2—(CH2)n—N(B)(B′) in which: —B represents the group —CH2—CH2—O—X′; —B′ represents the group —(CH2)zY′, with z=1 or 2; —X′ represents the group —CH2—C(O)OH, —CH2—C(O)OZ′, —CH2—CH2—C(O)OH or —CH2—CH2—C(O)OZ′, or a hydrogen atom; —Y′ represents the group —C(O)OH, —C(O)OZ″, —CH2—CH(OH)—SO3H or the group —CH2—CH(OH)—SO3—Z″; —Z′ and Z″ represent, independently of each other, a cationic counterion derived from an alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal, such as sodium, an ammonium ion or an ion derived from an organic amine; —Ra′, represents a C10-C30 alkyl or alkenyl group derived from an acid Ra′—C(O)OH, which is preferably present in copra oil or in hydrolyzed linseed oil, an alkyl group, especially a C17 group and its iso form, or an unsaturated C17 group and —n represents an integer ranging from 1 to 10 and preferably from 1 to 5, —or quaternized forms thereof; c) one or more sulfate or sulfonate surfactants; d) one or more oxidation dye precursors. The present invention also relates to a process using this composition and to a multicompartment device that is suitable for performing the said process.
US09999577B2

Stable cream gel dermatological/cosmetic compositions useful, e.g., for the treatment of acne vulgaris, contain, formulated into a physiologically acceptable medium, a homogeneous dispersion of at least one dispersed retinoid, dispersed benzoyl peroxide, at least one lipophilic compound and at least one gelling agent.
US09999576B2

An aqueous dental glass ionomer composition comprising (a) a reactive particulate glass, (b) a linear or branched polymer comprising acidic groups, which is reactive with the particulate glass in a cement reaction, whereby the linear or branched polymer comprising acidic groups has a polymer backbone and optionally pendant groups, (c) optionally dispersed nanoparticles comprising grafted linear or branched polymer chains comprising acidic groups, and having a polymer backbone characterized in that a polymer backbone of the linear or branched polymer of component (b) and/or, if present, the grafted linear or branched polymer chains of component (c) are obtainable a process comprising (i) cyclopolymerizing or cyclocopolymerizing one or more compounds of the following formula (I):
US09999574B2

A method for producing a pacifier teat, and a pacifier teat with a teat section which forms a hollow space and which is adjoined by a stem, wherein an elastic hollow body comprising the teat section and the stem is injection molded or pre-formed by a dipping method, and opposite wall sections of the pre-formed hollow body are connected to each other in the region of the stem.
US09999572B2

In an embodiment, a system including a closure device, the closure device including an opening for providing fluid communication there through, an outflow component configured to be disposed over the closure device, the outflow component including an outflow aperture to provide fluid communication between the outflow component and a user, and a securing member for supporting the outflow component in a position over the closure device is provided. The system further includes a stopper component removably engageable with the opening of the closure device, wherein when the stopper component is engaged with the opening, the stopper component obstructs the opening preventing a flow of fluid through the opening, and wherein displacement of the stopper component from the opening allows fluid communication through the opening.
US09999565B2

A steam shower system, includes a steam enclosure, including a front plate, a rear wall, and a steam chamber; a steam mixing valve with a steam control dial; a mixed water line; a steam nozzle assembly with a stem nozzle head; a steam vent, including a perimeter wall, including a perimeter wall and a perimeter ledge; a steam deflector; a steam barrier; a vacuum air vent, which is optionally hidden behind the steam control dial; and aromatherapy device, including an aromatherapy aperture and receptor with a container for aromatic liquid; such that the steam vent is configured to emit steam from the steam chamber.
US09999557B2

A mobility device, including a base, a first omnidirectional wheel mounted at a first side of a forward portion of the base to rotate about a first axis, a second omnidirectional wheel mounted at a second side of the forward portion of the base to rotate about the first axis, a third wheel mounted at a rearward portion of the base to rotate about a second axis, a drive system to move the first omnidirectional wheel, the second omnidirectional wheel, and the third wheel according to input received indicating a desired motion of the mobility device, a seat for a user of the mobility device, and a linear actuator coupling the seat to the base to drive the adjustable seat in a vertical direction according to the input received indicating the desired motion of the mobility device.
US09999547B2

Disclosed herein are several embodiments of a negative pressure appliance and methods of using the same in the treatment of wounds. Some embodiments are directed to improved fluidic connectors or suction adapters for connecting to a wound site, for example using softer, kink-free conformable suction adapters.
US09999543B2

An implant may be used for implantation into tissue of a body. The implant includes an elongated conduit and a loop. The elongated conduit has an interior passageway for conducting fluid. The loop has an interior circumference with a fluid conducting channel formed therein. The channel is interconnected with the interior passageway for delivery of fluid between the channel and the interior passageway.
US09999541B2

The invention provides a positioning device for use in an examination, procedure or surgery of the eye. The positioning device includes an incurvate body with an upper peripheral edge having a first arc length, a lower peripheral edge having a second arc length, and a curved lateral portion therebetween. The lower peripheral edge has an arc length that is longer than the first arc length, as well as one to eight indentations of a size effective to receive a surgical instrument. The incurvate body of the positioning device of the invention is configured to engage at least a portion of the eye posterior to the corneal limbus and beneath which the pars plana is located. The positioning device can also include a handle pivotably attached to the incurvate body. The positioning device can be used to stabilize the eye as well as assist in accurate positioning of instruments during eye examination, procedure or surgery involving the anterior or posterior segment of the eye.
US09999533B2

Systems and methods for effecting bariatric procedures are disclosed. Each system includes an instrument, a control valve and, optionally, a suction controller. The instrument is in the form of an elongated, flexible sizing tube having a distal end portion including a plurality of apertures. The control valve enables suction to be applied to the patient's stomach via the apertures to drain gastric fluids and to bring adjacent portions of the patient's stomach into engagement with the sizing tube to provide a visually perceptible delineation line along which a portion of the stomach may be resected, sealed and tested.
US09999527B2

A scaffold includes a radiopaque marker connected to a strut. The marker is retained within the strut by one or more of a mechanical interference fit, a polymer coating or melt, and/or by friction. The marker can take the form of a bead, rivet or snap-in marker, or a tube deformed when attached to the strut. The strut is made from a tube. The strut has a thickness of about 100 microns.
US09999518B2

Various embodiments of components, devices, systems and methods are provided for a pneumatic surgical instrument having a probe or an impactor disposed at a distal end thereof and configured to make contact with a selected portion of an orthopedic implant or device. The instrument is configured to generate a shock wave, which is then transferred to the distal end of the probe or impactor, and thence into the orthopedic implant or probe.
US09999515B1

An expandable medical implant is provided with an implantable cage body. Methods for stabilizing and correcting the alignment of a spine with an expandable medical implant are provided. The proximal and distal ends of the cage body may each be provided with a tapered or cam portion. The implant may further include a proximal flexure, a distal flexure, a proximal plug member having a tapered portion configured to mate with the tapered portion of the proximal end of the cage body, and a distal plug member having a tapered portion configured to mate with the tapered portion of the distal end of the cage body. The proximal plug member may be configured to move longitudinally such that the distal flexure moves and the circumference of the proximal end of the cage body resiliently expands. The distal plug member may be configured to move longitudinally such that the proximal flexure moves and the circumference of the distal end of the cage body resiliently expands.
US09999511B2

A tibial insert includes a base and a post extending from the base along a longitudinal axis. The post has a medial surface, a lateral surface, and a height along the longitudinal axis. The medial surface has a medial section, and the lateral surface has a lateral section oriented substantially parallel to the medial section. The medial section and the lateral section each have a width in a substantially anterior-posterior direction that is sufficient to enable varus/valgus constraint over a flexion/extension range from extension to about 90 to 120 degrees of flexion when the tibial insert is mated with a femoral component. The tibial insert further configured such that the medial bearing surface extends further in an inferior direction than the lateral bearing surface and a bottom point of the medial bearing surface is disposed closer to an anterior end portion of the medial bearing surface than a posterior end portion of the medial bearing surface.
US09999504B2

A delivery device usable to deliver an inverting implant is provided that includes a positioning mechanism that automatically initiates the inversion process once a predetermined length of the implant has exited a delivery catheter. The positioning mechanism allows the implant to be safely and accurately deployed with reduced operator experience and in a greater variety of target locations.
US09999502B2

A heart valve system, the system including a radially self-expandable tubular body, a valve, and a tubular fabric. The tubular body having an inflow end and an outflow end and including a plurality of struts with at least one motion buffer component integrated in the tubular body. The valve being coupled to the tubular body and including a plurality of valve leaflets. The fabric being disposed over an outer surface of the tubular body and over an outer surface of the motion buffer component. Additionally, when the outflow end of the tubular body moves radially inward from movement of the valve leaflets, the motion buffer component being configured so as to not move radially inward with the outflow end of the tubular body.
US09999497B2

A system comprising a hollow member is used to deliver a constrained corneal implant into a corneal pocket. The hollow member may be tapered and the system may further include an implant deformation chamber and an axial pusher to advance the implant through the hollow member.
US09999492B2

An embolic protection device includes a shaft, a first magnet fixedly coupled to a distal portion of the shaft, a second magnet slidingly coupled to the shaft proximal to the first magnet, and a filter including a distal portion coupled to the first magnet and a proximal portion coupled to the second magnet. The first and second magnets are magnetically attracted to each other such that in a radially compressed configuration of the filter, the second magnet is spaced from the first magnet a first distance, and in a radially expanded configuration of the filter, the second magnet slides towards the first magnet such that the second magnet is spaced a second distance from the first magnet, wherein the second distance is smaller than the first distance.
US09999489B1

A lifting and supporting table according to the present invention includes an upper platform having a receiving surface and a lower frame supporting the upper platform. The lifting and supporting table includes a linkage interacting with the lower frame such that adjustment of the linkage forces a height of the upper platform to change. A ramp assembly includes a ramp having a top surface that operatively extends the receiving surface of the upper platform, the ramp being selectively moveable between a horizontal position and an inclined position.
US09999488B1

Devices and methods for treating respiratory problems of a subject, such as those related to sleep apnea, are presented herein. An implementation of a device may be configured to provide a measured vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) and/or mandibular advancement in a subject. Methods for treating a subject through the use of the device may include systematically increasing and/or decreasing the measured VDO provided by the device.
US09999483B2

An interchangeable lock is applied to a bracket, consisting of a lock designed for use in orthodontic treatment which is used in conjunction with an orthodontic bracket having a base bonded to the tooth in which the interchangeable lock should be frontally inserted. This same lock permits additional adjustments of the arch wire in regards to inclination, angulation or torque as there always be three walls forming a U-shaped slot, allowing the position of the arch wire to be controlled in relation to its inclination and angulation while maintaining the position of the bracket in relation to the tooth. It is possible to identify, modify and control the position of the tooth by contact adjustment with the arch wire at any time during treatment without the need to remove the arch wire or change or adjust the bracket.
US09999476B2

Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to facilitate preparation of the system for use. One or more kinematic linkage sub-systems may include joints that are actively driven, passive, or a mix of both, and may employ a set-up mode in which one or more of the joints are actively driven in response to manual articulation of one or more other joints of the kinematic chain. In an exemplary embodiment, the actively driven joints will move a platform structure that supports multiple manipulators in response to movement of one of the manipulators, facilitating and expediting the arrangement of the overall system by moving those multiple manipulators as a unit into alignment with the workspace. Manual independent positioning of the manipulator can be provided through passive set-up joint systems supporting the manipulators relative to the platform.
US09999474B2

Example embodiments relate to a device comprising a port assembly, instrument arm assembly, and camera arm assembly. The port assembly includes an outer and inner body. The outer body includes a first access port, first end, second end, and anchoring portions. The inner body is positionable in the first access port to form a second access port. The instrument arm assembly is configurable in a serial arrangement of arm segments, joint portions, and end instrument. The instrument arm assembly is configurable to attach to an anchoring portion. The camera arm assembly includes a camera, and configurable to attach to an anchoring portion. The port assembly is configurable to provide at least one degree of freedom, and configurable to allow insertion of the instrument arm assembly and camera arm assembly into an abdominal cavity. The port assembly is configurable to allow insertion of instruments into the abdominal cavity.
US09999473B2

An articulated surgical instrument for enhancing the performance of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The instrument has a high degree of dexterity, low friction, low inertia and good force reflection. A unique cable and pulley drive system operates to reduce friction and enhance force reflection. A unique wrist mechanism operates to enhance surgical dexterity compared to standard laparoscopic instruments. The system is optimized to reduce the number of actuators required and thus produce a fully functional articulated surgical instrument of minimum size.
US09999471B2

A cleaning device for a medical implement having a male protrusion. The cleaning device including a housing defining an inner cavity by and having an inner wall that encloses the inner cavity and an opening. The inner wall has a recess near the opening to the housing. The recess has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening. The cap further includes a movable piston having a forward end and rearward end surrounded by a flexible flange that extends outward to abut the inner wall near the recess of the housing. The rearward end of the movable piston configured to contact couple with a distal end of the male protrusion to move the piston toward a distal end of the housing opposite the opening of the housing to provide a portion of the cleaning solution to the male protrusion.
US09999469B2

Package for elongated sharp-edged objects, in particular for tools useful for surgical applications, which are secured in a fixed position in a package consisting at least partially of plastic, wherein the package comprises an a first enlarged package part which defines an interior into which the object that is to be protected and secured protrudes with its sharp edges in a noncontact manner and a second package part in which the shaft of the object is accommodated and held in a fixed position by holding elements.
US09999459B2

The application relates to a vacuum mixing device for bone cement, where the monomer is pressed into a mixing container due to the surrounding vacuum and a gas volume present in the monomer container.
US09999455B2

A spine fixing apparatus including: a plate fixed to a spine; screws inserted into the spine by being coupled to the plate; a rotation member for rotary motion at a predetermined location between the screws; and sliding members provided at opposite sides of the rotation member and disposed between the rotation member and the screws. The rotation member can push the sliding members such that the sliding members rectilinearly move to cover upper surfaces of the screws. The spine fixing apparatus can facilitate the locking and unlocking of the screws by switching between lock and unlock modes, and can be firmly fixed to a spine. The plate has a window that enables an operator to identify a surgical region with naked eye. The window also allows the operator to easily bend the plate into a suitable shape for a patient's spine, and closely fix the plate to the spine.
US09999448B2

Devices and methods for aligning the components of polyaxial screws are described herein. In one embodiment, an alignment instrument includes an elongate frame having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of connection caps slidably disposed along the elongate frame. Each connection cap can removably couple to a polyaxial screw extension tube and selectively lock relative to the elongate frame such that a distance between the plurality of connection caps and an angular orientation of each connection cap relative to the elongate frame is maintained. The instrument can also include a transverse angle indicator to indicate an angular orientation of the elongate frame in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongate frame. The device can, for example, capture the orientation of a plurality of polyaxial screws during spinal surgery such that the screws can be returned to the same orientation after manipulation to correct a spinal deformity, etc.
US09999447B2

Orthopedic fixation devices and methods of installing the same. The orthopedic fixation device may include a coupling element and a bone fastener, whereby the bone fastener can be loaded into the coupling element through the bottom of a bore in the coupling element and a retention member is configured to allow polyaxial rotation of the bone fastener and also to lock the bone fastener in place upon application of a force on a saddle and clamp in the coupling element.
US09999446B2

A system for flexibly stabilizing a vertebral motion segment of the facet joint by connecting a first vertebra and a second vertebra is disclosed. The system includes an elongate connection element with end portions interconnected by a flexible coupling member. The system includes first and second attachment portions for connecting the connection element to the vertebrae. A first resilient member is positioned between the first end portion and the first attachment portion, and a second resilient member is positioned between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion.
US09999431B2

The present invention includes a stapling assembly having a curved cartridge deck, a flexible firing bar, and a firing member capable of moving within the curved slot during a firing stroke. The curved cartridge deck has a curved slot, a first step with a first step height, and a second step with a second step height, wherein the height of the first step is different than that of the second step. The stapling assembly has a first row and a second row of staple drivers configured to support staples in a first unfired height and a second unfired height. The first unfired height is different than the second unfired height. The stapling assembly has an anvil with a first and second curved row of forming pockets and an unstepped tissue compression surface extending between the first curved row of forming pockets and the second curved row of forming pockets.
US09999423B2

An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an articulation joint. The end effector is operable to manipulate (e.g., staple) tissue. The articulation joint couples the end effector with the shaft assembly and permits the end effector to deflect away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The articulation joint comprises a locking assembly, which is operable to selectively lock the angular position of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis. The locking assembly comprises a first locking member and a second locking member. The first locking member is unitarily secured to the end effector. The second locking member is movable along a first axis to selectively engage the first locking member to thereby selectively lock the angular position of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The first axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
US09999419B2

A system and method for repairing a human heart uses a catheter with an extendable tip and multiple tissue fasteners. The catheter is advanced into a human heart with the extendable tip adjacent a first tissue portion. The extendable tip is extended to form a tissue-receiving opening, the first tissue portion is positioned within the tissue-receiving opening, and the extendable tip is withdrawn to mechanically hold the first tissue portion. A first tissue fastener is secured to the first tissue portion, which is then released from the tissue-receiving opening. A second tissue fastener may subsequently be passed through a second tissue portion.
US09999417B2

A suture anchor cartridge having a rectangular case portion that includes a top portion and a rectangular bottom portion, the bottom portion including an opening, and the top portion being slidably connected with the bottom portion. A suture anchor is suspended in the opening in the bottom portion. The suture anchor being held at a distal end and at a proximal end by the suture anchor cartridge, and a suture-threading loop is disposed within the bottom portion.
US09999412B2

A fistula management device for preventing enteric contents from leaking out of a bowel via a fistula opening in the bowel. The device comprises a tubular body that defines a main fluidic passageway extending from a first axial end to a second axial end of the tubular body. Inflatable cuffs are located at each of the first and second axial ends of the tubular body for creating a fluid seal between the first and second axial ends of the tubular body and inner walls of a bowel.
US09999410B2

A sealant delivery device includes a delivery tube, a bioadhesive container, and an adapter. The delivery tube includes proximal and distal ends. The bioadhesive container holds a sealant activator and a sealant precursor separated from each other. The adapter is interposed between the delivery tube and the bioadhesive container. The adapter includes a first channel member that couples a first lumen of the delivery tube to the sealant activator, and a second channel member that couples the first lumen to the sealant precursor. The adapter provides separation of the sealant activator and the sealant precursor until a position distal of the bioadhesive container.
US09999407B2

Provided herein are a device and methods to obtain multiple serial samples from biologic tissues located in a tubular or cavitary space of a body. The device has a proximal and distal end, with a linear shaft connecting both ends. The distal end of the device comprises a tissue cutting assembly, a sample transport assembly and a sample storage assembly. The sample transport assembly comprises a slidable sample transport unit, a semi-cylindrical tubular sample chamber with a pair of axially linear rails located on both sides of said chamber and a system of differential pull wires. The sample transport unit slides on the rails of the sample chamber, providing longitudinally axial movement of the cup connected to said sample transport unit. The sample storage assembly comprises said sample chamber, a reversibly detachable sample catcher inserted in said sample chamber, a tubular sample housing and an expandable tubular sample housing.
US09999404B2

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is characterized in comprising: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting/receiving ultrasound to/from a subject; a reception beamformer for applying reception beamforming to ultrasonic echo signals obtained by the ultrasonic probe based on a plurality of different sound velocities; a spatial frequency analyzing section 81 for applying spatial frequency analysis to each of data obtained by the reception beamforming based on each of the plurality of different sound velocities; and a sound-velocity setting section 84 for setting a sound velocity corresponding to one of the results of spatial frequency analysis corresponding respectively to the plurality of different sound velocities that has a highest intensity for a given spatial frequency, as optimal sound velocity in the reception beamforming.
US09999401B2

A method for determining the velocity of a fluid in a volume to be imaged of an examination object with the aid of an imaging method is described. Attenuation values are acquired based upon image data of the volume to be imaged, depending on location and time. A temporally and spatially delineated region is specified based upon the acquired attenuation data, in which the acquired attenuation data behaves approximately linearly. Subsequently, temporal and/or spatial gradients and/or a combination of a temporal and a spatial gradient are determined based upon the attenuation values associated with the temporally and spatially delineated region. Finally, the velocity of the fluid is calculated based upon the determined temporal and/or spatial gradients or from the combination of a temporal and a spatial gradient and from the temporal gradient. A fluid velocity determining device, non-transitory computer readable medium and a computed tomography system are also described.
US09999383B2

A syringe-based device includes a housing, a pre-sample reservoir, and an actuator. The housing defines an inner volume between a substantially open proximal end portion and a distal end portion that includes a port couplable to a lumen-defining device. The pre-sample reservoir is fluidically couplable to the port to receive and isolate a first volume of bodily fluid. The actuator is at least partially disposed in the inner volume and has a proximal end portion that includes an engagement portion and a distal end portion that includes a sealing member. The engagement portion is configured to allow a user to selectively move the actuator between a first configuration such that bodily fluid can flow from the port to the pre-sample reservoir, and a second configuration such that bodily fluid can flow from the port to a sample reservoir defined at least in part by the scaling member and the housing.
US09999368B2

An apparatus includes a sensing circuit configured to generate a sensed physiological signal representative of cardiac activity of a subject, and an arrhythmia detection circuit. The arrhythmia detection circuit is configured to monitor information corresponding to ventricular depolarization (V-V) intervals using the sensed physiological signal; determine a V-V interval distribution; determine a heart rate density index (HRDI) as a portion of samples of the V-V interval distribution corresponding to a V-V interval occurring most often in the distribution; and generate an indication of atrial fibrillation (AF) using the HRDI.
US09999357B2

A method and apparatus for measuring a pulse transit time (PTT) value of a subject, comprise measuring a first arterial pressure pulse arrival time (PAT) and measuring a second PAT value; calculating a PTT value from the difference between the first PAT value and the second PAT value; processing a sequence of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) images to identify at least one region of interest (ROI); and estimating at least one of the first and second PAT value from the variation of impedance value determined from the at least one ROI. The method allows for the non-invasive and continuous measurement of the PTT value and arterial blood pressures.
US09999343B2

The invention provides an endoscope system for the early detection of suture failure. Parts of the large intestine separated by the resection of a tumor are sutured by using a suturing member 167. A sutured portion is imaged. An oxygen saturation image 180 is generated by imaging the oxygen saturation of the sutured portion based on image information obtained by the imaging. The generated oxygen saturation image 180 is displayed on a display device 14. In the case of suture failure, a low oxygen region 180a is displayed in the oxygen saturation image.
US09999340B2

A dishwasher having a tub having an open face and at least partially defining a treating chamber for holding dishes during an automatic cycle of operation, a door moveably mounted between an opened position, wherein a user the treating chamber is accessible, and a closed position, wherein the door closes the open face of the tub and dispensing assembly configured to activate an indicator to emit a human-detectable signal in response to a first signal indicating a predetermined amount of treating chemistry and a second signal indicating a predetermined amount of illumination.
US09999328B2

An autonomous vacuum cleaner comprising a main body defining a first axis and housing a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, an airflow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet and a separating apparatus arranged in the air flow path between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet, the separating apparatus defining a second axis, wherein the separating apparatus is oriented so that the second axis is substantially parallel with the first axis of the main body and wherein a portion of the separating apparatus protrudes from a forward portion of the main body of the vacuum cleaner.
US09999316B2

A beverage substance cartridge, a tea filtering apparatus, a beverage producing equipment, a beverage producing system and a beverage producing method are provided to efficiently solve the problems of slow tea leaf extraction, long wait time for tea drinker, low tea water temperature and bad tea water taste. The water filling apparatus of the beverage producing equipment fills hot water into the bottom of the beverage substance cartridge near the side wall of the cartridge body, and forms vortex in the beverage substance cartridge which speeds up extraction efficiently. Furthermore, inside convex edges are set at the side wall of the beverage cartridge and hot water temperature is high enough to strengthen extraction effects and then realize rapid brewing effects in the tea brewing equipment. The beverage producing equipment can be widely applied in offices and homes.
US09999299B2

A storage system has retractable cells used for with storing and transporting articles in totes. A plurality of spaced apart shelves extends transversely between left and right flexible vertical panels. Left and right hangers extend upward from a distal end attached to a shelf to a proximal end at a structural support. A plurality of guide members are attached to the vertical panels, juxtaposed with the shelves. Each guide member slidingly engages a hanger. Means is provided for pulling the left and right hangers upward to raise the shelves upward. The hangers can be secured either to the support or to a shelf above. The left and right panels will fold inwardly between the shelves. The space beneath the shelves will increase to receive an article larger than a tote.
US09999284B1

A folding collapsible luggage includes a folding collapsible luggage body selectively set between a collapsed position and an extended position, two base blocks fixedly mounted at the bottom side of the folding collapsible luggage body, a retractable handle assembly including two outer tubes fastened to the folding collapsible luggage body and respectively pivotally connected to the base blocks, and two spring-loaded pushers respectively mounted in the base blocks and abutted against the respective bottom ends of the outer tubes for facilitating biasing of the folding collapsible luggage body between the collapsed position and the extended position and stopping the folding collapsible luggage body in the collapsed or extended position positively.
US09999283B2

