US09999856B2

A method of eluting biomolecules, such as nucleic acids from a biological sample by electroelution is provided. An example of a method includes various steps, such as loading the biological sample to a device comprising a housing, at least two conductive redox polymer electrodes operationally coupled to the housing and a biomolecule impermeable layer disposed on at least one of the electrodes. The loading of sample is followed by initiating an electrical connection to generate an electric field strength sufficient to elute biomolecules from the biological sample; and eluting the biomolecules from the biological sample.
US09999848B2

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.
US09999844B2

A cold trap is provided between a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. The cold trap includes a cold panel and a cold panel chamber that surrounds the cold panel in an exhaust passage. The cold panel includes an expansion panel outside the cold panel chamber. The expansion panel is located in the vacuum chamber.
US09999841B2

In a first aspect, a construction toy element is provided and includes a body and a first circumferential row of arms extending from the body. The body has an axis, and has a first axial end and a second axial end. A first circumferential row of arms extends from the body. Each arm includes a root end and a free end, and has a first connecting member thereon that is configured for connecting the construction toy element to another construction toy element. The root end projects from the body in a direction that is angled towards one of the first and second axial ends relative to a normal direction to a surface of the body.
US09999838B1

A portable childrens' water slide apparatus having a water slide with an elongate plastic sheet extending horizontally along the ground between entry and exit ends and, a water chamber extending along one edge of the sheet with an inlet and outlet jets for spraying water over the sheet. A delayed return, flow control valve coupled between the chamber and a water hose has a valve actuating member with a horizontal, step-on panel movable between an upper, throttling position and a depressed, unthrottling position when stepped on before entering the slide. A spring biases the panel upwards. A valve body has a flow control member linked to the panel for movement to an unthrottling position by depression by a child stepping thereon, permitting a maximum water flow to the slide during sliding; and a device delays return of the flow control member to the throttling position after stepping off the panel.
US09999837B2

An acquisition processing section acquires information data addressed to a user and a notification processing section gives notification of the acquired information addressed to the user. When a plurality of users have logged in concurrently, the notification processing section gives notification of user identification information identifying the addressee of the information, along with the information. On the other hand, when only one user has logged in, the notification processing section gives notification of the information but does not give notification of the user identification information. A login managing unit manages login users. The notification processing section determines whether or not to give notification of the user identification information depending on whether one user or a plurality of users are managed by the login managing unit.
US09999822B2

An easily assembled and disassembled portable golf swing training device includes plural interconnected elongated, linear rods and arms for the development of proper golf club takeaway, backswing and downswing mechanics. The position of the golf club during the swing is compared with generally accepted swing parameters, and club positions not within acceptable limits are evidenced by easily detected golf club contact with one or more of the device's arms which are all adjustable in length and position depending upon individual golfer characteristics, and which are pivotally mounted, padded and flexible to avoid injury as well as damage to the inventive device or to a golf club. The configuration of the various rods and arms is established to provide the golfer an inside-to-out club head path during the downswing to provide for a draw of the ball, or to shape the shot from right to left for a right hand golfer.
US09999821B2

Exemplary embodiments are directed to methods for attachment of devices to a swinging instrument, the devices generally including a cover, a base, a chassis, and positive and negative electrical contacts. The base includes a fastening portion and a support portion. The chassis supports a printed circuit board. The devices include a cap configured and dimensioned to mate relative to the support portion of the base. The support portion can support the chassis, the printed circuit board, the positive and negative electrical contacts, and the cap. The cover can be configured and dimensioned to detachably interlock relative to the base. In the mated configuration, the cap and the base can form a battery opening configured and dimensioned to receive therethrough a battery.
US09999813B2

A golf club head including a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity, wherein the body includes an open end and a terminal end, the terminal end opposite the open end, a weighted insert having a heavy end and a lighter end, the lighter end opposite the heavy end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration, and wherein said weighted insert comprises a slideable flange.
US09999812B2

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.
US09999809B2

A golf ball includes a thermoplastic HNP inner core layer having a center hardness less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is formed from a thermoset rubber composition. The core layer has an inner surface hardness less than the outer surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient of 3 to 30 Shore D. Inner and outer cover layers are disposed about the outer core layer. The HNP composition includes an acid copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid; a non-acid polymer comprising polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, polyurethanes, metallocene-catalyzed polymers, single-site catalyst polymerized polymers, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, styrenic block copolymer rubbers, alkyl acrylate rubbers, or functionalized derivatives thereof; an organic acid or salt thereof; and a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least about 80% of the acid groups.
US09999807B2

An exercise device includes a relatively rigid platform supported by a compressible base. The base has a central flat and then slopes outward and upward from the central flat in a spherical section. The base permits instability in height, angle, and shear strain movement. The user performs postures and/or exercises using the exercise device under each appendage being used for support. The instability triggers the Golgi tendon receptor and the muscle spindle receptor and thereby achieves physiological benefits. The muscular training devices come in different sizes and configurations to make up a muscular training system.
US09999784B2

A system (101) for treatment of an epithelial tissue layer (3) is provided. The system comprises a reservoir (107), for containing an amount of a flowable medium, arranged to enable the medium, when contained in the reservoir, to be in contact with a surface (5) of the epithelial tissue layer, a light source (109) for generating a laser beam (11) during at least a predetermined pulse time, and an optical system for focusing the laser beam into a focal spot (15), and for positioning the focal spot in a target position. The target position of the focal spot is within the reservoir and within the medium, when contained in the reservoir, and the dimension of the focal spot and the power of the generated laser beam are such that, in the focal spot, the laser beam has a power density, which is above the characteristic threshold value for the medium, above which, for the predetermined pulse time, a laser induced optical breakdown event occurs in the medium. A method for treatment of an epithelial tissue layer is also provided.
US09999783B2

Phototherapy systems comprising a therapeutic lamp platform for radiant lamps such as LEDs disposed in a holdable spot applicator assembly, the holdable spot applicator assembly including a reflective surface facing towards a patient and a plurality of LEDs for communicating lamp radiation from the lamps to a user. The lamps and associated circuitry are housed within a holdable elongated structure.
US09999773B2

Multi-modal stimulation therapy may be utilized in which two or more stimulation therapies having different stimulation parameters may be delivered to a single patient. This can preferentially stimulate different nerve fiber types and drive different functional responses in the target organs. The stimulation parameters that may vary between the different stimulation therapies include, for example, pulse frequency, pulse width, pulse amplitude, and duty cycle.
US09999765B2

A surrogate implantable medical device includes a thermally conductive and electrically conductive housing. A header connector block includes a header block body, where the header block body is attached to the housing. At least one connector cavity is located within the header block body and configured to be attachable to an implantable lead. At least one conductive leadwire is disposed at least partially within the header block body having a first end and a second end. The at least one conductive leadwire's first end is electrically connected to the at least one connector cavity and the at least one conductive leadwire's second end is electrically connected to the housing. The housing does not contain active electronics.
US09999761B2

The present invention is a hemostatic plug for use with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) cannulas that allow quick access to the blood vessel as well as maintaining a sterile environment to resume ECMO, if needed. It is designed to be a universal fit for use with adult ECMO circuits. The plug consists of a hemostatic membrane, a collection chamber and a cap. The membrane is designed to allow catheter delivery of up to a 19 French diameter through the ECMO cannula. The collection chamber allows the distribution of blood pressure over a broader surface, which allows additional hemostasis in addition to the membranes. The plug is then further reinforced with a cap that provides additional hemostasis, but when removed, allows hemostatic access into the blood vessel via the ECMO cannula.
US09999760B2

A method for treatment of hyperproliferative tissue by injection of and subsequently exposing the hyperproliferative tissue to a frequency of ultrasound. The invention further includes purified bis [1-[6,7-bis [2-(sodium carbonate ethyl]-1,3,5,8,-tetramethyl-2-vinyl-porphin-4-yl]ethyl]ether (DVDMS) for use in sonodynamic treatment of hyperproliferative tissue including cancer and further includes a kit including a dosage controllable injection device charged with a biologically compatible fluid containing DVDMS.
US09999755B2

The present invention provides a tissue expander (10) comprising a self-inflating core (12) having a non-inflated state and an inflated state and a coating (14) surrounding said core (12), wherein said core (12) comprises two or more segments (16) of dried compacted material of height H joined to each other by conformable linking portions (18) of height h where H is greater than h. the conformable linking portions (18) allow for the expander (10) to be conformed to a desired profile either before or after insertion under the skin of a patient.
US09999743B2

A method and system for sound-induced sleep is provided. The method includes detecting brainwave signals of a subject. The method further includes analyzing the brainwave signals to determine a current sleepy state of the subject and selecting a sound in response to the current sleepy state based on a quantified association index between the brainwave signals and acoustical features of the sound. The method further more includes playing the sound to the subject.
US09999740B2

A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and an elbow assembly. The frame has a front surface and a rear surface adapted in use to face the patient. The frame includes a main body providing an aperture therethrough for the introduction of breathable gas into a nasal breathing cavity. The elbow assembly is swivelably coupled to the front surface of the frame. The elbow assembly includes a swivel elbow that defines an intake port and an exhaust port separated from the intake port using a baffle. The elbow assembly includes an end portion that interfaces with the aperture of the frame.
US09999737B2

An endotracheal tube comprising a tubular member including a distal portion and a distal end, a radiopaque stripe extending longitudinally along the distal portion of the tubular member, and a radiopaque ring encircling at least a portion of the tubular member at the distal end. The radiopaque ring may be a complete oval, a substantial arc of an oval, or a series of arcs of an oval.
US09999731B2

A self-lubricating medical syringe is provided for self-lubricating the inner surface of a prefilled syringe barrel. The syringe has a plunger distinguishing a compressible porous cylinder, which can be infused with a lubricant and is sandwiched in between a proximal and distal rubber tip. The self-lubricating medical syringe will be able to compensate for any missing lubricant along the inner surface of the syringe barrel and will also be able to provide for a uniform motion of the plunger.
US09999723B2

A Huber needle assembly with safety capture device includes at least a body, a needle, and a movable arm. The movable arm is pivotable relative to the body, and includes a capture hood at a distal end thereof. The capture hood is cylindrical, includes a perimeter side wall having an outer face and an inner face, and has open proximal end. The capture hood includes a slot through the perimeter side wall, providing access into an internal chamber defined by the perimeter side wall. The slot extends longitudinally over at least a portion of the length of the capture hood, and at least a portion of the slot has a width less than the outside diameter of the needle to capture a tip of the needle therein when the movable arm pivots to a safety-capture position.
US09999718B2

An apparatus includes a syringe housing and a plunger slidably received within the syringe housing between a first position and a second position. The plunger has a substantially opaque portion and a substantially translucent portion. A light sensor module is disposed on the syringe housing. The light sensor module has a light sensor housing and a first sensor element and a second sensor element. The first sensor element and the second sensor element are disposed within the sensor housing. Positioning the plunger at the first position aligns the substantially translucent portion with the first sensor element and positioning the plunger at the second position aligns the substantially translucent portion with the second sensor element.
US09999700B1

Described herein is the synthesis of adhesive from simple adhesive coacervates and their uses thereof. The adhesives are composed of (a) a polyanion in the absence of a polycation, wherein the polyanion comprises at least one crosslinking group capable of covalently crosslinking with itself, and (b) a sufficient amount of a complimentary multivalent cation or multivalent anion to produce the simple coacervate. The adhesives have numerous medical and non-medical applications.
US09999698B2

An olfactory display includes a housing and a plurality of fragrance chambers formed in the housing. In each fragrance chamber, a solid-like fragrance source is accommodated and an airflow source is provided to send air into the fragrance chamber from an air intake port. An auxiliary airflow source that emits odorless air is also provided in the housing. The airflow source and the auxiliary airflow source are operated alternately or simultaneously. In response to a user operating an adjustment knob of a controller, operating time periods and stopping time periods of the airflow source and the auxiliary airflow source are changed, or the number of operating times is changed within a predetermined operating time period. A mixing ratio of the fragrance and the odorless air may also be adjusted by changing a voltage value of an alternating voltage to be applied to a piezoelectric device of the airflow source.
US09999690B2

Novel labeled compounds and metabolites thereof are disclosed, as well as pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds, and methods of using the labeled and unlabeled compounds, and specifically, 2-Amino-5-guanidino-pentanoic acid (3-{4-[3-(2-amino-5-guanidino-pentanoylamino)-propyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-propyl)-amide and metabolites thereof, for imaging, detecting and assessing disorders and diseases, such as arthritis and, more specifically, osteoarthritis by tracking proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan content of cartilage. Also, pharmaceutical compositions comprising labeled and/or unlabeled 1,4-Bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine are disclosed and methods of using the same.
US09999686B2

The present invention relates to oral compositions for identifying plaque comprising a dental disclosing agent composition for revealing the presence of dental plaque in a person's mouth. The composition comprises a natural colorant derived from annatto seed and a colorant that stains plaque and when added to annatto seed extract results in a color having a wave length of 500 nm to 580 nm and.
US09999685B2

The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising, or consisting of, the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a nucleic acid sequence of at least 200 bp having at least 70% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule specifically leads to the expression in retinal amacrine bipolar cells of a gene when operatively linked to a nucleic acid sequence coding for the gene.
US09999680B2

The invention provides linker compounds containing a disulfide group, and maytansin-derived cytotoxic compounds that are useful for forming a CBA-drug conjugates, and conjugates so formed. Such conjugates and/or cytotoxic compounds may be effective for treating a range of diseases, such as cancer, with a relatively high activity at a relatively low, non-toxic dose.
US09999669B1

A method for treatment and/or prevention of intestinal cancer is provided, and the method includes: administering a composition to a subject in need thereof, the composition comprising a carbonaceous material and an active particle positioned on the carbonaceous material and made of silver, gold, zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium, platinum, arsenic, cobalt, calcium, silicon, and any combination thereof.
US09999666B2

In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to conjugates comprising GM-CSF and IL-7 and uses related thereto, e.g., enhancing the adaptive immune system. Typically the GM-CSF and IL-7 are connected by a polymer linker, e.g., polypeptide. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to nucleic acids encoding these polypeptide conjugates, vectors comprising nucleic acid encoding polypeptide conjugates, and protein expression systems comprising these vectors such as infectious viral particles and host cells comprising such a nucleic acids.
US09999663B2

The present invention relates to an immunogenic formulation to be used in mammals against human Metapneumovirus (hMPV), consisting of a lyophilisate of 1×109 ufc/ml of recombinant BCG that expresses the viral protein P of hMPV (of genogroups A1, A2, B1 and B2). The vaccine is derived from the full or partial product of the P gene of hMPV, capable of being used, stabilised and administered in solution without requiring adjuvants. The preparation can also contain combinations of the aforementioned formulations. The formulation is stabilised by means of lyophilisation (conservation range of between 4° C. and 8° C.) in order to be subsequently reconstituted in an adjuvant-free saline solution prior to use.
US09999658B2

The present invention relates to a method for treating pain in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering an effective amount of a nucleic acid to the subject, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a PTEN nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. The present invention also provides a method for screening pharmaceutical compositions having an anti-pain effect, wherein the pharmaceutical compositions can stimulate the upregulation of PTEN.
US09999655B2

Pharmaceutical compositions, systems and methods for treating a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) solid tumor comprising a population of tumor cells are described. In some aspects, administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutic amount of a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence YARAAARQARAKALARQLGVAA (SEQ ID NO: 1) or functional equivalent thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, is effective to inhibit a kinase activity in the population of tumor cells and to reduce cancer cell proliferation, to reduce tumor size, to reduce tumor burden, to induce tumor cell death, to overcome tumor chemoresistance, to enhance tumor chemosensitivity, or a combination thereof.
US09999654B2

The invention refers to a composition standardized in heterologous embryo-peptides, used as a dietary supplement and to a process for its obtainment. The composition consists of heterologous embryonic extract, standardized in embryo-peptides, maltodextrin, selenium yeast, chromium yeast, zinc chelated in embryo-peptides, pyridoxine, mixture of cationic peptides, formed by enzymatic hydrolysis of vitellus and egg white remaining after chicken embryo harvesting, with antitrypsin and endocytosis promoting activity, sodium taurocholate, expanded silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, methylparaben and propylparaben. The process of obtainment consists of the following steps: obtaining and disintegration of biological material, diluting with sterile water, homogenization and dissociation of embryonic growth factors from their soluble receptors; embryo-peptides concentration through tangential ultrafiltration; embryo-protein denaturation and mixing of embryo-peptides with denatured proteins; obtainment of cationic peptides and their addition and of others components over the mixture embryo peptides-embryo proteins, homogenization and spray-drying of the final mixture.
US09999638B2

Subpopulations of spore-like cells expressing specific cell surface and gene expression markers are provided. In one embodiment, the cells express at least one cell surface or gene expression marker selected from the group consisting of Oct4, nanog, Zfp296, cripto, Gdf3, UtF1, Ecat1, Esg1, Sox2, Pax6, nestin, SCA-1, CD29, CD34, CD90, B1 integrin, cKit, SP-C, CC10, SF1, DAX1, and SCG10. Also provided are methods for purifying a subpopulation of spore-like cells of interest from a population of spore-like cells, and methods for inducing differentiation of the isolated spore-like cells into cells of endodermal, mesodermal or ectodermal origin. The spore-like cells can be used to generate cells originating from all three germ layers and can be used to treat a patient who has a deficiency of functional cells in any of a wide variety of tissues, including the retina, intestine, bladder, kidney, liver, lung, nervous system, or endocrine system.
US09999632B2

The present invention provides the use of an alginate Io inhibit pancreatic lipase. The use may be directed to the control of weight in animals including human beings. Preferably the fraction of guluronate dimers in the alginate is at least 0.5.
US09999629B2

Oral dosage forms of osteoclast inhibitors, such as zoledronic acid, in an acid or a salt form can be used to treat or alleviate pain or related conditions, such as complex regional pain syndrome.
US09999623B2

Described herein arc methods of treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), wherein the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is selected from the group consisting of 1st line, 2nd line, relapsed, refractory, indolent or aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL); follicular lymphoma (FL); chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); marginal zone lymphoma (MZL); diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); mantle cell lymphoma (MCL); transformed lymphoma (TL); and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-c] quinazolinc compound, or a salt thereof.
US09999622B2

The invention provides a pyrazolothiazole compound of the formula [I], or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: The compound of the invention has JAK1 inhibitory activity, and thus, immunosuppressive effect, anti-inflammatory effect and anti-proliferative effect, and is useful in the treatment of the diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and vasculitis, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and eosinophilic sinusitis, nasal polyp.
US09999604B2

A compounded topical solution may include approximately 85% to approximately 95% (v/v) diclofenac sodium topical solution, 1.5% (w/w), and approximately 5% to approximately 15% (v/v) lidocaine hydrochloride topical solution, 4% USP.
US09999603B2

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treatment of proliferative disease. In specific aspects, the present invention relates to compositions including (1R,4aS,10aR)-1,2,3,4,4a,9,10,10a-octahydro-1-,4a-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethyl)-1-phenanthrenemethanamine (leelamine) and arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (ATK) in combination; methods for treatment of cancer including administration of leelamine and ATK in a subject in need thereof; and particularly methods for treatment of skin cancer including administration of leelamine and ATK in a subject in need thereof.
US09999600B2

The present invention provides, among other things, nanoparticle compositions including a plurality of nanoparticles, each of which is comprised of a biodegradable or biocompatible polymer arranged in a nanoparticle structure defining an internal lumen and an external surface and one or more of a preparation of hydrophilic cellular components and a preparation of hydrophobic cellular components. In some embodiments, the preparation of hydrophilic cellular components is encapsulated within the internal lumen and the preparation of hydrophobic cellular components is associated with the external surface. Various methods of making and using disclosed nanoparticle compositions are also provided.
US09999598B1

A method for treatment and/or prevention of gastric cancer is provided, and the method includes: administering a composition to a subject in need thereof, the composition comprising a carbonaceous material and an active particle positioned on the carbonaceous material and made of silver, gold, zinc, copper, aluminum, palladium, platinum, nickel, cobalt, calcium, titanium, chromium, silicon, or any combination thereof.
US09999591B2

The inventive subject matter relates to an immunogenic composition against Campylobacter jejuni comprising isolated capsule polysaccharide from selected pathogenic Campylobacter jejuni strains. The inventive subject matter also relates to methods of using the polysaccharide compositions in inducing and anti-C. jejuni immune response.
US09999589B2

Provided are a culture medium of an adipose-derived stem cell, a method for preparing the same, and a composition for promoting hair growth, in which the composition includes the culture medium. The adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC-T) according to the present invention exhibits long lifespan, improved cell proliferation rate, and extended proliferation period, as compared with a primary adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC), and thus, the adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC-T) can be usefully used for the study about the adipose-derived stem cell and the mass production of the culture medium of the adipose-derived stem cell. In addition, according to the present invention, the culture medium of the adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC-T) that expresses a T antigen of SV40 exhibits excellent hair growth effectiveness and can be usefully used as a raw material for the hair loss prevention and hair growing agents.
US09999584B2

Cosmetic agents for temporarily deforming keratinic fibers and methods for temporarily deforming keratinic fibers using the cosmetic agents are provided. In an embodiment, a cosmetic agent comprises: a) a cosmetic preparation comprising: a1) at least one copolymer comprising at least the following monomer units: (meth)acrylic acid; (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester; and (meth)acrylic acid hydroxy alkyl ester; and a2) at least one copolymer comprising at least the following monomer units: styrene; and acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid, wherein the proportion by weight of copolymers a1) and a2) in the total weight of the cosmetic preparation is about 10 to about 30% by weight.
US09999581B2