A collapsible luggage includes a lower part forming an open-topped box having a substantially rigid bottom and a substantially rigid sidewall substantially perpendicular to the bottom. The collapsible suitcase includes a collapsible upper part having a plurality of panels, each panel of the plurality of panels having a top edge, and a bottom edge pivotally joined to the upper edge of the sidewall so that each panel may be rotated between a deployed position substantially parallel to the sidewall and a collapsed position with the panel folded into the interior of the lower part, at least one substantially rigid corner brace attached to one of the panels, and at least one fastener that attaches each corner brace to the interior surface of a second panel, adjacent to the first panel, of the plurality of panels.
US09999278B2

Provided is a self-fitting and automatically adjustable footwear wherein the shoe upper and/or shoe tongue have or are attached to a shape memory material (“SMM”). Upon stimulation, the SMM deforms and brings the footwear to self-assemble about a foot, which further brings two clasp members close to each other and facilitates the clasp thereof to form a self-assembled and closed footwear. The clasp members may be integrated with straps or shoelaces, and optionally SMM. The footwear may include a motor, a control unit, and sensors which enable a motor-actuated fine tensioning of the footwear. A push button to enable manual opening of the footwear may be affixed on the footwear or removably attached to multiple surfaces/locations. The entire assembly generates data transmittable to health care providers and other data trackers. The footwear may include a battery, which may be charged by placing the footwear on a charge dock station.
US09999276B2

Sole structures for articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include: (a) a lightweight foam midsole component for supporting the foot; and (b) a plurality of heavier and/or denser cage components covering selected areas of the midsole component. Spaces are provided between the cage components. These spaces may be sized, shaped, and oriented to define and/or correspond to flexion lines of the foot and/or to produce a more natural flex motion to the sole. The soles additionally may include one or more outsole components, e.g., on bottom surface(s) of the cage component(s) and/or the foam midsole. These sole structures may be engaged with an upper to form a shoe. The uppers may include one or more lace receiving openings supported by elongated wire or textile components. Methods of making footwear including such uppers and/or sole structures also are described.
US09999274B2

A shoe comprises a sole and an upper. The sole comprises a lower sole member and an upper sole member. The lower sole member includes a plurality of sipes and a longitudinal cavity. The longitudinal cavity is at least in a sole midfoot region and extends downwardly from a top surface of the lower sole member. The plurality of sipes extend upwardly from the bottom surface of the lower sole member and intersect the longitudinal cavity such that the plurality of sipes and the longitudinal cavity combine to define a plurality of through openings. The upper sole member is within the cavity and covers the plurality of through openings.
US09999270B2

A head and neck cooling cap that has an air bag sewn to the back of the cap which extends below the wearer's collar line. The air bag contains a battery operated fan that fills the bag with air. The air is distributed over the cap's adjustable band to the top of the head. Air is also vented through vent grommets or other openings in the bag at the wearer's neck. The fan is equipped with a variable speed motor which runs from a battery pack or USB power pack. The batteries are typically worn in a pocket or other location on the user including a V-clip or possible battery belt or battery holder. The batteries can also be mounted in the bottom of the air bag.
US09999268B2

A device is disclosed which is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, can quickly and easily attach and detach from the shirt in any order, is effective at preventing a shirt from becoming untucked, does not pull on leg hair, provides knee support, and will not project the pants behind the knee outward when kneeling or sitting. As such, the device serves to keep formal attire tucked and taught, promoting an all-day impeccable professional appearance without undue burden or discomfort.
US09999254B2

Disclosed is an e-cigarette, including an e-cigarette atomizer and a battery component. The e-cigarette atomizer includes an atomizer body and a mouthpiece. An open e-liquid chamber is provided at one end of the atomizer body. An air guide tube extending outwards is disposed in the open e-liquid chamber. A lock hook is provided at an end portion of the air guide tube. The air guide tube is inserted in a locking sleeve of a pluggable locking type mouthpiece and is in interference fit with the locking sleeve. The lock hook abuts against an end face of a clamp spring bar of the pluggable locking type mouthpiece to lock and connect the atomizer body and the pluggable locking type mouthpiece. A plug connector of the pluggable locking type mouthpiece is inserted in an opening of the open e-liquid chamber and closes the open e-liquid chamber. The present invention has a mouthpiece plug-in lock structure, capable of rapidly sealing and locking the open e-liquid chamber by means of the mouthpiece, and has advantages of being convenient and easy to mount and having a simple structure.
US09999251B2

An electronic cigarette, comprising an atomization assembly for atomizing e-liquid and a battery assembly for supplying power to the atomization assembly; the battery assembly comprises a battery sleeve, a battery provided in the battery sleeve, an end cover provided on one end of the battery sleeve and a control module, the battery is connected electrically to the control module; a fastening sleeve and a battery electrode assembly for connecting electrically with the atomization electrode are provided on the other end of the battery sleeve; the battery electrode assembly comprises a battery electrode connected electrically with the atomization electrode, an insulating cover for isolating the battery electrode from outside electrically, an elastic member for elastically connecting the battery electrode and the insulating cover; an accommodation space is provided in the insulating cover, the battery electrode is provided compressibly in the accommodation space via the elastic member.
US09999248B2

An electronic cigarette and a method for assembling the electronic cigarette are provided. The electronic cigarette includes an atomizer device mounting base, at least one conductive pipe, an atomizer device, and a battery device. The conductive pipe includes a first open end, a second open end, and a partition wall disposed within the middle of the conductive pipe to separate the first open end from the second open end. The atomizer device includes a first pluggable member being inserted into and electrically connected to the first open end. The battery device includes a second pluggable conductive member being inserted into and electrically connected to the second open end. When assembled, the atomizer device, the atomizer device mounting base, and the battery device can be connected together by employing an insertion method directly, thus the assembly process can be simplified, and the leakage of the liquid solution can be prevented.
US09999241B2

A conveyor belt is formed from a loop of material having opposite first and second side edges, and which when laid flat has opposite planar surfaces extending between the first and second edges. First and second sealing protrusions extend outwardly from the outer surface of the loop of material and extending continuously around the outer surface of the loop of material. In use, the sealing protrusions contact a hopper of a food patty forming machine to prevent the leakage of food material from the hopper.
US09999233B1

The present invention relates to a flat, multilayered, low moisture, barrier, laminated thermoplastic film with an absorptive food contact layer coated with a flavoring and/or coloring agent, which can be formed on automatic stuffing machinery into a sealed tube in a continuous manner for use as a food casing. This film has an absorptive food contact layer, an oxygen barrier layer, and a polyethylene outer layer. The coloring and/or flavoring agent on the absorptive layer is released onto the surface of encased foodstuff during cooking and processing.
US09999220B2

The present disclosure relates to the use of polycyclic quinones, and particularly, anthraquinones, to non-lethally repel rodents from consuming or otherwise damaging vegetation, private property, man-made structures, or agricultural products in the field and in storage. Further, the invention shows use as a protection strategy for various other products used as a food source by certain rodents.
US09999218B2

Compositions useful for controlling pests are disclosed. In some embodiments, the composition includes a pesticidal natural oil and a polar aromatic solvent or an alkyl alcohol solvent. Methods of making and using the compositions are disclosed.
US09999202B2

A flexible abrasion resistant omnidirectionally reflective retractable pet leash has an omnidirectionally reflective pet leash housed within a retractable housing device. The omnidirectionally reflective pet leash reflects an incoming light beam back in the same direction as it was emanated. The reflected light beam provides accurate illumination of the pet leash and the location of the pet during dusk or nighttime hours. This retractable pet leash is created by surrounding a central braided rope of nylon or polyethylene fibers with a cylindrically braided reflective sleeve. The braided reflective sleeve is composed of braided narrow width reflective strips each comprising a plurality of reflective threads worked together to form a weave. Due to the braided weave of the reflective threads and the arrangement of the microscopic reflectors light incident thereon from virtually any angle is reflected back to its source. Advantageously, the fabric remains supple, facilitating extension and retraction of the leash. The braided construction enables the pet leash to reflect light omnidirectionally over a large angle of acceptance, thereby providing an improved measure of safety for both the pet and the pet handler.
US09999200B1

A dog waste collection device. The device allows a dog owner to place a disposable bag behind a dog to capture dog waste before the waste touches the ground. A collection assembly on the device holds a top edge of a disposable bag in a spaced apart position. Tangs mounted on the collection assembly are used to engage the disposable bag. A shaft slide is used to release the disposable bag without touching the waste or the bag. When the bag is used, movement of a shaft slide on the device will allow the disposable bag to release, bag and all, into a waste receptacle.
US09999199B1

A pet toy with edible formulation may include a substantially spherical housing comprising a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere which are releasably couplable. An edible formulation may be bonded to an internal sidewall inside at least one of the first and second hemispheres, such that the edible formulation is accessible by releasing the first hemisphere from the second hemisphere.
US09999196B1

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH306491. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH306491, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH306491 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH306491.
US09999190B1

A soybean cultivar designated 54172927 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 54172927, to the plants of soybean cultivar 54172927, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 54172927, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 54172927. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 54172927. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 54172927, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 54172927 with another soybean cultivar.
US09999185B1

An inbred corn line, designated 2EEXX1039, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line 2EEXX1039, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line 2EEXX1039 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line 2EEXX1039 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line 2EEXX1039, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line 2EEXX1039 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US09999182B2

The present invention provides pepper ideotypes and pepper plants with machine harvestable traits combined with desirable agronomic traits. The present invention also provides methods of making such plants and methods of using such plants to produce additional machine harvestable pepper plants.
US09999173B2

A solution for avoiding errors during the seed-metering process in planters comprises the following: autonomous electricity generation to power a monitoring system; monitoring the seed loading in a seed meter (pre-sensor); monitoring clogging of the seed meter by seeds (post-sensor); monitoring obstructions in the seed duct (post-sensor); processing the monitoring data; transmitting the processed data wirelessly to a central monitoring unit for follow-up and decision-making by an operator. A solution is provided for avoiding errors during the seed-metering process in planters, allowing the operator of the machine to be automatically alerted immediately after the error occurs, and also for permanently monitoring the quality of the planting process by means of a wireless data transmission system powered by an autonomous electric unit, dispensing with external batteries and power cables.
US09999171B2

An agricultural tillage implement with a hydraulic system coupled to actuators of foldable wing sections and to actuators of wheel assemblies associated with each wing section. The hydraulic system having a wing sensor detecting an inner wing section being folded and at least one valve coupled to the wing sensor. The valve being activated by the wing sensor enabling a hydraulic fluid flow to the actuators associated with the wheel assemblies of the wing sections causing the wheel assemblies associated with the wing sections to thereby retract.
US10004168B2

A feeder exchanging device capable of exchanging feeder provided with fixed blade and movable blade for cutting top film that is peeled from bottom tape as components are supplied to a component mounter. The feeder exchanging device comprises robot hand that includes pair of arms on which claws capable of clamping feeder are formed, and sliders that move robot hand in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, with an actuator (rod actuator) for driving movable blade provided on robot hand.
US10004164B2

A rack frame includes a first plenum to serve as a first structural member and to supply air based on a blind-mate supply interface. A second plenum is to serve as a second structural member and to exhaust air based on a blind-mate exhaust interface. The first plenum is to structurally support and supply air for a removable module, and the second plenum is to structurally support and exhaust air from the removable module.
US10004156B2

A heat radiation fin structure includes a main body, composed of a plurality of stacked laminations, and each the lamination has at least one heat dissipation section and at least one heat absorption section. The heat dissipation section is composed of a plurality of extended portions, which are outwardly extended from the heat absorption section. Two adjacent laminations are crossly stacked or arranged, such that a plurality of passages are formed in the extended portions, and the heat dissipation section is connected to the heat absorption section. With these arrangements, the heat radiation fin structure can generate a vortex flow when a cooling air flow is blown through the heat radiation fins and further to achieve greatly improved heat dissipation efficiency.
US10004145B2

A combined wiring board includes a metal frame having multiple opening portions, and multiple wiring boards accommodated in the opening portions in the metal frame, respectively. The opening portions in the metal frame have side walls having holding portions such that the holding portions hold the wiring boards in the opening portions in the metal frame, and the metal frame has slit portions adjacent to the holding portions and connecting portions connecting the slit portions to the opening portions.
US10004141B2

A kitchen appliance operable by electric motor includes a housing, which has an outer surface, and a data transmission interface designed to interact with a data memory element. The data transmission interface is formed in an outer surface of the housing by metal contact elements, which are arranged adjacent to each other and which each have a contact surface and form part of the outer surface. Further, a data memory element for transmitting data to a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor includes a plurality of contact elements that are separate from each other and optionally a contact surface. Further, a combination of a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor and a data memory element, which can be detachably connected to the kitchen appliance, can transmit data of the data memory element to the kitchen appliance while the data memory element is connected to the kitchen appliance. Further, a combination of a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor and a data memory element, which can be handled as an individual part, can bring the data memory element into contact with the kitchen appliance for data exchange.
US10004133B2

An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.
US10004132B2

A dose rate monitoring device includes: a first energy compensation coefficient operation part obtaining a first energy compensation coefficient to incident radiation using the first compensation coefficient table, a first dose rate operation part obtaining a first compensation dose rate of incident radiation using the first energy compensation coefficient and G (E) function, a second energy compensation coefficient operation part obtaining a second energy compensation coefficient to incident radiation using a second compensation coefficient table, a second dose rate operation part obtaining a second compensation dose rate of incident radiation using a second energy compensation coefficient, a dose rate switching section which select an output according to the magnitude of a ratio of the first compensation dose rate to the second compensation dose rate, and a display operating section which displays the first compensation dose rate or the second compensation dose rate which the dose rate switching section outputs.
US10004129B2

A method and system to extend the coverage of Outdoor Lighting Networks (OLNs) through the use of authorized mobile devices travelling around to establish a virtual connectivity link (i. e., storing data and, when in reach, using short-range wireless communication protocols) between isolated light points (or groups of light points) and connected light points so that lighting commands and data can be exchanged between the two sets of lighting points is disclosed.
US10004119B1

An LED driving circuit comprises an LED unit having a plurality of LEDs connected in series, coupled with a voltage charging and discharging unit and powered by a rectified AC voltage of an AC input voltage. A controllable current limiting unit or a current limiting unit in association with a switch connects the LED unit to ground. The voltage charging and discharging unit has first and second diodes connected to the LED unit, and a storage capacitor to form a charging path through the first diode and a discharging path through the second diode in order to provide a steady state capacitor voltage for reducing the number of LEDs connected in series in the LED unit.
US10004104B2

A radio base station, user terminal, and apparatus in a mobile communication system including a plurality of cells corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands are configured to either transmit or receive a system information block indicating radio resources. The radio resources are used by a user terminal to transmit and/or receive a direct discovery signal for discovering another user terminal in proximity of the user terminal. The system information block includes information indicating a cycle of time resources reserved as the radio resources, information indicating one or more frequency bands selected from the plurality of frequency bands, and information indicating one or more resource blocks reserved as the radio resources in the one or more frequency bands. The radio base station, user terminal, and apparatus further configured to either transmit or receive change notification information, relating to a change of the radio resources, separately from the system information block.
US10004100B2

A UE 100-1 and a UE 200-2 perform D2D communication that is direct device to device communication. The UE 100-1 transmits a D2D termination preliminary notification indicating that termination of the D2D communication is wished to the UE 100-2 during the D2D communication. The UE 100-1 terminates the D2D communication after transmitting the D2D termination preliminary notification.
US10004096B2

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.
US10004093B2

The present invention relates to a kind of Internet of Things technology, and in particular to a PTP interactive interconnected system supporting a connection of an electronic audio product with the Internet. The system comprises a communication terminal product supporting the PTP interactive interconnected system, a URL electronic data device, an electronic audio product and a numeric mark, wherein the electronic audio product supports sound playing; the communication terminal product supports the input of the numeric mark corresponding to the sound playing; and an operating system of the communication terminal product receives an instruction from the numeric mark, calls out paired URL electronic data stored in the URL electronic data device, and sends a relevant request to a back-end server after processing the paired URL electronic data, and the back-end server returns an electronic file associated with the URL electronic data according to the relevant request.
US10004085B2

A method is disclosed of a first network node of a cellular communication network comprising at least the first and a second network node. The first network node is adapted to transmit a first, desired, signal over a first frequency region using a first radio access technology, and the second network node is adapted to transmit a second, interfering, signal over a second frequency region using a second radio access technology. The first radio access technology is a single radio frequency carrier radio access technology. The first frequency region is partitioned into two or more sub-regions and the second frequency region is one of the sub-regions of the first frequency region. The method comprises determining that a wireless communication device residing in a cell served by the first network node is interfered by the second signal during signal reception over the first frequency region, and sending a first configuration message to the wireless communication device, wherein the first configuration message is adapted to cause the wireless communication device to report separate channel quality indicator values for each of the two or more sub-regions. The method also comprises receiving a channel quality indicator report indicative of the separate channel quality indicator values, and scheduling transmission of the first signal to the wireless communication device in one or more of the two or more sub-regions based on the received channel quality indicator report. Corresponding computer program product, arrangements and network node are also disclosed.
US10004082B2

An exemplary system and method for dynamic channel allocation in an LMR system includes using one or more preference indicators to dynamically determine a channel allocation priority to be used for channel allocation when channel allocation requests are received. The preference indicators may include a channel failure indicator (e.g. a channel health indicator based on repeater failures), a channel priority indicator, a radio frequency interference indicator, a high reflected power indicator, an excessive current drain indicator, a loss of backbone communications indicator, and a channel usage indicator. If more than one preference indicator is used, the channel priority ranking may be determined using any of a variety of weightings and prioritizations of the various preference indicators to dynamically generate the channel allocation priority. The dynamic channel allocation system may include one or more site controllers, servers, and/or one or more processors configured to implement the method of dynamic channel allocation.
US10004075B2

There is provided a communication control apparatus including a parameter acquisition unit that acquires parameters to calculate coverage of secondary systems from a secondary usage node operating the secondary systems on a frequency channel allocated to a primary system, a calculation unit that calculates the coverage of the secondary systems using the parameters acquired by the parameter acquisition unit, and an interference control unit that notifies a detection node that detects neighboring secondary systems of the secondary systems, of coverage information representing the coverage of the secondary systems calculated by the calculation unit.
US10004071B2

A wireless radio communication system for consumption meters is disclosed. The communication system includes one or more consumption meters arranged to be able to communicate using a first set of radio frequency bands, one or more mobile communication devices arranged to be able to communicate using a second set of radio frequency bands, and one or more meter reading systems arranged to be able to communicate using a third set of radio frequency bands, wherein the first set of radio frequency bands includes a HF band and a first VHF/UHF band, the second set of radio frequency bands includes at least the HF band and a second VHF/UHF band, and the third set of radio frequency bands includes at least the first VHF/UHF band.
US10004065B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting or receiving a downlink signal by considering an antenna port relationship. A method for user equipment receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) signal in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining from the downlink subframe a resource element (RE) on which the PDSCH is mapped; and receiving the PDSCH signal based on the RE on which the PDSCH is mapped, wherein when the DCI is comprised according to DCI format 1A and the downlink subframe is a multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe, the RE on which the PDSCH is mapped can be determined depending on cell-specific reference signal (CRS) location information, which is included in a PDSCH resource element mapping and Quasi co-location indicator (PQI) parameter set that is established by an upper layer.
US10004059B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a service advertisement message transmission method and device. The method in the embodiments of the present invention includes: generating, by a first device, a first service advertisement message, where the first service advertisement message includes first service information of the first device and second service information of a second device; the second service information is obtained by the first device from a received message sent by the second device; the first service information is used to enable a device in a communication range of the first device to learn service information of the first device; and the second service information is used to enable a device in a communication range of the second device to learn service information of the second device; and sending, by the first device, the first service advertisement message.
US10004054B2

In a wireless communication system, an IOPS-capable user equipment is registered on both a normal PLMN and an IOPS PLMN. The user equipment is configured to set one of the first PLMN and the second PLMN as a primary PLMN and the other one of the first PLMN and the second PLMN as a secondary PLMN randomly, according to an MO PLMN preference provided by a user of the user equipment, or according to a dialing history of the user equipment. Therefore, PLMN precedence can be provided for the user equipment in the IOPS dual PLMN mode of operation to make MO calls.
US10004050B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for operating a user equipment (UE) are provided. The apparatus receives first information from a first millimeter-wave base station (mwB), determines second information based on the received first information, and transmits the second information to at least one other mwB. The first information and the second information are related to synchronization and/or a network state between the first mwB and the at least one other mwB.
US10004049B2

Disclosed is a controller managing a base station in a heterogeneous network environment constituted by a macro base station and a small cell base station group, including: a traffic managing unit managing traffic of the small cell base station group; and an operation controlling unit controlling an operation of at least one peripheral base station included in the small cell base station group based on the traffic of the small cell base station group, wherein the small cell base station group includes a center base station and the at least one peripheral base station and the small cell base station group is disposed in a macro cell configured by the macro base station.
US10004048B2

Transmission power control methods and devices are described. In a transmission power control method, a triggering distance can be calculated based on one or more communication parameters. Using a proximity sensor, a proximity distance of the communication device with an external object can be calculated. The triggering distance and the proximity distance can be compared, and based on this comparison, a transmission power mode of the communication device can be determined and set.
US10004046B2

The present disclosure provides a power control method in device to device (D2D) communication and a user equipment for performing the power control method. The method includes computing a power value of device to device (D2D) transmission of a user equipment performing D2D communication in a subframe in a serving cell, based on a power control adjustment state of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wide area network (WAN) uplink channel of the user equipment and an offset or a ratio indicated by a transmit power control (TPC) command indicated in D2D grant or downlink control information (DCI) format 3/3A.
US10004041B2

A communication apparatus comprises: a communication unit configured to communicate data with an external apparatus; a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the communication apparatus; and a control unit configured to cause the detection unit to detect a temperature of the communication apparatus, perform, in a case where the detected temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, a first communication operation performed without suspending the data transfer, and perform, in a case where the detected temperature is higher than or equal to the predetermined temperature, a second communication operation performed while suspending the data transfer, wherein the control unit sets, based on a communication state of the communication unit, a suspension time of the data transfer when performing the second communication operation.
US10004039B2

A method for detecting interference scenario may include receiving a composite signal. The composite signal having a plurality of transmissions from a serving cell and from at least one interfering cell, each of the plurality of transmissions which has a first part scaled according to a first power scale, a second part scaled according to a second power scale, and a third part transmitted with a fixed power value. The method further includes determining a first power value based on the third part of a transmission from the serving cell, determining a second power value based on the first part of the plurality of transmissions, and detecting an interference scenario based on the first power value and the second power value.
US10004035B2

A method of managing data transmission for a receiving terminal of a first wireless system wherein the first wireless system coexists with at least one second wireless system includes receiving a transmission schedule of each of the at least one second wireless system; determining a usable time period for the first wireless system according to the transmission schedule of each of the at least one second wireless system; and sending a clear to send (CTS) to self signal or a power saving signal to indicate an interruption of the usable time period according to a length of the usable time period.
US10004031B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communications system, and more particularly to a method for sensing a channel dynamically in a wireless LAN system and an apparatus therefor. A method for performing CCA (Clear Channel Assessment) by a station (STA) in a wireless LAN system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: receiving by a physical layer (PHY) of the STA a request primitive including a parameter indicating a CCA level type from an upper layer, and determining whether a signal equal to or greater than a prescribed CCA threshold is sensed based on the value of the parameter. Here, the parameter may be set so as to indicate one of a plurality of different CCA level types.
US10004030B2

System and method embodiments are provided for network adaption and utilization of a discovery signal (DS). In an embodiment, a method in a UE for communicating in a wireless network includes receiving a parameter(s) from a network controller, wherein the parameter provides the UE with an activation time frame within which the UE can expect to receive a common reference signal (CRS) from a network component, a deactivation time frame within which the UE is not to expect to receive the CRS, and information for receiving and processing a DS from the network component; receiving the DS from the network component, wherein a structure and format of the DS conforms to the parameter received by the UE; refraining from attempting to perform CRS based procedures when the CRS is not received; and performing one of synchronization, cell identification, and DS based radio resource management (RRM) measurements according to the DS.
US10004007B2

A method, system and devices are provided for location update in an e.g. WiMAX based network. An authenticator function is informed on the location of a data path function after a handover has taken place.
US10004006B2

A secondary base station method, secondary base station, master base station method, master base station and computer program products are disclosed. The secondary base station method comprises: upon it being determined that the secondary base station is to perform a protocol layer re-establishment, permitting continued transmission of data packets to user equipment over the secondary base station bearer. In this way, service interruption can be minimized since pending data packets may continue to be transmitted while the re-establishment takes, which minimizes service interruption and reduces the number of data packets which will need to be retransmitted.
US10004003B2

A method for switch user equipment from a Long Term Evolution system to a Circuit Switched system when receiving a voice call is disclosed. The method may comprise: receiving, at an IWF (Internet Working Function) network node, a Mobility Application Part Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (MAP USSD) message identifying a User Equipment (UE) originated from a USSD application, the UE associated with a first Mobile Switching Center (MSC); initiating Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) by sending a paging request to the UE; receiving a Cancel Location message associated with the UE from a Home Location Register (HLR) indicative of the UE being associated with a second MSC; forwarding the MAP USSD message to the UE via the HLR and the second MSC; receiving a MAP USSD response message from the UE via the HLR; and forwarding the MAP USSD response message to the USSD application.
US10003994B2

Examples may include techniques for a identifying physical hybrid automatic request (HARQ) indicator channel (PHICH) resources. A PHICH resource along with one or more additional PHICH may be identified for use to enhance coverage for user equipment to receive positive acknowledgements (ACKs) or negative acknowledgement (NAKs) from an evolved Node B (eNB). An ACK/NAK may be sent to the UE by the eNB responsive to receiving data over a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) established with the UE. Both the UE and the eNB may operate in compliance with one or more 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards.
US10003990B2

A communication device is described comprising a transmitter configured to transmit data according to a retransmission protocol, a determiner configured to determine whether, for a transmission time scheduled according to the retransmission protocol, there was a transmission gap within a predetermined time interval before the transmission time or to determine whether there will be a transmission gap within a predetermined time interval after the transmission time and a controller configured to control the transmitter to perform an initial transmission of data or a retransmission of data according to the retransmission protocol at the transmission time based on the result of the determination.
US10003989B1

A measuring device for over the air power measurements is provided. It comprises a power sensor unit, which is configured for measuring a power of a signal emitted by a device under test over the air and an indication unit which is configured for indicating the measured power optically. Moreover, the measuring device comprises a common housing, which encompasses the power sensor unit and the indication unit.
US10003985B1

Described is a system for determining reliability of nodes in a mobile wireless network. The system is operable for receiving an Exploitation Network (Xnet) database. The Xnet database has an Xnet structure formed of a physical node layer (NetTopo), a network dependent (NetDep) layer, and an application dependent (AppDep) layer. The NetTopo layer includes NetTopo graphs reflecting connectivity between the nodes. The NetDep layer includes NetDep graphs reflecting connectivity dependencies amongst the nodes, and the AppDep layer includes Appdep graphs reflecting software application dependencies amongst the nodes. An Xnet Analytics Engine is run that monitors and evaluates reliability of each node in the mobile wireless network to provide a reliability estimate of each node.
US10003983B2

A radio communication apparatus receives control information on one or more control channel elements (CCEs) with consecutive CCE number(s). The radio communication apparatus first-spreads a response signal with a sequence defined by a cyclic shift value that is determined among a plurality of cyclic shift values from an index of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which is associated with a first CCE number of the one or more CCEs, and second-spreads the first-spread response signal with an orthogonal sequence that is determined among a plurality of orthogonal sequences from the index. One of cyclic shift values used for an orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an odd CCE number, and another one of the cyclic shift values used for the same orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an even CCE number.
US10003982B2

A method for transmitting data, the method including receiving data from one or more data units, determining a total data rate based on data obtained from the one or more data units, determining an optimum data rate for packet transmission based on minimizing overhead data included in the packet transmission where, when the total data rate exceeds a predetermined threshold, a first portion of data is automatically removed from the data obtained from the one or more data units for placement in a data storage buffer and a second portion of the data obtained from the one or more data units remains in the packet transmission such that the total data rate is decreased and transmitting the second portion of the data obtained from the one or more data units at the optimum data rate.
US10003974B2

Representative embodiments set forth techniques for enabling a mobile device to be a member of various trust circles. According to some embodiments, an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) included in the mobile device can be configured to store, for each trust circle of which the eUICC is a member, at least one digital certificate associated with a Certificate Authority (CA) that serves as a root of the trust circle. In this manner, the at least one digital certificate for each trust circle enables the eUICC to participate as a member of the trust circle. According to some embodiments, the eUICC can be pre-configured to include digital certificates that establish membership to trust circles that the mobile device may encounter during operation. Moreover, the eUICC can also be updated to modify the different trust circles, which can further enable the functionality of the mobile device to evolve throughout its operation.
US10003973B2

A method and apparatus for managing security in a wireless network for fixed aircraft components, having a wireless access point located in the aircraft and defining the boundaries of the wireless network, a wireless remote node fixedly located within the aircraft and communicating with the wireless network, and a fixed security node.
US10003964B1

A method for exchanging hidden secret messages includes generating a masking message comprising a quick phrase on a sender's mobile device; receiving a secret message and associating it with the masking message; encrypting the masking message; encoding the secret message using invisible symbols and embedding it into the masking message; sending the masking message to a recipient; receiving a response masking message from a recipient's mobile device; copying the response masking message and detecting the secret message by checking a clipboard content; decrypting the response masking message; and decoding the secret message and rendering it on a sender's keyboard screen. The secret message contains an invisible marker inserted after a first symbol of the masking message for detection and decoding.
US10003963B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided for transmitting information from a serving network element to a mobile terminal in a mobile communications network. The serving network element transmits indication indicating whether a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) via packet switched (PS) session is supported, to the mobile terminal, via an eNode B, during one of a tracking area updating (TAU) procedure and an attach procedure. A Voice Call Continuity (VCC) capability of the mobile terminal is received from the mobile terminal. It is determined whether or not to anchor a call based on the received VCC capability of the mobile terminal. The indication is determined based on a capability of the serving network element.
US10003960B2

A system and method for restricting cell phone use while operating a vehicle. The operation and functionality of a subject mobile communication device (MCD) is restricted during operation of a subject vehicle. A control/monitor communication device (controller) installs a functionality restriction application (FRA) on the subject MCD and registers the MCD to a server. The registration process associates a specific vehicle and specific functionality restrictions with the subject MCD. The vehicle may be associated with the subject MCD via an on-board module (OBM) integrated with an on-board diagnostic device of the vehicle. When the vehicle is operational, the OBM transmits a signal to the server. The server accesses the registration information and transmits a signal to the associated MCD. The signal activates the FRA as well as communication functionality so that if the subject MCD is within a threshold distance of the OBM it is restricted as specified.
US10003959B2

Systems and methods for the subscriber identity module (SIM) access profile (SAP) over Bluetooth. In one embodiment, intermediate responses from a SIM card containing procedure bytes are not transmitted to the client, but rather the appropriate response is generated by the server and sent to the SIM card. In another embodiment, the client groups together multiple command APDUs (Application Protocol Data Unit) into one message before sending out to the server, and the message may also contain parameters indicating various actions to be taken by the server in case an error is generated. In another embodiment, the client instructs the server to perform poling of the SIM card in an autonomous manner for any proactive data. Embodiments are not limited to a SIM card, and are applicable to other types of smart cards, such as an UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card).
US10003957B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for allocating and updating an identifier in order to protect the location privacy of a user equipment (UE), and apparatuses for supporting the same. As an embodiment of the present invention, a method for protecting the location privacy of a UE in a wireless access system may comprise the steps of: receiving, from a mobility management entity (MME), an access acceptance message including a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) assigned so as not to expose an IMSI of the UE and update period information indicating an update period of the GUTI; determining whether to update the GUTI on the basis of the update period information; transmitting a GUTI update request message to the MME when the update period indicated by the update period information is reached; and receiving a GUTI update message including a new updated GUTI, in response to the GUTI update request message.
US10003954B2

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for managing the mobility of a terminal in a mobile agent according to a method for distributive mobility management, and the method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a step for detecting a change in location information of a terminal according to the movement of the terminal and storing the changed location information in a first storage unit; a step for storing, in a second storage unit, an index of the first storage unit in which the changed location information is stored; and a step for transmitting, to another mobile agent, an index value stored in the second storage unit at a point in time at which a predetermined condition is satisfied, and initializing the second storage unit.
US10003952B2

A method of operating a first wireless communication device to perform D2D discovery includes obtaining multiple discovery message detection results, and determining a D2D discovery status of a second wireless communication device based on the multiple discovery message detection results. Using multiple discovery message detection results to determine the D2D discovery status of the second wireless communication device significantly increases the reliability of D2D discovery, thereby increasing the likelihood that a device available for D2D communication will be detected, while reducing the likelihood of false detections.
US10003950B2

An ID kits for personal automation comprise: a wireless communication module for performing wireless communication with an external wireless communication device; a microcomputer for performing an operation according to a program configured according to a signal of the wireless communication device via the wireless communication and outputting the result of the performance to the wireless communication module; and a first battery for supplying power to the microcomputer, wherein each ID kit is given a unique number, which is then registered with only one wireless communication device, and thus can wirelessly communicate only with the registered wireless communication device.
US10003949B2

A communication apparatus includes a first communication unit that communicates with an external apparatus using a first wireless communication, a second communication unit that communicates with the external apparatus using a second wireless communication, and a control unit, wherein in a case where the communication with the external apparatus is performed using the first wireless communication in response to an acceptance of an instruction, the control unit controls the first communication unit to communicate with the external apparatus with an identifier that is different for each connection, and wherein in a case where the communication with the external apparatus is performed using the first wireless communication in response to the communication with the external apparatus by the second communication unit, the control unit controls the first communication unit to communicate with the external apparatus with a predetermined identifier for each connection.
US10003944B2

Disclosed herein are an electronic device and a method executable therein. The electronic device includes a communication module, and a processor executing the method, which includes detecting the generation of a specific event, controlling the communication module to transmit a message to one or more other electronic devices located within a predetermined range, and control the communication module to communicate with the one or more other electronic devices based on a request from the one or more second electronic devices.
US10003932B2

According to an embodiment, a communication support apparatus supports communication among users. The apparatus includes a message receiver to receive a message from a user terminal; a participation request transmission controller to control such that, when the received message is a participation request message, the participation request message is transmitted to a user terminal to which the participation request message is to be transmitted; a response receiver to receive a response to the participation request message from the user terminal to which the participation request message has been transmitted; a group generator to generate a conversation group including as members the user terminal that has responded to the participation request message and the user terminal serving as a transmission source; and a conversation controller to control delivery of messages in the conversation mode such that a message received from a member of the conversation group is transmitted to another member.
US10003926B2

Human behavior may be predicted by building a model of people's physical movements along with a model that represents their affinities to various ontological elements, and their relationships to other people. The model may include a graph of interrelated people, as well as their hobbies, interests, employment, and other elements. The model may be analyzed by simulating people's activities as those activities interact with real or hypothetical networks. The real networks may be used to verify the model by comparing measured parameters to predictive parameters derived from simulation to calibrate the models. A calibrated model may then be used with a modified or hypothetical network to analyze the effects of changes to the real network.
US10003923B2

Methods and a system are provided that is performed by a computer server for inferring location context categories for a set of mobile users having at least two members. A method includes, for each mobile user in the set, obtaining at least one location context category therefor from publically available information responsive to uncertain mobile device location data. The method further includes applying multi-user collaborative machine learning to the at least one location context category for each mobile user in the set to infer a single refined location context category for each mobile user in the set.
US10003918B1

A method for determining a geographic location of a mobile electronic device and providing a local emergency services number to the mobile electronic device based on the determined geographic location, including receiving a request to place an emergency services call; determining, in response to receiving the request to place the emergency services call, a current cellular geolocation of the mobile electronic device; accessing a cellular geolocation/local emergency services number table; determining a local emergency number for the current cellular geolocation, using the current cellular geolocation and at least some information stored in the cellular geolocation/local emergency number table; and placing the requested emergency services call, using the determined local emergency number for the current cellular geolocation.
US10003910B2

Data on agricultural machines can be outputted to mobile terminals easily and properly. A data collection device is provided separately from a control device that controls the operation of an agricultural machine and is connected to a vehicle communication network installed in the agricultural machine, and is removably connected to the vehicle communication network. The data collection device includes a data collection unit for collecting agricultural machine data outputted to the vehicle communication network, an authorization determination unit for implementing authentication with a mobile terminal to determine whether or not the collected data is transmitted to the mobile terminal by wireless communication, and a data communication unit for transmitting data to the mobile terminal by wireless communication when the authorization determination unit authorizes data transmission.
US10003909B2

Means for enabling the integration of a Sensor Management System (SMS) to a programmable radio access network (ProgRAN) controller are described. The integration allows an efficient management of the radio access network capacity as the needs for the backhaul of the sensor network changes. When a sensor is turned on or programmed to a higher profile, which requires larger wireless backhaul bandwidth, the associated wireless link on the programmable RAN is instantly allocated with more network resources by the controller to accommodate the additional sensor traffic. One implementation could be a software application on a computer, which attaches to both the SMS and the RAN controller, and mediates the messaging in real-time between these two components.
US10003908B2

A method and system for allocating device object identifier (OID) in open machine-to-machine (m2m) system and application system applying the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes generating, at a hardware server device, an OID of a first computing device, wherein the OID includes a first arc identifying a manufacturer of the first computing device, a second arc identifying a model number of the first computing device and a third arc identifying a serial number of the first computing device. The method also includes allocating, at the hardware server device, the generated OID to the first computing device.
US10003905B1

Left and right ear HRTF coefficients are determined for an end user, one each for each of a plurality of head orientations, and provided to the end user on a portable recording medium, or via the Internet, etc. The user can then implement the files on audio played on the user's headphones, with the file corresponding to the user's head orientation being selected as the user moves his head to ensure the sound as perceived by the user remains emanating from a fixed external location. The user's personal HRTF may be cascaded with the HRTF of a user-designated location, such as a famous theater, to model the sound as though it were being played in the theater.
US10003899B2

Example techniques may involve multiple calibrations for one or more playback devices. An example implementation may involve detecting, via a microphone, calibration sounds as emitted by one or more playback devices during a calibration sequence, perhaps by recording first samples while the microphone is in motion through a given environment and recording second samples while the microphone is stationary at one or more particular locations. The implementation may also include determining a first calibration for the one or more playback devices based on at least the first samples of the calibrations sounds and determining a second calibration for the one or more playback devices based on at least the second samples of the calibrations sounds. The implementation may further include applying at least one of (a) the first calibration or (b) the second calibration to playback by the one or more playback devices.
US10003887B2

A miniature sound generator is disclosed. The miniature sound generator includes a vibration system including a diaphragm and a voice coil arranged below the diaphragm for driving the diaphragm to generate sound, the voice coil having a pair of long axis edges and a pair of short axis edges; a fixing system; and a flexible circuit board elastically supporting the voice coil. The flexible circuit board includes a first fixing part connected with the fixing system, a second fixing part connected to the voice coil, and a plurality of elastic connecting pieces connecting the first fixing part to the second fixing part. The elastic connecting pieces are connected with the long axis edges of the voice coil, and the voice coil is electrically connected with the elastic connecting pieces.
US10003879B2

An earphone apparatus includes at least one sound broadcasting device. Each of the sound broadcasting device includes a main shell, a plurality of first electrodes, a speaker device and an expanding speaker device. The main shell has a first connector. The speaker device is disposed in the main shell, and receives a sound signal through a signal transmitting wire coupled to the first electrodes. The expanding speaker device has a second connector, and the expanding speaker device is detachably connected to the first connector through the second connector. When the second connector is connected to the first connector, the expanding speaker device is electronically connected to the first electrodes, and receives the sound signal transmitted by the signal transmitting wire.
US10003876B2

Planar magnetic headphones include a single layer of parallel elongated magnets spaced from each other and supported on a magnet holder matrix. The holder matrix can be plastic or it can be a metallic permeability plate, with the magnets being on the inside (toward the ear) of the plate. Inboard of the magnets is a plastic dampening matrix that supports a first continuous disk-shaped dampening membrane. A serpentine circuit trace is established on a thin diaphragm that is outboard of the magnets to excite the magnets and move the diaphragm to produce sound according to the current in the trace. Still further outboard of the circuit race and positioned against a hard plastic outer cover is a second continuous disk-shaped dampening membrane. A circular pattern of holes is formed through the outer cover.
US10003871B1

An audio transmitting table is disclosed which, in general, includes a table top, frame, a controller, and multiple microphones. The table top has one or more non-perpendicular contour edges. The frame is attached to the table top. The controller is attached to the audio transmitting table. The multiple microphones are embedded in the non-perpendicular contour edges. Each microphone transmits audio data to the controller.
US10003856B2

The present invention relates to a method and system of carrying multicast/broadcast content from a content server to a plurality of enodeB's over an LTE network. In one embodiment this is accomplished by dividing the network into multiple MB SFN (Single Frequency Network), broadcasting a content distribution message to all the enodeBs within MBSFN by the content server, wherein the content distribution message having a content identification tag in order to inform all the enodeBs the appropriate time period or the non-busy period to download the content segments and downloading the content segments by all the enodeB's from the content server.
US10003851B2

Methods and apparatus for delivering video programs are provided. A plurality of video programs are provided in a fragmented, adaptive bit rate format. A request for a respective video program from the plurality of video programs is received from each of a plurality of clients. The requested video programs are multiplexed for delivery to the clients in a multiplex over a shared, fixed-bit-rate transmission channel. The requests may be for the same or different video programs. The requests for the video programs may occur at the same or at different times. In the fragmented, adaptive bit rate format, the fragment delivered to the client may not be the same as the requested fragment and is dependent on multiple criteria, including the bitrate and quality of the requested and delivered fragments, the total available delivery bandwidth, and other fragment requests made on the channel. The resulting multiplex may be either a constant bit rate multiplex or a variable bit rate multiplex.
US10003839B1

Set top boxes (STBs) in a cable system are configured on a box-by-box basis to facilitate beta and trial testing of new or updated services. STBs are assigned to deployment groups identified by a deployment group identifier. Features configurations including hierarchies of features can be defined individually for different deployment groups. Configuration files for provisioning the STBs are provided by a cable system head end according to the deployment group the STB is assigned to. STBs can be configured at the time they boot and register with the system or in a “hot” manner to avoid rebooting.
US10003834B1

Described herein is an example apparatus for displaying information associated with content while streaming the content to a display device. The apparatus includes a memory having a database stored therein. The database stores metadata relating to the content. The metadata includes a trick mode index, trick mode images and a database of information associated with segments of the content. The apparatus also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. In operation, in some embodiments, the processor streams the content for display on the display device. The processor implements a trick mode operation upon receiving an appropriate user request. During implementation of the trick mode operation, the processor receives command input requesting information associated with the content. Then, responsive to such command input, the processor retrieves information from the database of information associated with a segment of the content being featured on the display device when the command input was received, and displays the retrieved information on the display device.
US10003833B2

The system and method disclosed herein relate to the establishment of both the location and identity of individual items in pictures or videos and delivering of related information thereto. Initially, images in video source content are scanned and individual elements in the images are dynamically compared with digital images stored in a database to identify individual items in the image that match the digital images stored in the database. Upon detecting a match, information is accessed in the database that is related to the digital image that matches the identified individual item. The accessed information is then transmitted to a secondary system that is in communication with a display device, such that the accessed information is displayed on the secondary system in coordination with the video source content being displayed on the display device.
US10003804B2

The quantization unit calculates the number of bits of location information determined based on the location of a coefficient level to be significant first in order of transmission and included in the image block, calculates the number of value information bits of a coefficient level to be significant, and sets a coefficient level to be significant in which the number of location information bits and the number of value information bits meet a predetermined condition to 0.
US10003803B1

A method and apparatus for compressing a data stream comprising a plurality of pictures are described. A first quantization parameter (QP) from a plurality of QPs is determined, for a static region in a current picture. The plurality of QPs change in accordance with a multi-step change from a start QP to a target QP and each one of the plurality of QPs is to be applied to a respective one from successive static regions in successive pictures. In response to determining that the static region is to be compressed based upon an inter prediction mode, compression of the static region is caused based upon the first QP; and in response to determining that the static region is to be compressed based upon an intra prediction mode, compression of the static region is caused based upon a minimum QP.
US10003801B2

An image capturing apparatus has an encoding unit that encodes by generating a plane of each of color components that configure image data, and independently for each of the planes of the color components, performing frequency conversion processing, quantization processing, and entropy encoding, and a control unit that controls the encoding unit. The control unit decide whether or not to correct a quantization coefficient that is used in quantization processing for a plane of each color component obtained by the image sensor based on an ISO sensitivity or exposure information for a time of capturing; and in a case when it decides that a quantization coefficient will be corrected, determines, based on a distribution of a histogram of a plane of each color component, a quantization coefficient used in quantization processing for the respective color component.
US10003792B2

Some implementations can compress a digital image to create a compressed image corresponding to the digital image. The digital image can be divided into a plurality of coding units and a determination can be made whether to divide each coding unit of the plurality of coding units into smaller coding units/prediction units based on (i) a range of pixel values in each coding unit and/or (ii) a number of bits to encode the coding unit. Rate distortion optimization can be performed based on a size of each of the prediction units. A determination can be made whether to perform a transform for each of the transform units based on a size of each prediction unit and/or a spatial frequency measure associated with each transform unit.
US10003786B2

Techniques related to 3D image capture with dynamic cameras.
US10003782B2

A device according to embodiments may comprise an acquisition unit, an arrangement unit, a calculating unit, and a processing unit. The acquisition unit may acquire candidate vectors from among corresponding vectors which have been calculated for each candidate block around the target block. The arrangement unit may arrange particles around each candidate block indicated by each of the acquired candidate vectors while using the target block as an origination, and arrange particle vectors while using the target block as an origination. The calculating unit may calculate a correlation between a pixel value of the target block and a pixel value of each block defined by each of the particles, and give a weight depending on the calculated correlation to each of the particle vectors. The processing unit may obtain the corresponding vector for the target block based on the weight calculated for each of the particle vectors.
US10003780B1

A user device and method for operating the same includes a memory and a controller storing a recommended recording list in the memory. The controller stores recommended content from the recommended recording list in the memory and suppresses an indicator in response to storing recommended content from the recommended recording list. When the user selects a live content that corresponds to a recommended content stored in the memory, the user device may display the content from a previous position.
US10003775B2

A luminescent wheel includes a reflecting plate on which a diffuse plate and a luminescent material layer are provided in an end-to-end relationship with each other in a circumferential direction, a first supporting plate which is provided on one surface of the reflecting plate to support part of the diffuse plate, and a second supporting plate which is provided on the other surface of the reflecting plate to support part of the diffuse plate.
US10003772B2

An audio/visual control apparatus includes a plurality of displays. A reverse driving camera application may be launched to display a camera image dedicated to reverse driving in a situation where another camera application is already running and causing a particular image to be displayed on a subject display of the displays. Such case causes an on-screen image displayed on the subject display to be switched from the particular image to a reverse driving image generated by the reverse driving camera application, regardless of normal display switching priorities.
US10003769B2

A video telephony system includes a first image display apparatus and a second image display apparatus which makes a video call with the first image display apparatus. The first image display apparatus transmits a first image including a photographed image of a first user to the second image display apparatus, and receives a second image in which a background of a photographed image of a second user is substituted with a virtual background image, from the second image display apparatus. The second image display apparatus changes the virtual background image of the second image according to a change in a location of the first user and transmits the second image.
US10003768B2

Apparatus and methods for the generation of interpolated frames of video data. In one embodiment, a computerized apparatus is disclosed that includes a video data interface configured to receive frames of video data; a processing apparatus in data communication with the video data interface; and a storage apparatus in data communication with the processing apparatus. The computerized apparatus is further configured to: receive frames of captured video data; retrieve capture parameters associated with the frames of captured video data; generate optical flow parameters from the frames of captured video data; ascribe differing weights based on the capture parameters and/or the optical flow parameters; generate frames of interpolated video data for the frames of captured video data based at least in part on the ascribed weights; and compile a resultant video stream using the frames of interpolated video data and the frames of captured video data.
US10003767B2

An image processing apparatus that handles RAW images efficiently performs editing for reproducing RAW images.The apparatus compresses each of RAW images and reduced RAW images which are reduced from the RAW images, and records each in a recording medium. When editing, the image processing apparatus communicates with an external apparatus and transmits the reduced RAW images stored in the recording medium to the external apparatus, and causes the external apparatus to perform editing processing of the reduced images. Further, the image processing apparatus uses editing information representing the content of editing processing from the external apparatus to execute editing of the RAW image corresponding to the reduced RAW image on which the editing processing has been performed, by referencing the editing information.
US10003759B2

A vertically stacked image sensor having a photodiode chip and a transistor array chip. The photodiode chip includes at least one photodiode and a transfer gate extends vertically from a top surface of the photodiode chip. The image sensor further includes a transistor array chip stacked on top of the photodiode chip. The transistor array chip includes the control circuitry and storage nodes. The image sensor further includes a logic chip vertically stacked on the transistor array chip. The transfer gate communicates data from the at least one photodiode to the transistor array chip and the logic chip selectively activates the vertical transfer gate, the reset gate, the source follower gate, and the row select gate.
US10003756B2

A sight system is provided that includes an optical mode providing an optical image of a field of view and a video display mode providing video of the field of view acquired by an image sensor. The sight system can include optical components configured to present the field of view to the image sensor and to present substantially the field of view to a user through an eyepiece coupled to the sight system. The sight system can include a display configured to display to the user, through the eyepiece, video of the field of view acquired by the image sensor. The sight system can include a user interface feature configured to change from the optical mode to the video display mode when actuated by the user. Thus, the sight system can be configured to provide bore-sighted optical and video data to the user.
US10003754B2

An apparatus and method for generating images of specimens is disclosed. The apparatus includes an imaging system, controller, and user interface. The imaging system generates a plurality of component images of a specimen, each component image corresponding to a different viewing condition. Each image is represented by an intensity as a function of location on the specimen. The controller stores the component images and generates a compound image from a plurality of the component images. The compound image includes a weighted sum of first and second ones of the component images, the controller displaying the compound image on a display controlled by the controller. The user interface is adapted to control a weighting factor used in generating the weighted sum in response to user input. The controller redisplays the compound image after the weighting factor is changed in response to user input.
US10003747B2