Provided is a liquid mouthwash that is capable of maintaining a bactericidal effect over a long period, and uses electrolyzed water that inhibits metal corrosion. The liquid mouthwash contains electrolyzed water having a positive oxidation-reduction potential, a menthol, an anionic surfactant, and a water-soluble organic solvent, and has a pH of 6 to 8. The electrolyzed water, and the menthol or one or more anionic surfactants are accommodated without coming into contact with each other, and are preferably used in a mixed state at the time of use.
US09999575B2

A container is provided that includes a top cover, a bottom cover, a body portion configured to engage the top cover and the bottom cover to substantially enclose an internal space defined by the body portion, wherein the body portion includes an intermediate wall that divides the internal space into a first compartment and a second compartment, and a spittoon disposed within the second compartment.
US09999566B2

A lid solution of a sauna stove, in which the lid is formed of a lid plate (43) that covers the sauna stove and is made of glass and of a lid frame (44) that positions outside the sauna stove. The lid plate (43) of the sauna stove is broader than an outer mantle (20) of the sauna stove and the frame (44) moves the lid plate (43) through protrusions of the lid plate (43). When closed, the lid plate (43) is on its own weight on top of the stone drum or outer mantle (20) of the sauna stove. The frame (44) is a profile that is open from the front or side and the lid plate (43) of the sauna stove is replaceable without tools by pulling out an old lid plate and pushing in a new in replacement.
US09999560B2

A device and method for carrying out dialysis and stimulation of a patient at the same time, in which an inflatable/deflatable cuff applies the stimulation.
US09999554B2

The present invention generally relates to absorbent articles and in particular to a absorbent articles demonstrating controlled deformation and enhanced fluid wicking in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent articles.
US09999553B2

Provided herein is an oleophilic matrix comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a polydimethylsiloxane having micropillars; a microporous polydimethylsiloxane; and an ophthalmic-grade cellulose having an alumina-deposited surface. The matrixes can be used, for example, to remove an oil, such as a silicone oil, e.g., from a hydrophobic surface such as an intraocular lens, or from an aqueous environment.
US09999552B2

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for sensing distortions in patterns of reflected light to create profiles representing surface topographies of absorbent structures during the manufacture of absorbent articles. Inspection systems may include sensors arranged adjacent an advancing absorbent structure on a converting line. In turn, a controller may monitor and affect various operations on the converting line. The inspection systems herein may also include a radiation source that illuminates a surface of an absorbent structure with a predetermined pattern of light extending in the cross direction CD. The sensor senses distortions in patterns of light reflected from the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure and triangulates changes in elevation of the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure relative to the sensor. Based on the triangulated changes in elevation, the sensor creates a profile representing a surface topography of the illuminated surface of the absorbent structure.
US09999549B2

Aspects of the methods according to the present disclosure relate to the fabrication of refastenable pant diapers wherein discrete chassis are advanced in a machine direction such that the lateral axis is parallel with the machine direction. First side panels are then refastenably connected with the first waist region, and second side panels are permanently connected the second waist regions of the discrete chassis. The methods disclosed herein connect chassis with discrete lengths of side panel material and/or connection zone material, and forms a continuous web of articles formed by intermittently spaced chassis and intermittently spaced side panels bridging the gap between the intermittently spaced chassis. The chassis are then folded in the cross direction parallel to a lateral centerline and the first and second side panels are subsequently bonded together. The article is then subjected to knife cut adjacent the bonded regions to create discrete, pre-fastened refastenable pant diapers.
US09999545B2

Modular, anti-fog goggle system comprising: lens with an anti-fog heating element and electrical contact, a semi-rigid anterior body comprising an inner peripheral engagement receptacle for receiving the lens within the body, the lens being releasably retained by a removable lens retaining member preferably comprising a tongue releasably interconnected with a groove in the body, the anti-fog element on the lens being releasably connected with a battery preferably retained within the body, the releasable electrical connection being reinforced by the tongue and groove interconnection, a flexible posterior interface being adapted for interposition between the removable lens retaining member and a user's face, and strap means adapted for holding the goggle on the user's head or helmet and reinforcing the interconnection between the removable lens retaining member and the body.
US09999542B2

A cannula insertion system configured to divide a cannula insertion process into a two-step process. The first step advances a needle portion a first distance and the second step advances the needle portion a second distance. The first step and the second step may be at different angles. At least one of the angles may be less than 90°. At least one of the steps may be mechanically assisted.
US09999532B2

Methods and devices are disclosed that provide therapeutic benefit and treatment for a variety of neurologic and physiologic conditions that include obesity, urinary incontinence, and sensory system disorders.
US09999531B2

A variable scale medical implant deployment device comprising a variable inner diameter scale sleeve insert is provided. Also described are kits containing the variable scale medical implant deployment device and methods for deploying a medical implant into a body lumen using a variable scale medical implant deployment device.
US09999530B2

A system precise stent deployment in synchronization with the cardiac cycle includes a cable set having a first connector for connection to a source of a signal that is indicative of the status of the cardiac cycle, and a second connector for connection to a processor. The processor converts cardiac cycle data into a control signal for controlling inflation of a balloon catheter such that the balloon catheter reaches inflation at a point within the range of from about 55% to about 85% into the R-R interval. An inflation pump is provided for inflating the balloon responsive to the control signal. A third connector is in communication with the inflation pump, for releasable connection to the balloon catheter.
US09999528B2

A stent including a wire tube and at least one pressure sensor in electrical contact with the wire tube. The pressure sensor includes a diaphragm in communication with a reservoir of liquid, a channel in fluid communication with the reservoir of liquid, and at least one pair of electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the channel, wherein deflection of the diaphragm causes fluid to move from the reservoir into the channel.
US09999522B2

A digit for a prosthetic hand is provided. The digit has a base member (12) attachable to the hand and at least one digit member (18) pivotably connected to the base member. The at least one digit member (18) has a digit tip (22) remote from the base member (12), and the digit member is at least partially covered with at least one conductive substance (26,40) which defines a conductive path which leads from the digit tip towards the base member. A method of manufacturing such a digit is also provided.
US09999509B2

A method for physically reconstructing a body part using multi-material additive manufacturing includes receiving image data of the body part in the form of arrays of voxels, each array of voxels representing image data pertaining to cross-section of the body part, translating the image data in the arrays of voxels to printable bitmap images representing combinations of modeling materials for reconstructing the body part, and dispensing the combinations of modeling materials responsive to the bitmap images in a layerwise manner.
US09999506B2

A medical device configured for placement in a blood vessel, in which an elastic tube extends between first and second expandable anchoring stents. The elastic tube is constructed of a resilient material that deflects outward in response to increased blood pressure of a heart beat and that moves back inward as the blood pressure drops, thereby aiding the heart's pumping action.
US09999503B2

The invention is a system and method for accurately positioning a prosthetic valve such as a prosthetic heart valve at a desired position for deployment. The invention includes extendable positioning elements which provide tactile feedback to a user to confirm proper positioning of the catheter with respect to the native valve annulus. During delivery, the extendable positioning elements lie against the catheter, over the prosthetic valve and expandable balloon, providing a low profile for advancing the catheter to the desired treatment location via small passages such as body lumens. Prior to valve deployment, the positioning elements are extended and brought into contact with tissue of the native annulus to confirm the proper positioning of the delivery system and prosthetic valve.
US09999498B2

The invention provides an intra ocular lens structure (IOL) for placement in the capsular bag and securing the IOL in an opening in an anterior part of a capsular bag, with an anterior capsular bag flap surrounding said opening, said IOL having an anterior side which in use when the IOL is implanted in an eye is directed towards a cornea of the eye, and a posterior side which in use when the IOL is implanted in an eye is directed towards a retina of the eye, said IOL comprising an optical structure, at least two posterior supports for when the IOL is implanted in the capsular bag residing in the capsular bag extending away from said optical structure, said posterior supports adapted for in use providing support surfaces for a posterior surface of an anterior capsular bag flap, and at least two anterior supports for when the IOL is implanted in the capsular bag residing outside the capsular bag extending away from said optical structure, said anterior supports adapted for in use providing support surfaces for an anterior surface of an anterior capsular bag flap.
US09999495B2

The present disclosure relates to an assembly for fixing a ligament in bone. The assembly includes a suspension member and an implant having a mechanism for fixedly receiving the suspension member and at least partially suspending the suspension member and the received bone graft within the implant, allowing for bony in-growth. A method of fixing a ligament in bone is also disclosed.
US09999494B2

A balloon-expandable shunt is disclosed for shunting a vessel which has a graft with two ends and at least one expandable support element supporting the graft from within along a length at or near at least one of its ends. The shunt is bifurcated at an aperture that leads to a side-channel and which has a closed configuration and an open configuration such that when the aperture is in the closed configuration it defines a clot-resistant inner graft surface and when the aperture is in the open configuration it is configured to provide access to the shunt for a balloon that actuates the expandable support element. A balloon configured for actuating the shunt is also disclosed. A kit has a bifurcated graft with at least one expandable support element and a balloon for actuating the at least one expandable support element.
US09999491B2

A puncture device, a puncture apparatus, and a method are disclosed, the puncture apparatus including a puncture device for puncturing a biological tissue, a urethral-insertion member, a vaginal insertion member, and a supporting member which supports the urethral-insertion member, vaginal insertion member and a puncture member of the puncture device. The puncture device includes a puncture needle for puncturing a biological tissue, a shaft portion and a connection portion for connecting the puncture needle and the shaft portion to each other, and an implant assembly positioned at a distal end of the puncture needle and having a needle tip portion for puncturing a biological tissue and a biological tissue supporting implant. The puncture needle has a form of a pipe and has a tubular portion. The biological tissue supporting implant is accommodated in the hollow portion.
US09999490B2

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for intra-vaginal bowel control.
US09999480B2

A mounting device for a stand device for arrangement in the operating room and to position or displace a medical apparatus in the operating room, in particular by means of a rotational movement, incorporates a mounting apparatus, which extends along an axis of rotation in a longitudinal direction and has a cavity, which in particular is cylindrical and which is oriented in the longitudinal direction, for accommodating a rotatably supportable connection component of the stand device, in particular a spindle; and an adjustment apparatus for arranging the connection component in a position, which can be predefined, in relation to the mounting apparatus; wherein the mounting device forms a rotational coupling for supporting the connection component on the mounting apparatus, which rotational coupling can be adjusted about the axis of rotation. The invention further relates to a mounting system including such a mounting device.
US09999478B1

A medical safety device for holding and protecting medical circuitry connected between a medical patient and medical equipment is provided. The device can include an outer shell with an exterior sidewall and an interior sidewall defining an open interior. The outer shell can include a door that can be opened to allow access to the interior of the shell. The outer shell can include at least one latch for selectively securing the door in a closed position. The exterior shell can include connecting components for connecting the device to a hospital or surgical bed frame. The interior of the outer shell can include a grooved section having one or more grooves. The grooves can be configured to hold and retain different types of medical circuitry, such as cords, wires, tubes and the like.
US09999472B2

End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a therapeutic clamping mode in which the jaws clamp on the body tissue at a force greater than the grasping force. The methods comprise grasping the body tissue between jaw members, measuring the separation parameter between jaws, indicating on a user interface the separation parameter for comparison to a desired separation parameter, and then releasing the body tissue for repositioning or therapeutically clamping the body tissue in response to the separation parameter indication.
US09999470B1

A robotic surgical manipulator provides a robotic controlled manipulator which deploys from an insertion configuration to a wider deployed configuration using two arms and a web therebetween. The web supported by the arms can then hold back a larger mass than has been previously supported by prior art techniques.
US09999468B2

A laser system for use in an environment is disclosed. The laser system may include a base unit including a laser, a controller operatively coupled to the laser, and a first antenna operatively coupled to the controller. The laser system may further include a laser energy delivery system having a first end which receives laser energy from the laser and a second end which delivers the laser energy to the environment. The laser system may further include a switch unit located remote from the base unit and including a switch controller, a second antenna operatively coupled to the switch controller, and a user operable switch. The switch unit may be connected to the base unit through a tether. The controller may determine when the laser energy is provided to the laser energy delivery system based on a signal from the switch unit, the signal being sent wirelessly to the controller from the second antenna of the switch unit to the first antenna of the base unit.
US09999467B2

An energy delivery probe and method of using the energy delivery probe to treat a patient is provided herein. The energy delivery probe has at least one probe body having a longitudinal axis and at least a first trocar and a second trocar. Each trocar comprises at least two electrodes that are electrically insulated from each other, and each electrode is independently selectively activatable. An insulative sleeve is positioned in a coaxially surrounding relationship to each of the first trocar and the second trocar. The probe also has a switching means for independently activating at least one electrode. The method involves independently and selectively activating the first and second electrodes to form an ablation zone, then repeating the ablation by delivering energy to a second set of electrodes, producing one or more overlapping ablation zone, and eliminating the need to reposition the ablation probes.
US09999465B2

An apparatus includes a shaft, the shaft including a plurality of stepped sections along the length of the shaft. The apparatus further includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the length of the shaft, each electrode characterized by a geometric aspect ratio of the length of the electrode to the outer diameter of the electrode. Each electrode is located at a different stepped section of the plurality of stepped sections of the shaft and includes a set of leads. Each lead of the set of leads is configured to attain an electrical voltage potential of at least about 1 kV. The geometric aspect ratio of at least one electrode of the plurality of electrodes is in the range between about 3 and about 20.
US09999452B2

A spinal implant tool set includes end guide tools having flexible back wall flaps that receive opposite ends of the rod and intermediate guide tools that hold the rod in intermediate locations between the end guide tools. Both the end and intermediate guide tools include an attachment structure for operably connecting the guide tool to a bone screw. A multi-function installation tool and a bone screw driver each mate and cooperate with the guide tools. A method utilizing the tool set allows a surgeon to percutaneously implant the bone screws and the rod in the patient.
US09999445B2

A full-vagina sleeve cylindrical expansion and pneumoperitoneum integrated device, includes: an elastic embedded ring (1) and a sleeve (2). The elastic embedded ring (1) is made of elastic material and embedded inside a pelvic outlet. The elastic embedded ring (1) is capable of expanding in a natural state inside a vagina to tightly adhere to wall of the vagina, or being inflated into an annular ring which tightly adheres to the vagina wall so as to elastically expand a vagina tissue. The sleeve (2) is made of elastic material or a non-elastic material and is cylinder-shaped. A front end ring of the sleeve (2) is connected with the elastic embedded ring (1), and a rear end ring extends out of the vagina. An operation mask (3) is fixedly provided on the rear end ring.
US09999438B2

A tissue cutting device includes a sizing element which detects the diameter of the vessel in which the cutting device is positioned. The sizing element is coupled to the cutting element so that the amount of the cutting element that is exposed varies in response to movement of the sizing element.
US09999429B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for performing total hip arthroplasty with patient-specific guides. Pre-operative images of a pelvic region of a patient are taken in order to predefine the structure of the guides and corresponding implants. From the obtained image data an insertional vector for implanting an acetabular implant or component into an acetabulum of the patient is determined, wherein the insertional vector is coaxial with a polar axis of the acetabular component. Also from the obtained image data, a superior surface of the guides and implants can be shaped to match the acetabulum of the patient. A nub portion extending outwardly from the superior surface of the guides and implants is shaped to substantially match the shape of a fovea of the acetabulum. A guide portion of the guides forming a slot has a longitudinal axis coaxial with the determined insertional vector of a corresponding acetabular component.
US09999428B2

An orthopedic surgical instrument system for use in preparing a patient's bone is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a cutting guide block configured to be secured to a surgically-prepared surface of the patient's bone, and a cutting tool to be used in conjunction with the cutting guide block to resect a section of the patient's bone. A method of performing an orthopedic surgery is also disclosed.
US09999427B2

In various aspects, present disclosure is directed to methods, devices and systems whereby one or more low viscosity fluids may be introduced into a catheter and whereby the one or more low viscosity fluids may be converted into a high viscosity fluid in the catheter, which high viscosity fluid may be delivered from an exit port of the catheter.
US09999416B2

This present invention relates to medical procedures and force application distraction devices for internal joint distraction.
US09999405B2

A processor identifies a curved structure in three-dimensional medical image data. The processor selects a plane in the three-dimensional medical image data based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The processor defines a curved image slice in the selected plane based at least in part on the identified curved structure. The curved image slice may be defined by drawing a pair of curved lines on opposite sides of the identified curved structure in the selected plane. The distance between the pair of curved lines may define a thickness of the curved image slice. The processor generates a rendered image of the defined curved image slice. The rendered image may be generally perpendicular to the selected plane. The rendered image and/or the selected plane having the pair of curved lines superimposed on opposite sides of the identified curved structure may be presented at a display system.
US09999399B2

A method and system for autoregressive model based pigtail catheter motion prediction in a fluoroscopic image sequence is disclosed. Parameters of an autoregressive model are estimated based on observed pigtail catheter tip positions in a plurality of previous frames of a fluoroscopic image sequence. A pigtail catheter tip position in a current frame of the fluoroscopic image sequence is predicted using the fitted autoregressive model. The predicted pigtail catheter tip position can be used to constrain pigtail catheter tip detection in the current frame. The predicted pigtail catheter tip position may also be used to predict abnormal motion in the fluoroscopic image sequence.
US09999397B2

A biosignal processing apparatus and method thereof include a signal receiver and a signal processor. The signal receiver is configured to receive a biosignal having a corresponding electrical physical quantity from a sensor. The signal processor includes a voltage inputter and a current inputter, and configured to process the biosignal using one of the voltage inputter and the current inputter and based on the corresponding electrical physical quantity of the biosignal.
US09999393B2

An electrode assembly includes a first surface to be placed adjacent a person's skin and a second surface including a plurality of reservoirs of conductive gel. The plurality of reservoirs of conductive gel are disposed on sections of the electrode assembly that are at least partially physically separated and may move at least partially independently of one another to conform to contours of a body of a patient. The electrode assembly is configured to dispense an amount of the electrically conductive gel onto the first surface in response to an activation signal and to provide for a defibrillating shock to be applied to the patient through the amount of the electrically conductive gel.
US09999390B2

A body-mountable urea sensing device includes an electrochemical sensor embedded in a polymeric material configured for mounting to a surface of an eye. The electrochemical sensor includes a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a reagent localized near the working electrode that selectively reacts with urea. A potentiometric voltage between the working electrode and the reference electrode is related to a concentration of urea in a fluid to which the electrochemical sensor is exposed; the voltage is measured by the body-mountable device and wirelessly communicated.
US09999385B2

Various embodiments for providing remote delivery and monitoring of health care are provided. In one embodiment, a portable apparatus is provided for dermatological monitoring, comprising a housing and an imaging device integrated into the housing. The imaging device obtains a digital, high-resolution, dermatological image of a patient and a processor device integrated into the housing applies an anti-motion algorithm to the dermatological image to enhance image quality. A wireless communications interface is additionally integrated into the housing and coupled to the processor device, to upload the dermatological image to a remote server to be viewed by a medical professional.
US09999378B2

Apparatus is disclosed for monitoring, measuring and/or estimating deviation of a body part of a vertebral mammal. The apparatus includes at least one sensor for measuring rotation of the body part relative to a first frame of reference and for providing data indicative of the rotation. The apparatus also includes a memory device adapted for storing the data and a processor adapted for processing the data to evaluate a deviation of the body part that correlates to the data. The processor may be configured to execute an algorithm for evaluating deviation of the body part. A method of monitoring, measuring and/or estimating deviation of a body part of a vertebral mammal is also disclosed.
US09999374B2

A flowmeter and filter assembly for spirometry have a flowmeter with a turbine rotor and sensor means for detecting the speed of rotation of the rotor, and a filter upstream of the flowmeter. An air-conveying device modifies the direction of the flow of air at an outlet from the filter to set the rotor in rotation within the flowmeter. The air-conveying device is integrated in the filter instead of in the flowmeter.
US09999373B2

A compact, on-airway, respiratory gas analyzer for performing pulmonary function tests incorporates an IR spectroscopy light guide having a curved, rather than linear, sample chamber that lies transverse to a direction of respiratory gas flow. Cooperating with the sample chamber is an impact plate that functions to steer respiratory and test gases impinging on the impact plate into the curved sample chamber. A source of IR energy is at one end of the sample chamber and an electro-optical sensor responsive to IR energy is disposed at an opposite end of the chamber. The respiratory gas analyzer also includes gas flow paths and valving for carrying out lung capacity and lung diffusion tests.
US09999372B2

The present invention discloses a method to determine the lung clearance index (LCI) or other indices of ventilation inhomogeneity of the lungs by combining two pulmonary gas exchange techniques; Inert gas rebreathing (IGR) is used for rapid wash-in of the inert tracer gas and this is followed by multiple-breath wash-out (MBW). The functional residual capacity (FRC) can either be determined from the tracer gas concentration and the gas flow inhaled and exhaled during multiple-breath wash-out or by gas analysis alone from the inert gas rebreathing. The cumulative expired volume (VCE) required to clear the inert tracer gas from the lungs is determined from the multiple-breath wash-out, and LCI is calculated as the ratio between VCE and FRC. The advantages of the method are i) significant reduction of required test time, ii) significant reduction of consumed gas mixture for wash-in of tracer gas, iii) potential for further reduction of the use of tracer gas, and iv) potential for more accurate determination of the FRC by gas dilution alone. Furthermore the present invention relates to a corresponding system and computer-readable medium.
US09999364B2