An imaging apparatus includes a movable member supporting an imaging device; a stationary member supporting the movable member to allow the movable member to spherically swing about a point on an optical axis of the imaging device; first and second actuators which apply two driving forces to the movable member in different tilting directions to vary an inclination of the optical axis; and a third actuator which applies a driving force to the movable member in a rotational direction about the optical axis. The first, second and third actuators are provided as three separate actuators installed at intervals in a circumferential direction about the optical axis, in an initial state of the movable member in the spherical-swinging operation relative to the stationary member. Part of each of the first, second and third actuators lies on a cylindrical surface centered on the optical axis in the initial state.
US10003744B2

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup element, an image pickup module and electronic equipment configured to avoid large scaling of an image pickup element caused by an improvement in functions thereof. The solid-state image pickup element is configured with a lamination of an image sensor substrate on which a plurality of pixels is arranged on a surface of a sensor, and a signal processing substrate in which signal processing of an image signal output from the image sensor substrate is executed. The signal processing substrate has an electronic blur correction processing unit, a first connection unit that connects with an optical blur correction processing unit, and a second connection unit that connects with a gyro sensor which detects a blur generated in an image. At least a part of signals passed between the gyro sensor and the optical blur correction processing unit passes through the signal processing substrate.
US10003740B2

The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for increasing spatial resolution of panoramic video captured by a camera array. In one example, a method may include identifying a captured image from each camera in a camera array associated with a capture of a panoramic video. The captured images are stitched together to generate at least one combined image and image mode homographies are calculated between the plurality of cameras in the camera array based on the stitching results. A plurality of captured video frames from each camera in the camera array are identified and video mode homographies of the plurality of cameras are determined based on the calculated image mode homographies. The determined video mode homographies are applied to stitch the plurality of captured video frames.
US10003729B2

An approach is provided to control digital imaging system. In the approach, isolated camera settings pertaining to a first camera body are configured. The first camera body is included in a camera group that includes two or more camera bodies. Each of the cameras in the camera group is controlled by a human operator. Shared camera settings that pertain to each of the cameras in the camera group are also configured. When an adjustment is received at the camera body from the human operator, the approach checks whether the adjustment is a shared group setting. If the adjustment is a shared setting, the system wirelessly transmits the adjustment over the wireless transmitter/receiver to the other camera bodies included in the camera group.
US10003724B2

A mobile device case is configured to facilitate coupling of an auxiliary lens assembly along an optical path of a miniature camera module of a mobile device. A case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case are configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens assembly that is coupled to the lens attachment interface. A lens recognition sensor is coupled to the case processor and electrical circuitry and is configured to identify the auxiliary lens with a specific lens type.
US10003716B2

Embodiments include systems and methods for an electronic device including circuitry configured to acquire data of a first group of one or more images photographed by a first photographing method with corresponding first attribute information and first photographing time, and acquire data of a second group of one or more images photographed by a second photographing method with corresponding second attribute information and second photographing time; assign a priority to the first group and the second group based on the first photographing method and the second photographing method, respectively; and select one or more images from the first group and the second group based upon the assigned priorities, wherein a time to continuously display the selected one or more images occurs within a pre-determined time range for a set display mode.
US10003696B2

A distributed collaborative offline charging system and method is provided. Charging is determined by receiving a reduced charging record at a charging control function. The reduced charging record includes a charging data subset and an index for charging parameters that are not included in reduced charging record. The charging control function retrieves the charging parameters that are not included in reduced charging record utilizing the index.
US10003692B2

Text-based automated customer service agents provide an attractive contact center interaction for may customer-agent communications. However, the “say anything” nature of text may result in additional problems not encountered in prompted interactions. A single misunderstanding or error may cause an automated communication to fail, however, by providing micro-tasks to a human agent, an automated communication may be maintained longer with benefit of a human agent's input. A lack of progress towards completion of a work item may cause the communication to be routed to a human agent and/or a different channel (e.g., voice, email, etc.). Accordingly, a micro-task or an opt-out operation may be provided to maintain the communication with an automated agent for as long as possible but yet provide improved customer service when necessary.
US10003688B1

Systems for caller identification and authentication may include an authentication server. The authentication server may be configured to receive audio data including speech of a plurality of telephone calls, use audio data for at least a subset of the plurality of telephone calls to populate a plurality of word clusters each associated with a specific demographic, and/or use audio data for at least one of the plurality of telephone calls to identify the telephone caller making the telephone call based on determining a most similar word cluster of the plurality of word clusters to the audio data of the caller.
US10003687B2

In some examples, a first device may detect the presence of a second device or a particular person and, when a triggering event related to the second device or the particular person applies, the first device may change from a first mode to a second mode.
US10003684B2

A method and a system for synchronous operations of text message data, which may include, on one hand, that a feature phone receives an operation request regarding text message data from a user on the user interface, and the feature phone sends the operation request via Bluetooth to a smartphone. The smartphone can receive the operation request sent by the feature phone. The smartphone can carry out a corresponding operation, and obtain a first operation result. The smartphone can send the first operation result to the feature phone, and the feature phone can receive the first operation result. The feature phone can carry out an operation corresponding to the first operation result and can obtain a second operation result. Optionally, when local text message data of the smartphone changes, the smartphone can send a text message data modification notice to the feature phone, and the feature phone can receive the text message data modification notice. The feature phone can modify the text message data according to the text message data modification notice, and display the modified result on the user interface. In such a manner, at least one embodiment can operate text message data of the smartphone with an equivalently large screen via the feature phone with an equivalently small screen.
US10003678B2

The present invention provides an apparatus for processing at least one PDU (protocol data unit) in an N layer in a transmitting side of a broadcast system, the apparatus comprising a PDU processor for receiving at least one higher (N+1) layer PDU and generating a PDU including the received at least one higher (N+1) layer PDU and a PDU post-processor for post processing the generated PDU and transmitting the post-processed PDU to a lower (N−1) layer.
US10003675B2

A method, an apparatus, and a system have been disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes an autonomous memory device receiving a set of instructions, the memory device executing the set of instructions, combining the set of instructions with any data recovered from the memory device in response to the set of instructions into a packet, and transmitting the packet from the memory device.
US10003661B2

Service discovery is accomplished across a network with reduced traffic. Network devices often receive multicast discovery requests for various protocols and/or services, which increase network traffic and degrade network performance. Here, though, a server maintains a membership list for a particular protocol. The server populates the membership list with subnet devices that confirm the particular protocol. Whenever the server receives a discovery request associated with the protocol, the server need not clog its subnet with multicast requests. Instead, the server need only retrieve the membership list that is associated with the protocol. The membership list contains the subnet addresses assigned to the subnet devices that confirm the particular protocol.
US10003658B2

A mobile device is capable of enabling one or more location data sources for location determination of the mobile device. The mobile device may receive a request for an emergency location session, e.g., by a user dialing E911 or from an external client. At least one location data source in the mobile device is determined to be disabled. For example, the location data sources may be a WLAN transceiver or a WPAN transceiver, as well as camera sensors and environmental sensors. The disabled location data source (s) is enabled and location data is obtained from the enabled location data source(s). The location data may be provided, e.g., to a location server. The status of the location data source (s) may be restored, e.g., disabled, after the location data is obtained or after the emergency location session is completed.
US10003640B2

A system and method of decreasing server loads and, more particularly, to decrease server load by automatically determining subgroups based on object interactions and computational expenditures. The system includes a plurality of servers; a subgroup optimization module configured to segment a plurality of objects into optimal subgroups; and a server transfer module configured to apportion one or more of the optimal subgroups between the plurality of servers based on a load of each of the plurality of servers. The method includes determining a relationship amongst a plurality of objects; segmenting the objects into optimized subgroups based on the relationships; and apportioning the optimized subgroups amongst a plurality of servers based on server load.
US10003636B1

A node based architecture that supports arbitrary access to any node in a system for data representation and access, while still providing virtual volume coherency that is global to all of the nodes in the system, and while providing underlying data management services that are also variously accessible from any node in the system.
US10003634B2

A system and method are presented for the facilitation of threaded download of software record identifiers and software records. Software record identifiers and software records are stored in separate one-dimensional stacks, which stacks feed a plurality of download threads in a first-in, first-out method. Software records and/or software record identifiers may optionally be written in parallel, or in an asynchronous manner. The total number of threads allowed to a user may optionally be limited to a pre-set number. The speed and efficiency of downloading records is increased through use of all of the cores of multi-cored computing systems to substantively concurrently download several threads. The method further allows a failed download thread to restart from the point at which it failed, rather than beginning again from the origin of the thread, thus ensuring that no software records are duplicated, and that no software records are skipped within a download thread.
US10003633B2

The present invention relates to a method and a device for resuming download. The method for resuming download comprises: converting a file incompletely downloaded by a first download tool to a file identifiable to a second download tool, so that the second download tool resumes downloading the incompletely-downloaded file, wherein the first download tool and the second download tool are different download tools. The present invention implements relay download of different download tools, and can be applied to file download, so as to avoid wasting network resources and time of users.
US10003629B2

A method for executing a command line interface (CLI) command by receiving a hyper text transport protocol (HTTP) comprising the CLI command from a controller, extracting the CLI command from the HTTP request, and executing, by a network device, the CLI command to generate a populated model comprising results generated from executing the CLI command. The method also executes the CLI command by converting the populated model into a JSON format using a JSON engine to obtain a JSON result; encapsulating the JSON result in a JSON Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and transmitting the JSON RPC as a HTTP response to the controller.
US10003626B2

The present invention relates to an adaptive real-time transcoding method and a streaming server therefor to improve service quality by minimizing the disconnection of images in an environment, such as a mobile device, through adaptively changing a set value of a transcoding operation on a media streaming service to match a network environment. The adaptive real-time transcoding method of the present invention is a real-time transcoding method for sequentially transmitting a media data segment, divided and transcoded, in a streaming server to the client side over a network, the method comprising the steps of: determining the fill level of a client-side playback buffer; determining, on the basis of the fill level of the playback buffer, the image quality of media data segments that are not transmitted to the client side; and transcoding the non-transmitted media data segments according to the determined image quality.
US10003621B2

A multimedia router has code executable on the router from storage on a machine readable medium coupled to the router, the code providing routing functions, and a routing point identified in the router code for establishing at least one non-voice communications session between two or more communications appliances enabled for non-voice communications. During a voice call established between a calling party and one of the two or more communications appliances, the routing point is invoked from the called communications appliance by issuance of a non-voice routing request to establish at least one non-voice communications session between the called communications appliance and another of the two or more communications appliances.
US10003618B2

Disclosed are a device and method for providing a mobile Internet call service. In order to reduce a call waiting time for an mVoIP call, when a call is an initial call after power of a terminal is turned on or using the main call number, information for a call connection is acquired in advance and a light weight session is maintained. When the mVoIP call is made later, the maintained light weight session is used to make a direct P2P call. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a call connection time. As a result, a call waiting time is significantly reduced and thus it is possible to provide a rapid response and improve user satisfaction. When the light weight session is maintained, access to a separate server system is not performed. As a result, it is possible to connect a P2P call even when call traffic is heavy.
US10003616B2

Techniques for destination domain extraction for secure protocols are disclosed. In some embodiments, destination domain extraction for secure protocols includes monitoring network communications between a client and a remote server; determining if the client sends a request to create a secure connection with the remote server (e.g., in which the network communications are initiating a setup for a secure protocol-based connection); and extracting a destination domain from the request to create the secure connection with the remote server. In some embodiments, the secure protocol is a secure sockets layer (SSL) protocol or transport layer security (TLS) protocol, and the destination domain is extracted from the server name indication (SNI) of a client hello message sent from the client to the remote server. In some embodiments, destination domain extraction for secure protocols further includes applying a policy (e.g., a security policy) based on the destination domain to filter traffic using a security device.
US10003615B2

A request related to an access to a network by a first user device may be received. The user device may be included in a plurality of user devices associated with a first first-level security profile assigned to the user. An application extension to an application executing on the first user device may be accessed in response to the request related to the access. A network connectivity file may be provided to the application extension. The network connectivity file may include network configuration information for the first user device. The network configuration information may be associated with a first second-level security profile assigned to the first user device. Instructions to configure the first user device to access the network based at least in part on the network configuration information in the network connectivity file may be provided.
US10003611B2

Techniques for protecting an online service against network-based attacks are described. In some cases, protection is performed by way of a scalable protection service including a dynamically scalable set of virtual machines hosted by a cloud service that is distinct from a data center that hosts the online service. The protection service is coupled to the online service via a private link. When an attack is detected by the online service, network traffic bound for the online service is redirected from the public network to the protection service. The protection service then processes the network traffic, such as by dropping network traffic associated with the attack and forwarding legitimate network traffic to the online service via the private link.
US10003608B2

Techniques for automated insider threat prevention are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system, process, and/or computer program product for automated insider threat prevention includes monitoring network communications at a network device; detecting an anomalous activity based on the monitored network communications associated with a user based on a behavior profile for the user; and performing an action in response to the detected anomalous activity based on a policy.
US10003606B2

The disclosed computer-implemented method for detecting security threats may include (1) detecting, by a software security program, a security incident at a client device such that the software security program generates a signature report to identify the security incident, (2) querying an association database with the signature report to deduce another signature report that a different software security program would have predictably generated at the client device, the different software security program having been unavailable at the client device at a time of detecting the security incident, and (3) performing at least one protective action to protect the client device from a security threat associated with the security incident based on the other signature report deduced by querying the association database. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US10003598B2

Systems, computer program products, and methods are described herein for a model framework and system for cyber security services. The present invention is configured to determine one or more access paths to the internal computing device from an external computing device; determine one or more controls associated with each access path; determine one or more types of access that may be made via one or more of the access paths by the external computing device to access the internal computing device; determine whether the one or more controls associated with the at least one of the one or more access paths is capable of detecting the access; determine one or more tools configured to regulate the one or more controls; and incorporate the one or more tools within the network to regulate the one or more controls to detect and monitor the access.
US10003587B2

An authority transfer system includes a determination unit configured to determine whether a domain of a service and a domain of an endpoint for allowing a client to acquire authority information are a same domain. An issue unit issues the authority information indicating that an authority of a user with respect to the service is transferred to the client without receiving an instruction to permit a transfer of the authority of the user with respect to the service to the client, if the two domains are determined to be the same domain by the determination unit.
US10003585B2

Embodiments include a storage device, comprising: a communication interface; data storage media; key storage media; and control logic configured to: receive a first key associated with a second key through the communication interface; store the first key in the key storage media; and restrict access through the communication interface to data stored in the data storage media using at least one of the first key and the second key.
US10003577B2

A method of secure transfer of local private encoding data between a first communication device and a second communication device, the first communication device and the second communication device being operable to communicate with each other via a communication connection there between, a respectively adapted first communication device, a respectively adapted second communication device, a system comprising such first and second communication devices and also a computer program product for carrying out the above method.
US10003560B1

A conversation correlation system is configured to associate social signals with conversations and group the conversations into topic clusters. The topic clusters for different days are linked together to form conversation streams. The conversation streams may identify conversation topics within ecosystems and identify changes in conversation topics over time. Topic labels may be generated for the topic clusters that better describe conversation topics. In one example, the topic labels may be generated using a mutual information topic distribution model.
US10003551B2

A packet memory system for selectively outputting received packets on one or more output ports. The packet memory system including a controller for controlling the output ports. Specifically, for packets of multicast or broadcast traffic that needs to be output from a plurality of the ports, the controller designates one or more reader ports that read the packet data from a packet memory such that the remainder of the ports are able to simply listen for the read packet data without performing a read operation.
US10003548B2

Data transmission method includes a first mobile device linking a first wireless network with a first linking quality and a second wireless network with a second linking quality. The first mobile device acquires a sum of first bandwidth requirements and a sum of second bandwidth requirements of application programs currently running. The first mobile device acquires a bandwidth allocation result according to the first linking quality, the second linking quality, the sum of first bandwidth requirements, and the sum of second bandwidth requirements. The first mobile device performs data link to the first wireless network and/or the second wireless network according to the bandwidth allocation result, and then performs data transmission of the application programs. The sum of second bandwidth requirements is greater than the sum of first bandwidth requirements. The bandwidth allocation result corresponds to a bandwidth usage value for all application programs.
US10003547B2

Techniques are disclosed relating to improving resource usage on a computer system. In one embodiment, a computer system identifies a plurality of processes running on the computer system and determines an importance value and a resource consumption value. In such an embodiment, the importance value is indicative of an importance of an identified process, and the resource consumption value is indicative of a resource consumption of the identified process. The computer system evaluates the importance value and the resource consumption value relative to a usage policy, and takes a corrective action with respect to the identified process based on the evaluating to reconcile resource consumption with process importance value.
US10003538B2

The disclosure relates to technology for load balancing link utilization of a networking device based on fractal analysis. In one embodiment, link utilization of switches, routers, etc. in a data center is balanced based on a fractal model of the link utilization. Techniques disclosed herein are proactive. For example, instead of reacting to link congestion, the technique predicts future link utilization based on fractal analysis. Then, packet flows (or flowlets) may be assigned to links based on the predicted future link utilization. Hence, congestion on links may be reduced or prevented.
US10003536B2

A computer-implemented system is disclosed for managing bandwidth usage rates in a packet switched network. The system includes one or more servers configured to execute computer program steps. The computer program steps comprises monitoring bandwidth usage rate at a first provider interface, determining if bandwidth usage rate at the provider interface exceeds a bandwidth usage rate limit; and rerouting Internet traffic from the provider interface having bandwidth that exceeds the bandwidth usage rate limit to a second provider interface having available bandwidth capacity.
US10003535B2

A network is configured to utilize available bandwidth to conduct bulk data transfers without substantially affecting the successful transmission of time-sensitive traffic in the network. In order to avoid this interference, the packets carrying data for bulk data transfers are associated with a low priority class such that the routers of the network will preferentially drop these packets over packets associated with the normal traffic of the network. As such, when the normal traffic peaks or there are link failures or equipment failures, the normal traffic is preferentially transmitted over the bulk-transfer traffic and thus the bulk-transfer traffic dynamically adapts to changes in the available bandwidth of the network. Further, to reduce the impact of dropped packets for the bulk-transfer traffic, the packets of the bulk-transfer traffic are encoded at or near the source component using a loss-resistant transport protocol so that the dropped packets can be reproduced at a downstream link.
US10003531B2

A network system includes a first Egress PE1, a second Egress PE2, and an Ingress PE3, the PE1, PE2 separately communicate with a CE, and the PE1, PE2 are located in a same redundancy group, and are separately used as primary/backup devices; the PE1, PE2 separately generate a virtual node, where the virtual node has a global unique Router ID in the network system. The virtual node is used as a next hop node of the PE1, PE2; and the PE1, PE2 send link state information to the PE3, so that the PE3 obtains Router IDs of the PE1 and PE2, a Router ID of the virtual node, and the link state information of the PE1, PE2, and the PE1, PE2 separately allocate a first label to a FEC of a first VPN, and send the first label and the Router ID of the virtual node to the PE3.
US10003529B2

Methods for memory allocation in a software-defined networking (SDN) system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first message in a network device from a SDN controller, where the first message includes a request to generate an entity in the network device to route traffic, and where the entity is one of a flow table entry, a group table entry, and a flow table. The method further includes identifying an indication in the first message that indicates at least one memory usage characteristic of the entity, where the at least one memory usage characteristic includes at least one of a target access speed and a target storage scalability of the entity; and generating, at least partially based on the indication, the entity using one memory type of a plurality of memory types of the network device.
US10003521B2

A Fibre Channel (FC) N_Port virtualization (NPV) gateway apparatus includes an NP_Port to connect to an F_Port of an FC switch of an FC fabric, a first F_Port to connect to a host device, and a second F_Port to connect to a target device. The apparatus includes shortcut path logic to create a shortcut path between the host and target devices to permit the host and target devices to communicate with one another without the communication traversing the switch. In response to receiving communication from the host device addressed to the target device, the apparatus diverts the communication to the target device over the shortcut path in lieu of sending it to the switch. In response to receiving communication from the target device addressed to the host device, the apparatus diverts the communication to the host device over the shortcut path in lieu of sending it to the switch.
US10003520B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for updating link-status information associated with a prefix in an information-centric network (ICN). During operation, a first node in the ICN receives a link-state advertisement (LSA) message from a neighbor node with the LSA message specifying a prefix and an anchor node advertising the specified prefix. The system determines, based on topology information stored on the first node, whether a shortest-path condition is met, and forwards the received LSA message to other neighbors of the first node in response to the shortest-path condition being met.
US10003510B1

Implementations of the present disclosure provide for generating adjacency graph from a series of linear linked data structures. A method of one implementation includes receiving an input of a series of linear linked data structures (links). Each of the plurality of links includes an element among a plurality of elements. The method includes in response to determining that a first instance of a node among a plurality of nodes corresponding to an element among the plurality of elements does not exist in the tree graph, generating the first instance of the node in the tree graph. The method also includes creating an edge directly from a second node to the generated first instance of the node. The second node corresponds to a second element among the plurality of elements that is directly linked to the element. The method further generating an adjacency graph based on traversing of the tree graph.
US10003497B2

The present disclosure relates to using sensors and measurements from sensors to trigger actions within a network. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for measuring usage or measurements, using sensors, of utilities or other environmental factors, generating profiles based on the usage or measurements, and triggering actions within a network device based on the usage, measurements and profiles. Embodiments of the present invention may include, for example, compiling historical usage based on the use or measurements detected by a network device and generating a usage profile based on that use or measurements. The normal usage profile may be compared with the usage over a certain predetermined period of time to detect any abnormal use or measurements from the network device, and an action may be taken as a result of an abnormality.
US10003484B2

A signaling system includes a pre-emphasizing transmitter and an equalizing receiver coupled to one another via a high-speed signal path. The receiver measures the quality of data conveyed from the transmitter. A controller uses this information and other information to adaptively establish appropriate transmit pre-emphasis and receive equalization settings, e.g. to select the lowest power setting for which the signaling system provides some minimum communication bandwidth without exceeding a desired bit-error rate.
US10003474B2

A controller node receives a list of a first plurality of flows programmed on a network switch. The controller node extracts a flow cookie value from a flow cookie data field of each flow in the first plurality of flows on the received list and calculates a session identifier on the basis of the extracted cookie values. At least one add flow command is transmitted from the controller node to the network switch to program a second plurality of flows on the network switch. The at least one add flow command comprises flow cookie values in the flow cookie data fields of each of the flows in the second plurality of flows which are set equal to the calculated session identifier. At least one delete flow command is transmitted from the controller node to the network switch to delete programming of the first plurality of flows on the network switch.
US10003469B2

Provided is a method for multicast forwarding in a TRILL network. The method includes that: when receiving remote multicast data, a routing bridge forwards the multicast data according to capability information of terminals adhered to the routing bridge. An apparatus and a routing bridge for multicast forwarding in a TRILL network are also provided. The technical solutions of the present disclosure take the scenario that a smart terminal and an ordinary terminal together access a TRILL network into consideration, so that address learning is performed between smart terminals through the multicast data, thereby ensuring normal data transmission.
US10003456B2

System, methods and apparatus are described that improve link turnaround performance in a differentially driven link. A method performed at a first device coupled to a two-wire serial link includes transmitting from the first device first differentially-encoded data to a second device over the two-wire serial link during a first time period, receiving at the first device second differentially-encoded data from the second device over the two-wire serial link during a second time period, and driving by the first device both wires of the two-wire serial link to a common voltage level during a third time period, the third time period spanning a link turnaround period between the first time period and the second time period. Both wires of the two-wire serial link are driven toward the common voltage level by the second device during the third time period.
US10003455B2

A carrier generator includes a phase accumulator configured to generate a phase reference signal based on a frequency command word (FCW) signal, a time to digital converter (TDC) configured to generate a feedback signal based on a divided signal, a loop filter configured to generate a filtered command signal based on the phase reference signal and the feedback signal, and a plurality of tuning arrangements. Each tuning arrangement includes an oscillator configured to receive the filtered command signal and output an adjustment signal, and is configured to output a carrier signal of a corresponding plurality of carrier signals based on the adjustment signal. The divided signal is based on the adjustment signal of a first tuning arrangement.
US10003448B2

The present invention relates to a method and a device for reporting channel status information of a terminal in a wireless communication system supporting a change in use of wireless resources. Particularly, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a change-in-use message for a dynamic change of wireless resource use; measuring channel status information in a channel status information (CSI) reference resource section corresponding to the change-in-use message; and reporting the channel status information to a base station, wherein the CSI reference resource section has a first CSI measurement resource set and a second CSI measurement resource set, the first CSI measurement resource set has a plurality of first wireless resources configured to allow the use of wireless resources to be fixed, and the second CSI measurement resource set has a plurality of second wireless resources configured to allow the use of wireless resources to be reset.
US10003438B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for using wireless relays to create path diversity in rebroadcasting data in wireless networks with latency sensitive applications. A first wireless communication device receives a data signal, the data signal being transmitted on a first frequency resource from a second wireless communication device to a third wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device receives an ACK/NACK signal being transmitted from the third wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device determines if the ACK/NACK signal is a NACK signal, and if so transmits the data signal at a second frequency resource during a third time period to the third wireless communication device.
US10003433B2

Systems and methods for control signal outer-loop adjustment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a network node in a cellular communications network is provided. The method includes transmitting a control signal and a data signal to a wireless device. The method also includes detecting an ambiguous state of reception of the control signal by the wireless device based on a feedback of reception of the data signal. The method also includes, in response to detecting the ambiguous state of reception, updating a link adaptation (LA) parameter used to choose a coding scheme and power level for transmission of information in the control signal. By updating the LA parameter in response to detecting the ambiguous state of reception, the network node may provide improved performance.
US10003402B2

Challenges of direct-to-Earth (DTE) laser communications (lasercom) between spacecraft in low-Earth orbit (LEO) or medium-Earth orbit (MEO) and ground terminals can include short duration transmission windows, long time gaps between the transmission windows, deleterious effects of atmospheric turbulence, and the inability to operate in cloudy weather. Direct-link optical communications systems described herein can have data rates that are high enough to empty high-capacity on-board buffer(s) (e.g., having a capacity of at least about 1 Tb to hundreds of Tb) of a spacecraft in a single pass lasting only tens of seconds to a few minutes (e.g., 1-15 minutes), and overprovisioning the buffer capacity accounts for variations in the latency between links. One or more distributed networks of compact optical ground terminals, connected via terrestrial data networks, receive and demodulate WDM optical data transmissions from a plurality of orbiting spacecraft (e.g., satellites).
US10003400B2

An inter-satellite communication device for satellites orbiting within a constellation of satellites comprises at least one optical terminal dedicated to intra-orbital plane communication links and at least one optical terminal dedicated to inter-orbital plane communication links, each optical terminal dedicated to intra-orbital plane communications configured to transmit and receive optical signals with an optical terminal of an identical satellite orbiting in the same orbital plane, each optical terminal dedicated to inter-orbital plane communications configured to transmit and receive optical signals with an optical terminal of an identical satellite in an orbital plane adjacent over the entirety of its orbit in its orbital plane and each optical terminal dedicated to inter-orbital plane communications having a field of regard such that the half-angle at the vertex of the latter is larger than the maximum value of the azimuthal angle over a revolution around the Earth.
US10003394B2

Methods and systems that enhance interference cancellation in communication channels are described. Specialized time domain training sequences and simple cross correlation are used to obtain a channel estimate for use in stacked carrier beamforming and OFDM based spatial beamforming. In certain embodiments, a time domain preamble sequence is provided as an alternative to the conventional frequency domain preamble sequence. The use of a time domain preamble can increase channel estimation performance, facilitating cancellation of co-channel interference. Embodiments include generating a training sequence preamble in the time domain, computing a frequency domain response of the channel using an estimate of its time domain impulse response, and using the frequency domain response of the channel to calculate channel estimation from a cross correlation of data received from the channel against the training sequence.
US10003388B2

A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for internal relative transceiver calibration. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating a plurality of processed observations corresponding to pilots transmitted by transceiver units in the entity and observations of the pilots by transceiver units in the entity, each processed observation being indicative of a combined response of a pilot transmitted by transmitter hardware of one transceiver unit at the entity and an observation of the pilot by receiver hardware of another transceiver unit at the entity; grouping the plurality of processed observations into one or more observation pairs, where each observation pair of the one or more observation pairs comprises: a first observation indicative of a combined response between transmitter hardware of a first transceiver unit and receiver hardware of a second transceiver unit in the entity, and a second observation indicative of a combined response between transmitter hardware of the second transceiver unit and receiver hardware of the first transceiver unit in the entity; and calculating, based on at least one of observation pairs, relative calibration values, where each relative calibration value is associated with a transceiver of each transceiver unit and is relative with respect to a transceiver of a reference unit at the entity.
US10003382B1

A method and apparatus is provided for communicating data over a ground power line between a vehicle and a ground terminal. In one example, a first power unit detects a signal indicating connection between the first power unit and a remote power unit. Responsive to detecting the signal, one or more modems associated with the first power unit automatically establish a data connection with one or more remote modems associated with the remote power unit. After establishing the connection between the one or more modems in the first power unit and the one or more modems in the remote power unit, the one or more modems in the first power unit exchange data with the one or more modems in the remote power unit over the power line. In one example, the first power unit may comprise an onboard power unit in a vehicle (e.g., aircraft) and the remote power unit may comprise a ground power unit. Alternatively, the first power unit may comprise a ground power unit and the remote power unit may comprise in a vehicle (e.g., aircraft).
US10003380B2

A data line includes a first data cable, a second data cable and a connecting element connecting the first and second data cables to one another. A connecting element interconnects a first parallel pair data cable and a second star quad data cable. The connecting element has multiple connecting lines which transition mutually adjacently disposed cores of a respective transmission pair of the first data cable to diagonally oppositely disposed cores of a transmission pair of the second data cable.
US10003378B2

One aspect provides a method of processing a signal transmitted over a channel in a wireless communication system. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving at a receiver the signal transmitted over the channel, estimating at intervals at least one parameter of a time varying communication environment of the system, monitoring at least one processor-related criterion of a processor at the receiver, and selecting a signal processing function from a plurality of signal processing functions implementable by the processor. The selecting of the signal processing function is based on both the at least one parameter and the at least one processor-related criterion. Each signal processing function comprises a plurality of code blocks which process the received signal. Each code block of the plurality of code blocks comprises a sequence of instructions for execution by on a processor platform of the processor.
US10003373B1

A network device including first, second and third transceiver modules, which transmit or receive first, second and third data signals. A control module generates a mask signal based on a parameter of the first, second or third transceiver modules. The mask signal includes a direction bit and a first channel that identifies a first frequency. The direction bit indicates a range of frequencies. Transmission on the first frequency and some of the range of frequencies causes desensitization of the second data signal. A hopping module, based on a clock signal, selects a second channel for the third data signal. An output module, based on the mask signal and the second channel, generates an overlap signal indicating whether potential desensitization of the first or third data signal exists. An arbitration module, based on the overlap signal, provides the first or third transceiver module access to a first or second switch module.
US10003372B2

A mobile phone case comprising a protective case element designed for coupling to a mobile phone with a first rechargeable battery, a wireless charging system embedded in the case element, a terminal conductively coupled with the wireless charging system, the terminal configured for conductively coupling with a power port in the mobile phone, an electronic cigarette element removably coupled to the case element, wherein when the terminal is conductively coupled with the power port in the mobile phone, and the case element is placed in proximity to a charging station, the wireless charging system charges the first rechargeable battery of the mobile phone and the second rechargeable battery of the electronic cigarette element.
US10003364B1

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmission device includes a receiver configured to receive an interfering signal via an antenna. A transmitter is configured to generate first electromagnetic signals conveying first data. A coupler is configured to generate first guided electromagnetic waves in response to combined electromagnetic signals, wherein the first guided electromagnetic waves propagate, without requiring an electrical return path, along a surface of a transmission medium of a distributed antenna system. A cancellation circuit is configured to generate the combined electromagnetic signals, based on the interfering signal and the first electromagnetic signals, wherein the combined electromagnetic signals mitigate interference by the interfering signal with the first guided electromagnetic waves.
US10003358B2

An accelerated erasure coding system includes a processing core for executing computer instructions and accessing data from a main memory, and a non-volatile storage medium for storing the computer instructions. The processing core, storage medium, and computer instructions are configured to implement an erasure coding system, which includes: a data matrix for holding original data in the main memory; a check matrix for holding check data in the main memory; an encoding matrix for holding first factors in the main memory, the first factors being for encoding the original data into the check data; and a thread for executing on the processing core. The thread includes: a parallel multiplier for concurrently multiplying multiple entries of the data matrix by a single entry of the encoding matrix; and a first sequencer for ordering operations through the data matrix and the encoding matrix using the parallel multiplier to generate the check data.
US10003357B2

Systems and methods which implement forward checking of data integrity are disclosed. A storage system of embodiments may, for example, comprise data integrity forward checking logic which is operable to perform forward checking of data integrity in real-time or near real-time to check that a number of node failures can be tolerated without loss of data. Embodiments may be utilized to provide assurance that a number of fragments needed for source data recovery will be available for the source objects most susceptible to failure when a certain number of additional fragments are lost, such as due to storage node failures.
US10003350B2

Aspects of a method and apparatus for converting an analog input value to a digital output code are provided. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a digital-to-analog converter, a comparator, and control logic circuitry. The digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate an analog reference value based on a received digital reference value. The comparator is configured to compare an analog input value to the analog reference value after expiration of an allotted settling time for the digital-to-analog converter and generate a comparison result indicative a relationship between the analog input value and the analog reference value. The control logic circuitry is configured to select the allotted settling time for the digital-to-analog converter based on a bit position of a digital output code to be determined, and update the bit position of the digital output code based on the comparison result.
US10003332B2

A drive control device includes a MOS transistor, voltage measuring circuits, a correction circuit, and a control circuit. The voltage measuring circuits measure a drain-to-source voltage when a forward drain current flows through the MOS transistor and when a reverse drain current flows in the MOS transistor. The correction circuit sets a current setting voltage level when the reverse drain current flows, where the current setting voltage level is proportional to the voltage between the drain and the source when a predetermined reverse setting current flows in the MOS transistor. The control circuit controls ON/OFF of the MOS transistor in response to a control signal reflecting a measured value of the first voltage measuring circuit when the forward drain current flows through the MOS transistor and the current setting voltage level that is set by the correction circuit when the reverse drain current flows in the MOS transistor.
US10003330B2

The present invention relates to an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) driver module for driving at least one gate of at least one IGBT device, and method therefor. The IGBT driver module comprises at least one series capacitance operably coupled between a driver component of the IGBT driver module and the at least one gate of the at least one IGBT device. The IGBT driver module further comprises at least one series capacitance charge adjustment component controllable to determine a gate voltage error (ΔGerr) at the at least one gate of the at least one IGBT device and dynamically adjust a charge of the at least one series capacitance based at least partly on the determined gate voltage error (ΔGerr).
US10003323B2

An impedance calibration circuit is disclosed, which relates to a technology for improving precision of pad resistance. The impedance calibration circuit includes: a first On Die Termination (ODT) circuit selected by a first selection signal, configured to tune its own resistance using a first code signal, and output a first resistance value to an output terminal; and a second ODT circuit selected by a second selection signal, configured to tune its own resistance using a second code signal, and output a second resistance value to the output terminal.
US10003316B2

A device that filters electromagnetic interference includes electrical conductors mounted in parallel. Each conductor includes a first coil positioned between a first and a second end of the respective conductor. Each first coil is coupled magnetically to each other first coil and has the same number of turns as each other first coil. The first and second ends of each of the conductors, respectively, are first and second terminals for the device. The device includes capacitors. Each capacitor is mounted between the second end of a corresponding electrical conductor and a third terminal of the device. The device includes an additional circuit. The additional circuit includes a second coil coupled magnetically with the first coils of the conductors. The additional circuit includes an additional coil. The second coil has a second number of turns.
US10003310B1

In an RF transmitter, a digital predistortion circuit receives a sequence of input sample blocks, and performs a digital predistortion process to produce a predistorted output signal. The digital predistortion process includes selecting a set of predistortion coefficients for an input sample block from a plurality of different sets of predistortion coefficients. Each of the plurality of different sets of predistortion coefficients is associated with a different combination of one of a plurality of time slices within a radio frame and one of a plurality of power ranges. The selected set of predistortion coefficients is associated with a time slice within which the input sample block is positioned and a power range calculated for the input sample block based on block power statistics of the sample block. The process also includes applying the selected set of predistortion coefficients to the input sample block to produce the predistorted output signal.
US10003304B2

Disclosed are an operational amplifier and a method for reducing an offset voltage of the operational amplifier, which control an auxiliary circuit to generate a first auxiliary current and a second auxiliary current by adjusting the resistance of a resistance regulator, thereby adjusting a first current and a second current outputted from an input-stage circuit and further adjusting the offset voltage of the operational amplifier. Therefore, the operational amplifier and the method for reducing the offset voltage of the operational amplifier use the resistors to adjust the offset voltage so as to reduce the Least Significant Bit (LSB) distribution, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the offset voltage.
US10003300B2

A photovoltaic (PV) system includes module-level power electronic (MLPE) devices that produce energy. The PV system includes a gateway to receive and send data to MLPE devices. The gateway also connects the PV system with a network, such as a local area network, that allows access to the Internet. The gateway provides functionality within the PV system to perform various processes to improve operation of MLPE devices.
US10003299B2

The present invention relates to a photovoltaic module. A photovoltaic module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a solar cell module, a micro-inverter to convert DC power generated by the solar cell module into AC power, a controller to control the micro-inverter's operation, and an interface unit connected to power grid supplying external electrical power and to provide the AC power to the power grid, the controller to control operation of the micro-inverter such that the AC power is matched to the external electrical power flowing into the power grid. The photovoltaic module according to the present invention can provide electrical power generated at solar cell modules through a simple connection to power grid which supplies electrical power to home, reducing consumption of electrical power flowing into home.
US10003296B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the operation of a power conversion device including a rectifier part, an initial charging part, a DC-link part and an inverter part. The apparatus includes: a control part configured to drive a relay connected in parallel to an initial charging resistor of the initial charging part if a DC-link voltage of the DC-link part exceeds a first reference voltage during initial charging for the DC-link part; a relay monitoring part configured to monitor whether or not the relay is normally being operated when the relay is driven; and an inverter driving part configured to stop of the driving of the inverter part if it is determined that the relay is not normally being operated by referring to a result of the monitoring of the relay monitoring part.
US10003295B2

An inverter control device for controlling a rotating electric machine drive device that drives an alternating current rotating electric machine and includes an inverter and a DC link capacitor, the inverter being connected to a DC power supply via a contactor, being connected to the rotating electric machine, and performing power conversion between direct current and three-phase alternating current, the DC link capacitor smoothing a DC link voltage, which is a DC-side voltage of the inverter, and the inverter control device performing switching control on switching elements that form the inverter.
US10003293B2

Systems and methods for driving a motor are provided. One implementation of a drive system comprises a user interface, a variable speed drive, and a controller. The user interface enables a user to select an operating frequency set point and an operating voltage set point. The operating frequency set point is selected from a range of frequency set points and the operating voltage set point is selected from a range of voltage set points. The variable speed drive is configured to drive a motor at the selected operating frequency set point and selected operating voltage set point. The controller is configured to receive input from the user interface and control the operating frequency and operating voltage of the variable speed drive.
US10003281B2

A two-dimensionally structured material is transferred onto a ferroelectric or piezoelectric material layer, a property of the two-dimensionally structured material is controlled by poling performed on the ferroelectric or piezoelectric material to generate electric power generated by friction between the two-dimensionally structured material and a frictional charged material, and the electrostatic energy harvester has improved transparency and mechanical properties using the two-dimensionally structured material.
US10003278B2

A rectifying circuit includes, in part, first and second NMOS transistors, an impedance matching network, and an RF block circuit. The source and gate terminals of the first NMOS transistor respectively receive the ground potential and a biasing voltage. The second NMOS transistor has a gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal of the first NMOS transistor, a drain terminal coupled to the gate terminal of the first NMOS transistor, and a source terminal receiving the ground potential. The impedance matching network is disposed between the antenna and the drain terminals of the first and second NMOS transistors. The RF block circuit is coupled between the drain terminals of the first and second NMOS transistors and the output terminal of the rectifying circuit. The RF block circuit is adapted to prevent the RF signal from flowing into the output terminal of the rectifying circuit.
US10003277B2

A power converter including a compressor as a load includes a compensation current output (80) allowing compensation current (Ic), which compensates for leakage current (Ia), to flow. A controller (50) receives a detection signal from a rotational speed sensor (55) which senses the rotational speed of the compressor (CM). When the rotational speed has increased to a set rotational speed at which the leakage current (Ia) is lower than or equal to its limiting value (Lmax) (e.g., the limiting value specified under the Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act or by the IEC) in a state where the compensation current output (80) is off, the compensation current output (80) is switched from an on state to an off state. This may reduce the leakage current from the compressor with low power loss.
US10003273B2

Semiconductor switch elements are individually inserted between a plurality of power conversion units provided in parallel with each other through a DC link portion and a DC power supply unit for supplying DC power to each of the power conversion units to restrict the DC power supplied to the respective power conversion units. A control circuit monitors a short-circuit current occurring in each of the power conversion units and turns off the semiconductor switch element connected to the power conversion unit where the short-circuit current flows to stop the power supplied to the power conversion unit.
US10003271B2

System and method for regulating a power conversion system. A system controller for regulating a power conversion system includes a first controller terminal, a second controller terminal and a third controller terminal. The system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal and turn on or off a switch based on at least information associated with the input signal to adjust a primary current flowing through a primary winding of the power conversion system, receive a first signal at the second controller terminal from the switch, and charge a capacitor through the third controller terminal in response to the first signal.
US10003268B2

Systems and methods are provided for regulating power conversion systems. A system controller includes: a first controller terminal configured to receive a first signal related to an input signal for a primary winding of a power conversation system; and a second controller terminal configured to output a drive signal to a switch to affect a current flowing through the primary winding, the drive signal being associated with a switching period including an on-time period and an off-time period. The switch is closed (e.g., being turned on) in response to the drive signal during the on-time period. The switch is opened (e.g., being turned off) in response to the drive signal during the off-time period. A duty cycle is equal to a duration of the on-time period divided by a duration of the switching period. The system controller is configured to keep a multiplication product of the duty cycle and the duration of the on-time period approximately constant.
US10003265B2

A power control IC has a switching control circuit of a fixed on-period type which generates an output voltage from an input voltage by driving a coil by turning on and off an output transistor according to a result of comparison between a feedback voltage and a reference voltage, and a quieting circuit which forcibly turns on the output transistor by ignoring the result of comparison when, after an on-timing of the output transistor, a predetermined threshold time elapses without the next on-timing coming.
US10003261B2

A voltage or current regulated power converter for charging batteries, is described. The power converter comprises an inductor (L), a capacitor cell (C1, C2), switches (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8) and a controller. The controller controls the switches such that a commutation cycle of the power converter comprises a first phase, during which the capacitor cell and the inductor are arranged in series and during which a voltage across the serial arrangement of the capacitor cell and the inductor corresponds to Vin−Vout; a second phase, during which the capacitor cell and the inductor are arranged in series and during which the voltage across the serial arrangement of the capacitor cell and the inductor corresponds to −Vout; and a third phase, during which the capacitor cell is floating and during which the voltage across the inductor corresponds to Vin−Vout or to −Vout.
US10003259B2

Voltage converter and control method thereof. In some embodiments, a voltage converter can include a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage based on a drive signal, and a feedback circuit configured to generate an error signal based on the output voltage and a reference voltage. The voltage converter can further include a feedforward circuit configured to generate a feedforward signal based on the input voltage. The voltage converter can further include a drive control circuit configured to generate the drive signal based on the feedforward signal and the error signal.
US10003250B2

A converter circuit includes a direct-voltage connection and a phase module which includes connections electrically connected to the direct-voltage connection, and a series connection of an upper converter valve and a lower converter valve. The upper and lower converter valves have each at least two sub-modules arranged electrically in series and including at least one capacitor, at least one power semiconductor, and a control assembly configured to control the power semiconductor. At least one of the sub-modules is configured for linear operation, with a control assembly configured to enable the linear operation of the sub-module. At least one alternating-voltage-side connection is provided and defined by an electrical link between the upper converter valve and the lower converter valve.
US10003249B2

An insulated gate semiconductor device includes an insulated gate semiconductor element, an output current detection unit, a voltage detection unit, and a heat generation amount suppression unit. The insulated gate semiconductor element on-operates by receiving a first gate voltage at a control terminal, and switches and outputs an input voltage to a load. The output current detection unit detects an output current to the load. The voltage detection unit detects an on-voltage of the insulated gate semiconductor element. The heat generation amount suppression unit sets a gate voltage to be applied to the control terminal of the insulated gate semiconductor element higher than the first gate voltage in response to the output current exceeding a rated current value and the on-voltage being lower than a first threshold voltage.
US10003248B1

In some examples, a method includes measuring, by a secondary controller, an output voltage and determining, by the secondary controller, a duration for a ringing time based on the output voltage. In some examples, the method further includes delivering, by the secondary controller, a non-enabling control signal to a secondary switch during the ringing time and measuring, by a primary controller, a duration of the ringing time. In some examples, the method also includes determining, by the primary controller, a duration for a charging time based on the duration of the ringing time and delivering, by the primary controller, an enabling control signal to a primary switch during the charging time.
US10003247B2

Provided is a linear actuator wherein a moving element can be moved in a direction normal to the direction of arrangement of coils. The moving element 1 has first to third magnets 6a-6c arranged in the X-direction. Each of the first to third magnets 6a-6c has N poles and S poles arranged in the θ-direction. The N poles and S poles of the second magnet 6b are shifted in the θ-direction relative to the N poles and S poles of the first magnet 6a. The N poles and S poles of the third magnet 6c are shifted in the θ-direction relative to the N poles and S poles of the second magnet 6b. A stator 2 has at least two salient poles 8a arranged in the θ-direction, and at least two coils 4a, 4b wound around the salient poles 8a.
US10003237B2

A solid steel flywheel rotor having improved material properties offers improved energy storage at reduced cost. A process for manufacturing the rotor is also provided.
US10003233B2

In a mechanically and electrically integrated rotary electric machine, a motor portion and an inverter portion are inserted inside a cylindrical frame. The motor portion has a plurality of coils. The inverter portion has a plurality of switching elements. The coils and the switching elements are electrically connected by a connector. The connector has: an end portion connector that distributes sinusoidal electric currents from the switching elements to the respective coils; and a plurality of axial connectors that direct the sinusoidal electric currents from the switching elements to the end portion connector. The end portion connector is disposed on an end portion of the motor portion near an output shaft. The axial connectors are disposed parallel to an axial direction of the frame so as to pass from the switching elements through a mounted region of the motor portion.
US10003231B2

The present invention relates to an electric machine, in particular a brushless permanent magnet motor, comprising a stator which comprises a plurality of teeth having at least one needle-wound winding strand, the at least one winding strand having at least two windings on adjacent teeth which are arranged in series, the at least two windings each comprising at least one winding layer, a needle channel being provided which is formed between the at least two windings by a crossing portion of the at least two windings and is filled at least in part. The present invention further relates to a method for winding a coil of an electric machine.
US10003223B2

An electric motor is provided. The rotor includes a rotor shaft, with a bearing rotatably supporting the rotor shaft. A bearing housing is interposed between the bearing and the motor frame assembly. The bearing housing is releasably connected to the motor frame assembly so as to be selectively secured in supporting relationship with the bearing and thereby the rotor. The motor frame assembly includes a circumferentially extending support face. The bearing housing presents a circumferentially extending engagement face which engages the support face when the bearing housing is in the supporting relationship. At least one of the faces is axially tapered to facilitate axial movement of the bearing into the supporting relationship.
US10003219B1

This communication apparatus makes it possible to have a non-contact charging module and a sheet antenna coexist, even in the case where there the non-contact charging module and the sheet antenna in the communication apparatus. The apparatus is provided with: a housing; a secondary-side non-contact charging module, which is housed in the housing, receives power by means of electromagnetic induction, and has a first coil having a conducting wire wound thereon, and a first magnetic sheet facing the first coil; and an NFC antenna, which is housed in the housing, and has a second coil having a conducting wire wound thereon, and a second magnetic sheet facing the second coil. The secondary-side non-contact charging module and the NFC antenna are not laminated to each other.
US10003217B2

This disclosure includes systems, methods and apparatus for reducing emissions for polarized coil systems for wireless inductive power transfer. In one aspect, a magnetic flux device is provided which includes at least a first electrically conductive coil and a second electrically conductive coil that is substantially coplanar with the first coil. The device includes a magnetically permeable material having a substantially planar surface. The first coil and the second coil are substantially parallel to the substantially planar surface. The area of the material extends beyond the area of the first coil and beyond the area of the second coil. The area of the coil can substantially surround the area of the first coil and the area of the second coil.
US10003215B2

An uninterrupted power supply device is disclosed having an at least 3-phase AC power supply input for connection of an AC power supply, a DC power supply input for connection of a DC power supply, a power output for connection of a load, a power conversion unit, which interconnects the AC power supply input, the DC power supply input and the power output, whereby the uninterrupted power supply device comprises a secondary control reference, a measurement unit for measuring a voltage difference between the internal control reference and the secondary control reference, and a switching unit for connecting the internal control reference to the secondary control reference when the measured voltage difference is bigger than a threshold voltage and the AC power supply is disconnected from the uninterrupted power supply device.
US10003211B1

The present disclosure provides a method for improving battery life of electronic devices such as Bluetooth headsets, smart-watches among others running on small batteries, for example coin batteries. The method may include wireless power transmission through suitable techniques such as pocket-forming, while including receivers and capacitors in the aforementioned devices. Wirelessly charged capacitors may provide sufficient power on which devices may run, and thus, battery life of such electronic devices may be enhanced.
US10003209B2

[PROBLEM] To provide a technology of effectively using supplied electric power through adjustment of a charge schedule period of an EV.[SOLVING MEANS] A charge period adjusting apparatus according to embodiments includes an acquiring section and a control section. The acquiring section is configured to acquire a power supply schedule amount of an electric system including a charger connected during charge of an electric vehicle. The control section is configured to set a charge period such that the electric vehicle is charged by the charger in a time frame in which the power supply schedule amount acquired by the acquiring section exceeds a threshold value.
US10003201B2

A method is employed by an electronic device for managing power used by an associated accessory device attached to the electronic device. The method includes applying a current to the accessory device and in response to the applied current, at least one of first and second identifier resistances are identified in the accessory device. The method determines whether the accessory device is connected to a power supply in response to the at least one of identified first and second identifier resistances and applies power to the accessory device in response to a determination the accessory device is not connected to the power supply.
US10003197B2