Systems and methods are provided to detect a multi-domain ECG waveform and display one or more cardiac electrophysiological markers. Electrical impulses are detected between at least one pair of electrodes adapted to be located near a beating heart and are converted to an ECG waveform. The ECG waveform for at least one heartbeat is received from the detector, the ECG waveform is converted to a frequency domain waveform, the frequency domain waveform is separated into two or more different frequency domain waveforms using two or more different bandpass filters, and the two or more different frequency domain waveforms are converted into two or more different time domain waveforms. The two or more different time domain waveforms are displayed in the same time domain plot as the ECG waveform and one or more cardiac electrophysiological markers are displayed along the x-axis of the two or more different time domain waveforms.
US09999356B2

A strain sensor element comprises a laminated film which has a magnetic free layer, a spacer layer, and a magnetic reference layer. The free layer has a variable magnetization direction and a out-of-plane magnetization direction. The reference layer has a variable magnetization direction which is pinned more strongly than the magnetization of the free layer. The spacer layer provided between the free layer and the reference layer. A pair of electrodes is provided with a plane of the laminated film. A substrate is provided with either of the pair electrodes and can be strained. The rotation angle of the magnetization of the free layer is different from the rotation angle of the magnetization of the reference layer when the substrate is distorted. Electrical resistance is changed depending on the magnetization angle between the free layer and the reference layer, which allows the element to operate as a strain sensor.
US09999354B2

A method and system for inspecting biological tissue that has no applied coatings or treatments to improve reflectivity comprises an optical detection system with an exposed surface for inspection by an optical detection system; and a laser for exciting an ultrasonic wave within the tissue, which wave propagates within the tissue at least near the surface. The optical detection system includes: a laser to emit a pulsed detection laser beam onto the surface at a detection spot, the pulsed laser beam having a wavelength at which there is large scattering and little absorption by the tissue, and a pulse duration is chosen to correspond with ultrasonic propagation times associated with a range of depths of the scan, whereby the fluence of the detection laser is not applied unless ultrasonic information regarding a given depth is being obtained; and large étendue collection optics for collecting reflected and backscattered light from the detection spot; and a demodulator to extract information from the ultrasonic wave from the collected light.
US09999338B2

A filter assembly for filtering a wash fluid to be circulated by a circulation pump in a dishwasher appliance is provided. The filter assembly defines an axial direction and includes a first filter member including a first filter panel and defining a first discharge opening, and a second filter member including a second filter panel and defining a second discharge opening. The second filter panel is spaced from the first filter panel along the axial direction and configured in series flow with the first filter panel. The filter assembly further includes a circumferentially continuous discharge chamber disposed radially outward of the first filter member and the second filter member, the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the first filter member through the first discharge opening and in fluid communication with the second filter member through the second discharge opening.
US09999335B2

Embodiments include a mechanism for leveling or providing pad assistance to surface maintenance machines. The surface maintenance machine can include a frame, a plurality of wheels, a head assembly, and a head adjustment mechanism. The head adjustment mechanism can be positioned in line with and operatively coupled to a first portion of the head assembly, such that the first portion of the head assembly can be moved towards or away from the surface by adjusting the position of a fastener in a slot. Such embodiments are useful for leveling the head assembly to maintain an even degree of burnishing or providing pad assistance. Embodiments include methods of using such mechanisms for leveling or providing pad assist to surface maintenance machines.
US09999332B2

A floor cleaning machine is provided, in particular a hand-guided and/or hand-held floor cleaning machine, including a support device, at least one cleaning roller arranged on the support device, capable of being driven in rotation and provided with a cleaning substrate, a fan device for creating a suction flow, and a suction channel device for the suction flow which provides a suction channel operatively connected for fluid communication between the fan device and the at least one cleaning roller, wherein the suction channel has a mouth towards the at least one cleaning roller that includes a first and a spaced second mouth wall having a mouth opening therebetween, wherein the first mouth wall is positioned above the second mouth wall relative to the direction of gravity, wherein the first and/or second mouth wall are/is in contact against or protrude(s) into the cleaning substrate of the at least one cleaning roller.
US09999322B2

Modular suspendable organizational apparatus comprising at least one receptacle element are disclosed. In an aspect, organizational apparatus are provided that include at least one modular component that facilitates adjustment of the size of an apparatus's frame and/or adjustment, addition, and/or removal of the at least one receptacle element associated with the apparatus.
US09999311B1

The zipper puller device is configured for use with the pull tab of a zipper. The pull tab is further defined with a recovery aperture. The zipper puller device is an extension structure. Specifically, the zipper puller device extends the reach of an individual such that a hard to reach zipper may be secured by the individual without assistance. The span of the extension provided by the zipper puller device is adjustable. The zipper puller device comprises an ergonomic handle, a telescopic shaft, and a hook. The telescopic shaft attaches the hook to the ergonomic handle. The hook attaches to the recovery aperture. The handle manipulates the hook when the zipper puller device is in use. The span of the length of the telescopic shaft is adjustable.
US09999308B1

A system for securing bedclothes to a mattress includes a bottom sheet which is shaped and dimensioned to fit over the top surface of the mattress. The bottom sheet has four corners which include a first corner and a diagonally opposite second corner, and a third corner and a diagonally opposite fourth corner. The second corner has a second corner aperture, and the fourth corner has a fourth corner aperture. A first strap is shaped and dimensioned to connect the first corner to the second corner. The first strap has a first end which is permanently connected to the first corner, and a second end which is configured to pass through the second corner aperture and fold back and connect to itself. A second strap is shaped and dimensioned to connect the third corner to the fourth corner. The second strap has a first end which is permanently connected to the third corner, and a second end which is configured to pass through the fourth corner aperture and fold back and connect to itself.
US09999307B2

A fitted sheet which will fit both a standard-size twin mattress and an XL-size twin mattress without undue wrinkling or bunching of fabric is disclosed. This fitted sheet has a top panel, a first side panel attached to the top panel, a second side panel attached to the top panel, a front panel attached to the top panel, the first side panel and the second side panel, and a rear panel attached to the top panel, the first side panel and the second side panel. An elastic strip is proved near each corner or near two corners at one end of the fitted sheet. The elastic strips are oriented lengthwise on the fitted sheet and allow the fitted sheet to stretch and contract only in a lengthwise direction.
US09999302B2

Furniture, such as bookcases and dressers, are child-proofed against tipping forward by being mounted to a wall by a combination of a rail attached to the furniture, the rail having an angled undercut, and a cleat. The rail and cleat have corresponding angled cuts so that, when the furniture is properly installed, the rail rests on the cleat and the furniture is prevented from tipping or falling forward. The cleat should be attached to a structural member, such as a stud behind drywall. An additional safety device for furniture having drawers is a retainer that, in an engaged position, holds existing drawers in place, and prevents the full insertion of drawers, unless the furniture is installed on a firmly attached cleat. The cleat disengages the retainer during proper installation of the furniture on the cleat, whereby drawers can be fully inserted and removed as desired by the user. Thus, a child climbing on open drawers in a dresser, or on shelving in a storage unit, will not be subjected to injury or death by the furniture tipping forward on to the child.
US09999294B2

A unique multiple work surface pullout unit that increases space utilization by providing multiple work surfaces for performance of multiple tasks marginally within the space allocated for one. Floors and structural walls, in addition to the framing elements of existing cabinets and counters may provide significant structural support/support frame function for a multiple work surface pullout unit. The multiple work surface pullout unit comprises at least two, generally rectangular in shape, work surfaces of appropriate dimension for the intended use of each work surface; a pair of primary slides and a pair of secondary slides, and means of connecting pairs of slides, identified herein as a pair of rails. Compact size is achieved in part by limiting load-bearing service to the primary slides. Said comprising components are configured and connected such that the work surfaces can move either together as a unit or independently and in either the same or opposite direction. Said pullout unit can be undocked (moved from storage area in the frame) to a useful exposure for a designated task and work surfaces in said pullout unit can be moved independently into and out of the work position for each work surface. Good design will accommodate simultaneous use of work surfaces.
US09999293B2

A temporary or permanent attachment device to a broom, mop, or other such cleaning device, or other stick/rod, which needs to be propped upright temporarily when not in use or permanently during storage. The attachment provides the ability for the stick to stand freely, independent of leaning against a wall, furniture, door or other to prevent the stick from falling to the ground or against other objects, or people or pets or anything else on its way down. The attachment collapses against the stick. It is basically a case, springs, tines and release levers which are releasably attached to the extended handle of the tool.
US09999291B1

A Putrello lift assist work belt used for manual conveyance that includes a contoured weight bearing ledge that when structurally coupled with the back support belt and shoulder straps form a Putrello lift assist work belt system able to transfer substantial weight of the load being carried by manual conveyance to the hips and legs thus relieving stress and strain on the users back and arms. The elements and attributes of the Putrello lift assist work belt combine to form a manual conveyance lifting system that provides excellent rigidity and resistance to leverage force that results from having a heavy object extended and positioned in front of one's body thus preventing injury to the back, shoulders, and arms.
US09999287B2

The present invention relates to a packaging container with a smearing component, which includes a container body, a smearing component, a sealing cap and a buckle. The sealing cap engages with the container body and the container body is entirely sealed by the sealing cap. The smearing component is rotatably arranged around an opening end of the container body. A part of the buckle plug is fixed on the container body, the other part thereof matches with an end of the smearing component, and the smearing component is positioned in an axial direction by the buckle plug and the container body. The advantages of the packaging container can be achieved by the smearing component being arranged on a rolling rod of the liquid outlet of the container body and the smearing component being positioned on the container body in the axial direction by means of the buckle plug.
US09999285B2

Disclosed is fabric taped aluminum tubes novel hair curler, relating to hairdressing apparatus field. Two ends of upper aluminum tube and lower aluminum tube are clamped onto connector and front stopper support; upper elastic sheet, upper iron sheet and first MCH are arranged inside upper aluminum tube with upper fabric outside; clamping sheet, with one end fixedly connected with lower other side of handle key via screws, is arranged on outer surface of upper fabric; FUSE, silicon gel stopper, lower elastic sheet, lower iron sheet and second MCH are arranged inside lower aluminum tube with lower fabric outside; front stopper is fixedly connected with one end of front stopper support via screws. Special fabrics coated on two semicircular aluminum tubes can generate negative ions, lock moisture and prevent moisture loss, thereby well protecting hair softer; the antistatic, silk-like curler is simple and convenient in operation and more comfortable.
US09999280B2

A system may include a first bracelet having physical buttons that are touched in a defined sequence and for a length of time to complete a shared activity across a group of bracelets. The first bracelet may communicate a signal that includes information identifying completion of the shared activity. A second bracelet may receive a signal that programs physical buttons such that they may be touched for the length of time to complete the shared activity by repetition of the defined sequence.
US09999279B2

A bracelet or flexible band comprised of a flexible member that on one end is interconnected to a knife and on another end, is connected to a sheath that selectively receives the knife in the locking fashion. When needed, the knife is rotated within the sheath to facilitate release thereof from a lock that is integral with the sheath. Once removed from the sheath, the knife can be used for self-defense, cutting rope or cord in an emergency situation, or for general utility cutting tasks.
US09999275B2

A golf shoe has an upper, a midsole, and an outsole. The outsole includes a plurality of wave-like flex channels, surrounded by a hard base material. The hard base material provides stiffness for support and stability while the flex channels allow the outsole to bend when a user walks or swings a golf club. The outsole also has a plurality of receptacles for attaching and removing cleats, providing traction between the golf shoe and a ground surface.
US09999271B2

A helmet locking system utilizing an arrangement of two enlarged members, a pass-through locking member, and a length of cable. A fixed enlarged member is permanently mounted to the cable and a detachable enlarged member engages with the pass-through locking member which is positioned on the cable's end opposite to the fixed enlarged member. The locking system does not require keys or a combination. Pass-through locking member is threaded through the D-ring of a helmet. Detachable enlarged member is then fixedly fitted onto the pass-through locking member. The detachable enlarged member is then placed into a motorcycle's storage compartment which is then closed and locked thereby securing the helmet to the motorcycle.
US09999262B2

In one embodiment, a garment having a cup portion with two cups, a body portion integrated with the cup portion, and a band are disposed on the garment such that is extends beneath the cup portions. The band is either on the body portion or adjacent the body portion. The garment also has support structures with a configuration, each following proximately a contour of the lower part of its respective cup, wherein a portion of the support structure is formed on and fixed to the band and a portion of the support structure extends on the body of the garment and is attached thereto. As such the support structure configuration is approximately arcuate. The garment also has additional control regions. The control is provided by fabric or materials that have less stretch than the body fabric from which the body of the garment is made.
US09999255B2

An electronic cigarette is disclosed. The electronic cigarette comprises a sleeve, a battery module, an atomizing unit and a blocking module arranged in the sleeve and a reservoir formed in the sleeve. The atomizing unit is electrically connected to the battery module, the blocking module is configured to isolate the battery module and the reservoir, a ventilation hole is disposed on the blocking module for achieving air communication between the atomizing unit and the battery module; wherein the ventilation hole is in the closed state before a first use of the electronic cigarette; when the electronic cigarette is used, the blocking module is switched to make the ventilation hole in the open state, so as to allow air to enter the ventilation hole and pass through the atomizing unit to carry the aerosol generated by the atomizing unit.
US09999250B2

An electronic cigarette (e-Cig) or personal vaporizer device generates a vapor that is inhaled by a user. Liquid in a cartridge is vaporized or atomized by a heating element that heats the liquid. When the e-Cig is activated, and the user provides suction, the liquid to be vaporized is drawn out of the cartridge, through a wick, and is atomized by the wick into a cavity containing the heating element. The heating element may be directly written onto substrate. Various sensors may be employed to optimize the liquid usage.
US09999234B1

A poultry skinner includes conveyors to engage the upper and lower surfaces of a poultry product. A rotatably mounted gripper engages the lower surface of the poultry. A pinch block with an arcuate surface is mounted in closely spaced relationship to the gripper fins for trapping the poultry product skin. The upper conveyor belt extends around laterally-oriented guides that mount in frame members at the sides of the food product path, and springs bias the belt outwardly to press the food product against the gripper and to take up slack in the belt by vertical movement of the ends of the guides. The gripper and the pinch block mount, with an adjusting mechanism, to end supports so the components may be removed as a unit and the position of the pinch block relative to the gripper may be adjusted.
US09999231B2

A press assembly for forming a food product where the press assembly includes a cutting die including a body that extends from a proximal end to a distal end. The proximal end has an irregular shape and a sharp edge configured to cut the food product into the irregular shape. The body has an interior surface surrounding an interior space. The press assembly further includes a pressure plate arranged within the interior space. The pressure plate includes a pressing surface including a first zone and a second zone surrounding and extending from the first zone at a taper angle such that an outer end of the second zone is recessed from an inner end adjacent the first zone. The cutting die and the pressure plate cooperate to press and cut the food product. The food product is also described.
US09999217B2

Compositions and methods are disclosed for substantially liquid, gel, suspension, slurry, semisolid and/or colloid storage of biological samples following admixture with the herein disclosed storage composition, permitting substantial recovery of biological activity following storage without refrigeration. In certain embodiments, unfractionated blood or tissue samples may be stored without refrigeration for weeks, months or years in a form that permits recovery of intact DNA, RNA or protein components following the storage period.
US09999215B2

A waterfowl decoy deployment system includes a hub subsystem including a casing defining a casing height and a plurality of biasing devices extending though the casing. The plurality of biasing devices is height indexed with respect to the casing height. The waterfowl decoy deployment system also includes a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the hub subsystem. Each arm of the plurality of arms is coupled to a biasing device and a plurality of waterfowl decoys are coupled to each arm of the plurality of arms.
US09999211B2

A discrete and safe automated insect monitoring system includes a housing, an interior chamber within the housing, and a light source arranged within the housing to illuminate at least a portion of a floor surface of the interior chamber. A multi-pixel optical sensor is arranged within the housing so that a field of view of the sensor comprehends a substantial portion of the floor surface. A processing circuit arranged within the housing receives optical data from the multi-pixel optical sensor, analyzes the optical data to detect the intrusion of an insect or other object into the interior chamber by comparing most recently received optical data to previously received optical data, and generates an indication in response to detecting the intrusion of an insect or other object. Detection and/or classification results can be wirelessly forwarded to another device, to alert appropriate personnel.
US09999205B1

The invention is a kit to produce a logo or picture on the bottom of an aquarium through the use of color stones. The method begins by creating or finding the picture. Next one converts the picture into areas. Each area has only one distinct color. The third step is to form an outline that encloses each of the areas. The next step is to transfer the outline from the logo to the surface. This surface can be the bottom of an aquarium or a separate surface. The fifth step is to form partitions on the outline on the surface. The partitions must be sufficiently deep to hold a least one layer of stones or sand. The last step is to place colored stones or colored sand within the partitions.
US09999201B2

A collar for an animal includes an elongate piece of flexible material having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends configured to be releasably coupled together about the neck of an animal. The collar also includes a lighting system coupled to the piece of material. The lighting system includes a power source and an optical element coupled to the power source. The optical element is at least partially embedded within the piece of material and extends along a length direction between the first and second ends. The optical element further includes an LED that is configured to illuminate a portion of the optical element when the power source is turned on.
US09999194B1

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH744817. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH744817, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH744817 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 CH744817.
US09999193B1

A soybean cultivar designated 65090203 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 65090203, to the plants of soybean cultivar 65090203, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 65090203, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 65090203. 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 65090203. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 65090203, 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 65090203 with another soybean cultivar.
US09999186B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01059533. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01059533. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01059533 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01059533 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09999178B2

A windrow merger includes heads having cams that control the speed of the tines. The cam is configured with a section that slows the speed of the tines while passing a lower front portion of the path of rotation to lift material from the ground at lower speeds and therefore handles the material more gently at the point of pickup. The cam is configured to accelerate the tines at the point where the lifted material is propelled rearward from the pickup assembly. The merger heads also include a widened conveyor that is configured with an upper surface extending rearward and slightly downward to further evenly distribute material across the width of the conveyor. The heads are supported on skids that have a linkage connecting the skids at each end of the head with one of the skids having a mechanism that acts as a master to control the slave of the linked opposite skid.
US09999176B2

A tailings conveyance including a housing having a front plate, a back plate, and a wall, and is adapted to recycle tailings through a cleaning system of a combine using at least one impeller. The wall of the housing describes an arc near the impeller paddles over a segment of a circle described by the circumference of the impeller. The wall further continues on a tangent away from the circle at a point of tangency. A sensor is positioned proximate to the point of tangency, and senses whether a space between the front plate and the back plate directly adjacent to the sensor is obscured by tailings as the impeller rotates. A controller or control system connected to the sensor calculates an amount or percentage of time the space between the front plate and the back plate directly adjacent to the sensor is obscured by tailings as the impeller rotates.
US09999172B2

An agricultural tillage implement includes a main section including a hitch extending in a travel direction, a plurality of foldable wing sections coupled with the main section, a plurality of ground engaging tilling elements, a plurality of wheel assemblies and a control system. The tilling elements are coupled to the main section and wing sections. Each of the wheel assemblies include an actuator. The wheel assemblies include a first plurality of wheel assemblies associated with the main section and a second plurality of wheel assemblies associated with the plurality of wing sections. The actuators of the first plurality of wheel assemblies being independent of the actuators of the second plurality of wheel assemblies. The control system is configured to actuate the actuators to control a depth of tilling elements in each of the sections when the implement is in a field mode.
US10004162B2

A rack-based information handling system (IHS) includes a rack having a modular structure that supports insertion of different numbers and sizes of information technology (IT) gear to create one or more IT nodes. A fan bay module is attached to the rack and supports insertion of multiple different fan configurations in more than one fan receptacle. At least one fan is inserted within corresponding at least one fan receptacle of the fan bay module to conform to at least a first fan configuration. A block controller is configurable to control each of the different fan configurations and which, in response to detecting the first fan configuration of the at least one fan inserted within the fan bay module, activates a corresponding first control algorithm that enables the detected first fan configuration to be utilized to provide rack-level cooling for one or more of the IT nodes inserted within the rack.
US10004154B1

An apparatus for a dust guard structure includes a particle guard coupled to a top surface of a circuit board, wherein the particle guard is located along a first side of the circuit board between an edge of the circuit board and a first electronic component. The dust guard structure further includes the first electronic component electrically coupled to the circuit board via one or more electronic connections, wherein a height of the particle guard is greater than a height of each of the one or more electrical connections of the first electronic component. The dust guard structure further includes the first side of the circuit board being introduced to an external airflow.
US10004152B2

A heat insulation sheet includes: a heat insulation layer formed as a nanofiber web form having a plurality of pores by electrospinning a polymeric material; and an adhesion layer laminated on one or both sides of the heat insulation layer and formed as a nanofiber web form by electrospinning an adhesion material, to thereby be made thin and have a plurality of fine pores, and to thus improve heat insulation performance.
US10004147B2

A diffusion soldering method for joining an electronic component to a substrate is provided. The joining surfaces are designed such that cavities are formed in a joining gap between the component and substrate. The formation of such cavities can be provided, e.g., by depressions in a mounting surface of the component and/or in a contact surface of the substrate, the depressions being cup-shaped and/or defining channels that surround columnar structural elements, the end faces of which define the mounting surface and/or contact surface. The cavities are designed such that solder material can leak into the cavities when the component during a heating process to achieve a desired width of the joining gap. This allows for the formation of a narrow-width joining having a diffusion zone that bridges the joining gap upon soldering. In this manner, a diffusion solder connection can be produced even using standard solder.
US10004142B1

A circuit board assembly includes a primary circuit board extending in a first plane and configured to control electrical distribution and a secondary circuit board extending in a second plane, different from the first plane, with the primary and secondary circuit boards spaced from and substantially parallel with one another, and with the secondary circuit board abutting the primary circuit board such that the primary and secondary circuit boards are electrically coupled to one another. The circuit board assembly further includes at least one sensor disposed on the secondary circuit board and electrically coupled to the secondary circuit board such that the at least one sensor is electrically coupled to the primary circuit board through the secondary circuit board, with the secondary circuit board positioning the at least one sensor in proximity with the at least one magnet for detecting the position of the at least one magnet.
US10004139B2