An energy management method for an energy supply system which includes at least an energy storage, a load and a generator with power dependent efficiency is provided. The method includes: calculating two time variant parameters indicating a discharge lower limit and an upper charge limit, respectively, of the energy storage, based on optimization using different kinds of prediction; and controlling, in a real time manner, charging and discharging of the energy storage and operation of the generator, with a certain priorities given to various power sources, such that state of charge of the energy storage is controlled within a region between the discharge lower limit and the upper charge limit. When a grid power is available, blackout duration probability function is predicted and used to calculate the discharge lower limit and the upper charge limit.
US10003193B2

A power supply includes a load, an electric power line connected to the load, first and second DC power supplies which supply electric power to the load, an electric power converter connected between the electric power line and the first and the second DC power supplies, and a controller controlling the electric power converter. The first DC power supply serves for a voltage control, while the second DC power supply serves for an electric power control. The controller sets a difference between an electric power requested by the load and target output electric power of the first DC power supply as target output electric power of the second DC power supply, and compensates the target output electric power of the first DC power supply in accordance with a difference between the actual and the target output electric powers of the second DC power supply.
US10003189B2

A semiconductor device for limiting inrush current in hot-swap applications includes a power transistor and a current sensing circuit. The power transistor has a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal is configured to receive an input voltage from a power supply, the second terminal is configured to provide an output voltage to a load, the control terminal is configured to receive a control voltage. Under regulation of the control voltage, the output voltage increases gradually towards the input voltage during a startup period and becomes substantially equal to the input voltage in a steady state. The current sensing circuit senses the current flowing through the power transistor and generates a current sensing signal. In order to achieve current balance, the control voltage is adjusted based on the relationship between the current sensing signal and current sensing signals of other semiconductor devices connected in parallel with the semiconductor device.
US10003178B2

A cable guide apparatus includes a wheel assembly having a hub and a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from the hub, the wheel assembly having a rim coupled to distal ends of the plurality of spokes that equally displace the rim from the hub and rotatably coupled to the hub. The rim includes an outer face defining a groove configured to receive the conductor cable in a nested arrangement as the cable is strung and tensioned. The cable guide apparatus includes a guide assembly having a framework operatively coupled to the hub of the wheel assembly, the guide assembly having a pair of roller members rotatably coupled to the framework. Each roller member has an elongate and generally cylindrical configuration situated adjacent the groove of the outer face of the rim and configured to maintain the conductor cable in the groove.
US10003172B1

A circuit layout of laser source driving circuit includes a laser element, a first layout layer, a second layout layer, a first trace and a second trace. The first layout layer includes a first transistor. The second layout layer includes a second transistor, a capacitor, a first resistor and a second resistor. The first trace includes a first conductive line connecting the first resistor and the capacitor and a second conductive line connecting the capacitor and the laser element. The second trace includes a third conductive line connecting the second resistor and the second transistor, a fourth conductive line connecting the second transistor and the first transistor and a fifth conductive line connecting the first transistor and the laser element. A total length of the first trace and the second trace ranges from 13 mm to 19 mm.
US10003166B2

A universal compact compression tool includes a vise assembly having different sets of jaws. The different sets of jaws are for holding different connectors during installation on a cable. A shaft on the tool is mounted to move between advanced and retracted positions with respect to the vise assembly. On the shaft, a plunger is mounted to move between first and second positions. In the first position of the plunger, the plunger is advanced on the shaft. In the second position of the plunger, the plunger is retracted on the shaft. The user sets the plunger in either the first or the second position depending on the type of connector to be installed on the cable. Once selected, and with the connector in the vise assembly, the user closes a lever of the tool to move the shaft to the advanced position, thereby applying the connector to the cable.
US10003164B1

A power strip assembly includes a carrier member extended from a carrier panel for supporting a receptacle and a number of plug connecting members, a clamping device includes a coupling extension extended from a follower, and one or more anchoring elements disposed below the follower and each pivotally attached to the coupling extension with a pivot axle for engaging with the table plate, the anchoring element is pivotable relative to the coupling extension between a working position parallel to the coupling extension and a folded position perpendicular to the coupling extension, and a fastener is engaged with the carrier member and the follower for moving the follower relative to the table plate and to be secured to the table plate with the fastener.
US10003162B2

The device is provided with an inner conductor electrically connected to a counterpart central terminal in a counterpart coaxial device, a tubular outer conductor having the inner conductor disposed in the center thereof, said outer conductor being electrically connected to a counterpart outer conductor in the counterpart coaxial device, a grounding conductor electrically connected to the outer conductor, a resistance element provided in the axial direction between the inner conductor and the grounding conductor, and an annular dielectric member provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor such that the member has the inner conductor passing therethrough and, at the same time, the inner conductor and the outer conductor are spaced apart from each other in the radial direction.
US10003158B2

A connector including a first channel, a latching member and a second channel. A portion of the latching member is slidably attached to the first channel. The second channel is configured to align with the first channel or to misalign with the first channel. When the second channel is aligned with the first channel, the latch member is allowed to latch with and unlatch from a mating connector. When the second channel is misaligned with the first channel, the latching member is prevented from latching with and unlatching from a mating connector.
US10003156B1

A mating post and method to retain a first electrical connector to a second electrical connector. The mating post includes a head, a neck portion and a locking portion. The neck portion is configured to be received in a mounting opening of the first connector. The locking portion extends from the neck portion in a direction away from the head. At least one slot is provided in the locking portion. The at least one slot projects from proximate a free end of the locking portion toward the neck portion. A projection receiving recess extends from the at least one slot to cooperate with a projection of the second connector to secure the first connector to the second connector.
US10003152B1

A reverse-gender pin contact for use with a connector having a high density layout, includes a body having a hollow first portion extending along an axis for receiving a conductor. The first portion extends along the axis to a neck, the neck extending along the axis to an engaging end for insertion inside a mating socket contact. A retention feature extends from the neck transverse to the axis.
US10003150B1

An electrical connector includes: an insulating body and multiple terminals retained in the insulating body. Each terminal has a base portion. An elastic arm bends upward and extends from the base portion. The elastic arm bends to form a contact portion. A first urging portion includes a first elastic portion bending from the contact portion and obliquely extending downward and away from the base portion, and a second elastic portion obliquely extending downward from the first elastic portion. A slot runs through the contact portion, the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion. A bending arm bends and extends from a lower end of the base portion. The bending arm bends to form a conductive portion. The conductive portion bends upward and extends to form a second urging portion. The first urging portion urges against the second urging portion.
US10003148B2

A connector is mountable on an object in an upper-lower direction and mateable with a mating connector along the upper-lower direction. The connector comprises a housing and an additional member held by the housing. The housing has a receiving portion for receiving the mating connector. The additional member has a fixed portion fixed to an object, a base portion which extends upward from the fixed portion and is located outside the receiving portion in a lateral direction, an armor portion extending inward from the base portion in the lateral direction, a spring portion extending from the base portion and a projection which is supported by the spring portion and projects inward in the lateral direction. The extending of the spring portion from the base portion starts at a starting portion which is nearer to the fixed portion than to the innermost part of the armor portion.
US10003146B2

An electrical connector includes a terminal; a housing for holding the terminal; and a regulating metal member. The terminal includes a connecting portion to be connected to an electrical circuit board and a contact portion for contacting with a mating connecting member. The housing includes a fixed housing to be fixed to the electrical circuit board and a movable housing configured to be movable relative to the fixed housing. The regulating metal member is attached to the fixed housing, and includes a regulating portion for preventing the movable housing from abutting against the electrical circuit board. The terminal further includes an elastic portion configured to be capable of elastically deforming. The regulating portion is disposed to face or abut against a lower surface of the fixed housing. The movable housing includes a recessed portion in the lower surface thereof for accommodating the regulating portion.
US10003142B1

A terminal block is adapted to be connected to a wire, and includes an insulating base seat and a clamping unit. The insulating base seat includes first and second seat portions cooperating with each other to define a passage and a receiving space that communicates with the passage. The clamping unit includes a positioning member connected to the first seat portion and having an upper press section, and a resilient member having a base portion that is proximate to the second seat portion, and a resilient arm portion that is connected to the base portion, and that has a lower press section extending toward the positioning member. The upper and lower press sections are adapted for clamping resiliently an end segment of the wire therebetween.
US10003140B2

A cable connector includes an outer conductor engager, a body, a coupler, a compression sleeve, a radially compressible grounding member, and an end cap. The outer conductor engager is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and has an outer circumferential surface defining an annular groove. The body includes an annular ring portion coaxially aligned with the outer conductor engager along an axis, and the annular ring is configured to circumscribe the coaxial cable. The coupler is rotatably mounted relative to the outer conductor engager and the body, and the compression sleeve is disposed at an opposite axial side of the body relative to the coupler. The radially compressible grounding member is configured to establish an electrical grounding path between the outer conductor engager and the coupler, and the end cap has a radial projection slidably retained in the groove. As the coupler is threadably coupled to an interface port, the end cap slides axially in the groove and urges the grounding member into a forward end of the outer conductor engager.
US10003136B2

A crimp terminal includes a conductor crimping portion having a U-shaped cross section and including a bottom plate and a pair of conductor caulking pieces extending upward from both side edges of the bottom plate. The other conductor caulking piece includes a bending portion being folded and is formed so that a tip positioned at a tip side from the bending portion faces downward. A pair of the conductor caulking pieces is bent inward so that the one conductor caulking piece overlaps on an upper side of the other conductor caulking piece and a conductor of an electrical wire to be connected is wrapped, and thereby a pair of the conductor caulking pieces caulks the conductor so as to closely contact on an upper surface of the bottom plate. Therefore, it is prevented that the conductor caulking piece opens after being caulked.
US10003132B2

The present application relates to the field of antenna technologies, and discloses a shared-aperture antenna and a base station, to resolve a problem of sharing an aperture between antenna arrays working in different frequency bands. The shared-aperture antenna includes a dielectric substrate, a microstrip antenna array, and an electrically small antenna array, where the microstrip antenna array includes rows of microstrip patch antenna units uniformly distributed in arrays, and the microstrip patch antenna units fit a surface of the dielectric substrate; the electrically small antenna array includes electrically small antenna units that are parallel to each other; and the electrically small antenna units are inserted at intervals between the microstrip patch antenna units, and fit the surface of the dielectric substrate.
US10003119B2

Disclosed is a base station device including a an interface board, which is located in a housing and has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, comprising a relay connector of which one end is exposed on the first surface and an opposite end is exposed on the second surface; a base station signal matching unit mounted on the first surface and comprising a first connector coupled to the one end of the relay connector; and a base station signal processing unit mounted on the second surface and comprising a second connector coupled to the opposite end of the relay connector.
US10003112B1

A battery pack for use with a supply of heat transfer fluid includes a plurality of battery modules arranged in one or more rows, and an elongated backplane positioned between the rows or adjacent to one row. The backplane has external longitudinal surfaces, and includes multiple bus bar assemblies equal in number to the number of battery modules and connected to the external longitudinal surfaces. The elongated backplane defines internal conduits configured to receive heat transfer fluid from the supply and extending along a length of the backplane adjacent to the bus bar assemblies. End plates of the battery modules include negative and positive voltage terminals mating with corresponding electrical connectors of a respective one of the bus bar assemblies. An electrical connection between each bus bar assembly and corresponding voltage terminals is established via a push-to-connect operation, with a finger-proof barrier covering the positive terminal.
US10003107B2

A power source device has: battery cells respectively having electrode terminals; a rigid circuit board including a detection circuit for detecting states in the battery cells; a FPC electrically connecting the electrode terminals and the detection circuit; and, connecting members provided at a tip of the PFC, electrically connecting the battery cells and the FPC. The FPC has fixing portions fixed to the rigid circuit board. The fixing portions include: a signal line connecting portion having conductive foils of which one side ends are fixed to the rigid circuit board, which electrically connect the electrode terminals and the detection circuit; and a reinforcing portion having a fixing metal foil of which one side end is fixed to the rigid circuit board, which is insulated from the electrode terminals. The signal line connecting portion has a connecting area overlapping the rigid circuit board.
US10003106B2

An apparatus and method for managing a battery are disclosed. The apparatus may include a state verifier configured to verify respective states of charge (SoCs) of batteries to be balanced by the apparatus, and a controller configured to control power converters configured to convert respective amounts of power of the batteries to allow a greater amount of power to be output from a battery having a greater SoC among the batteries.
US10003095B2

Waste management in electrochemical systems, such as electrochemical systems in which an electrochemically active material comprising aluminum is employed, is generally described.
US10003091B2

According to an example embodiment, a method of making a phosphoric acid fuel cell component includes situating at least one polymer film layer against a permeable component layer. The polymer film layer comprises a polymer that is chemically resistant to phosphoric acid. The polymer film layer is melted. The permeable component layer is impregnated with the melted polymer to thereby establish a region on the component layer that is impermeable to phosphoric acid. The impregnated region also provides a seal against reactant leakage from the component.
US10003087B1

A stretchable battery and the method of manufacturing the same. The stretchable battery can be manufactured by using a printing process. The construction of the stretchable battery can comprise a first layer of an elastomer film, a first current collector layer, a layer of cathode, a separating layer, a layer of anode, and a second current collector layer. Metal traces can be used to couple with the first and/or the second current collector layers.
US10003083B2

In some examples, a fuel cell including an anode; electrolyte; and cathode separated from the anode by the electrolyte, wherein the cathode includes a Pr-nickelate based material with (Pr1-xAx)n+1(Ni1-yBy)nO3n+1+δ as a general formula, where n is 1 as an integer, A is an A-site dopant including of a metal of a group formed by one or more lanthanides, and B is a B-site dopant including of a metal of a group formed by one or more transition metals, wherein the A and B-site dopants are provided such that there is an increase in phase-stability and reduction in degradation of the Pr-nickelate based material, and A is at least one metal cation of lanthanides, La, Nd, Sm, or Gd, B is at least one metal cation of transition metals, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn, or Cr, where: 0
US10003082B2

Provided is an electrode catalyst material that has an increased reduction rate of a nickel catalyst and thus an improved catalytic function in a fuel cell. The electrode catalyst material for fuel cells contains nickel oxide and cobalt oxide. The electrode catalyst material contains a cobalt metal component in an amount of 2 to 15 mass % with respect to the total mass of a nickel metal component and the cobalt metal component.
US10003081B2

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a catalyst assembly. In one embodiment, the catalyst assembly includes a two-dimension (2-D) extensive catalyst including one or more precious catalytic metals and having a catalyst crystal plane; and a substrate supporting the 2-D extensive catalyst, the substrate including one or more non-precious catalytic metals and having a substrate crystal plane in substantial alignment with the catalyst crystal plane.
US10003079B2

A gas diffusion electrode medium is for a fuel cell, has a low in-plane gas permeability and favorable water drainage characteristics in addition to high conductivity, and is able to exhibit high cell performance across a wide temperature range from low temperatures to high temperatures. The gas diffusion electrode medium is characterized by a microporous region being disposed at least at one surface of an electrode substrate, and the microporous region containing flake graphite having an aspect ratio of 50-5000.
US10003075B2

The present invention relates to carbon nanotubes-metal nano composite by chemical route and the corresponding development of strong and flexible, light weight, self-supporting anode through simple vacuum filtration technique, which is favored by the high aspect ratio of the Multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The self-supported anode has an added advantage that it can be used as electrodes without binder and electrical conductor (unlike other carbonaceous powder materials) that helps us to elucidate the precise electrochemical properties. The metals used can be Sn, Si, Al, etc. The developed high capacity, free-standing anode can be used in rechargeable Li-ion batteries and is demonstrated successfully in powering solar lantern.
US10003071B2

An electrode structure is provided. The electrode structure includes a substrate, a buffer layer, and a nano-material layer. The buffer layer is disposed on the substrate. The nano-material layer is disposed on the buffer layer, wherein the structure of the nano-material layer is nanowall.
US10003068B2

High capacity silicon based anode active materials are described for lithium ion batteries. These materials are shown to be effective in combination with high capacity lithium rich cathode active materials. Supplemental lithium is shown to improve the cycling performance and reduce irreversible capacity loss for at least certain silicon based active materials. In particular silicon based active materials can be formed in composites with electrically conductive coatings, such as pyrolytic carbon coatings or metal coatings, and composites can also be formed with other electrically conductive carbon components, such as carbon nanofibers and carbon nanoparticles. Additional alloys with silicon are explored.
US10003063B2

A battery assembly comprises a battery housing that defines an opening and includes one of a first engagement member and a second engagement member. A feedthrough member is disposed with the opening and extends from the battery housing. A connector includes at least one electrical terminal electrically communicating with the feedthrough member and includes one of a first engagement member and a second engagement member. The engagement members are disposable in a mating configuration to assemble the battery housing and the connector. Implantable medical devices, systems and methods are disclosed.
US10003052B2

A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a compression limiter including a body and an attachment head near a first end of the body and configured to engage a structural member of the battery assembly.
US10003050B2

A battery module includes a battery cell, a heat transfer plate, and a holder. The heat transfer plate is arranged side by side with the battery cell and has an edge and is thermally coupled to the battery cell. The holder holds the battery cell and that has a cutout section to which the heat transfer plate is fitted. The edge of the heat-transmitting plate has a first engagement section that is at least one of a first recess and a first protrusion. The holder has a second engagement section that is at least one of a second protrusion, which is fitted to the first recess and a second protrusions, which is fitted to the first protrusion.
US10003049B2

Disclosed herein is a secondary battery having an electrode assembly mounted in a receiving part of a pouch-shaped battery case, wherein convex parts formed to protrude from the battery case upward are provided at the upper end of the receiving part of the battery case corresponding to electrode tabs of the electrode assembly so as to support coupling portions (V-form regions) between the electrode tabs and corresponding electrode leads against injection pressure of a holt melt resin during injection molding to form a pack case with respect to the secondary battery.
US10003048B2

An optical film, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, and a method of fabricating an OLED display are provided. An optical film includes: a polarizer; and a protective film on at least one surface of the polarizer, and an in-plane retardation of the protective film is from 0 nm to 300 nm, and a reflectance of the optical film is from 0 to 5%.
US10003045B2

A display device includes: a resin layer on the circuit layer including a groove surrounding and separating a display area; light-emitting elements on an upper surface of the resin layer so as to emit light with luminances controlled by the currents; a sealing layer covering the light-emitting elements; a second substrate above the sealing layer; a sealing material provided between the sealing layer and the second substrate so as to surround the display area and the groove; and a filling layer surrounded by the sealing material between the sealing layer and the second substrate. The groove is formed along a line describing a shape that is inscribed in a rectangle and not in contact with corners of the rectangle as viewed in a direction vertical to the upper surface of the resin layer.
US10003044B2

A cover window for a display device includes a base film and a coating layer disposed on the base film. The base film includes a plurality of layers. Each of the plurality of layers includes a folding part and a nonfolding part. Each of the plurality of layers has a different coefficient of thermal expansion.
US10003042B2

The present invention provides an OLED display device, which includes an assisting conductive layer formed on a bottom surface of an upper substrate in such a way that the assisting conductive layer is in direct contact with and electrically connected to a second electrode that is located on a top surface of a lower substrate so that electrical conduction capability of the second electrode is enhanced and the electrical resistance of the second electrode is reduced to thereby make in-plane voltage homogenous, improve consistency of displaying, and alleviate the issues of non-uniform panel brightness and mura and also help reduce the thickness of the second electrode for saving material of the second electrode and increase light transparency of the second electrode.
US10003026B2

A ladder tetrazine polymer is disclosed.
US10003015B2

A magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction resides on a substrate and is usable in a magnetic device. The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. The free layer has a free layer perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy greater than a free layer out-of-plane demagnetization energy. The free layer also includes a diluted magnetic layer having an out-of-plane demagnetization energy and a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy greater than the out-of-plane demagnetization energy. The diluted magnetic layer includes at least one magnetic material and at least one nonmagnetic material. The diluted magnetic layer has an exchange stiffness that is at least eighty percent of an exchange stiffness for the magnetic material(s).
US10003013B2

A semiconductor device including a circuitry, a magnetic sensor, and a buried oxide. The circuitry is formed on a substrate. The magnetic sensor has a sensing area formed under the circuitry. The buried oxide is disposed between the circuitry and the magnetic sensor. The sensing are comprises an N-doped area and a P-doped area doped deeper than the N-doped area, and sensor contacts connect the sensing area with the circuitry through the buried oxide.
US10003011B2

A magnetic memory device may include a free magnetic pattern and a capping pattern on a surface of the free magnetic pattern. The capping pattern may include first and second metal elements. The capping pattern may include a first portion adjacent to an interface between the free magnetic pattern and the capping pattern, and a second portion spaced apart from the interface. The first metal element may have a concentration greater in the first portion than in the second portion. The first metal element may have an atomic weight smaller than that of the second metal element. The concentration of the first metal element along the thickness direction of the capping pattern may be proportional to a proximity to the interface.
US10003010B2

Provided is a magnetic element capable of generating one skyrmion and erasing the one skyrmion. The magnetic element includes a magnet shaped like a substantially rectangular flat plate, an upstream electrode connected to the magnet in a width Wm direction of the magnet and made of a non-magnetic metal, a downstream electrode connected to the magnet in the width Wm direction to oppose the upstream electrode and made of a non-magnetic metal, and a skyrmion sensor configured to detect the skyrmion. Here, a width Wm of the substantially rectangular magnet is such that 3·λ>Wm≥λ, where λ denotes a diameter of the skyrmion, a length Hm of the substantially rectangular magnet is such that 2·λ>Hm≥λ, and the magnet has a notch structure at the edge between the upstream electrode and the downstream electrode.
US10003003B2

A thermoelectric conversion module has a plurality of cold side substrates, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of second electrodes, X-axis connectors, and Y-axis connectors. The second electrodes are disposed on the cold side substrates six at a time. Between adjacent cold side substrates, two of X-axis connectors as inter-substrate connectors or Y-axis connectors are disposed. One of the plurality of inter-substrate connectors is connected from one of the first electrodes positioned on one of the cold side substrates to one of the second electrodes positioned on another one of the cold side substrates. The other inter-substrate connector is connected from the other one of the first electrodes on the another one of the cold side substrates to the second electrode on the one cold side substrate.
US10002997B2

A lead frame for a light emitting device includes a plurality of unit regions and a plurality of suspension pins. Each of the unit regions each includes first to third leads. The suspension pins defines substantially rectangular frames each surrounding a corresponding one of the unit regions. The suspension pins link adjacent ones of the unit regions. In each of the unit regions, the first lead is disposed near a first corner of the substantially rectangular frame and linked to the substantially rectangular frame only via a first extension, the second lead is disposed near a second corner of the substantially rectangular frame and linked to the substantially rectangular frame only via a second extension, and the third lead includes at least two third extensions respectively linked to opposing sides of the substantially rectangular frame.
US10002994B2

Solid state lighting (SSL) devices and methods of manufacturing SSL devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an SSL device comprises a support having a surface and a solid state emitter (SSE) at the surface of the support. The SSE can emit a first light propagating along a plurality of first vectors. The SSL device can further include a converter material over at least a portion of the SSE. The converter material can emit a second light propagating along a plurality of second vectors. Additionally, the SSL device can include a lens over the SSE and the converter material. The lens can include a plurality of diffusion features that change the direction of the first light and the second light such that the first and second lights blend together as they exit the lens. The SSL device can emit a substantially uniform color of light.
US10002992B2

A red phosphor contains a nitride having a formula of SrxMgySizN2/3(x+y+2z+w):Euw, in which x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships 0.5≤x≤2, 2.5≤y≤3.5, 0.5≤z≤1.5 and 0
US10002991B2

A light-emitting element, comprises a light-emitting stack comprising an active layer; a window layer on the light-emitting stack, wherein the window layer has a surface opposite to the light-emitting stack; and an insulative layer on the surface, wherein the surface comprises a cavity and the insulative layer substantially conformally covering the cavity, and wherein the insulative layer has a first refractive index equal to or smaller than 1.4.
US10002989B2

The present invention provides a method for producing a semiconductor light-emitting device in which fine protrusions and recesses are formed on a bottom surface between the protrusions on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises forming a first resist pattern on a nitrogen surface of the substrate, forming a plurality of first protrusions on the nitrogen surface of the substrate, and forming a plurality of second protrusions on the nitrogen surface of the transparent nitride-based substrate. In forming the first protrusions, the plurality of first protrusions and a bottom surface between the first protrusions are formed by dry etching. In forming the second protrusions, the plurality of second protrusions having a height lower than the height of the first protrusions are formed on the bottom surface by wet etching without removing the first resist pattern subjected to dry etching.
US10002983B1

Polymer-clay nanocomposites thin film coatings have improved water vapor and oxygen permeability, in addition to improved corrosion resistance, while retaining high transparency, high electrical resistivity, and excellent fire-retardant properties for use as encapsulants for photovoltaic module assemblies and barrier coatings in other photovoltaic applications.
US10002978B2

A photovoltaic module includes at least two photovoltaic cells in series, each rectangular cell including, respectively, a first rear thin film electrode, a photovoltaic stack having at least two active materials included between the rear electrode and a transparent conductive electrode made of a thin film, the electrode TC being capable of collecting and transmitting an electric current generated by the photovoltaic stack, the two photovoltaic cells being electrically connected in series by an electrical contact strip that is included between the electrode TC of the first cell and the rear electrode of the second cell. The local thickness of the electrode TC of the cell varies as a function of the distance to the electrical contact strip. Also described are methods for depositing and etching the transparent conductive film so as to simultaneously manufacture a plurality of cells for a single module.
US10002973B2

The present disclosure concerns a method of fabricating a magnetic tunnel junction suitable for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell and comprising a first ferromagnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer, comprising: forming the first ferromagnetic layer; forming the tunnel barrier layer; and forming the second ferromagnetic layer; wherein said forming the tunnel barrier layer comprises depositing a layer of metallic Mg; and oxidizing the deposited layer of metallic Mg such as to transform the metallic Mg into MgO; the step of forming the tunnel barrier layer being performed at least twice such that the tunnel barrier layer comprises at least two layers of MgO.
US10002963B2

A semiconductor device includes a fin-shaped semiconductor layer, a first insulating film around the fin-shaped semiconductor layer, and a first metal film around the first insulating film. A pillar-shaped semiconductor layer is on the fin-shaped semiconductor layer, and a gate insulating film is around the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer. A gate electrode is around the gate insulating film and is made of a third metal. A gate line is connected to the gate electrode, and an upper portion of the fin-shaped semiconductor layer and the first metal film are electrically connected to each other.
US10002957B2

Devices are disclosed for providing heterojunction field effect transistor (HFETs) having improved performance and/or reduced noise generation. A gate electrode is over a portion of the active region and is configured to modulate a conduction channel in the active region of an HFET. The active region is in a semiconductor film between a source electrode and a drain electrode. A first passivation film is over the active region. An encapsulation film is over the first passivation film. A first metal pattern on the encapsulation film includes a shield wrap over the majority of the active region and is electrically connected to the source electrode.
US10002951B2

A semiconductor device may include a trench, a gate insulating film covering the trench, first conductive type carrier-injected regions intermittently appearing along a predetermined direction, a first conductive type drift region continuously present along the predetermined direction, a second conductive type body region filling a gap between the carrier-injected regions as seen along the predetermined direction, and a gate electrode disposed in the trench. A front end surface located on the front surface side of the gate electrode may include a first end surface at a portion of the gate electrode opposing the carrier-injected regions via the gate insulating film, and a second end surface at least a part of a portion of the gate electrode opposing the body region in the gap. The second end surface may be displaced to the rear surface side relative to the first end surface.
US10002946B2

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may be manufactured by forming a trench extended in a first direction within a first pipe gate, forming a trench filled structure including a first sacrificial layer along a surface of the trench, a second pipe gate along a surface of the first sacrificial layer, and a second sacrificial layer filled in a center area of the trench opened by the second pipe gate inside the trench, and forming a partition pipe gate disposed within the trench in a second direction crossing the first direction to divide the first sacrificial layer into first sacrificial patterns and to divide the second sacrificial layer into second sacrificial patterns.
US10002941B2

In a general aspect, a power semiconductor device can include a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate and a SiC epi-layer disposed on the SiC substrate. The device can also include a first well region, a second well region disposed in the SiC epi-layer, a first source region disposed in the first well region, and a second source region disposed in the second well region. The device can further include a gate structure disposed on the SiC epi-layer and extending between the first source region and the second source region. The gate structure can include a hybrid gate dielectric. The hybrid gate dielectric can include a first high-k dielectric material and a second high-k dielectric material. The device can also include a conductive gate electrode disposed on the hybrid gate dielectric.
US10002938B2

Energy bands of a thin film containing molecular clusters are tuned by controlling the size and the charge of the clusters during thin film deposition. Using atomic layer deposition, an ionic cluster film is formed in the gate region of a nanometer-scale transistor to adjust the threshold voltage, and a neutral cluster film is formed in the source and drain regions to adjust contact resistance. A work function semiconductor material such as a silver bromide or a lanthanum oxide is deposited so as to include clusters of different sizes such as dimers, trimers, and tetramers, formed from isolated monomers. A type of Atomic Layer Deposition system is used to deposit on semiconductor wafers molecular clusters to form thin film junctions having selected energy gaps. A beam of ions contains different ionic clusters which are then selected for deposition by passing the beam through a filter in which different apertures select clusters based on size and orientation.
US10002932B2

A method includes providing a starting structure, the starting structure including a semiconductor substrate, sources and drains, a hard mask liner layer over the sources and drains, a bottom dielectric layer over the hard mask liner layer, metal gates between the sources and drains, the metal gates defined by spacers, gate cap openings between corresponding spacers and above the metal gates, and a top dielectric layer above the bottom dielectric layer and in the gate cap openings, resulting in gate caps. The method further includes removing portions of the top dielectric layer, the removing resulting in contact openings and divot(s) at a top portion of the spacers and/or gate caps, and filling the divot(s) with etch-stop material, the etch-stop material having an etch-stop ability better than a material of the spacers and gate cap. A resulting semiconductor structure is also disclosed.
US10002924B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming a plurality of silicon fins on a substrate, wherein the plurality of silicon fins are spaced apart from each other at a pitch and formed to a height in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, forming a nitride layer between each of adjacent silicon fins and on lateral surfaces of each of the silicon fins, removing a portion of each of the silicon fins to reduce the height of the silicon fins, epitaxially growing a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer on the remaining portion of each of the silicon fins, performing a top-down condensation process on the epitaxially grown SiGe layers to form an oxide layer and an SiGe fin under the oxide layer in place of each epitaxially grown SiGe layer and the remaining portion of each silicon fin, and removing the oxide layers and nitride layers.
US10002923B2

In one aspect, a method of forming a finFET device includes: partially forming fins in first/second regions of a substrate; selectively forming spacers on opposite sides of only the fins in a second region; completing formation of the fins such that, based on the spacers, the fins in the second region have a wider base; depositing an insulator between the fins; recessing the insulator to expose a top portion of the fins; forming at least one gate over the fins; further recessing the insulator in the source and drain regions to expose a bottom portion of the fins; and growing an epitaxial material in the source and drain regions that is un-merged in the first region yet is merged in the second region due to the base of the fins in the second region having a wider base. A finFET device is also provided.
US10002919B2

An on-chip magnetic structure includes a palladium activated seed layer and a substantially amorphous magnetic material disposed onto the palladium activated seed layer. The substantially amorphous magnetic material includes nickel in a range from about 50 to about 80 atomic % (at. %) based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material, iron in a range from about 10 to about 50 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material, and phosphorous in a range from about 0.1 to about 30 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material. The magnetic material can include boron in a range from about 0.1 to about 5 at. % based on the total number of atoms of the magnetic material.
US10002910B2

An organic light emitting diode display device according to an embodiment includes a substrate having first and second pixel regions and a driving region between the first and second pixel regions; first electrodes disposed in the first and second pixel regions, respectively, on the substrate, the first electrodes being spaced apart from each other; a driving unit in the driving region; first and second organic layers on the first electrodes disposed in the first and second pixel regions, respectively, the first and second organic layer having a different thickness from each other; and a second electrode on the first and second organic layers.
US10002909B2

A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel formed, upon forming a structure where a photoelectric conversion layer is laminated on a wiring layer constituting a pixel circuit, by forming at least the photoelectric conversion layer and a wiring layer bonding layer on a different substrate from a semiconductor substrate in which the wiring layer is formed, and by bonding the wiring layer bonding film of the different substrate and the wiring layer of the semiconductor substrate together.
US10002906B2

The array of diodes comprises a matrix plane of diodes arranged according to columns in a first direction and according to rows in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The said diodes comprise a cathode region of a first type of conductivity and an anode region of a second type of conductivity, the said cathode and anode regions being superposed and disposed on an insulating layer situated on top of a semiconductor substrate.
US10002903B2

Implementations of the disclosed technology provide an electronic device including a semiconductor memory, wherein the semiconductor memory includes: a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure including a free layer having a changeable magnetization direction, a pinned layer having a pinned magnetization direction, and a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between the free layer and the pinned layer; and an under layer located under the MTJ structure, wherein the under layer includes a first under layer including a silicon-based alloy, and a second under layer located on the first under layer and including a metal.
US10002902B2

In pixels that are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix fashion in the pixel array unit of a solid-state imaging element, a photoelectric conversion film having a light shielding film buried therein is formed and stacked on the light incident side of the photodiode. The present technique can be applied to a CMOS image sensor compatible with the global shutter system, for example.
US10002899B2

An image sensor for high angular response discrimination is provided. A plurality of pixels comprises a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) pixel and an image capture pixel. Pixel sensors of the pixels are arranged in a semiconductor substrate. A grid structure is arranged over the semiconductor substrate, laterally surrounding color filters of the pixels. Microlenses of the pixels are arranged over the grid structure, and comprise a PDAF microlens of the PDAF pixel and an image capture microlens of the image capture pixel. The PDAF microlens comprises a larger optical power than the image capture microlens, or comprises a location or shape so a PDAF receiving surface of the PDAF pixel has an asymmetric profile. A method for manufacturing the image sensor is also provided.
US10002895B2

An image sensor pixel may include a photodiode, a floating diffusion, and a transfer gate. A buried channel may be formed under the transfer gate. The buried channel may extend from the floating diffusion to overlap a portion of the transfer gate without extending completely beneath the transfer gate or reaching the photodiode. The buried channel may provide a path for antiblooming current from the photodiode to reach the floating diffusion, while allowing for the transfer gate off voltage to remain high enough to prevent transfer gate dark current from flowing into the photodiode.
US10002893B2

Provided is an image sensor having a hybrid pixel structure in which pixels that sense visible light and pixels that sense ultraviolet light or infrared light are arranged together. For example, the image sensor includes a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels that are different in size. A width of each of the plurality of second pixels in a horizontal direction is a first integer multiple of a width of each of the plurality of first pixels in the horizontal direction, and a width of each of the plurality of second pixels in a vertical direction is a second integer multiple of a width of each of the plurality of first pixels in the vertical direction. The image sensor enables the pixels sensing ultraviolet light or infrared light, which have different sizes from the pixels sensing visible light, to be efficiently arranged together with the pixels sensing visible light, on the same substrate.
US10002880B1

According to one embodiment, an insulating layer is provided above a word line contact region portion. An upper surface of the insulating layer is at a height higher than an uppermost conductive layer. A first cover film is provided between the word line contact region portion and the insulating layer. A second cover film included in a first separation portion covers a side surface along a first direction of the insulating layer and a side surface along the first direction of the word line contact region portion. A third cover film is provided on the uppermost conductive layer. The third cover film covers a side surface along a second direction of the insulating layer. The first, second, and third cover films are of materials different from a material of the insulating layer.
US10002864B1

An intra-metal capacitor is provided. The intra-metal capacitor is formed in a dielectric layer and comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode penetrate through the whole thickness of the dielectric layer, and the second electrode does not penetrate through the whole thickness of the dielectric layer.
US10002849B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor package structure includes: (a) disposing at least one semiconductor element on a conductive structure, wherein the conductive structure includes at least one insulation layer and at least one circuit layer; (b) disposing an encapsulant on the conductive structure to cover the semiconductor element; (c) attaching a supporting structure on the conductive structure to surround the semiconductor element; and (d) disposing an upper element on the encapsulant, wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the upper element is in a range of variation less than or equal to about ±20% of a coefficient of thermal expansion of the circuit layer, and a bending modulus of the upper element is in a range of variation less than or equal to about ±35% of a bending modulus of the circuit layer.
US10002843B2

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor substrate structure, semiconductor package and method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor substrate structure includes a conductive structure and a dielectric structure. The conductive structure has a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface opposite to the first conductive surface. The dielectric structure covers at least a portion of the conductive structure, and has a first dielectric surface and a second dielectric surface opposite to the first dielectric surface. The first conductive surface does not protrude from the first dielectric surface, and the second conductive surface is recessed from the second dielectric surface. The dielectric structure includes, or is formed from, a photo-sensitive resin, and the dielectric structure defines a dielectric opening in the second dielectric surface to expose a portion of the second conductive surface.
US10002842B2

A method of producing a hybridized device including two microelectronic components, including a first microelectronic component having conductive inserts on a connection surface, and a second microelectronic component having ductile conductive pads on a surface opposed to the connection surface, is provided. The method includes the steps of hybridizing the first and second electronic components face-to-face by arranging the connection surface of the first microelectronic component to oppose the surface of the second microelectronic component having the ductile conductive pads, and establishing an electro-mechanical connection between the first microelectronic component and the second microelectronic component by inserting, at ambient temperature, inserts of the first microelectronic component, provided with a second metal sub-layer, into the ductile conductive pads of the second microelectronic component.
US10002841B2

Electrode pads disposed on a first surface of a semiconductor element include a first pad located close to a corner and a second pad located apart from the corner compared with the first pad. A first wire connected to the first pad has a smaller Young's modulus than a second wire connected to the second pad. A thickness of an intermetallic compound layer formed by the first wire and the first pad is larger than a thickness of an intermetallic compound layer formed by the second wire and the second pad.
US10002834B2

A method and apparatus for forming an interconnect on a substrate is provided. A protective layer is formed on the substrate and in a via formed on the substrate wherein the protective layer is resistant to a halogen containing material. A barrier layer is formed on top of the protective layer. The barrier layer comprises a halogen containing material. A metal layer is deposited over the barrier layer. In another embodiment, the protective layer is selectively deposited in the via.
US10002826B2

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first conductive line embedded in the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device structure includes a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the first conductive line. The semiconductor device structure includes a second conductive line over the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is between the first conductive line and the second conductive line. The semiconductor device structure includes conductive pillars passing through the second dielectric layer to electrically connect the first conductive line to the second conductive line. The conductive pillars are spaced apart from each other.
US10002822B2

A circuit board and a semiconductor packages therewith are disclosed. The circuit board may include a top surface, on which at least one semiconductor chip is mounted, and a bottom surface, to which at least one outer terminal is coupled. The top surface may include an upper window region, on which an upper conductive pattern electrically connected to the semiconductor chip is provided, and the bottom surface may include a lower window region, on which a lower conductive pattern electrically connected to the upper conductive pattern is provided. Here, a ratio of an area of the lower conductive pattern to an area of the upper conductive pattern may be less than or equal to 1.5.
US10002814B2

Some embodiments of the present invention include apparatuses and methods relating to processing and packaging microelectronic devices that reduce stresses on and limit or eliminate crack propagation in the devices.
US10002813B2

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an adhesive composition having high heat conductivity and excellent adhesion, in which the dispersibility of a heat-conductive filler is controlled, and in which thermal stress during cooling/heating cycle testing can be alleviated. An adhesive composition containing a soluble polyimide (A), an epoxy resin (B), and a heat-conductive filler (C), the adhesive composition characterized by containing three types of diamine residues having a specific structure, and in that the content of the epoxy resin (B) is 30-100 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the soluble polyimide (A).
US10002811B2

An electronic component package includes a wiring part including an insulating layer, a conductive pattern formed on the insulating layer, and a conductive via connected to the conductive pattern through the insulating layer, an electronic component disposed on the wiring part, a frame disposed on the wiring part and having a through hole accommodating the electronic component, an adhesive layer bonding the wiring part and the frame to each other, and an encapsulant filling at least a portion of the through hole.
US10002808B2

To divide a semiconductor wafer by stealth dicing, a test pad in a cutting region and an alignment target are collectively arranged along one side in a width direction of the cutting region, and a laser beam for forming a modified region is irradiated to a position away in plane from the test pad and the alignment target Am. In this manner, defects in cutting shape in a cutting process of a semiconductor wafer using stealth dicing can be reduced or prevented.
US10002802B2

Methods for reducing core-to-core mismatch are provided. The method includes measuring gate lengths of a representative pattern of each core in a first lot of SOC products by a measurement apparatus. Each of the SOC products in the first lot includes more than two cores identical to each other. The method also includes determining a tuning amount according to the differences between the gate lengths of each core, and adjusting at least one mask for critical dimensions of gate length of each core in a second lot of SOC products respectively according to the tuning amounts.
US10002793B1

A gap fill method for sub-fin doping includes forming semiconductor fin arrays over a semiconductor substrate, forming a first dopant source layer over a first fin array and filling intra fin gaps within the first array, and forming a second dopant source layer over a second fin array and filling intra fin gaps within the second array. The first and second dopant source layers are recessed to expose a channel region of the fins. Thereafter, an annealing step is used to drive dopants from the dopant source layers locally into sub-fin regions of the fins below the channel regions.
US10002784B2

An integrated circuit structure includes a first dielectric layer, an etch stop layer over the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer over the etch stop layer. A via is disposed in the first dielectric layer and the etch stop layer. A metal line is disposed in the second dielectric layer, wherein the metal line is connected to the via. The etch stop layer includes a first portion having an edge contacting an edge of the via, wherein the first portion has a first chemical composition, and a second portion in contact with the first portion. The second portion is spaced apart from the via by the first portion, and wherein the second portion has a second chemical composition different from the first composition.
US10002765B2

A method for forming FinFETs comprises forming a plurality of first fins and a plurality of second fins over a substrate and embedded in isolation regions, depositing a first photoresist layer over the substrate, removing the first photoresist layer over an n-type region, applying a first ion implantation process to the first isolation regions, wherein dopants with a first polarity type are implanted in the first isolation regions, depositing a second photoresist layer over the substrate, removing the second photoresist layer over a p-type region, applying a second ion implantation process to the second isolation regions, wherein dopants with a second polarity type are implanted in the second isolation regions, applying an annealing process to the isolation regions and recessing the first isolation regions and the second isolation regions through an etching process.
US10002761B2

A substrate for an integrated circuit includes a device wafer having a raw carrier concentration and an epitaxial layer disposed over the device wafer. The epitaxial layer has a first carrier concentration. The first carrier concentration is higher than the raw carrier concentration.
US10002756B2

A method for fabricating a Fin-FET device includes forming a plurality of discrete fin structures on a substrate with a bottom portion of the sidewall surfaces covered in an isolation layer, and forming a dielectric layer on the isolation layer and the fin structures with an opening formed across the fin structures and exposing a portion of the isolation layer and the fin structures. The method further includes forming a first oxidation layer on the exposed surfaces of the fin structures, and then forming a second oxidation layer between the first oxidation layer and the surfaces of the fin structures through a first annealing process. The method then includes forming a gate dielectric layer on the first oxidation layer, forming a sacrificial adsorption layer on the gate dielectric layer, performing a second annealing process, and then forming a gate electrode layer to fill the opening formed in the dielectric layer.
US10002754B2

Electric charging of a substrate caused by a friction between a fluid and a surface of the substrate being rotated can be suppressed. At least a part of a surface insulating layer (thermal oxide film) on a peripheral portion of a substrate W is removed, and an underlayer (silicon wafer) having higher conductivity than a material of the surface insulating layer is exposed. Then, a process is performed on the substrate while holding and rotating the substrate by a substrate holding device. Here, at least a portion of the substrate holding device which comes into contact with the underlayer is made of a conductive material. In performing the process on the substrate, an electric charge generated in the surface insulating layer of the substrate is removed via the underlayer and the substrate holding device.
US10002751B2

An ion beam irradiation apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an ion source, a mass separator, and an energy filter. The mass separator sorts dopant ions having a specific mass number and valence from an ion beam extracted from the ion source, and outputs the dopant ions. The energy filter is formed to define a beam passing region for allowing the ion beam to pass therethrough, and configured to have a given filter potential in response to application of a voltage thereto to separate passable ions capable of passing through the beam passing region and non-passable ions incapable of passing through the beam passing region, from each other by a difference in ion energy. The given filter potential is set such that the dopant ions are included in the passable ions, and a portion of unwanted ions which cannot be separated from the dopant ions by the mass separator are included in the non-passable ions.
US10002745B2

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods for in-situ chamber cleaning efficiency enhancement process for a plasma processing chamber utilized for a semiconductor substrate fabrication process. In one embodiment, a method for performing a plasma treatment process after cleaning a plasma process includes performing a cleaning process in a plasma processing chamber in absent of a substrate disposed thereon, subsequently supplying a plasma treatment gas mixture including at least a hydrogen containing gas and/or an oxygen containing gas into the plasma processing chamber, applying a RF source power to the processing chamber to form a plasma from the plasma treatment gas mixture, and plasma treating an interior surface of the processing chamber.
US10002744B2

This disclosure relates to a plasma processing system for controlling plasma density near the edge or perimeter of a substrate that is being processed. The plasma processing system may include a plasma chamber that can receive and process the substrate using plasma for etching the substrate, doping the substrate, or depositing a film on the substrate. This disclosure relates to a plasma processing system that may include a power electrode that may be opposite a bias electrode and a focus ring electrode that surrounds the substrate. In one embodiment, the power electrode may be coupled to a direct current (DC) source. Power applied to the bias electrode may be used to draw ions to the substrate. The plasma density may be made more uniform by applying a focus ring voltage to the focus ring that is disposed around the substrate and/or the bias electrode.
US10002743B2

For scanning electron beams and measuring overlay misalignment between an upper layer pattern and a lower layer pattern with high precision, electron beams are scanned over a region including a first pattern and a second pattern of a sample, the sample having the lower layer pattern (the first pattern) and the upper layer pattern (the second pattern) formed in a step after a step of forming the first pattern. The electron beams are scanned such that scan directions and scan sequences of the electron beams become axial symmetrical or point-symmetrical in a plurality of pattern position measurement regions defined within the scan region for the electron beams, thereby reducing measurement errors resulting from the asymmetry of electric charge.
US10002742B2

The invention relates to a scanning-type charged particle microscope and a method for operation of such a microscope. Disclosed is a novel scanning strategy to the raster scan or serpentine scan. In some embodiment, the beam scanning motion is separated into short-stroke and long-stroke movements, to be assigned to associate short-stroke and long-stroke scanning devices, which may be beam deflectors or stage actuators. The scan strategy which is less susceptible to effects such as overshoot, settling/resynchronization, and “backlash” effects.
US10002739B2

An X-ray emitter has a rotating anode rotatably mounted inside an X-ray tube by way of a multi-sliding surface bearing. The multi-sliding surface bearing has an inner and an outer sliding surface which are mounted so they can rotate relative to each other about an axis of rotation such that a gap is formed between the inner and outer sliding surfaces. A contour of the inner sliding surface, in a plane running perpendicular to the axis of rotation, is formed at least in certain sections by arc-shaped segments which are each centered around center points that are offset from each other.
US10002729B2

The slidable control button device provides inputs to an electronic communication device such as a smartphone. When the slidable control button is moved to positions within a grooved path, it acquires additional functionalities. These include (a) gaming console hand devices for both left and right hand thumbs of gamers, (b) pressing on the left or right edge of the button will control functions of software of apps, (c) motion detection (d) sending and receiving data related to measuring motion, speed or acceleration, temperature, and communicating with the software applications installed in the smartphone.
US10002726B2

A membrane switch and a method of manufacturing the same, includes upper and lower membranes printed with upper and lower conductive dots and an isolation layer between them, holes being opened in the isolation layer corresponding to the dots, the isolation layer is bonded with the upper and lower membranes respectively via the glue coated on the upper surface and the lower surface thereof; and the glue may employ hot melt glue. This method of manufacturing the membrane switch includes a coating the upper surface and/or lower surface of the isolation layer exclusive of the positions of the holes with glue; bonding and adhering the sides of the upper membrane and the lower membrane printed with the conductive dots and respectively to the upper surface and the lower surface of the isolation layer via glue, making the positions of the conductive dots and the holes corresponding to each other.
US10002721B1

A circuit interrupter having at least two sets of contacts that are electrically connected in series such that when the at least two sets of contacts are opened, they are opened simultaneously. This functions to increase the distance between the sets of contacts as the distance is additive for the series connected sets of contacts, which increases the arc voltage for breaking any arc that may form between the individual sets of contacts more effectively.
US10002720B2

Methods of making metal oxide-graphene composites are disclosed. The methods can include, for example, providing a composition including graphene oxide and at least one substrate, the composition being dispersed in a liquid medium. The methods can also include, for example, providing a composition including graphene oxide and at least one substrate, heating the composition, and cooling the composition. Compositions useful for performing the methods and composites obtained by the process are also disclosed.
US10002713B1

An electronic component with a self-damping MLCC is provided. The electronic component comprising a pulse signal generator and a substrate comprising first traces and second traces. An MLCC is provided comprising a first capacitive couple between two first external terminations and a second capacitive couple between two second external terminations wherein each first external termination is in electrical contact with a different first trace and each second external termination is in electrical contact with a different second trace. The pulse signal generator provides a first pulse to the first traces and a second pulse to the second traces wherein the first pulse and second pulse are not in phase.
US10002712B2

Disclosed is a multi-layer capacitor package comprising: a multi-layer capacitor; connection electrodes coupled to capacitor electrodes respectively, wherein the connection electrodes in each group of the connection electrodes vertically overlap with each other, and first and second groups of the connection electrodes are horizontally spaced from each other; a package housing configured to receive therein the multi-layer capacitor; and first and second internal electrodes received in the housing to be coupled to the first and second groups of the connection electrodes respectively, wherein the first and second internal electrodes are horizontally spaced from each other.
US10002706B2

A coil has multiple coil sections connected to each other and each coil section includes a body portion and at least one direct or protrusive connecting portion disposed at one end of the body portion. Coil sections form at least one spiral path around the central axis of the coil, and on the projection of the coil along the central axis. The protrusive connecting portions protrude out of the path location of the direct connecting portions. Two connected coil sections form only one overlapped surface at the coupled parts of the direct or protrusive connecting portions. Regarding to the body portions in the same spiral path, a first end of one body portion is indirectly connected and disposed adjacent to a second end of another body portion. The second end has one surface with a virtual extension reaching the first end.
US10002702B2