A flexible printed circuit board of a light guide module and a cut-out structure thereof. The flexible printed circuit board is made by cutting an FPC material and is formed after folding and unfolding. The flexible printed circuit board includes two light emitting plates and an extension strip. The two light emitting plates each has a connection portion. The extension strip is integrally connected between the two connection portions. Two ends of the two light emitting plates and the extension strip have two fold lines respectively, so that the extension strip is disposed between the two light emitting plates along an extension direction to separate the two light emitting plates away from each other.
US10004130B2

A method and a device for simulating the realization of lighting effects in an environment are disclosed. The method may receive environment data, user input indicative of lighting effects, and data indicative of what installable devices exist. Based thereon, the method may generate at least one implementation option for each lighting effect and select one implementation option for each lighting effect. As a result, realization data based on the environment data and selected implementation options options can be generated. A simulator for simulating realization of lighting effects is adapted to communicate, on the one hand, with a user or other provider of environment and lighting effect data, and, on the other, with a source of information on installable hardware device. The simulator can be operable in a design mode, an implementation mode, a selection mode and a realization mode.
US10004122B1

A solid-state circadian rhythm lamp and related control techniques are disclosed. The lamp may have a night/pre-sleep emissions mode in which it emits light having a correlated color temperature (CCT) of about 1,800-2,300 K, the spectral power ratio of blue light (400-495 nm) being such that it constitutes about 10% or less of the total light emitted. The lamp may have a day/wakeup emissions mode in which it emits light having a CCT of about 5,000-8,000 K, the spectral power ratio of blue light being such that it constitutes about 30% or more of the total light emitted. The lamp may have a general lighting mode in which it produces a combined light output having a CCT of about 2,500-5,000 K. The lamp driver may support emissions mode changing based on hysteresis relating to a lighting switch associated with a power socket hosting the lamp.
US10004120B1

A network switch and luminaire provide environmental lighting via network infrastructure. The network switch operates in a communication mode that communicates, via a network interface, data with the luminaire over a network. Some portion of the data may be lighting control information for the luminaire that is produced by a control device. The network uses a network protocol that provides power to the luminaire using a network cable, where the luminaire uses the power to illuminate a lighting element. In response to a signal received by an emergency control input on the network switch, the emergency circuitry switches the network switch from the communication mode to an emergency lighting mode. The emergency lighting mode bypasses the processor used for communicating data via the network interface, and provides, via the network cable attached to the network interface, only power to the luminaire.
US10004117B2

Embodiments of an amplifier for a constant-current light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit and a constant-current LED driver integrated circuit (IC) device having the amplifier are described. In one embodiment, an amplifier includes a folded cascode input stage including chopping switch circuits configured to perform frequency chopping to reduce an input offset of the amplifier and a rail-to-rail output stage connected to the folded cascode input stage. The rail-to-rail output stage includes slew rate enhancement circuits.
US10004106B2

The present disclosure presents aspects for performing continuous packet connectivity (CPC) with dedicated channel (DCH) enhancements at a user equipment (UE). For example, the aspects may include identifying whether DTX is allowed in association with the CPC at the UE during a time period, determining whether DTX is allowed in association with the DCH enhancements at the UE during the time period, and performing DTX at the UE during the time period when both the CPC and the DCH enhancements allow for DTX. As such, CPC with DCH enhancements at a UE may be performed.
US10004101B2

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.
US10004092B2

A terminal configured to operate in a mobile telecommunication network includes a receiver configured to receive from a network entity other than another terminal a direct communication initiation signal including resource allocation information for establishing terminal-to-terminal direct communication between the terminal and a second terminal using a radio access technology (RAT) in which the terminal is configured to communicate when communicating with the second terminal through one or more base stations or (e)NB and a terminal-end terminal-to-terminal direct communication logic configured to establish terminal-to-terminal direct communication with the second terminal based on the resource allocation information provided by the network entity other than a terminal.
US10004078B2

A network node (600), a wireless device (602) and methods for controlling a radio communication using carrier aggregation. The wireless device (602) sends (6:1) UE capabilities to the network node (600), indicating a maximum capability limit per component carrier and a total maximum capability limit across all component carriers to be used in the radio communication. The network node (600) further selects (6:2) a number of component carriers to be used by the wireless device, and configures (6:3) radio features on the selected component carriers based on the received UE capabilities. The network node (600) then signals (6:4) the selected number of component carriers and the configured radio features to the wireless device (602) for use in the radio communication (6:5). Thereby, the network node (600) can utilize the full capabilities of the wireless device (602) when configuring the radio features while still respecting both the maximum capability limit per carrier and the total maximum capability limit.
US10004072B2

A wireless device and an associated wireless device are proposed. The wireless device includes a first receiving circuit, a second receiving circuit and a detector. The first receiving circuit is arranged to receive signals in a first band. The second receiving circuit is arranged to selectively receive signals in the first band or signal reception in a second band according to a first control signal, wherein the second band is different from the first band. The detector is arranged to detect existence of a transmission signal in the second band to set the first control signal.
US10004070B2

The disclosure discloses a method for sharing a frequency spectrum between a GSM system and a LTE system. The method includes: avoiding fixed channels of the LTE system of a current cell when allocating frequency points of the GSM system to the current cell and a neighbor cell interfering with the current cell; frequency domain resources allocated to users and indicated by Physical Downlink Share Channels (PDSCHs) and Physical Uplink Share Channels (PUSCHs) of the LTE system are not located on same frequency resources with frequency points of the GSM system of the current cell and the neighbor cell interfering with the current cell.
US10004067B2

The enclosed embodiments relate to transmission and reception of reference signals on sub-carriers of a time frequency grid in a wireless network. Resource configuration for transmission of reference signals is obtained by a wireless device. A reference signal received power, RSRP, reference signal, RSRP-RS, is transmitted by the wireless device according to the resource configuration. The RSRP-RS is mapped to every J:th sub-carrier, where J>2. The RSRP-RS is received by a network node.
US10004063B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a PDSCH transmission method and apparatus. The method includes: detecting a downlink control channel for scheduling a PDSCH; determining a resource allocation scheme of the PDSCH according to a DCI format of the downlink control channel for scheduling the PDSCH and an attribute of a carrier for carrying the PDSCH; and decoding the PDSCH according to the resource allocation scheme of the PDSCH and a transmission scheme of the PDSCH. The embodiments of the present invention provide an effective solution to PDSCH transmission.
US10004053B2

A mobile communication device with a Radio Frequency (RF) unit and a processing unit is provided. The RF unit transmits and receives wireless signals to and from a service network. The processing unit configures the RF unit to communicate with the service network in a DRX operation, and uses a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) for synchronizing with the service network during the DRX operation.
US10004045B2

Disclosed is a transmission power managing method of a heterogeneous network system, including: determining, when a first terminal communicates with a second terminal by using a first D2D transmission power value through a first communication network, whether a first cellular transmission power value of a third terminal satisfying a quality condition of the third terminal which communicates with a base station through a second communication network exists; determining, when the first cellular transmission power value exists and the third terminal communicates with the base station by using the first cellular transmission power value, whether a second D2D transmission power value of the first terminal satisfying a quality condition of the second terminal exists; and updating, by the first terminal, the first D2D transmission power value to the second D2D transmission power value when the second D2D transmission power value exists.
US10004042B2

A location information transmission apparatus includes a location information measuring unit configured to receive a radio wave from outside to acquire location data, a storage unit configured to store the location data, a location information transmitting unit configured to transmit the location data stored in the storage unit to the outside, a movement detecting unit configured to detect an amount of movement, and a transmission control unit configured to, in a case where the movement detecting unit detects an amount of movement equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, cause the location data to be transmitted from the location information transmitting unit to the outside.
US10004019B2

A method is disclosed for delivering a packet data flow across a radio access network (RAN), comprising: receiving, at an upstream gateway node, an Internet Protocol (IP) data flow; sending, from the upstream gateway node, the IP data flow to a RAN; receiving, at the upstream gateway node, a congestion control message from the RAN based on a request for retransmission of the IP data flow at the RAN to a user equipment (UE); and performing, at the upstream gateway node, IP flow control of the IP data flow based on the congestion control message.
US10004016B2

An MME reselection method and an MME are provided, so that UE can use a correct MME in time to execute an access request procedure. The method includes: receiving an access request message sent by user equipment UE, where the access request message carries identity information of the UE (801); determining, according to the identity information of the UE, a type of an MME that the UE needs to access (802); reselecting a second MME according to the type of the MME that the UE needs to access (803); and forwarding the access request message to the second MME, so that the second MME executes an access request procedure of the UE (804). The embodiments of the present invention is applicable to the field of communications technologies.
US10004013B2

The present invention discloses a base station, a terminal, and a handover method. The handover method includes: sending an indication message by a base station, wherein the indication message is used to instruct the terminal to further establish a connection to the base station through a second channel in a case in which the terminal maintains a connection to the base station through a first channel; receiving an access message by the base station through the first channel, wherein the access message indicates that the terminal has established the connection to the base station through the second channel; sending a handover command by the base station, wherein the handover command instructs the terminal to switch the communication with the base station from the first channel to the second channel; and switching, by the base station, communication with the terminal from the first channel to the second channel.
US10004004B2

User equipment communicating with a telecommunications network may be configured to selectively initiate a communication session with another device via a first access network of a first type. During a pre-establishment phase, the user equipment may measure the first access network to provide a first measurement. In response to the first measurement corresponding to a first service-interruption condition, the user equipment may cancel the communication session, tune a radio of the user equipment to communicate with a second access network of a second, different type, and re-initiate the communication session with the other device via the second access network. The user equipment may, after the canceling, receive a retry invitation to the communication session via the second access network, tune the radio thereto, and re-initiate the communication session with the other device via the second access network.
US10003996B2

A method and system that enhances the existing access barring mechanism as specified in the current 3GPP specification is disclosed. The method disclosed provides enhancing the access barring mechanism to accommodate application level barring between the User equipment (UE) and the network. The method disclosed individually restricts or permits access of network to every requesting application on the UE, based on granular category of the application and priority levels of the application within the granular category. The method disclosed also specifies handling of back-off timers; reject cause values and Access Point Name (APN) configuration by Access Stratum (AS) and Non Access Stratum (NAS) layer to support application level barring of UEs using the enhanced access barring mechanism. The enhanced access barring mechanism enables providing service to applications independent of other barred applications or priorities. The method disclosed provides a mechanism for access control for connected mode UEs.
US10003995B2

A method and an apparatus determining a policy by a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) is provided. The method of determining a policy by the PCRF includes receiving congestion status information of a network from a base station, transmitting the congestion status information to a content server, receiving a parameter for adjusting traffic transmission characteristics from the content server, and determining a policy related to traffic transmission based on the parameter.
US10003993B2

A method for radio network subscriber handling is provided comprising storing a list of gateway addresses in a radio network node, and performing radio network subscriber handling actions based on information stored in said list of gateway addresses.
US10003986B2

A device, network, and method for providing a variable-duration reference signal. In an embodiment, a method for wireless communications includes determining, by a first device, a starting timing and an ending timing of one or more symbols of a first carrier in accordance with a reference timing for transmission and reception, wherein each of the one or more symbols has a fixed duration; determining, by the first device, a signal of variable duration on the first carrier, wherein the starting timing of the signal of variable duration is offset from the starting timing of any of the one or more symbols of the first carrier in accordance with the reference timing; and transmitting, by the first device on the first carrier, the signal of variable duration, at the starting timing of the signal of variable duration.
US10003981B2

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a cluster partitioning module and an optimization module. The cluster partitioning module receives a first performance indicator set for a first instance of a time period set. The cluster partitioning module defines a recurring schedule set, where each time period from the recurring schedule set is associated with a performance indicator from the first performance indicator set and within a predefined range of a performance indicator associated with the remaining time periods from the recurring schedule set. The optimization module receives a second performance indicator set for a second instance of the time period set. The optimization module defines a metric value based on the second performance indicator set, and causes a change in a network implementation based on the metric value at each time period from a third instance of the time period set and from the recurring schedule set.
US10003972B2

A user equipment (UE) is configured to receive, from a network, a first access control message and a second access control message. The first access control message corresponds to a first access control service, and the second access control message corresponds to a second access control service. The first and second access control messages include access control information for controlling access to the network for at least one application on the UE. The UE is also configured to determine a combined access level for the at least one application based on the first and second access control messages and to limit access to wireless communications for the at least one application based on the combined access level.
US10003971B2

Techniques for obtaining compartmentalized authenticated access to a feature on an electronic mobile device comprising a camera are presented. The techniques may include obtaining data representing a printable authentication pattern, wherein the printable authentication pattern encodes access information, storing in electronic persistent memory the access information in association with data representing the feature, receiving, at the mobile telephone, a user request to access the feature, capturing, using a camera of the mobile device, an image of an input pattern printed on to a substrate, decoding the input pattern to obtain captured information, determining, by retrieving the access information, that the captured information matches the access information, and providing access to the feature on the mobile device as a consequence of at least the determining.
US10003968B2

A communication apparatus including: a plurality of physical ports to be coupled to different terminals via a network; a plurality of authentication processing units configured to execute an authentication process; and a controller configured to determine which one of the physical ports on which a packet was received from a terminal, to specify a preset authentication process corresponding to the determined physical port on which a packet was received, and to distribute the specified authentication process of the packet from the terminal to an authentication processing unit for executing.
US10003966B2

A key configuration method includes acquiring, by a first device, a public key of a second device through a secure medium; sending, by the first device, information used for obtaining a shared key to the second device; and obtaining, by the second device, a shared key using a private key of the second device and the information that is used for obtaining a shared key. The first device obtains the shared key using the information used for obtaining a shared key or using a private key of the first device. The present disclosure ensures that the public key of the second device reaches the first device, avoids that an attacker masquerades as the second device to establish a secure connection with the first device, so that the attacker cannot listen to a message between the first device and the second device.
US10003962B2

A method and a terminal device for keeping a subscriber identity module card in a standby state, where the method for keeping a subscriber identity module card in a standby state includes receiving, by a terminal device, an enabling request, where the enabling request is used for requesting simultaneous standby of a first subscriber identity module card and a second subscriber identity module card; invoking a third-party invocation interface provided by an operating system of the terminal device; performing interaction with a subscriber identity module card control module, so as to complete a network access process of the first subscriber identity module card on the basis of a data file of the first subscriber identity module card; and keeping the first subscriber identity module card and the second subscriber identity module card in a standby state at the same time according to the enabling request.
US10003961B2

A wireless communication system includes a terminal capability information reception unit to receive and extract terminal capability information, the terminal capability information indicating at least one of an uplink frequency bandwidth as a capability of a wireless terminal device and a downlink frequency bandwidth as a capability of the wireless terminal device; a terminal category setting unit to identify a terminal category to which the wireless terminal device belongs, based on the terminal capability information; and a link setting unit to set a link between a base station and the wireless terminal device and to transmit a control signal depending on the link setting between the base station and the wireless terminal device, based on the terminal category set by the terminal category setting unit.
US10003956B2

A method is provided for performing a management of a multi-subscription SIM module. The multi-subscription SIM module includes at least one memory adapted to store at least a first and a second profile associated with a respective first and a second mobile network operator. The memory includes a volatile portion. The operation of storing includes installing or updating profiles by downloading one or more downloaded profiles from a remote host. The management includes selecting one or more enabled profiles including an application to be executed and allocating a partition of the volatile portion of the memory to the one or more enabled profile.
US10003946B2

An improved method is provided for determining whether a sample point is within a defined geographic area. Indexes for the geographic area of interest are generated in advance. Such indexes complement the traditional spatial indexing techniques such as quad tree and r-tree. The geographic area, as defined by an outer boundary, is subdivided into some regular geometric shape, preferably a rectangle, encoded into a suitable form, and indexed. Then, a simplified comparison of the sample point to the indexed regular shapes is made.
US10003943B2

A fully user-centric mobile relation networking management of business social networking, personal social networking and general social networking for mobile terminal device with networking services adaptively and intelligently optimized by converged wireless connections based on open wireless architecture (OWA) mobile cloud infrastructure with QoW (Quality of Wireless connection) control through OWA Operating System (OS) to enable highly secured relation networking for mobile business and personal networking users by innovative social friendship scoring method.
US10003930B2

The present invention provides a method for processing a trunked service attribute, which includes: after a User Equipment (UE) enters a Radio Resource Control Connected (RRC_Connected) state and when a trunked called service is operated on the UE, informing, by the UE, a base station of a trunked service attribute.
US10003928B2

A method and system for deploying a calibrated positioning map of an area. The method, executed in a processor of a server computing device, comprises receiving, at a memory of the server computing device, a first set of fingerprint data acquired within the area by a plurality of mobile devices, generating, using the processor, a distribution of calibrated data points based at least in part on the first set of fingerprint data, the calibrated data points representing respective positions within the area, receiving, at the memory, a second set of fingerprint data acquired by at least one additional mobile device, processing, using the processor, the second set of fingerprint data and the calibrated data points to generate an updated distribution of calibrated data points, and when the updated distribution exceeds a predetermined threshold density of calibration data points, deploying the updated distribution as the calibrated positioning map of the area.
US10003927B2

Systems and methods for recognizing and/or predicting activities of a user of a mobile device are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods may predict a future activity and/or location of a mobile device user based on current and/or historical device data and/or other personal information relating to the user. In some embodiments, probabilistic determinations and/or other statistical models may be used to predict future activities and locations of a mobile device user. The disclosed systems and methods may further utilize location and/or activity recognition and/or prediction methods to deliver personalized services to a user of a mobile device at a particular time and/or location.
US10003922B2

In one embodiment, one or more computing devices of an online social network, receives, from a mobile-client system, geographic-location information associated with the mobile-client system. The one or more computing devices identify multiple candidate place-entities associated with the online social network that correspond to the geographic-location information, where each candidate place-entity is associated with a particular geographic location. The method also includes determining, for each candidate place-entity, a confidence score based on the geographic-location information associated with the mobile-client system, where the confidence score represents a probability that the first user is located at the candidate place-entity. A location-probability distribution associated with the candidate place-entity can also be used to calculate the confidence score. The one or more computing devices send, to the mobile-client system, information associated with one or more of the candidate place-entities based on their respective confidence scores.
US10003921B2

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for supporting a proximity service (ProSe) of a first network entity in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention comprises the steps of: a first network entity receiving a request for location information related to a first terminal; transmitting a paging message to the first terminal when the first terminal is in an idle state; receiving a first response message corresponding to the paging message; and transmitting a second response message corresponding to a service request on the basis of the first response message.
US10003919B2

A method and system of establishing a fence network is provided. The fence network comprises a plurality of fence nodes in communication with each other and a plurality of fence vertices defining a geographic fence. The method comprises configuring the plurality of fence nodes, setting up a coordinate system to determine a position of each fence node of the plurality of fence nodes, and, for each fence vertex, setting a location marker at a position of the fence vertex and using the location marker to register the position of the fence vertex. At least one fence vertex may be located at a position other than a position of a fence node. The plurality of fence vertices may be registered in sequential order and connected in order of registration.
US10003906B2

A device for determining room-optimized transfer functions for a listening room serving for room-optimized post-processing of audio signals in spatial production, is configured to analyze room acoustics of the listening room and to determine, based on the analysis of the room acoustics, the room-optimized transfer functions for the listening room where the spatial reproduction by means of a binaural close-range sound transducer is to take place. The spatial reproduction of the audio signals by means of the binaural close-range sound transducer may then be emulated using known head-related transfer functions und using the room-optimized transfer functions, wherein a room to be synthesized may be emulated based on the head-related transfer functions, and wherein the listening room may be emulated based on the room-optimized transfer functions.
US10003898B1

A device including an implantable assembly. The assembly includes a bone fixture configured to anchor to bone of a recipient, and a vibratory apparatus configured to be completely implanted beneath the skin of a recipient, wherein the implantable assembly is configured such that the vibratory apparatus can move relative to the bone fixture while implanted in a recipient.
US10003893B2

In a method for operating a binaural hearing system having a first hearing aid and a second hearing, the first hearing aid generates a first reference signal from a sound signal by a first reference microphone and the second hearing aid generates a second reference signal from the sound signal by a second reference microphone. The first reference signal and the second reference signal are both used to derive a first binaural beamformer signal. For at least a number of frequency bands, the first reference signal is used to derive a first phase. For the number of frequency bands, a first output signal is derived from the first binaural beamformer signal and the first phase.
US10003885B2

A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.
US10003883B2

A sealed speaker system includes an enclosure and a transducer diaphragm mounted within the enclosure, where an increase in air pressure within the enclosure results in an outward movement of the diaphragm toward an exterior of the enclosure, and a decrease in air pressure within the enclosure results in an inward movement of the diaphragm toward an interior of the enclosure. A pressure vent is provided in the enclosure and allows a gradual transfer of air between the enclosure interior and the enclosure exterior to substantially maintain a pressure equilibrium between the enclosure interior and the enclosure exterior.
US10003882B2

A headphone system comprising a physiological sensor and a method of fitting a headphone system comprising a physiological sensor to a user is provided. The headphone system comprises a headphone having a speaker, a physiological sensor configured to be positioned for measuring physiological data, and a processor connected to the physiological sensor to receive the measured physiological data and process the measured physiological data to output physiological information and a fitting parameter. An application program is associated with the headphone, and is configured to receive the physiological information and the fitting parameter. The application program may evaluate at least the fitting parameter to indicate to a user whether the headphone is properly positioned, and issue a first notification in dependence on the evaluation of the fitting parameter.
US10003870B2

A loudspeaker module emitting sound at a lateral side comprises a loudspeaker unit and a module housing comprising a lower module housing, a middle module housing and an upper module housing. A space formed by the loudspeaker unit, the middle module housing and the lower module housing is a rear sound cavity. A space formed by the loudspeaker unit, the middle module housing and the upper module housing is a front sound cavity. The loudspeaker module further comprises a cover plate which forms a cavity together with the upper module housing. The cavity is communicated with the rear sound cavity through a conducting hole. By utilizing the loudspeaker module of the present invention, superfluous space of the upper module housing can be converted into the rear sound cavity, and therefore the size of the rear sound cavity is increased, and the acoustic performance of the loudspeaker module is improved.
US10003866B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a client signal, and relate to the field of communications technologies. The method includes mapping the client signal into channels of a parallel transmission frame, where the parallel transmission frame includes at least two channels; adding an overhead for the channels of the parallel transmission frame after the mapping, to form transmission channels of the parallel transmission frame, where bit rates of the transmission channels of the parallel transmission frame are fixed; and modulating the transmission channels of the parallel transmission frame onto one or more optical carriers in a same optical fiber, and transmitting the optical carrier after the modulation.
US10003865B2

A spectral-temporal connector interconnects a large number of nodes in a full-mesh structure. Each node connects to the spectral-temporal connector through a dual link. Signals occupying multiple spectral bands carried by a link from a node are de-multiplexed into separate spectral bands individually directed to different connector modules. Each connector module has a set temporal rotators and a set of spectral multiplexers. A temporal rotator cyclically distributes segments of each signal at each inlet of the rotator to each outlet of the rotator. Each spectral multiplexer combines signals occupying different spectral bands at outlets of the set of temporal rotators onto a respective output link. Several arrangements for time-aligning all the nodes to the connector modules are disclosed.
US10003864B2

A transmission device for transmitting a sensor signal relating to a physical variable, including: an input interface for inputting the sensor signal; a signal generator for generating a comparison signal; a data processing unit to combine the sensor signal and the comparison signal to form a modified sensor signal; and an output interface which can be coupled to a signal path to output the modified sensor signal, in which the comparison signal changes over time in a predetermined manner over a range of values, so as to permit a receiver to detect an erroneous sensor signal or an erroneous transmission using the transmitted comparison signal. Also described are a related receiver, a related system, a related vehicle, a related method, and a related computer program.
US10003863B2

An electrical activity monitoring device based on an RFID sensor device attachable to a power cable of an electrical device for monitoring the electrical status of the electrical device. The device comprises an antenna element which performs the dual functions of magnetically coupling with an electrical pulse generated in the power cable in response to a change of electrical power state of the electrical device and to wirelessly transmit data to an RFID reader. An electrical activity monitoring apparatus is also provided for monitoring the electrical status of at least one electrical device connected to a power supply network by a respective power cable provided with an RFID sensor device. The electrical activity monitoring apparatus comprises an RFID reader for communicating with the RFID sensor device.
US10003857B2

A system and method for inserting a regional advertisement and a local television content under centralized control. The system includes a user interface for receiving a media plan from an advertiser. The system also includes a media server including a memory and a processor to insert at least one of a local television content and a regional advertisement from a centralized studio. Further, the system includes one or more edge devices for fetching and inserting at least one of the local television content and the regional advertisement into a central network feed for a pre-determined time period. The method includes fetching a local television content from a local storage device, specifying a pre-determined time period within the central network feed and inserting the local television content for the pre-determined time period into the central network feed. The system implementing the method is implemented for radio content and advertising.
US10003853B2

A first set of questions to elicit a response from a first user may be obtained. In response to a selection of at least one question from the first set of questions, a first video segment may be obtained. A first capture date when the first video segment was captured may be obtained. The first capture date may be verified that it is within a threshold time period. If the first capture date is verified, the first video segment may be associated with a first profile associated with the first user. At least a portion of the first profile including the first video segment may be displayed via the online platform. A first selection may be received from a second client computing platform associated with a second user viewing the first profile. The first selection may indicate a binary interest for the first user based upon the first profile.
US10003850B2

A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US10003841B2

In one aspect, an example method involves: using, by a computing device, data associated with multiple elections to generate a set of ordered content items, wherein each content item of the set of ordered content items includes content associated with a respective one of the multiple elections, and wherein the set of ordered content items is used to generate a video stream representing video content; using, by a computing device, at least a portion of the data to make a determination that a status of one of the multiple elections satisfies each condition in a condition set; and based, at least in part, on the determination, while the video stream is being generated, modifying, by the computing device, the set of ordered content items, thereby causing the video content to be modified.
US10003832B2

A method and system to facilitate localized replacement of one or more commercials or other instances of base content in a video feed with replacement-media delivered in a separate broadcast TV transport stream. A local TV station that broadcasts to an area covering a video program distributor (VPD) includes supplemental content, such as replacement commercials, within its broadcast in a manner that standard broadcast-TV receivers would disregard but that a equipment at the VPD will receive and process. The equipment at the VPD thus receives the local broadcast from the TV station and extracts from the broadcast the included supplemental content. And equipment at the VPD inserts the extracted supplemental content in place of one or more instances of base content in a transport stream that the VPD receives separately from a video-program source, so as to establish a modified transport stream for delivery to end-user TV receivers.
US10003829B2

A cabin service system may include a control module unit, a pair of power rails, the power rails being configured to provide mechanical attachment and electrical power to the control module unit, and a plurality of cabin services, wherein the control module is communicatively coupled to the plurality of cabin services to provide control of the plurality of cabin services. The control module unit may include a plurality of communication ports, and a plurality of relays coupled to at least one communication port of the plurality of communication ports, wherein each communication port of the plurality of communication ports corresponds to at least one cabin service of the plurality of cabin services, and wherein each relay of the plurality of relays provides discrete control of an associated cabin service of the plurality of cabin services.
US10003828B2

A better compromise between encoding complexity and achievable rate distortion ratio, and/or to achieve a better rate distortion ratio is achieved by using multitree sub-divisioning not only in order to subdivide a continuous area, namely the sample array, into leaf regions, but using the intermediate regions also to share coding parameters among the corresponding collocated leaf blocks. By this measure, coding procedures performed in tiles—leaf regions—locally, may be associated with coding parameters individually without having to, however, explicitly transmit the whole coding parameters for each leaf region separately. Rather, similarities may effectively exploited by using the multitree subdivision.
US10003827B2

An image processing device including a decoding section configured to decode an image from an encoded stream, a horizontal filtering section configured to apply a deblocking filter to a vertical block boundary within an image to be decoded by the decoding section, a vertical filtering section configured to apply a deblocking filter to a horizontal block boundary within an image to be decoded by the decoding section, and a control section configured to cause the horizontal filtering section to filter in parallel a plurality of vertical block boundaries included in a processing unit containing a plurality of coding units and cause the vertical filtering section to filter in parallel a plurality of horizontal block boundaries included in the processing unit.
US10003819B2

Disclosed is a depth map frame decoding method including reconstructing a color frame obtained from a bitstream based on encoding information of the color frame; splitting a largest coding unit of a depth map frame obtained from the bitstream into one or more coding units based on split information of the depth map frame; splitting the one or more coding units into one or more prediction units for prediction decoding; determining whether to split a current prediction unit into at least one partition and decode the current prediction unit by obtaining information indicating whether to split the current prediction unit into the at least one or more partitions from the bitstream; if it is determined that the current prediction unit is to be decoded by being split into the at least one or more partitions, obtaining prediction information of the one or more prediction units from the bitstream and determining whether to decode the current prediction unit by using differential information indicating a difference between a depth value of the at least one or more partitions corresponding to an original depth map frame and a depth value of the at least one or more partitions predicted from neighboring blocks of the current prediction unit; and decoding the current prediction unit by using the differential information based on whether to split the current prediction unit into the at least one or more partitions and whether to use the differential information.
US10003818B2

A video coding system, and a method of operation thereof, includes: a source input module for receiving a frame from a video source; and a picture process module, coupled to the source input module, for generating a neighboring coding unit in the frame, for generating an intra block motion vector with a constrained intra prediction flag enabled and the neighboring coding unit generated based on only an intra-picture prediction mode, for generating a current coding unit based on the intra block motion vector, the current coding unit adjacent the neighboring coding unit, and for generating a video bitstream based on the current coding unit for a video decoder to receive and decode for displaying on a device.
US10003813B2

A method and system for video decoding by enabling optimal picture buffer management are provided. The method includes checking, by an application module, one or more picture buffers in a Decoder Reference Buffer (DRB) register and a Decoder Display Buffer (DDB) register received from a video decoder module, initiating at least one action based on a status of the one or more picture buffers, providing, by the application module to a video decoder module, information on at least one of the one or more picture buffers that is free, selecting, by the video decoder module, a picture buffer based on the information of the at least one of the one more picture buffers received from the application module, decoding a bit stream by using the selected picture buffer, and storing output video data from the decoding into the selected picture buffer.
US10003806B2

At least one embodiment of a method of encoding a plenoptic image includes: decomposing the plenoptic image into sub-aperture images, encoding at least a part of a first sub-aperture image using a set of encoding parameters, and encoding at least a part of a second sub-aperture image using a restricted number of parameters among the set of encoding parameters. Embodiments make it possible to reduce the encoding complexity and run-time while keeping good encoding performances.
US10003805B2

A video decoding method includes determining, from among a first sample and a second sample with different color components, at least one second sample that is used to correct a value of the first sample; determining a filter parameter set based on a band including the value of the first sample, wherein the band is from among a plurality of bands determined by dividing a total range of sample values into signaled intervals or predetermined intervals; and filtering a value of the at least one second sample by using the determined filter parameter set and correcting the value of the first sample by using a value obtained by the filtering, wherein the first sample is any one of a luma sample and a chroma sample, and the second sample is any one of the luma sample and the chroma sample that is not the first sample.
US10003799B2

A method including obtaining a first plurality of decode-independent segments corresponding to an original video bit-stream, re-encoding each one of the first plurality of decode-independent segments according to a quality criterion, giving rise to a second plurality of decode-independent segments; and generating an output video bitstream including a third plurality of decode-independent segments, wherein each segment in the third plurality of decode-independent segments is selected from either the first plurality of decode-independent segments or from the second plurality of decode-independent segments using a selection criterion that is related at least to a segment's bit-rate.
US10003794B2

The invention provides a method of terminable spatial tree-based position coding and decoding, and corresponding coding and decoding apparatus. The encoding method comprises: constructing a cell around the input spatial points; recursively dividing the cell into sub-cells at different layers; and assigning a symbol for each sub-cell indicating whether or not there is a spatial point within each sub-cell. The method further comprising: terminating further division of a sub-cell, if the sub-cell contains only one point and the distance between the center point of the sub-cell and the point contained in the sub-cell is smaller than the allowed maximal error.
US10003791B2

An illumination apparatus is applied for providing illumination to a photographic device having a photographic field-of-view. The illumination apparatus includes an illumination device and a calibration photographic device. The illumination device is pivoted to a side of the photographic device and has an illumination field-of-view. The calibration photographic device has a calibration photographic field-of-view and is connected to the illumination device to make the calibration photographic field-of-view substantially overlap with the illumination field-of-view and make the calibration photographic device move together with the illumination device. The calibration photographic field-of-view at least partially overlaps with the photographic field-of-view. Accordingly, the present invention could improve convenience of the photographic device in mounting the illumination device.
US10003790B2

The invention consists in a method of and a device for adapting 3D content to an observer wearing prescription glasses. The method comprises the step of—providing information about prescription glasses of the observer;—calculating a value representative of the optical deviation created by the glasses from the provided information, for a given direction;—estimating a depth adjustment value as a function of the calculated value and—modifying the depth of the 3D content according to the estimated depth adjustment value.
US10003778B2

Methods and systems are described for a media guidance application that enhances the viewing experiences of users by modifying, as perceived by a user, an area outside of the television or computer screen. In particular, the media guidance application may enhance the viewing experiences of users by incorporating colors corresponding to the display screen in the area surrounding the display screen in order to prevent the area outside of the display screen from distracting a user.
US10003777B2

Examples disclosed herein relate to determining a segmentation boundary based on an image representing an object. Examples include capturing, from an infrared (IR) camera disposed above and pointed at a projection screen, an IR image representing an object disposed between the IR camera and the projection screen, based on an intensity of IR light reflected by the object and the projection screen including a surface to specularly reflect IR light. Examples include determining a segmentation boundary based at least in part on at least one boundary between a first set of IR light intensity values and a second set of IR light intensity values, wherein the segmentation boundary represents at least one outer edge of the object based on the IR image.
US10003776B2

A new projector design combines one spatial light modulator that affects only the phase of the illumination, and one spatial light modulator that only affects its amplitude (intensity). The phase-only modulator curves the wavefront of light and acts as a pre-modulator for a conventional amplitude modulator. This approach works with both white light and laser illumination, generating a coarse image representation efficiently, thus enabling, within a single image frame, significantly elevated highlights as well as darker black levels while reducing the overall light source power requirements.
US10003774B2

A base image includes a B image signal in which ductal structure is brighter than mucous membrane and capillary vessels are darker than the mucous membrane. The B image signal is subjected to a frequency filtering process for extracting frequency components including the ductal structure and the capillary vessels. Thereby, a structure-extracted image signal, in which a pixel value of the ductal structure is a positive value and a pixel value of the capillary vessels is a negative value, is generated. Based on the structure-extracted image signal, a display controlling image to be used for enhancing display of the ductal structure and suppressing display of the capillary vessels is generated. The base image is combined with the display controlling image to obtain a display-controlled image in which the display of the ductal structure is enhanced and the display of the capillary vessels is suppressed.
US10003771B2

A biological imaging device comprising: an irradiation unit which emits parallel light onto a first part in a living body; and an imaging unit which takes images of the first part and a second part that is connected to the first site.
US10003770B2

Disclosed are a method for multi-picture control in a video conference, a related device, and a storage medium. An MCU supports a multi-site video conference; and in the method, the process executed by the MCU comprises: when a conference is initially started, the MCU sending unified conference site picture information to a video terminal in each conference site; and during the conference, the MCU sending corresponding customized conference site picture information to some video terminals according to conference site picture customization requests of the video terminals.
US10003758B2

In one example, at least a portion of a digital raw image frame captured by a digital image sensor is accessed. The accessed at least a portion of the digital raw image frame is de-noised without substantially modifying defective pixel values when present. In response to determining that at least one image frame pixel in the de-noised at least a portion of the digital raw image frame has a defective pixel value: the locations of each of the at least one image frame pixel having a defective pixel value are detected, and each defective pixel value in each detected location is corrected in the de-noised at least a portion of the digital raw image frame or the originally accessed at least a portion of the digital raw image frame.
US10003755B2

An imaging system suitable for use in a vehicle includes an imaging sensor having a two-dimensional array of photosensing pixels that includes at least one sub-array having a first photosensing pixel, a second photosensing pixel, a third photosensing pixel and a fourth photosensing pixel. Spectral filtering is disposed at the photosensing pixels whereby the first photosensing pixel primarily senses red visible light, the second photosensing primarily senses blue visible light, the third photosensing primarily senses green visible light and the fourth photosensing primarily senses infrared radiation. The imaging sensor is disposed at a vehicle and has a field of view external of the vehicle. An image processor is operable for processing image data captured by the imaging sensor. The image data includes outputs of the first, second, third and fourth photosensing pixels. The processing of image data by the image processor may include de-mosaicing that reduces infrared color wash-out.
US10003738B2

Methods and apparatus for detecting and/or indicating a blocked sensor and/or blocked camera module are described. The sensor maybe a distance sensor used to support focus operations. Depending on the embodiment, the camera system may include one or more sensors and one or more camera modules. As sensor output is received and/or images are captured by one or more camera modules, the sensor output, e.g., distance sensor output, and/or captured images, e.g., optical image sensor output, are checked to determine if one or more of the sensors and/or camera modules are obstructed. When an obstruction of a sensor or camera module is detected, to make a user aware of the obstruction condition a visual and/or physical indication of an obstructed sensor or camera module is provided to the user of the camera device. The indication may include haptic feedback in the form of vibrations and/or a visual obstruction indication.
US10003735B2

Highly accurate focus adjustment device can be provided, for example, that includes a focus detection area setting unit that sets a focus detection area to a position of a face detected in an image pickup field angle, and sets a luminance addition number and a correlation addition number in the focus detection area according to a size of the face, and performs focus detection for the face, thereby to suppress a decrease in accuracy.
US10003731B2

An imaging element which outputs a pair of image signals corresponding to a pair of luminous fluxes which pass through different pupil areas of a photographing optical system, the imaging element includes a first pixel cell group including a plurality of first pixel cells for obtaining the pair of image signals and a second pixel cell group including a plurality of second pixel cells for obtaining the pair of image signals. The first pixel cell includes a first photoelectric converting unit and a first micro lens which is provided above the first photoelectric converting unit. The second pixel cell includes a second photoelectric converting unit and a second micro lens which is provided above the second photoelectric converting unit. The first micro lens and the second micro lens are disposed with different regularities.
US10003720B2

Based on a histogram of saturation of an input video, a saturation conversion function is determined, and, referring to the determined saturation conversion function, the saturation of each pixel of the input video is converted. Alternatively, a saturation conversion coefficient determination function is generated from the histogram, a saturation conversion coefficient is determined from the saturation conversion coefficient determination function and the saturation, and color differences are multiplied by the determined saturation conversion coefficient. Regardless of what saturation distribution the input video has, the saturation can be properly enhanced, and at the same time a high gradation expression can be obtained.
US10003709B1

According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a display character string storage unit, an application control unit, and a search unit. The display character string storage unit stores language information indicating the kind of language which can be displayed by the image processing apparatus, and a character string corresponding to the language information. The application control unit executes an application for realizing an additional function of the image processing apparatus. The search unit acquires a character string of the kind of language which the application does not have from the display character string storage unit on the basis of a character string identifier for specifying a character string stored in the display character string storage unit.
US10003708B2

An image processing device includes a modulation clock generator, a line synchronization signal generator, a line image sensor, and an image processor. The modulation clock generator is configured to generate the modulation clock by modulating a frequency of a reference clock at a predetermined modulation cycle. The line synchronization signal generator is configured to generate, on the basis of the modulation clock, a line synchronization signal whose line cycle varies from line to line. The line image sensor is configured to sequentially read an image of one line of a document at a timing corresponding to the line synchronization signal and to output image data. The image processor is configured to process the image data on the basis of the modulation clock.
US10003706B2

An image forming apparatus including a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device interface further includes a detection unit, a first selection unit, and a control unit. The detection unit detects a factor for shifting the image forming apparatus to a power saving state. The first selection unit allows a user to select whether to maintain or stop power supply to the USB device interface in the power saving state. The control unit controls the power supply to the USB device interface according to the selection by the user using the first selection unit when the detection unit detects the factor.
US10003703B2

A data processing apparatus includes a processing unit configured to perform a process on print data or setting data of the print data by a processing method targeting print data of a specific description format; a receiving unit configured to receive print data and setting data of the print data of a description format selected by a user; a determination data obtaining unit configured to obtain determination data that indicates whether a printer driver used for inputting the received print data and the setting data is a target printer driver for the process performed by the processing unit; and a process control unit configured to determine whether to perform the process by the processing unit on the received print data or the setting data based on the obtained determination data, and control the processing by the processing unit.
US10003699B1

Approaches presented herein enable optimizing a ringtone on a mobile communication device so that it may be audible to a user among ambient music. Specifically, an incoming communication (e.g., phone call) or other event (e.g., incoming notification, alarm, etc.) that is associated with a ringtone is detected. Any ambient music is detected and identified. A waveform associated with the ringtone and a waveform associated with the ambient music are analyzed. Based on the analysis, the ringtone is initiated. For example, a peak of the ringtone waveform may be aligned with a trough of the ambient music waveform to determine a point to initiate the ringtone among the ambient music.
US10003673B2

Described are methods, systems and computer readable media for computer data distribution architecture.
US10003672B2

Embodiments disclosed facilitate adaptation of interactive desktop applications (IDAs) for deployment and execution on distributed systems including clouds. In some embodiments, the method comprises: executing a cloud-based IDA on a dedicated elastic Virtual Machine (VM) running on at least one of a plurality of cloud infrastructures using a remote client device; and invoking an application on the remote client device comprising a remote desktop protocol (RDP) to connect to the VM on the at least one cloud infrastructure to facilitate remote user interaction with the at least one cloud-based IDA using functionality provided by the RDP. In some embodiments, the remote client application may be a web browser and RDP may be implemented using browser plugins. Further, the remote client application may sync data with cloud infrastructure before and after IDA execution, and the VM running the IDA may be terminated when user exits the IDA.
US10003671B2

A capture and replay system identifies images displayed during an application session. A parser may generate Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code from an application resource file or from the JSON post made by the application. A replay engine may use the HTML code to recreate at least some of the screens displayed during the application session. The capture and replay system may dynamically identify images that are not reproduced from the resources database and request an agent/(s) to asynchronously upload the image files associated with the images. The replay engine may use the uploaded image files to replay the application session. The capture and replay system may capture application sessions more efficiently by reproducing images from the resource file instead of capturing the images during the original application session and by dynamically requesting image files for the images were are not previously reproduced from the resource file. Once an image file is uploaded to server, it does not need to be requested again from any other agent.
US10003669B2

A method for producing log data for a programming receiver is provided. The method executes a set of instructions comprising at least a log statement, the log statement causing the programming receiver to access condensed source code; compresses one or more string arguments in the log statement, during execution of the set of instructions; and generates a log file, based on the executed set of instructions and the compressed one or more string arguments.
US10003667B2