A novel coupler, coupler housing and ferrite core and associated elements and concepts thereof and therefor for use in particular with an Inductive Power Transfer or Distributed Power System.
US10002695B2

Provided is a method for manufacturing a rare-earth magnet having good workability and capable of manufacturing a rare-earth magnet having low oxygen density. A method for manufacturing a rare-earth magnet includes: a first step of applying or spraying graphite-based lubricant GF on an inner face of a forming die M, and charging magnetic powder MF as a rare-earth magnet material in the forming die M, followed by cold forming, to form a cold-forming compact 10 having a surface on which a graphite-based lubricant coat 12 is formed; a second step of performing hot forming to the cold-forming compact 10 to form a sintered body 20 having a surface on which a graphite-based lubricant coat 22 is formed; and a third step of, in order to give the sintered body 20 anisotropy, performing hot deformation processing to the sintered body 20 to form the rare-earth magnet 30.
US10002692B2

The method is provided for manufacturing a perforated sheet-like high-voltage insulating spacer for a high-voltage component, which component comprises a field grading condenser core with the spacer which is wound in spiral form around an axis, with electrically conducting layers which are inserted between successive windings of the spacer, and with a polymeric matrix which penetrates the spacer and which embeds the spacer and the layers. The method comprises at least steps as follows: an electrically insulating tape, and the patterned tape is expanded at right angle to the cutting lines in order to form a spacer with a perforated three-dimensional lattice structure. The combined effect of cutting a tape and expanding the cutted tape allows the formation of spacers with a manifold of sizes which exceed the size of the tape in function of manufacturing parameters, in particular in function of the configuration of the pattern and the magnitude of the expansion.
US10002690B2

A shielding portion of a shielded conductive path (Wa) includes: a shielded pipe in which the inside thereof is partitioned into a plurality of electrical wire insertion paths; and a flexible shielding member that is tubular and is connected to an end portion of the shielding pipe. Out of a plurality of electrical wires that are inserted into the electrical wire insertion paths, a second electrical wire is led out of the shielding portion from an outlet port. Inside the shielding portion, a shielding tube encloses the second electrical wire, and prevents the second electrical wire and the first electrical wire from being affected by electromagnetic noise therefrom. A gap between the shielding tube and an opening edge of the outlet port is closed by a conductive sealing member.
US10002683B2

A hazardous material storage bank includes a wellbore extending into the Earth and including an entry at least proximate a terranean surface, the wellbore including a substantially vertical portion, a transition portion, and a substantially horizontal portion; a storage area coupled to the substantially horizontal portion of the well bore, the storage area within or below a shale formation, the storage area vertically isolated, by the shale formation, from a subterranean zone that includes mobile water; a storage container positioned in the storage area, the storage container sized to fit from the wellbore entry through the substantially vertical, the transition, and the substantially horizontal portions of the wellbore, and into the storage area, the storage container including an inner cavity sized enclose hazardous material; and a seal positioned in the wellbore, the seal isolating the storage portion of the wellbore from the entry of the wellbore.
US10002682B2

A nuclear reactor is provided that includes a vessel; a core provided in the vessel; at least one plate heat exchanger provided in the vessel, with at least one duct for supplying a secondary fluid to the heat exchanger and a duct for discharging the secondary fluid from the heat exchanger, the discharge duct extending through the vessel. The nuclear reactor comprises a device for attaching the heat exchanger to an area of the vessel through which the discharge duct extends.
US10002680B2

An apparatus for generating a pressure wave in a liquid medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of pressure wave generators having respective moveable pistons, the pistons having respective control rods connected thereto. The apparatus also includes a plurality of transducers coupled to the liquid medium and means for causing the pistons of respective ones of the plurality of the pressure wave generators to be accelerated toward respective ones of the plurality of transducers. The apparatus further includes means for causing restraining forces to be applied to respective control rods to cause respective pistons to impact respective transducers at respective desired times and with respective desired amounts of kinetic energy such that the respective desired amounts of kinetic energy are converted into a pressure wave in the liquid medium.
US10002676B2

A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array, a page buffer connected to bit lines of the memory cell array, a defect detector, and an input/output circuit. The defect detector receives readout data from the page buffer through the bit lines and performs a logical operation based on the readout data for a plurality of column units. The defect detector outputs defective data based on the logical operation. The input/output circuit outputs the defective data based on a control signal.
US10002658B1

A highly configurable, extremely dense, high speed and low power artificial neural network is presented. The architecture may utilize DRAM cells for their density and high endurance to store weight and bias values. A number of primary sense amplifiers along with column select lines (CSLs), local data lines (LDLs), and sense circuitry may comprise a single neuron. Since the data in the primary sense amplifiers can be updated with a new row activation, the same hardware can be reused for many different neurons. The result is a large amount of neurons that can be connected by the user. Training can be done in hardware by actively varying weights and monitoring cost. The network can be run and trained at high speed since processing and/or data transfer that needs to be performed can be minimized.
US10002638B2

A system and method that time delays a playback from a first feed at a first time to a second feed at a second time. The method includes recording the first feed that is received at the first time to be used at least partially as a playback of the second feed at the second time. The second time has a predetermined delay relative to the first time. The method includes determining whether the first feed has a discrepancy in the actual playback from a desired playback. The discrepancy is at a known time and lasting a known time amount. The method includes transmitting the playback to the second feed after the predetermined delay. A fix is aired instead of the playback for the known time amount corresponding to the discrepancy.
US10002633B2

There are provided an optical disk and an optical disk recording method which are capable of stable data reading in a case where a recording linear density is increased. According to an optical disk of the present disclosure, a run-in pattern recorded in a groove track and a run-in pattern recorded in a land track are made different patterns so that no great change is caused in the amplitude of an acquired signal due to interference between adjacent recording patterns, and thus, data may be stably read.
US10002626B1

A waveguide core extends from an input coupler towards a media-facing surface of a read/write head. A cap is located between a terminating end of the waveguide core and the media-facing surface. The cap is formed of a high index of refraction, high-corrosion resistant material that is different than a material used to form the waveguide core. A near-field transducer is proximate the cap in a down-track direction. A head overcoat on the media-facing surface covers the cap.
US10002615B2

An inter-channel level difference (ICLD) processing method and apparatus are disclosed. A stereo audio signal is received, and the stereo audio signal is parsed frame by frame, to obtain an ICLD of each sub-band of each subframe of each frame of the stereo audio signal; a sum of absolute values of the ICLDs of each subframe of any frame of the stereo audio signal is calculated; and when an absolute value of a difference between the sums of the absolute values of the ICLDs of each two subframes of the any frame is less than a preset threshold, a weighted ICLD value of each sub-band of the any frame is calculated in a first weighting manner; or otherwise, a weighted ICLD value of each sub-band of the any frame is calculated in a second weighting manner.
US10002612B2

Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for captioning a media presentation. The method includes receiving automatic speech recognition (ASR) output from a media presentation and a transcription of the media presentation. The method includes selecting via a processor a pair of anchor words in the media presentation based on the ASR output and transcription and generating captions by aligning the transcription with the ASR output between the selected pair of anchor words. The transcription can be human-generated. Selecting pairs of anchor words can be based on a similarity threshold between the ASR output and the transcription. In one variation, commonly used words on a stop list are ineligible as anchor words. The method includes outputting the media presentation with the generated captions. The presentation can be a recording of a live event.
US10002611B1

Systems, devices, and techniques may provide asynchronous audio messaging. Asynchronous audio messaging may enable a user to quickly and easily create and transmit a message to a recipient. The user may simply record a message for a recipient. The message may include an indication of the recipient of the message, an action (e.g., to send a message, etc.) and/or other types of information. A messaging module may modify the message to create a modified version of the message and then generate an additional version of the modified message in a different media type. The modified message and the addition version of the modified message may be transmitted to the recipient. In some embodiments, the messaging module may transmit other information such as location information, an expiration, or other information derived from the message to enhance the message.
US10002606B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for estimating the accuracy of a transcription of a voice recording. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, each word of a transcription of a voice recording is checked against a customer-specific dictionary and/or a common language dictionary. The number of words not found in either dictionary is determined. An accuracy number for the transcription is calculated from the number of said words not found and the total number of words in the transcription.
US10002602B2

A noise-reducing fan system, comprising a motor, a fan body, a plurality of magnetic-inducing elements, a magnetic field generator and a noise-reducing sound source device, is provided. Here, the fan body is mounted on the motor. The fan body comprises a plurality of blades, on which the plurality of magnetic-inducing elements are disposed, respectively. The magnetic field generator, which may generate a magnetic field, is employed for driving the plurality of magnetic-inducing elements to vibrate the plurality of blades and generate a vibration sound, so that at least one portion of the noise emitted from the fan body as rotating may be counterbalanced. The noise-reducing sound source device is disposed on a predetermined position and may send out a noise-reducing sound, so that the noise-reducing sound may counterbalance at least the other portion of the noise emitted from the fan body as rotating.
US10002601B2

A system includes a feedback filter configured to receive an audio signal from a microphone and to process the audio signal based on a feedback path between a loudspeaker and the microphone. The system also includes an adaptive filter coupled to the feedback filter. The system further includes a signal combiner coupled to the microphone and to the adaptive filter.
US10002589B2

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus may be a UE. The UE has a screen display. The UE displays a first image of a first application on the screen display. The UE receives a selection of a first area of the screen display. The UE retains a first image section of the first image displayed in the first area. The UE receives a second image of a second application. The UE displays the first image section on the screen display at a second area of the screen display. The UE displays the second image in areas of the screen display other than the second area.
US10002583B2

A display drive circuit is provided, including a line buffer, a lever converter, a D/A converter, a Gamma reference voltage generator, and a buffer. The Gamma reference voltage generator has a first duty time and second duty time. In the first duty time, the Gamma reference voltage generator outputs the Gamma voltage to the buffer to charge pixel electrodes of a display having the display drive circuit. In the second duty time, the Gamma reference voltage generator outputs a common voltage to the buffer.
US10002577B2

A color adjustment method includes obtaining a current color gamut mode of a pixel, converting the current color gamut mode of the pixel to a preset color gamut mode to obtain a blue component of the pixel in the preset color gamut mode, and performing an intensity weakening adjustment on the blue component of the pixel in the preset color gamut mode.
US10002573B2

The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size of a circuit that generates display data and backlight data in each field. A field sequential data generation unit (10) is characterized by including a motion vector detection unit (11) for detecting motion vectors (MV) of input image data (D1), a backlight data generation unit (12) for generating backlight data (D2) based on the input image data, an image data calculation unit (13) for generating pre-interpolation display data (D3) based on image data (De) equivalent to the input image data and the backlight data, and an interpolation frame generation unit (14) for generating display data (D4) by performing frame interpolation processing which includes motion compensation using the motion vectors, on the pre-interpolation display data. By using such a configuration, the backlight data is generated based on the input image data having not been subjected to the frame interpolation processing, and the size of the circuit is reduced.
US10002572B2

A parent device which is a liquid crystal monitor device serving as a reference for adjusting the backlight distributes, through communication, a backlight-setting value indicating luminance of a backlight to an child device which is a liquid crystal monitor device receiving adjustment of the backlight. A processing unit in the child device obtains a correction value from the backlight-setting value of the parent device received by a reception unit and a backlight-setting value input to an adjustment switch by the user. When the reception unit has received a new backlight-setting value of the parent device, the processing unit obtains the backlight-setting value of the child device from the new backlight-setting value and the correction value and instructs a backlight control circuit to light a backlight based on a lighting period corresponding to the obtained backlight-setting value.
US10002550B1

A system for producing a roll of label material with a reduced release value. The system includes a separating apparatus configured to separate an initial label roll into two portions including an adhesive coated portion and a release agent coated portion. The system also includes an advancing apparatus configured to maintain the two separated portions apart and advance the portions toward a combining apparatus, which is configured to combine the two portions into a final label roll having a release value lower than the release value of the initial roll of label material.
US10002540B2

Systems, devices, and methods associated with interactive educational tools are described herein. One device includes instructions executable by a processor to cause a plurality of mobile devices to each represent a respective subsystem associated with an objective, cause an interaction between at least two of the plurality of mobile devices to represent a relationship between the respective subsystems represented by the at least two mobile devices, and aggregate a number of interactions between the at least two of the plurality of mobile devices to form a coordinated response associated with achieving a particular objective.
US10002533B2

An emergency vehicle route management method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium, include analyzing a map to plot roads, a user including user data, and an emergency vehicle including emergency vehicle data on the map, determining an intersection of the roads within a predetermined radius of the emergency vehicle, and delivering an action for the user based on a road on a path of the emergency vehicle being determined by the determining to intersect with a road of the user.
US10002525B2

A method and device for the remote control of a function of a vehicle is disclosed. Images of the vehicle are recorded by a camera which is integrated in the mobile control unit. A visual signal is generated at a predetermined position on the vehicle, where remote control is only enabled if the visual signal is recorded by the camera. The device for the remote control of a function of a vehicle includes a mobile control unit with an integrated camera to record the images of the vehicle. A signal generation unit is arranged at a predetermined position on the vehicle for the generation of a visual signal and the vehicle includes a function unit for the control of the function. The function unit is formed in such a way that remote control is only enabled when the visual signal is recorded by the camera.
US10002520B2

Dispatch-aiding communications between computing devices of a responder and a dispatch unit include a computing device of the responder determining that an event occurred, automatically sending an indication of the event to a computing device of the dispatch unit, receiving a request for information from the computing device of the dispatch unit, obtaining the information requested by the computing device of the dispatch unit, and sending the information requested by the computing device of the dispatch unit to the computing device of the dispatch unit. The computing device of the dispatch unit sends the request for information to the computing device of the responder in response to receiving the indication of the event.
US10002519B2

The invention is a service for sending and/or receiving messages in a first format intended for a recipient or authority, where the service identifies for the intended recipient a second format for receiving messages, and where the service formats a communication for delivery to the intended recipient, where the message is prepared to be presented to the recipient in the first and/or the second format.
US10002518B1

Hospital-acquired infections or nosocomial infections are decreased when medical personal observe a hand washing protocol. A method is disclosed for encouraging adherence to a hand washing protocol when entering and exiting rooms of patients. A carried device, or badge, receives a first signal when proximate to a wash station. A first indicator on the badge displays indicates that that the wearer has visited the wash station. The badge receives a second signal when inside a patient's room, i.e., when visiting a first contaminated area. The badge may receive a third signal when entering a second contaminated area. A second indicator on the badge alerts the wearer when a countdown expires after washing, of failure to visit the wash station before the first room visit, or of failure to visit the wash station between room visits. Reporting data may be uploaded to a database.
US10002516B1

The umbrella cooperates with a software application adapted to run on a mobile communications device wirelessly synced to the umbrella. The umbrella includes a communications module adapted to transmit a wireless beacon signal in response to the detection of movement of the umbrella. The software application detects the beacon signal when the smartphone is within range of the umbrella and generates an alert when the beacon signal is no longer being received, indicating that the smartphone is no longer within range and the umbrella has been forgotten. In one embodiment, the GPS application on the smartphone is cause to generate a location update signal in response to detection of the beacon signal such that the software application can run continuously in the background on the smartphone to ensure timely range entry and exit notifications.
US10002513B2

A footwear arrangement including a wireless interface device capable of sending input signals and receiving output signals to a first shoe having a primary controller. The primary controller sends signals to the second shoe, which has a slave controller that is controller that is controlled by signals from the primary controller.
US10002511B2

A device to be used with a walker, with one component of the device attached to the walker and another component of the device worn by the user, whereby the device signals the user of the walker to use the walker by providing an alert whenever the user moves more than a predetermined distance from the walker, as determined by the distance between the two components of the device which wirelessly communicate with each other.
US10002508B2

A pneumatic sensing apparatus for use in an overheat or fire alarm system includes a sensor tube containing a pressurized gas in communication with a pressure sensor configured to sense a temperature variation based on changes of the pressurized gas. A pressure switch is coupled to the pressure sensor. The pressure switch includes a signal transducer configured to provide an output indicative of an overheat or fire alarm condition.
US10002507B2

A security system architecture and method of operation that combines a local security network with control panel and sensors, a central monitoring station (CMS), and a separate operator computer server that provides a web portal for both the homeowner and CMS, that maintains a persistent connection between the control panel and CMS allowing failsafe dual-path signaling. This dual-path signaling technique is extended to provide an effective “smash and grab alarm”, and various approaches to dual-path signal management are disclosed including handshaking, persistent domain monitoring, relayed Operator 3-to-CMS signaling, etc. Improved processes for remotely accessing video are also disclosed along with an improved process for remote control panel configuration, and control panel interfacing with home automation appliances.
US10002505B1

Security systems and methods configured for use with an item of merchandise for retail display include a housing, at least one sensor carried by the housing and at least one output device carried by the housing. The security system further includes a controller carried by the housing and operably coupled to the sensor and to the output device. The controller is operable to determine a distance traveled by the item of merchandise from a retail display “home” position based upon a sensor input from the sensor, and to activate the output device based upon the distance traveled by the item of merchandise exceeding a threshold distance. The controller may utilize the at least one sensor in conjunction with an inertial navigation system (INS) and motion processing algorithms or techniques to determine the distance traveled by the item of merchandise from the retail display “home” position.
US10002503B2

A system and method for signaling users including a control device electrically connected to a transceiver. The transceiver has a specified frequency. A first mobile signal device being activated by a first user and electrically communicating with a first transmitter having a selectable signal frequency. The first transmitter electrically communicates with the transceiver using the specified frequency. A second signal device includes a second receiver for receiving an activation signal from the transceiver. The second receiver electrically communicates with the transceiver using the specified frequency. The second signal device is activated by the activation of the first mobile signal device using the transceiver for alerting other persons.
US10002495B2

A side pool interleaved wagering system is disclosed. The system includes an interactive controller operatively connected to an application controller, the interactive controller constructed to: receive an indication to participate in a competition with one or more other users; communicate application telemetry associated with the interactive application; and receive an application resource. The system also includes a wager controller operatively connected to the application controller, the wager controller constructed to: receive a wager request; communicate funds for a side pool; generate a wager outcome; communicate the wager outcome; and receive funds from the side pool when the user is a winner of the competition. The system also includes the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller to the wager controller by a network, the application controller constructed to: communicate a wager request based on received application telemetry; and communicate application resources based on received wager outcome.
US10002494B2

Methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot in a gaming network having a plurality of operatively coupled gaming units are described. A progressive jackpot award amount may be determined in part based on the amount of the player's wager for the occurrence of the wagering game in relation to a maximum wager amount that may be made on one of the gaming units in the gaming network. The progressive jackpot pool may include a main pool and a reserve pool. Portions of players' wagers being added to the progressive jackpot pool may be apportioned between the main pool and the reserve pool based on calculation performed at the gaming network, with the apportionment being at least partially determined by the amount in the main pool.
US10002491B2

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining a bank gaming effect for presentation on a bank of content presentation devices. The bank of content presentation devices can be associated with a plurality of wagering game machines. The operations can further include receiving presentation status information for the bank of content presentation devices. The presentation status information can indicate one or more events that affect a state of availability of each of the bank of content presentation devices to present the bank gaming effect. The operations can further include determining, based on the presentation status information, one content presentation device, from the bank of content presentation devices, that is ineligible to present the bank gaming effect. The operations can also include excluding the one content presentation device from participation in the bank gaming effect.
US10002487B2

A dispensing apparatus (200) for dispensing a food product, the dispensing apparatus comprising a receptacle (210) for receiving a supply (510), a dispensing unit (220) configured to dispend portions of the food product, dispensing a portion of the food product consuming an amount of the supply, an electronic counting unit (232) configured to represent an amount of authorized supply, the counting unit is configured to decrease the amount of authorized supply when the dispensing unit dispenses a portion of the food product, the dispensing unit being configured to block dispensing of the food product if the amount of authorized supply is below a minimum authorized supply amount, a communication unit (240) configured to receive a digital authorization message from an authorization server (400) through mobile communication device (300), the authorization server being external to the dispensing apparatus, and a dispensing authorization unit (230) configured to obtain from the authorization message a supply authorization amount, and to increase the amount of authorized supply represented by the counting unit with the supply authorization amount.
US10002483B2

A method of visualizing a latent image includes: preparing a latent image composed of a plurality of paramagnetic seeds immobilized on a base in the form of an image, and a dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; immersing the latent image in the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; and applying a magnetic field to the latent image and the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles.
US10002481B2

A voting system is provided that results in more efficient voting and more time for voter's to consider and make voting selections. Voter's use an interactive device to obtain a ballot and to make vote selections on the ballot. A machine readable vote selection code is generated and output to a paper or a display device. The machine readable vote selection code is read at a polling location to fill in a ballot on a voting machine, and output a human readable ballot. The voter verified the votes match the voter's intent, and the voted ballot/receipt is accepted.
US10002477B2

Electronic delivery of counterfeit-resistant documents exchangeable for value such as admission tickets, gift certificates, coupons, vouchers, etc. directly to the person who ordered the documents over an open communications network such as the Internet. A first party orders a document from a second party, and the second party electronically delivers the ordered, counterfeit-resistant document to a device designated by the first party. For example, the document may be electronically ordered using a PC, and a printer coupled to the PC may print the document. Alternatively, the electronic information may be provided to a fax, or the document ordered by telephone and electronically delivered to a PC or fax. The document may be made counterfeit resistant by assigning unique information to each document of a given type, e.g., admission tickets, and checking the uniqueness of a document prior to allowing it to be exchanged for value.
US10002475B2

A security system includes a security device with at least two factors of authentication. A method of operating a security system including displaying a pseudo code screen prior to display of an actual access code screen, the pseudo code screen identical to the actual access code screen.
US10002464B1

The present invention relates to a light field light source orientation method for augmented reality and virtual reality and a front-end device. The method comprises: A: identifying a target marker; B. tracking the target marker; C. analyzing the pixel color shape on the marker object; D. analyzing color difference zones on the marker object and analyzing the shape cast to calculate direction of environmental light source; E. pushing the light source directional data to an augmented reality object; and F. compensating and adjusting the imaging of an augmented reality object: the present invention can collect surrounding environmental factors, such as the light source direction, so as to project a computer-generated object into a reality environment to possess a shadow consistent with that in the reality, so that an augmented reality environment is more realistic and represents a realist shadow effect of the object.
US10002457B2

An image rendering apparatus comprises an image data unit for obtaining volumetric image data representative of a three-dimensional region, a rendering unit configured to perform a rendering process on the volumetric image data that includes a sampling process that comprises, for each of a plurality of sampling paths, determining a respective color or grayscale value for a corresponding pixel based on a plurality of sampled points along the sampling path. For each sampling path, the sampling process performed by the rendering unit comprises for each of at least some of the sampled points, calculating a significance factor for the sampled point based on accumulated opacity along the sampling path for the sampled point, selecting for the sampled point one of a plurality of rendering calculation processes in dependence on the calculated significance factor, and performing the selected rendering calculation process to obtain at least one image data value for the sampled point. For each sampling path the rendering unit is configured to determine the color or grayscale value for the corresponding pixel based on the determined image data values for the plurality of sampled points for the path.
US10002449B2

A method, a system, and a computer readable storage medium for automatically adjusting a chart on a display device. The adjustment is implemented in a chart control, which is installed as a library used in chart applications. An application developer determines the extent to which the chart control is implemented for each chart. Application developers implement chart control libraries so that a user of an application having a chart that references the chart control library can experience at least the following features, irrelevant of chart size, screen size, and screen type: responsive tooltip, zoom in, zoom out, responsive zoom slider, action on selection and selection bar, thumbnail mode, responsive toolbar, responsive legend, responsive format, responsive display or an axis, and responsive display of horizontal bars. Additional features available through the chart control library are related to both user gesture changes and also chart layout changes, which both vary based on the chart size, the screen type of a user device, and screen size of the user device.
US10002442B1

In some implementations, a system may include a camera, a display, one or more memories, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories. The system may output a guide marker for presentation on the display. The guide marker may be superimposed on an image being captured by the camera and presented on the display. The system may determine three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of an intersection point associated with the guide marker. The intersection point may be a point where a projection of the guide marker into 3D space intersects with a horizontal plane identified in the image. The system may determine two-dimensional (2D) coordinates for presentation of an augmented reality object on the display based on the 3D coordinates of the intersection point. The system may superimpose a representation of the augmented reality object on the image based on the 2D coordinates.
US10002439B2

A three-dimensional measurement system includes a projector, an image sensor, an image analyzing module and a measurement module. The projector provides a structured light pattern. The image sensor captures an object image of an object on which the structured light pattern is projected. The image analyzing module analyzes the object image to obtain a space coding image and a phase coding image according to gray level distribution of the object image. The measurement module calculates phase information of each of coordinate points in the phase coding image, calculates compensation information of a coordinate position, corresponding to a coordinate position of a point of discontinuity, in the space coding image, compensates the phase information of the point of discontinuity in the phase coding image by the compensation information, and calculates height information of the object according to the phase information of each of the coordinate points.
US10002437B2

An electronic device and method determines redundant data by obtaining a reference data patch and a comparative data patch, selecting at least one reference data point from the reference 3D data patch and at least one comparative data point from the comparative 3D data patch, and combining the reference data point and the data points in the reference 3D data patch which are adjacent to a pixel coordinate of the reference data point to form a triangular patch. A determination is made whether a distance between the reference data point and the comparative data point in a pair of nearest points is greater than a second distance threshold to determine the redundant data.