Consent management between a client and a network server. In response to a request for consent, a central server determines if requested user information is included in a user profile associated with a user and if the user has granted consent to share the requested user information. A user interface is provided to the user via a browser of the client to collect the requested user information that is not included in the user profile and the consent to share the requested user information from the user. After receiving the user information provided by the user via the user interface, the service provided by the network server is allowed access to the received user information, and the central server updates the user profile. Other aspects of the invention are directed to computer-readable media for use with profile and consent accrual.
US10003665B2

An approach is provided for processing and transmitting sensor data in a bandwidth efficient manner. The approach involves causing, at least in part, a specification of one or more prioritization attributes for one or more sensors associated with at least one transmitting entity. The approach further involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more prioritization attributes to determine whether to cause, at least in part, (a) a transmission of sensor data associated with the one or more sensors to at least one receiving entity, (b) a caching of the sensor data prior to a batch transmission of the sensor data to the at least one receiving entity, or (c) a combination thereof.
US10003646B1

Systems, methods, and media that provide backup protection statuses for computing devices are provided herein. Some methods may include determining a backup status for a first computing device, assigning a protection status for the first computing device based upon a comparison of the backup status and a compliance schema for the first computing device, and transmitting the protection status to a monitoring device utilized by an end user.
US10003643B2

The invention relates to a communications method that comprises the step of sending a query message from a central entity to at least one node. For every queried node, the central entity determines a node-specific time window based on a node-specific response time. The central entity filters out a response message, sent from the queried node, from the signals received during this time window. Based on the node-specific time window, the central entity assigns the response message to the queried node. The invention also relates to a computing unit that is configured to operate as a central entity, to a communications system, as well as to a computer program and a computer-readable storage program with said computer program.
US10003619B2

A method of handling SIP session initiation requests in an IP Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network. The method is performed at an application server, AS, within the network. The AS receives a session initiation request containing a destination address, where that destination address is currently associated with a plurality of registered User Equipments, UEs. The AS then determines whether or not a UE associated with the destination address, is already involved in a session. If so, the AS causes the session initiation request to be forwarded only to that UE. If not, the AS causes the session initiation request to be forwarded to all UEs registered in respect of the address.
US10003614B2

The present disclosure discloses a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) control method and device, and a storage medium. The method includes that: a traffic collection request is sent to a network controller according to a pre-set collection policy, wherein the traffic collection request is used for allowing the network controller to send a request for traffic collection to one or more corresponding network devices; traffic data collected by the one or more network devices are received (S11); and the received traffic data of the one or more network devices are analyzed and processed to generate a network control policy corresponding to each network device, and the network control policies are sent to the network controller correspondingly to allow the network controller to send each network control policy to the corresponding network device.
US10003609B2

Various embodiments of the present technology include methods of assessing risk of a cyber security failure in one or more computer networks for an entity. Various embodiments include establishing a plurality of proxy connections with entity resources, evaluating performance of the proxy connections, and scoring the proxy connections based on performance. Various embodiments may further include automatically determining, based on the proxy score, a change or setting regarding the proxy connections. Various embodiments may also include automatically recommending, based on the assessed risk, computer network changes for the one or more computer networks to reduce the assessed risk. Some embodiments may include providing recommended computer network and/or policy changes to reduce the assessed risk, determining the entity has enacted some recommended network changes, and in response, automatically reassessing the risk of a cyber security failure based on the enacted recommended computer network changes.
US10003607B1

A processing device in one embodiment comprises a processor coupled to a memory and is configured to obtain data characterizing a plurality of network sessions for each of a plurality of user identifiers. The network sessions are initiated from a plurality of user devices over at least one network and may comprise respective virtual private network (VPN) sessions. The processing device is further configured to process the data characterizing the network sessions for a given one of the plurality of user identifiers to generate a network session profile for the given user identifier, the network session profile comprising a plurality of histograms for respective ones of a plurality of features extracted from the data characterizing the plurality of network sessions for the given user identifier. A risk score is generated for a current network session utilizing features extracted from the data characterizing that session and the network session profile.
US10003579B2

After a friendship pairing process is executed according to a phone directory, send a friendship request message, create at least one first platform identity by the first user, and the first user uses a first platform identity of the at least one first platform identity to make friends with the second user having a platform identity. The first user does not have any platform identity before the first user creates the at least one first platform identity.
US10003574B1

A first unclassified uniform resource locator (URL) is received. An originally primary bloom filter is initialized. A second bloom filter is initialized. In response to receiving a “no match” result from querying the primary bloom filter for the received first unclassified URL, insert operations are performed on both the originally primary bloom filter and the secondary bloom filter. At a time subsequent to inserting the first unclassified URL into both the originally primary and secondary bloom filters, a determination is made that a false positive rate associated with the originally primary bloom filter exceeds a threshold. In response to the determination, the secondary bloom filter is designated as a replacement primary.
US10003567B1

A system for providing a Domain Name System (DNS) service may include providing an agent for installation on a subscriber device. The subscriber device may be connected to the DNS service via an entry point device. The system includes receiving, from the agent, agent data indicative of a subscriber identifier and a unique identifier associated with the entry point device. The system may then determine, based on the agent data, a current Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the entry point device and associate the unique identifier with the subscriber identifier. The system may then dynamically map the subscriber identifier to the current IP address and provide DNS service to the subscriber device based on the current IP address.
US10003565B2

A first request, to access a web site associated with a domain name, is obtained at a gateway router interposed between a local area network and an internet service provider's infrastructure, from a host on the local area network. The gateway router has Domain Name Service (DNS) resolver capability. The first request is received while the gateway router has upstream connectivity to the internet service provider's infrastructure via IPv6 but not via IPv4. Further steps include sending, from the gateway router, the first request; obtaining, at the gateway router, an indication that an IPv4 address will imminently be required for the gateway router; and, responsive to obtaining the indication, sending, from the gateway router, into the internet service provider's infrastructure, a second request, for an IPv4 address for the gateway router.
US10003564B1

A system and method of regulating the display of digital content media in a social media platform is described. The method includes processing digital content media via one or more processors. The processors are in communication with an input/output interface and a database. Each item of digital content media is associated with a particular user and stored in a database. The system displays the digital content media within a media feed through the input/output interface in accordance to the preferences of each user. Command data is received and processed for each user. The system automatically allocates the placement of the digital content media according to a defined point value. Each digital content media is assigned a point value by the posting user which is automatically ranked by the system in accordance with the assigned point value. The system updates the media feed to reflect new and modified point values.
US10003559B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and computer program product for aggregating redundant messages in a group chat. A computer may receive a plurality of messages in a group chat from one or more chat devices. The computer may extract a fact from each of the plurality of messages using natural language processing. The computer may identify redundant messages within the plurality of messages. The computer may aggregate the redundant messages into a combined message. The computer may provide the combined message to the group chat. A number of redundant messages aggregated in the combined message may be provided. The redundant messages may be provided.
US10003554B1

Disclosed is a network device, comprising a first network interface port, a second network interface port, and a processor coupled to the first network interface port and the second network interface port. The processor can be configured to operate in a first switching mode to receive network control packets via the first network interface port and transmit the received network control packets via the second network interface port. The processor can also be configured operate in a second communications mode to receive and transmit network communication packets using the first network interface independently of the operation in the first switching mode.
US10003549B2

The technology relates to allocating the resource costs of a sensor network. In particular, an auction model is used to control the demand-side of sensor network utilization. Users bid for fractional sensor network utilization over particular variables such as time, geography, and data type. During the bidding process, the available sensor network resources may be unknown. Therefore, users bid on the predicted fractional sensor network utilization, which can be estimated using historical sensor network trends and models. Throughout this process, device performance is preserved while providing for user experience, privacy, and security.
US10003545B2

A method for activating a physician-prescribable feature of an application program executed on a mobile device is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by the application program, an activation code to activate a feature of the application program and one or more parameters associated with a prescription. The method includes transmitting, by the application program, the activation code to a server and receiving an authorization code from the server, where the authorization code indicates a validity of the activation code. The method includes activating, by the application program, the feature using the activation code, the activation being performed in response to the activation code being valid; configuring, by the application program, the activated feature using at least one of the one or more parameters associated with the prescription; and generating, using the activated feature, data based on the one or more parameters associated with the prescription.
US10003543B2

According to one embodiment, a communication device includes: a communicator, a first circuitry and a second circuitry. The communicator establishes a communication connection with a destination communication device over a communication network and to communicate a packet relating to first information using the communication connection. The first circuitry determines a transmission interval of a packet relating to second information that is different from the first information, based on characteristic information on the communication network. The second circuitry performs control to transmit the packet relating to the second information to the destination communication device using the communication connection in accordance with the transmission interval determined by the first circuitry during at least a time period when the communication connection is established and communication of the packet relating to the first information is not performed.
US10003540B2

The present application discloses a flow forwarding method, device, and system. The method includes: receiving, by an edge node, an intelligent routing service request packet, and the packet includes a constraint condition required for establishing the intelligent routing service; if the edge node does not find, in a flow table, a corresponding matching flow table entry of characteristic information, sending, by the edge node, a first message to a controller, where the first message includes identification information of the edge node and the characteristic information and the edge node is an ingress edge-node or an egress edge-node that receives the packet; receiving, a first flow table entry sent by the controller, where the first flow table entry is generated according to the first message and meets the constraint condition; and processing, according to the first flow table entry, a packet sent by the user side device.
US10003533B2

A method for forwarding a Software Defined Networking (SDN) packet, applied in a data forwarding device in a SDN network, comprising: dividing a flow table with a plurality of flow table entries according to a class in advance, and obtaining multi-layer flow tables serial in sequence; wherein each layer of flow table corresponds to a class of flow table; and receiving a SDN packet, searching each layer of flow table in sequence according to a precedence order of the multi-layer flow tables, or directly pointing to a specified flow table to search a matched flow table entry, and processing the SDN packet.
US10003526B1

An apparatus includes a first edge device configured to receive a data unit destined to a peripheral processing device that is operatively coupled to a network interconnect via a LAG associated with a second edge device and a third edge device. The first edge device is configured to select an edge device set that includes the third edge device and excludes the second edge device, from a group of edge device sets. Each edge device set from the group of edge device sets is directly coupled to the peripheral processing device. The first edge device is configured to send an instance of the data unit to each edge device from the edge device set such that the third edge device sends an instance of the data unit to the peripheral processing device based on a selection method that omits ports on the second edge device as potential selections.
US10003522B2

A network topology is analyzed to identify shared risk link groups, the edge diversities of paths, and maximally diverse edges for paths. During operation of the network for conveying data packets between two end points, data flows are routed in the network by prioritizing the use of resources that do not belong to a shared risk group and are maximally diverse with other edges already being used. Various load balancing techniques can be used to minimize the risk of serious disruption in the event an underlying resource of a shared risk link group goes down.
US10003519B2

A data delivery method in a software defined network provides an optimized network delivery service. The method calculates an optimized tree transmission path from among several possible paths between a source client and a destination client. In addition, a unicast transmission is used to optimize a multicast transmission service.
US10003515B1

Provided are systems and methods for network visibility monitoring. In some implementation, provided is an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a large-flow detection logic operable to determine whether a packet is associated with a large packet flow or a small packet flow, a large-flow caching logic operable to store information about packet flows, a sampling logic operable to sample packets, and a unique-flow estimation logic. The integrated circuit may be operable to receive packets from a network during a pre-determined interval, The integrated circuit may further determine an estimate of the number of unique flows represented by the packets, identify large packet flows by identifying packets associated with the large packet flows, store information about the large packet flows, determine packets associated with small packet flows, and sample the packets determined to be associated with the small packet flows to create packet samples.
US10003508B1

An event-based system, method, and computer program product are provided for intervening in connection with a network service. A plurality of measurements are identified that correspond to at least one aspect of a network service. Such measurements are processed and it is determined whether a criterion has been met, based on the processing. One or more events are identified based on the determination whether the criterion has been met. Further, the one or more events are aggregated, and at least one record is produced, based on the aggregation. To this end, an intervention is carried out in connection with the network service, based on the at least one record.
US10003506B2

A method of automatically detecting the service level agreement settings in an Ethernet virtual circuit (EVC) carrying user packets comprises generating synthetic packets different from the user packets, on a data path in the EVC at a level sufficiently high to saturate the EVC. This accelerates the detection of actual effective values for the Committed Information Rate (CIR) and the Excess Information Rate (EIR) by triggering traffic shaping devices in the data path to enforce the CIR and EIR settings configured for those devices. A plurality of traffic samples are collected from the data path during a sampling period that is long enough to allow the collection of at least two valid traffic samples, where a valid traffic sample is the amount of user packets measured between two consecutive losses of synthetic packets. The CIR and EIR values enforced by the traffic shaping devices are determined from the collected samples.
US10003498B2

Notifications associated with software-defined network components are registered for. A notification is received in accordance with the registration. It is determined that the notification indicates a configuration change to a network associated with the software-defined network components. In response to a determination that the notification indicates the configuration change, a network topology associated with the network is determined. It is determined that one or more network functionalities are impacted by the configuration change based, at least in part, on the network topology. In response to a determination that the one or more network functionalities are impacted by the configuration change, the one or more network functionalities are updated based, at least in part, on the network topology.
US10003495B1

An example method is provided and includes configuring a service on a network element; associating a directly connected port with the service to create a port channel between the network element and a directly connected service appliance, the port channel comprising a plurality of member ports; performing an auto-discovery process for each of the member ports; and, upon successful completion of the performing, indicating on the network element that the service appliance is operational. In certain embodiments, the network element includes an intelligent service card manager module (“ISCM”) that forms part of a Remote Integrated Service Engine (“RISE”) element with a corresponding intelligent service card client module (“ISCC”) installed on the service appliance. The method may further include, upon unsuccessful completion of the auto-discovery process, repeating the auto-discovery process.
US10003490B2

A communication system using hierarchical modulation and capable of flexibly adjusting line quality includes a transmission apparatus that hierarchically modulates and transmits signal sequences, a reception apparatus that hierarchically demodulates a received signal, and a hierarchization-parameter setting unit that sets hierarchization parameters. The transmission apparatus includes a hierarchical modulation unit that superimposes signals from layers while maintaining gray codes. The reception apparatus includes a hierarchical demodulation unit that demodulates and separates hierarchically modulated signals and detects signals from layers. The hierarchization-parameter setting unit sets a hierarchization ratio which is a signal power ratio used for superimposing a higher layer and a lower layer, a mapping pattern capable of selecting two patterns, and a mapping pattern mixing ratio indicating a ratio with which two mapping patterns are mixed.
US10003485B2

A system for synchronizing lighting effect patterns of interactive lighting effect devices at a remote location with respect to those at local location is disclosed herein. Synchronized lighting effects produced at the remote location while watching a lighting effect show using other interactive lighting effect devices illuminated according to a script at event venue, can be achieved. Such synchronized lighting effects obtained at remote location generate a corresponding virtual simulated perception of attending same concert venue live when watching a live streaming video thereof. Low latency between lighting effect changes are produced at remote location with respect to those observed in concert venue live streaming video due to method of color control signal generation along with usage of color control pattern blending module that creates a blended video frame comprising of a color control pattern, which allows for efficient lighting effect pattern generation at remote location.
US10003478B2

A wireless device, method, and signal for use in communication of a wireless packet between transmitting device and a wireless receiving device via a plurality of antennas, wherein a signal generator generates wireless packet including a short-preamble sequence used for a first automatic gain control (AGC), a first long-preamble sequence, a signal field used for conveying a length of the wireless packet, an AGC preamble sequence used for a second AGC to be performed after the first AGC, a second long-preamble sequence, and a data field conveying data. The AGC preamble sequence is transmitted in parallel by the plurality of antennas.
US10003476B2

In one embodiment, a source top-of-rack (ToR) switch may identify multiple destination ToR switches from a group of ToR switches to send data traffic to. The source ToR switch may be connected to the group of ToR switches via a base network. The system may determine whether each destination ToR switch is suitable for receiving data transmission via a point-to-multipoint wireless flyway. The two or more destination ToR switches that are determined to be suitable may be considered flyway candidate ToR switches. The system may establish the point-to-multipoint wireless flyway between the source ToR switch and the flyway candidate ToR switches. The system may then transmit the data traffic from the source ToR switch to each of the flyway candidate ToR switches via the point-to-multipoint wireless flyway.
US10003471B2

Disclosed are a remote control method for multi-terminal device, and a related apparatus and system. The method comprises: receiving, by a user terminal, a first switching instruction sent by a main remote controller via a forwarding device; responding to the first switching instruction, and displaying an identifier of a first slave remote controller pre-added to a remote controller list; and sending key value information about the first slave remote controller stored in a database to the main remote controller via the forwarding device, so that the main remote controller refreshes the key value information about the key layout of the main remote controller according to the key value information about the first slave remote controller, and performs a remote control operation on a terminal device corresponding to the first slave remote controller.
US10003470B2

A method for transmitting and receiving data, which is performed by a terminal, includes: transmitting first data to each of a plurality of reception terminals connected to the terminal, the first data including a source data segment and a parity data segment; determining second data to be transmitted after the first data, based on feedback information that relates to the first data and is received from each of the plurality of reception terminals; and transmitting the determined second data to each of the plurality of reception terminals.
US10003465B2

Embodiments herein provide, for example, a method that includes generating a shared symmetric key to exchange authentication information among a communications group; distributing the generated shared symmetric key to each communicating party in the communications group; exchanging authentication information among members of the communications group, where each communicating party: encrypts the authentication information using the generated shared symmetric key and sends the encrypted authentication information to other members of the communications group, and receives encrypted authentication information from another communicating party in the communications groups and decrypts the received encrypted authentication information using the generated shared symmetric key.
US10003464B1

A computer-implemented method for securing a trusted transaction using a biometric identity verification system comprising a peripheral device, a vendor server, and a verification server. The method may comprise the steps of receiving a biometric indicator at the peripheral device, and forwarding the biometric indicator to the vendor server. The method may further comprise forwarding the biometric indicator to the verification server which may verify the biometric indicator by translating the biometric indicator into an encryption value, and computing an identity verification flag, defined as a pulse upon detecting a match of the encryption value and a stored cypher record. The vendor server may execute the trusted transaction by receiving the pulse signifying a match of the encryption values found by the verification server.
US10003461B2

Methods and systems are provided for power management and security for wireless modules in “Machine-to-Machine” communications. A wireless module operating in a wireless network and with access to the Internet can efficiently and securely communicate with a server. The wireless network can be a public land mobile network (PLMN) that supports wireless wide area network technology including 3rd generation (3G) and 4th generation (4G) networks, and future generations as well. The wireless module can (i) utilize sleep and active states to monitor a monitored unit with a sensor and (ii) communicate with wireless network by utilizing a radio. The wireless module can include power control steps to reduce the energy consumed after sending sensor data by minimizing a tail period of a radio resource control (RRC) connected state. Messages between the wireless module and server can be transmitted according to the UDP or UDP Lite protocol with channel coding in the datagram body for efficiency while providing robustness to bit errors. The wireless module and server can utilize public key infrastructure (PKI) such as public keys to encrypt messages. The wireless module and server can use private keys to generate digital signatures for datagrams sent and decrypt messages received. The communication system between the wireless module and the server can conserve battery life in the wireless module while providing a system that is secure, scalable, and robust.
US10003447B2

A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting data, acknowledgement information, and a channel quality indicator (CQI). The method includes if the acknowledgement information and the data are in a slot, transmitting a first type symbol in the slot, wherein the first type symbol includes a reference signal; transmitting a second type symbol in the slot, wherein the second type symbol includes the data; and transmitting a third type symbol in the slot, wherein the third type symbol includes the acknowledgement information and the data, if the acknowledgement information, the CQI, and the data are in the slot, transmitting a first type symbol in the slot, wherein the first type symbol includes the reference signal; transmitting a second type symbol in the slot, wherein the second type symbol includes the data, and the CQI; and transmitting a third type symbol in the slot, wherein the third type symbol includes the acknowledgement information, the CQI, and the data.
US10003430B2

A transceiving system includes: a transmitter; and a receiver coupled to the transmitter via optical transmission lines, the transmitter includes: a first processor configured to generate division data obtained by dividing data; a modulator configured to modulate wavelengths of transport lights, which transport the division data, based on setting information including a correspondence relationship between identification information identifying each of the optical transmission lines and wavelength information indicating a wavelength, and output lights, each of which is superimposed with the respective division data, to the optical transmission lines; and a second processor configured to transmit changed setting information, which is obtained by changing the setting information, to the receiver, and the receiver includes: a de-multiplexer configured to separate lights from the optical transmission lines into de-multiplexed lights of a wavelengths, based on the changed setting information; and a third processor configured to convert the de-multiplexed lights into division data.
US10003427B1

A bidirectional optical element in optical network units (ONUs) of a passive optical network (PON) includes a main filter configured to pass an upstream signal having an upstream-channel wavelength and a downstream signal having a downstream-channel wavelength, a drop filter configured to pass the downstream signal having the downstream-channel wavelength and reject the upstream signal having the upstream-channel wavelength, and an add filter configured to pass the upstream signal having the upstream-channel wavelength and reject the downstream signal having the downstream-channel wavelength, wherein the main filter, the drop filter, and the add filter are configured to share a single optical waveguide, and the optical waveguide is configured to connect input ports of the main filter and the drop filter and an output port of the drop filter and is provided in a straight line shape.
US10003421B2

A radio analysis apparatus includes: a processor that calculates a modulation index of a radio signal generated by performing frequency shift keying on a baseband signal, based on phase shift amounts of the radio signal; and a memory that holds information in which bit patterns of the baseband signal are associated with correction values for correcting the phase shift amounts that have dropped by band limitation on the baseband signal. The processor restores the bit patterns of the baseband signal based on the phase shift amounts of the radio signal, corrects the phase shift amounts of the radio signal by using the correction values corresponding to the restored bit patterns, and calculates the modulation index based on the corrected phase shift amounts.
US10003417B2

Systems and methods for design and testing of RF components are described. One or more RF isolation chambers are used to house MU-MIMO capable devices under test, including wireless access points and client devices. Spatial and angular positioning of the antennas within a chamber and controlled power of the signals into each antenna via RF combiners and RF attenuators to achieve a controllable apparent/virtual angular spread among the respective client device signals is described.
US10003415B1

A system, computer readable medium, and method are provided for calibrating a wireless transmitter. A transceiver that includes a radio frequency transmitter, a measurement receiver, and a local oscillator unit may be calibrated by adjusting the duty cycle of the radio frequency signals generated by the local oscillator unit. The method for calibrating the wireless transmitter includes the steps of collecting measurement data corresponding to a number of pre-defined duty ratio correction factors, calculating estimated optimum duty ratio correction factors based on the measurement data, and determining a final optimum duty ratio correction factor from the estimated optimum duty ratio correction factors. The pre-defined duty ratio correction factors may be selected to simplify the calculations for choosing the final optimum duty ratio correction factor. The wireless transmitter can be calibrated by configuring the local oscillator unit based on the final optimum duty ratio correction factor.
US10003412B2

Various embodiments of the system and method relate to improvements in co-channel interference mitigation in shared spectrum environments operating under the aegis of a Spectrum Access System and companion database. Implementation orchestrates, detects, and obtains noise measurements from a potentially-affected receiver utilizing programmed reduction of transmitted power from a potential interferer when the two entities connect over the Internet or other communication network. Receivers and transmitters may use the method with the same or different Physical Layers (PHYs) and protocols. In one embodiment, a momentary reduction of transmitter power is noted during which putative interference is measured at the receiver. In another embodiment, an isolated burst is sent from a not-yet commissioned transmitter to contemporaneously detect possible interference at an operating receiver. A third embodiment can be used to measure and mitigate interference from a stationary mobile transmitter. A fourth embodiment establishes hosting for potential interference recognition as a service.
US10003409B2

Provided are methods and systems for receiving and processing optical signals are provided. A dual single side band (SSB) modulation scheme is utilized to take advantage of given wavelengths' bandwidth. Modulation schemes are employed that modulate each SSB with their In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) components. The methods and systems discussed perform MIMO de-multiplexing algorithms to remove any imaging components of the left and right SSBs provided by the modulators. Various algorithms can be employed, including but not limited to inserting time interleaved training sequences into the channels of the right and left SSB signals or by employing a constant-modulus-algorithm (CMA) de-multiplexing.
US10003408B2

A receiver device and receiving method for a coherent optical communication system are disclosed. The disclosed device includes: an optical splitter configured to split a received optical signal into at least two paths; a first amplifier configured to amplify a second optical signal from among a first optical signal and the second optical signal split into two paths; a second amplifier configured to amplify the output signal of the first amplifier; and a coherent receiver module configured to mix and detect the output signal of the second amplifier and the first optical signal. The disclosed device provides the advantages of suppressing the occurrence of frequency offsets and minimizing phase noise, as well as allowing manufacture with a low cost without requiring either an additional optical source or additional optical fibers.
US10003405B2

A Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) Passive Optical Network (PON) system (DPON) makes optical subscribers appear as cable subscribers. In one embodiment, a Cable Modern (CM) proxy is located in an Optical Line Termination (OLT). The OLT implements a cable modem protocol stack that operates as the CM proxy and communicates with a back office system. The OLT translates the data retrieved by the CM proxy into Optical Network Unit (ONU) recognizable commands, and sends the translated data to the ONU. In a second embodiment, the CM proxy is located in the ONU. The ONU implements the cable modern protocol stack that operates as the CM proxy and communicates with the back office system. The ONU translates the data retrieved by the CM proxy into ONU recognizable commands and sends the translated data to the ONU.
US10003392B2

Disclosed in the present application is a method by which a terminal generates channel state information for multi-antenna-based beamforming in a wireless communication system. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a first pilot signal and a second pilot signal from a base station; selecting a first rank on the basis of the first pilot signal and selecting a second rank on the basis of the second pilot signal; setting a rank search range for a three-dimensional channel on the basis of the first rank and the second rank; and selecting a rank for the three-dimensional channel within the rank search range and a precoder corresponding to the rank for the three-dimensional channel.
US10003383B2

Power transmission system (1) for power transmission of electric power (P) from a power source (2A) to a power sink (4A) which is connected to the power source (2A) via a power transfer cable (3), wherein the power source (2A) has a first pole with a first electric potential, which is connected via parallel current lines of a first conducting pair of the power transfer cable (3) to a first pole of the power sink (4A), and a second pole with a second electric potential, which is connected via further parallel current lines of a second conducting pair of the power transfer cable (3) to a second pole of the power sink (4A), wherein, during the power transmission via the current lines, a user data signal can be transmitted between the power source (2A) and the power sink (4A) via at least one conducting pair with current lines of the same electric potential, uninfluenced by the power transmission.
US10003381B2

Methods and devices are discussed where a common bit loading table is constructed from minimum gain from a plurality of bit loading tables for different combinations of lines being in a transmit or quiet mode.
US10003377B1

In a transmit method, a set of data eigenvectors that are based on a Prometheus Orthonormal Set (PONS) code construction and orthogonal to each other are stored, wherein each of the data eigenvectors is mapped to a unique multi-bit word. A pilot sequence representing a pilot eigenvector that is based on the PONS code construction and orthogonal to each of the data eigenvectors is generated. Input data is grouped into multi-bit words and ones of the data eigenvectors mapped to the multi-bit words are selected. A spread data sequence including the selected ones of the data eigenvectors and that is synchronized to the pilot sequence is generated. An acoustic signal including the synchronized pilot sequence and the spread data sequence is generated. The acoustic signal is transmitted.
US10003375B2

RF circuitry includes a filter, a termination impedance, and band switching circuitry. The filter is coupled between a first input/output node and a common node and configured to pass RF signals within a transmit portion of a first operating band from the first input/output node to the common node while attenuating signals outside of the transmit portion of the first operating band. The termination impedance is coupled between a termination impedance node and ground. The band switching circuitry is configured to couple the termination impedance node to the first input/output node such that the termination impedance is coupled between the first input/output node and ground in a first mode of operation. In a second mode of operation, the band switching circuitry is configured to provide RF transmit signals within the transmit portion of the first operating band to the first input/output node.
US10003370B2

A protective case for a mobile device having an alternative user interface that is capable of wirelessly controlling the operations of the mobile device is disclosed. The alternative user interface is displaced from the corresponding user interface on the mobile device and is programmable and paired or otherwise wirelessly connected to the mobile device via a Bluetooth or other suitable wireless interface or protocol. A software application residing on the mobile can facilitate wireless operation of the mobile device features by the additional user interface on the case. Wireless user control via the alternative user interface controls on the case, for example, may be of one or more of the operations of a camera feature of the mobile device or may be any other operation of the mobile device. The protective case can be formed of multiple components that are user separable from another to allow for modular and independent functionality. An additional flash/lamp feature on the case is provided to improve flash and/or lighting and a stand feature is provided on the case to allow the case to stand the mobile device in a desired position and orientation while taking a photograph remotely with the user controls on a separated component of the case.
US10003365B2

Systems and methods for mitigating known interference at a receiving device are provided. A signal from a transmission source is received by a receiving device that is affected by an interference source. At least one of a first pilot signal associated with the transmission source and a second pilot signal associated with the interfering source is determined. The first pilot signal includes information broadcast from the transmission source and the second pilot signal includes information broadcast from the interference source. Interference caused by the interference source is mitigated from the received signal using at least one of the first pilot signal and the second pilot signal.
US10003363B2

An apparatus for transferring data from a first part of a measuring apparatus to a second part includes a signal transmitting part mounted to the second part and having first antennae for receiving first electrical signals representing data from the second part and emitting electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the first electrical signals, and a signal receiving part mounted to the first part but separated from and rotating relative to the signal transmitting part. The signal receiving part includes a second antenna for receiving electromagnetic radiation and generating second electrical signals corresponding to the first electrical signals. The signal transmitting part and the signal receiving part include respective radiation guide elements adapted to cause less attenuation of the electromagnetic radiation passing through the radiation guide elements than when passing through water, so that the electromagnetic radiation can be continuously transmitted from the signal transmitting part to the signal receiving part.
US10003362B2

A transmitter for a serial communications link, a serial communications link and an electronic system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the transmitter includes: (1) a communications interface connected to a transmission medium and (2) a safe mode circuit coupled to the communications interface and configured to send data over the transmission medium in a safe mode.
US10003354B2

Aspects provide digital media content as a function of embedded environmental impact data. When a digital multimedia item is received, an embedded environmental impact value is decoded and the item is utilized as a function of the decoded embedded environmental impact value. Some aspects account for amounts and types of energy used in creating the item to calculate an environmental impact value for the item, and the calculated environmental impact value is embedded within digital data of the item.
US10003353B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure include voltage comparators. The voltage comparators may include a first input configured to receive a first analog voltage, a second input configured to receive a second analog voltage, a first digital delay line configured to propagate the first analog voltage through a first delay circuit and the second analog voltage through a second circuit, and an output circuit configured to provide a comparator output based upon whether values representing the first analog voltage or the second analog voltage propagated faster through the first digital delay line. The comparator output may be configured to identify whether the first analog voltage or the second analog voltage is greater.
US10003346B2

The programmable frequency control system presented herein provides frequency programmability and phase noise reduction for signals generated by a plurality of frequency programmable phase-locked loops (PLLs). In general, a modulated data stream input to each of the plurality of PLLs controls the frequency of the signal output by the PLLs. The solution presented herein reduces the phase noise by introducing a time shift to the modulated data stream applied to at least some of the PLLs so that at least some of the PLLs receive time-shifted versions of the modulated data stream relative to other PLLs. In so doing, the solution presented herein decorrelates the quantization noise generated by the plurality of frequency programmable PLLs.
US10003343B2

A phase locked loop circuit comprising: a phase detector configured to compare the phase of an input signal with the phase of a feedback signal in order to provide an up-phase signal and a down-phase-signal; an oscillator-driver configured to: apply an up-weighting-value to the up-phase signal in order to provide a weighted-up-phase signal; apply a down-weighting-value to the down-phase signal in order to provide a weighted-down-phase signal; and combine the weighted-up-phase signal with the weighted-down-phase signal in order to provide an oscillator-driver-output-signal; and a controller configured to: set the up-weighting-value and the down-phase-weighting as a first-set-of-unequal-weighting-values, and replace the first-set-of-unequal-weighting-values with a second-set-of-unequal-weighting-values if an operating signal of the phase locked loop circuit reaches a limit-value without satisfying a threshold value.
US10003333B2

A method of non-rotatably securing a target to a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis within an enclosed proximity switch assembly is described. The target support at least one target magnet and a hub having a body portion extending along the longitudinal axis. The body portion includes an outer surface and a shaft aperture extending along the longitudinal axis, and further includes at least one threaded body aperture extending from the outer surface to the shaft aperture. The shaft is inserted into the shaft aperture, and a set screw is inserted into one of the body apertures. A torque is applied to the set screw to threadably engage the set screw with the one of the body apertures such that a distal end of the set screw contacts an outer surface of the shaft. The set screw is sealed within the body aperture with a high-temperature potting.
US10003321B2

A resistor string outputs sixteen signals with a phase difference of 22.5° by dividing voltage between two adjacent phases of a four-phase input signal with a phase difference of 2π/M (where M is an integer equal to or greater than 2), and by generating four signals with a delayed phase for each phase of the four-phase input signal. A switch portion selects four signals with a phase difference of 90° from the sixteen signals. Amplifiers output each of the four signals, which are attenuated by dividing the voltage with the resistor string, as a four-phase output signal by amplifying each of the four signals such that an amplitude of the four signals matches the amplitude of the four-phase input signal.
US10003320B1

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a resonant semiconductor structure, drive electrode, sense electrode and electrically conductive shielding structure. The first drive electrode generates a time-varying electrostatic force that causes the resonant semiconductor structure to resonate mechanically, and the first sense electrode generates a timing signal in response to the mechanical resonance of the resonant semiconductor structure. The electrically conductive shielding structure is disposed between the first drive electrode and the first sense electrode to shield the first sense electrode from electric field lines emanating from the first drive electrode.
US10003318B2

The disclosure relates to a circuit comprising a balun portion, a balanced side impedance transforming element and an unbalanced side impedance transforming element. The balun portion at least partly transforms the signal between a balanced signal input/output terminal and an unbalanced signal input/output terminal. The impedance transforming elements at least partly alter the impedance presented at the balanced and unbalanced side of the balun. In addition at least one matching transmission element is provided. By separating the role of impedance transformation from balun signal conversion, the useful bandwidth of the circuit can be improved in comparison to a balun that provides both signal conversion and impedance transformation functions.
US10003313B2

An amplification circuit has a field effect transistor, an input side matching circuit, an output side matching circuit, a capacitor, and a resistor. The input side matching circuit is connected between an input port and the source terminal of the field effect transistor and outputs an input signal that changes with a bias voltage as a center value. The output side matching circuit is connected between an output port and the drain terminal of the field effect transistor. The capacitor is connected between the gate terminal of the field effect transistor and a first reference voltage source. The resistor is connected between the gate terminal of the field effect transistor and the first reference voltage source.
US10003312B2

An apparatus includes a resistor having an input coupled to an output of an amplifier. The apparatus also includes a feedback circuit coupled to an output of the resistor and to an input of the amplifier. The feedback circuit includes a first component of a voltage divider.
US10003308B2

Apparatus and methods for power amplifier biasing are disclosed herein. In certain implementations, a power amplifier system includes a power amplifier bias circuit and a power amplifier. The power amplifier bias circuit includes a reference current source that generates a reference current, a bipolar reference transistor, and a transimpedance amplifier that amplifies a difference between a collector current of the bipolar reference transistor and the reference current, and that provides a base bias voltage to a base of the bipolar reference transistor. The power amplifier generates a radio frequency output signal at an output based on amplifying a radio frequency input signal received at an input. The power amplifier includes a bipolar power amplifier transistor including a base biased by the base bias voltage such that the power amplifier has a substantially flat gain response versus time.
US10003305B2

An apparatus and method for improving the efficiency of a power supply modulator for modulating a supply voltage of a power amplifier are provided. The apparatus for generating a supply voltage includes a Switching Mode Power Supplier (SMPS) module for generating a current of a power supply signal, and a linear regulator for generating a source current for supplementing an insufficient amount of the current generated by the SMPS module and a sink current for eliminating an excessive amount of the current generated by the SMPS module. The SMPS module generates the current of the power supply signal by selecting at least one of a plurality of power supplies that have different voltages according to a voltage level of an input signal of the SMPS module.
US10003287B2

Techniques for motor magnet degradation controls and diagnostics are disclosed. An exemplary technique determines q-axis current, d-axis current, q-axis voltage, and/or d-axis voltage of a permanent magnet motor based upon sensed current and voltage information of the motor. This information is utilized to determine flux information. The flux information is utilized in evaluating collective state conditions of a plurality of motor magnets and evaluating localized state conditions of a subset of the plurality of motor magnets. The evaluations can be used to identify degradation or damage to one or more of the magnets which may occur as a result of elevated temperature conditions, physical degradation, or chemical degradation.
US10003285B2

A method of controlling an electric motor that generates an output current from an input voltage command that includes a sum of a first voltage command and a second voltage command is provided. The method receives the output current from the motor as a feedback. The method determines a first set of gain factors to generate the first voltage command based on the feedback such that the input voltage command causes the motor to generate the output current with reduced influence of variations of a set of operating parameters of the motor. The method determines a difference between the feedback and a desired current. The method determines a second set of gain factors to generate the second voltage command based on the difference such that the input voltage command causes the motor to generate the output current as a first, second or higher order response.
US10003264B2

In this DC/DC converter, a first controller calculates a first operation value on the basis of a difference between output voltage Vout and a first calculated value calculated on the basis of a detection value of voltage of the charge/discharge capacitor. A second controller calculates a second operation value on the basis of a difference between a charge/discharge capacitor voltage target value Vcf* and charge/discharge capacitor voltage Vcf. In control blocks, addition and subtraction of the first and second operation values are performed, and the conduction rates for switching elements are controlled, to control the output voltage and a charge/discharge capacitor voltage, thereby preventing application of overvoltage to the switching elements.
US10003254B2

A digital AC/DC power converter comprises an active PFC module, a single switch module having a single switch, a power output module having a transformer, a digital control module having a microcontroller, and a rectifying and filtering module having a full-bridge rectifier, an EMI filter, and a capacitor that is less than 1 μF. The single switch is electrically connected to the active PFC module, and a primary winding of the transformer is electrically connected to the active PFC module. The microcontroller provides a PWM signal to control the switching state of the single switch, so that the active PFC module transforms AC frequency from less than 300 Hz into over 30,000 Hz and outputs a rectified AC voltage waveform. The EMI filter blocks high electromagnetic frequencies and the capacitor smooths a variation in the rectified voltage waveform and output the smoothed rectified voltage waveform to the active PFC module.
US10003244B2

A squirrel-cage rotor including a rotor which has a plurality of rotor slots on an outer circumferential portion thereof and in which secondary conductors accommodated in the rotor slots rotate freely inside a stator as a result of interaction with a rotating magnetic field formed by the stator. The plurality of rotor slots has the same shape and size, and an arrangement spacing thereof with respect to the rotation direction of the rotor is made uneven within a slot uneven arrangement period (360/(a))° obtained by equally dividing one rotation period of the rotor by a divisor (a) of a number p of poles in the stator.
US10003239B1

The present application provides a doubly-fed induction generator system for a multi-shaft gas turbine engine. The doubly-fed induction generator system may include a first doubly-fed induction generator in communication with a first shaft of the multi-shaft gas turbine engine, a first rotor of the first doubly-fed induction generator in communication with a converter via a first rotor bus, and a first breaker on the first rotor bus. The first doubly-fed induction generator acts as a generator or a motor depending in part upon the position of the first breaker.
US10003238B2

An electric motor is provided including a stator, an armature rotatably received within the stator and having an armature shaft on which a commutator is mounted, and a brush assembly. The brush assembly includes a planar portion disposed around the commutator and accommodating a plurality of brushes, a bridge portion disposed at an end of the commutator and extending from the planer portion via two or more legs, and metal routing(s) disposed on or within the bridge portion to electrically couple the brushes.
US10003235B2

An integrated electronics system for a vehicle includes a housing, a circuit board mounted to the housing, at least one circuit board electrical terminal fixed to the circuit board and extending therefrom and an electric motor having windings. At least one motor electrical terminal is connected to the circuit board electrical terminal. A flexible wire is electrically connected between the windings and the at least one motor electrical terminal so as to permit the at least one motor electrical terminal to move with respect to different axes when being coupled to the at least one circuit board electrical terminal.
US10003229B2

A low inertia permanent magnet motor includes a stator and rotor. The rotor includes a generally tubular and hollow rotor body coupled to the shaft of the motor by one or more spokes and/or webs. The permanent magnets of the rotor are coupled to the rotor body. In some embodiments, the low inertia permanent magnet motor may be used to power a drawworks. In some embodiments, the drawworks may be controlled by an active heave compensation controller.
US10003218B2

This disclosure pertains to wireless power transfer systems, and in particular (but not exclusively), to techniques to improve the coupling efficiency between a power transmitting unit and a power receiving unit within a computing device. The present disclosure includes a system which comprises a computing unit which includes a power receiving unit and a conductive surface. The conductive surface has an opening that is adjacent to the power receiving unit and a slot extending from the opening towards the perimeter of the conductive surface. The computing unit further includes a system base coupled to the power receiving unit wherein the power receiving unit is to provide power to the system base. The system also includes a power transmitting unit adjacent to the computing unit.
US10003214B2

A battery management system for monitoring battery cells of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) coupled to a medical imaging load. The battery management system includes a first slave configured to obtain an operating parameter of a first battery cell. The first slave is configured to determine health of the first battery cell based at least in part on the operating parameter. The first slave is configured to generate a signal indicating the health of the first battery cell to communicate serially, via at least a second slave, to a master.
US10003210B2

A controller for a switched mode power supply, wherein the controller is configured to be connected to a synchronous rectifier. The controller comprising: a voltage comparator configured to determine satisfaction of a voltage criterion, wherein the voltage criterion is satisfied when a conduction channel voltage between a first-conduction-channel terminal and a second-conduction-channel terminal meets a first pre-determined voltage threshold; and a timer configured to determine satisfaction of a time criterion, wherein the time criterion is satisfied when a voltage associated with the synchronous rectifier meets a second predetermined voltage threshold for greater than a pre-determined time; the controller configured to provide for a normal mode of operation based on satisfaction of the voltage criterion and a power-saving mode of operation based on satisfaction of the time criterion, wherein the controller is configured to draw a power-saving-mode current in the power-saving mode of operation, and draw a normal-mode current in the normal mode of operation, wherein a magnitude of the normal-mode current is greater than a magnitude of the power-saving-mode current.
US10003207B2

An electronic device comprising: an interface arranged to connect to an external power supply device and supply power to a battery; a sensor unit arranged to measure a temperature of the electronic device; and a power management unit configured to charge the battery based on the temperature.
US10003204B2

Compact and portable station for charging multiple mobile devices is described, embodiments of the station include: a rectangular housing comprising one or more removable battery packs comprising rechargeable battery cells, a divider plate, a main charging board configured as a charge and cell balancing circuit board, and a plurality of cord cartridges housing retractable cords, and a faceplate (interface) configured with interface ports, configured to enable charging of up to eight (8) connected electronic devices from the battery packs simultaneously. In another embodiment, the charging station further comprises a front panel display configured to display operating status information, such as battery charge level and power status. The unit is intended for use in public places for customer convenience and offering businesses advertising space.
US10003192B2

A system including a device that is configured to communicate current sourcing capabilities to an external power source over a wired connection containing a plurality of wires. The device includes a power supply circuit configured to provide operating power for the device. A first pull-down circuit is configured to provide a pull-down for a particular wire of the wired connection using a first resistive element that is actively trimmed using the operating power. A second pull-down circuit includes at least one transistor that, in the absence of the operating power, is configured to enable a current path, in response to a gate voltage generated from a voltage on the particular wire, between the particular wire and a second resistive element.
US10003188B2

In an active converter that is connected to an electric machine, in which arresting circuits for activating a voltage arrest beginning at a first point in time are provided, and which is also configured for activating a load shedding reaction only when activation conditions are fulfilled beginning at a second point in time, the activation conditions include determining that the voltage arrest is still activated at the second point in time, that a voltage potential has not yet fallen below the first threshold value, and/or that a value that indicates a current flowing through at least one phase connection is above a third threshold value.
US10003187B2

Aspects of the subject technology relate to a system and method for preventing voltage sagging using an Oring-FET in a redundant power supply configuration. Each redundant power supply includes an Oring-FET and a voltage comparator. The voltage comparator receives and compares an input voltage and an output voltage of the Oring-FET during power up. In the event input voltage is less than the output voltage, the Oring-FET is deemed to be operating properly and provides output to a communicatively coupled system bus in response to the input voltage reaching a predetermined voltage threshold level. In the event the input voltage is approximately equal to the output voltage, the voltage comparator assists in preventing inrush current from flowing from the communicatively coupled system bus and prevents voltage sagging on the communicatively coupled system bus when another redundant power supply configuration is providing power to the communicatively coupled system bus.
US10003185B2

An electrical device includes a first terminal structured to electrically connect to a power source; a second terminal structured to electrically connect to a load; a voltage sensor electrically connected to a point between the first and second terminals and being structured to sense a voltage at the point between the first and second terminals; a switch electrically connected between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a control unit structured to detect a power quality event in the power flowing between the first and second terminals based on the sensed voltage and to control a state of the switch based on the detected power quality event.
US10003180B1

A cable pathway divider, for installation on a cable runway, includes a pair of post halves and a ring-shaped locking member. Each post half includes a base portion and an extension portion, and the base portions of the post halves are arrangeable at opposite sides of a cross member of a cable runway. The post halves are securable to one another from opposite sides of the cross member, via clamping arrangement of the ring-shaped locking member relative to the post halves, such that the extension portions extend into a space above the cable runway to divide the cable runway into at least two cable paths.
US10003170B2

A soldering system that determines soldering quality of elements relative to a housing at the moment of soldering semiconductor laser elements. A soldering device that performs soldering of a semiconductor laser element to a semiconductor laser module, a robot that conveys the module, a camera, and a control device that controls the robot and camera based on imaging output of the camera. The robot conveys the module and changes the position and posture of the camera. The camera images the module. The control device calculates the position of the semiconductor laser element based on the imaging output, calculates parallelism between the housing of the module and the semiconductor laser element based on the change in light intensity related to the imaging output when changing the relative position between the camera and the subject, and determines the quality of soldering of the semiconductor laser element based on the position and parallelism.
US10003168B1

In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam and a seed-laser lens configured to collimate the seed-laser beam. The laser system also includes a pump laser diode configured to produce a free-space pump-laser beam and a pump-laser lens configured to collimate the pump-laser beam. The laser system further includes an optical-beam combiner configured to combine the collimated seed-laser and pump-laser beams into a combined free-space beam and a focusing lens configured to focus the combined beam. The laser system also includes an optical gain fiber that includes an input end configured to receive the focused beam. The laser system also includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the seed laser, the seed-laser lens, the pump laser, the pump-laser lens, the combiner, the focusing lens, and the input end of the gain fiber are mechanically attached to the platform.
US10003159B2

Power outlets adapted for installation within an enclosure are provided. Power outlets are provided having a safety interlock adapted to prevent the creation of a hazardous condition within the enclosure as a result of the continued operation of an electrical device within the enclosed space. The safety interlock may include current limiting circuitry and hardware, hazard sensing devices interconnected with such current limiting circuitry and hardware or other circuit breaker switches, and combinations of such safety interlocks. The power outlets may also be adapted for installation within a movable enclosure, such as, for example, a drawer.
US10003153B1

A connector module including a connector and a heatsink is provided. The connector includes a shaft. The heatsink includes a groove recessed in a single direction. The heatsink is adapted to move along a direction opposite to the recessed direction of the groove to insert the shaft into the groove. The shaft is pivoted in the groove so that the heatsink is adapted to pivotally rotate relative to the connector.
US10003145B1

A press-fit circuit board connector including a housing and mating and mounting contact assemblies received in the housing. The mating contact assembly having mating contacts having mating pins defining a pin mating interface. The mounting contact assembly having an interposer circuit board and mounting contacts electrically connected to the interposer circuit board. The mounting contacts have press-fit mounting pins at mounting ends of the mounting contacts. The interposer circuit board is received in the cavity with the press-fit mounting pins of the mounting contacts arranged at the mounting end for press-fit termination to the host circuit board.
US10003141B2

A multi-core cable in which electrical wires are enveloped by a sheath, a sheath rubber plug that is fitted around the terminal of the sheath, an electrical wire rubber plug through which the electrical wires, which extend from the terminal of the sheath, individually pass, and a housing that has attachment holes into which the sheath rubber plug and the electrical wire rubber plug are respectively fitted.
US10003134B2

A network device comprising, a first radio module configured to transmit and receive first radio signals in a first frequency band, a first antenna array configured to transmit and receive the first radio signals for the first radio module in the first frequency band, a second radio module configured to transmit and receive second radio signals in the first frequency band, a second antenna array configured to transmit and receive the second radio signals for the second radio module in the first frequency band, wherein, in operation, the first radio module and the second radio modules function concurrently using the first frequency band while at least 40 dB of antenna isolation is maintained between the first antenna array and the second antenna array.
US10003129B2

An apparatus consisting of hierarchically elaborated antenna modules is calibrated by steps. Although the AWV can be calculated mathematically based on the required phase shift values of each antenna element for a beam direction to compensate for signal delay. However, in practice, due to hardware implementation imperfection, coupling in signal path for each antenna element within hardware, inaccuracies of implementations, physical misalignment, the mathematically generated AWV does not necessarily provide alignment between transmit beam and receive beam. This subset is sufficient is all practical operation. The subset of AWVs are typically called codebook and the receiver beam points to different direction by using a AWV within the codebook.
US10003127B2

An antenna system includes a skeleton, several first antenna components, several second antenna components, and several isolators. The first antenna components and the second antenna components are alternately arranged along edges of the skeleton and are spaced apart from each other. An operation band of the first antenna components is different from an operation band of the second antenna components. The isolators are arranged on the skeleton in a criss-cross and interlaced manner and surrounded by the first antenna components and the second antenna components. The isolators are configured to avoid signal interference between the first antenna components and the second antenna components.
US10003121B2

A mobile device includes a ground plane, a grounding branch, and a feeding element. The grounding branch is coupled to the ground plane, wherein a slot is formed between the ground plane and the grounding branch. The feeding element extends across the slot. The feeding element is coupled between the grounding branch and a signal source. An antenna structure is formed by the feeding element and the grounding branch.
US10003114B2

The invention relates to a cathode for a metal/air battery comprising at least one active layer produced in an active material and having an air side and a metal side, a current collector and a hydrophobic membrane produced in a hydrophobic material and deposited on the air side of the active layer. Said hydrophobic material has a porous structure and has penetrated into the air side of the active layer so as to form, between the hydrophobic membrane and the active layer, an interpenetration zone of hydrophobic material in the active material, in which there is a concentration gradient of hydrophobic material which decreases in the ingoing direction of air into the cathode.
US10003108B2

A problem to be solved is to realize a reduction of a difference in temperature between battery cells. Provided is a storage battery (10) including an electrical storage unit (20) including a battery cell group having a plurality of battery cells connected in series, a temperature difference detection unit (21) that detects a difference in temperature between the plurality of battery cells, and a charging and discharging control unit (22) that executes control processing of controlling at least one of charging to the electrical storage unit (20) and discharging from the electrical storage unit (20) so that the amount of current flowing in a battery cell having a relatively low temperature among the plurality of battery cells becomes greater than the amount of current flowing in a battery cell having a relatively high temperature among the plurality of battery cells.
US10003098B2

A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and separators, an inner sealing member and an outer sealing member, a coolant channel, a base seal, an inner protrusion and an outer protrusion, and a middle protrusion. The membrane electrode assembly and the separators are stacked in a stacking direction. The inner sealing member and the outer sealing member are disposed between a first separator and a second separator. The base seal is disposed on at least one of separator surfaces between the second separator and a third separator. The inner protrusion and the outer protrusion are provided on the base seal so as to respectively overlap the inner sealing member and the outer sealing member when viewed in the stacking direction and so as to protrude between the second separator and the third separator in the stacking direction.
US10003080B2

A process for forming a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell is provided. The process can include the steps of: a) applying a green anode layer including nickel oxide and a rare earth-doped ceria to a metal substrate; b) prefiring the anode layer under non-reducing conditions to form a composite; c) firing the composite in a reducing atmosphere to form a sintered cermet; d) providing an electrolyte; and e) providing a cathode; wherein the reducing atmosphere comprises an oxygen source, a metal supported solid oxide fuel cell formed during this process, fuel cell stacks and the use of these fuel cells.
US10003072B2

A secondary battery having an improved life characteristics is provided by the use of a positive electrode active material for a secondary battery, comprising (a) a surface layer comprising a lithium metal composite oxide having a spinel crystal structure represented by space group Fd-3m, and (b) an internal portion comprising a lithium metal composite oxide having a spinel crystal structure represented by space group P4332.
US10003070B2

Composite compounds of tin and lithium, silicon and lithium, or tin, silicon, and lithium having tin and silicon nano-dispersed in a lithium-containing matrix may be used as electrode materials and particularly anode materials for use with rechargeable batteries. Methods of making the composite compounds include the oxidation of alloys, the reaction of stabilized lithium metal powder with tin and silicon oxides, and the reaction of inorganic salts of lithium with tin and silicon containing compounds.
US10003065B2

Provided is a method for manufacturing battery wiring module including: a coating step of coating one long side portion of an elongated flat plate conductor and outer peripheral portions of linear conductors disposed in parallel along the long side portion with a predetermined gap therebetween having a predetermined gap with respect to the long side portion by a first insulating resin portion; and a pressing step of separating the flat plate conductor at a predetermined gap in the longitudinal direction of the flat plate conductor and forming a plurality of busbar electrically connecting electrode terminals provided in at least two battery cells connected to each other in the same direction among the plurality of battery cells overlapping each other in the same direction, the electrode terminals being arranged in parallel in the same direction.
US10003057B2

A paper suitable for use as separator in an electrochemical cell, including at least 60 wt. % of an aramid fibril and at least 1 wt. % of an aramid fiber. The paper has a grammage of 5 to 100 g/m2, and the aramid fibril has a Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) in a wet phase of less than 300 ml and a specific surface area (SSA) after drying of less than 3 m2/g. It has been found that a paper with this composition combines good electrolyte absorption and ion permeability with high stability during use, leading to a long lifetime for the electrochemical cell.
US10003053B2

This disclosure provides a casing for the thermal management and protection of an electrochemical cell. The casing may comprise an inner surface configured to be in physical contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of an electrochemical cell. The inner surface may be substantially solid at room temperature. The casing may also comprise a polymer matrix which itself comprises two or more temperature management materials. At least one of the two or more temperature management materials may comprise a microencapsulated phase change material having a latent heat of at least 5 Joules per gram and a transition temperature between 0° C. and 100° C., and at least one other of the two or more temperature management materials may comprise an elastomeric material. The polymer matrix may be substantially homogeneous.
US10003043B2

The invention provides an OLED display panel and the production process thereof, which relates to the technical field of display, may improve the surface flatness and the water-oxygen permeation resistance of the flexible base substrate, improve the light output ratio of the display panel, and may control the center wavelength of the electroluminescence spectrum. The display panel comprises an anode and a cathode provided on a flexible base substrate, and an organic material functional layer situated between the anode and the cathode, and it further comprises a reticular light output coupling layer provided on the flexible base substrate and contacting the flexible base substrate; the anode, the cathode, the organic material functional layer are all provided on the reticular light output coupling layer; the reticular light output coupling layer, the anode and the cathode, and the organic material functional layer compose a micro-cavity; the micro-cavity is used for controlling the center wavelength of the electroluminescence spectrum and the light output ratio. The material of the reticular light output coupling layer is a reticular high molecular material having a high refractive index and a low absorptivity in the visible light range; and it is used for the production of the flexible OLED display panel.
US10003038B2

Discussed herein is an organic light-emitting device capable of increasing luminous efficiency and panel efficiency while improving color gamut. The organic light-emitting device includes a red organic light emitting layer including a single host material of hole transport type and a yellow-green organic light emitting layer including a plurality of host materials in a light-emitting stack. Instead of using an additional host material for the organic light emitting layers, the material of the electron transport layer and the material of the hole transport layer is used as the host material of the yellow-green organic light emitting layer, and the material of the hole transport layer is used as the host material of the red organic light emitting layer. Accordingly, the number of materials of the organic light emitting layers is reduced, such that the fabricating process becomes simpler.
US10003036B2

A photovoltaic device includes an inorganic substrate having a surface; an organic monolayer disposed onto the surface of the inorganic substrate, the inorganic monolayer having the following formula: ˜X—Y, wherein X is an oxygen or a sulfur; Y is an alkyl chain, an alkenyl chain, or an alkynyl chain; and X covalently bonds to the surface of the inorganic substrate by a covalent bond; a doped organic material layer disposed onto the organic monolayer; and a conductive electrode disposed onto a portion of the doped organic material.
US10003028B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards techniques and configurations for hybrid carbon-metal interconnect structures in integrated circuit assemblies. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a metal interconnect layer disposed on the substrate and configured to serve as a growth initiation layer for a graphene layer and the graphene layer, wherein the graphene layer is formed directly on the metal interconnect layer, the metal interconnect layer and the graphene layer being configured to route electrical signals. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US10003025B2

The present invention is generally directed to the field of organic semiconductor material. It provides a donor-acceptor conjugated polymer containing 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene ring as a side chain and a photodetector device containing the same.
US10003023B2

To provide a highly flexible display device excellent in mass-productivity. A display device includes a flexible substrate, an adhesive layer over the substrate, a resin layer over the adhesive layer, an inorganic insulating layer over the resin layer, a transistor over the inorganic insulating layer, and a display element electrically connected to the transistor. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. The resin layer includes sulfur.
US10003016B2

A magnetic material includes a cobalt layer between opposing iron layers. The iron layers include iron and are body-centered cubic (BCC), the cobalt layer comprises cobalt and is BCC or amorphous, and the magnetic material has a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA).
US10003008B2

Membrane device comprising a support, a membrane suspended on the support, a first actuator in contact with the membrane designed to apply a force on the membrane, a second actuator in contact with the membrane designed to apply a force on the membrane, means of determining the position of the membrane relative to the support and control means of the first and second actuators, said control means applying a deformation signal to one of the first and second actuators to deform the membrane and applying a control signal to the other of the first and second actuators to control displacement of the membrane, application of the control signal being determined by the membrane position.
US10003001B2

A thermoelectric module mounted on a non-flat surface of a heating source component to reduce thermal resistance to enhance thermoelectric generation efficiency is provided. The thermoelectric module includes at least one electrode component having a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate connected to be pivoted with respect to each other. Additionally, least one semiconductor component includes a first semiconductor element electrically connected to the first electrode plate and a second semiconductor element electrically connected to the second electrode plate.
US10003000B2

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for generating and delivering electricity and/or hot water for combined heat and power (CHP) using one or more fuels. In many embodiments, the system can be used to provide efficient electrical, heating and cooling utilities to a residential household or group of households. Embodiments of the system can be configured for specific heat flow, while minimizing losses and maximizing total system efficiency. Embodiments also provide for stackable energy generation modules allowing the system to be placed in or nearby a residence to provide power to the residence. Embodiments also provide a control system which can be configured to monitor household electrical usage and dynamically regulate the system to operate at maximum efficiency as well as sell power to an external grid.
US10002999B2

Disclosed is a thermoelectric conversion material with high performance. The thermoelectric material according to the present disclosure may be represented by the following chemical formula 1: CuxSe   where 2
US10002995B2

A plurality of information bits are mapped to: (i) a first plurality of constellation symbols corresponding to a first plurality of OFDM subcarriers in an OFDM symbol, and (ii) a second plurality of constellation symbols corresponding to a second plurality of OFDM subcarriers in the OFDM symbol. A first time-domain signal is generated by performing an IDFT based on the first plurality of constellation symbols. A second time-domain signal is generated by performing an IDFT based on the second plurality of constellation symbols. The first time-domain signal is modified by applying a first windowing function corresponding to a first transition width β1. The second time-domain signal by applying a second windowing function having a second transition width β2. An output signal is generated to include a sum of the first time-domain signal and the second time-domain signal, the output signal corresponding to the OFDM symbol.
US10002985B2

A solar cell module and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell module includes solar cells each including a semiconductor substrate, and first electrodes and second electrodes extending in a first direction on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, conductive lines extended in a second direction crossing the first direction on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and connected to the first electrodes or the second electrodes through a conductive adhesive, and an insulating adhesive portion extending in the first direction on at least a portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate, on which the conductive lines are disposed, and fixing the conductive lines to the semiconductor substrate and the first and second electrodes. The insulating adhesive portion is attached up to an upper part and a side of at least a portion of each conductive line.
US10002980B1

Methods for annealing a metal foil layer to a glass layer, and/or for growing a native silicon layer in-situ therebetween. The annealing method includes applying an electrostatic (ES) field to the structure of the glass layer and the metal foil layer, with the metal foil layer positioned adjacent the glass layer, to electrostatically anneal them together. An electrostatic voltage of at least 1500 V may be applied. A seed crystal may be positioned between the glass layer and the metal foil layer prior to annealing. The method for growing a native metal (e.g., Si) layer in-situ may include applying an electrostatic voltage to the annealed structure with polarities reversed, at 1050° F. to 1100° F. Such conditions induce a redox reaction within the silica glass layer to reduce a portion of the silica, generating a layer of silicon between the glass layer and the metal foil layer.
US10002976B2

A first finger electrode group including finger electrodes on the first principal surface. A second finger electrode group including finger electrodes on the second principal surface. The second finger electrode group is divided into divided electrode portions, the number of electrodes of the electrode portions decreasing as a distance from a central portion of the second finger electrode group increases towards outside, and a coupling portion is arranged between each adjacent ones of the divided electrode portions and electrically connects at least two of the finger electrodes of the divided electrode portion on inside with at least one of the finger electrodes of the divided electrode portion on outside. The number of finger electrodes of the divided electrode portion closest to the central portion of the second finger electrode group is larger than the number of finger electrodes of the first finger electrode group.
US10002972B2

To provide a display device in which variation in luminance among pixels is suppressed. The display device includes a transistor including first and second gates, first to third switches, first and second capacitors, a light-emitting element, and first and second wirings. The first gate is electrically connected to the first wiring through the first switch, a terminal of the transistor is electrically connected to the first gate through the third switch, and the second gate is electrically connected to the second wiring through the second switch. An anode of the light-emitting element is electrically connected to the terminal of the transistor. The first capacitor holds the capacitance between the first gate and the terminal of the transistor. The second capacitor holds the capacitance between the second gate and the terminal of the transistor.
US10002971B2

A change in electrical characteristics can be suppressed and reliability can be improved in a semiconductor device including a transistor having an oxide semiconductor. A semiconductor device includes a transistor, and the transistor includes an oxide semiconductor film over a first insulating film, a gate insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, a gate electrode over the gate insulating film, a conductive film in contact with a side surface of the gate electrode in a channel length direction, and a second insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film includes a first region overlapping with the gate electrode, a second region overlapping with the conductive film, and a third region in contact with the second insulating film. The third region includes a region having higher impurity element concentration than the second region.
US10002962B2

Techniques relate to forming a vertical field effect transistor (FET). One or more fins are formed on a bottom source or drain of a substrate, and one or more fins extend in a vertical direction. Gate material is formed to be positioned on sides of the one or more fins. Gate encapsulation material is formed on sides of the gate material to form a trench, such that top portions of the one or more fins are exposed in the trench. A top source or drain is formed on top of the one or more fins such that the top source or drain is laterally confined by the trench in a lateral direction that is parallel to the one or more fins.
US10002960B2

Lateral double-diffused MOSFET transistor and fabrication method thereof are provided. A shallow trench isolation structure is formed in a semiconductor substrate. A drift region is formed in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the shallow trench isolation structure. A body region is formed in the semiconductor substrate and distanced from the drift region. A gate structure is formed on a portion of each of the body region, the drift region, and the shallow trench isolation structure. A drain region is formed in the drift region on one side of the gate structure. A source region is formed in the body region on an other side of the gate structure. A first shallow doped region is formed in the drain region and the drift region to surround the shallow trench isolation structure.
US10002956B1

A high electron mobility transistor includes a buffer layer disposed on a substrate. A barrier layer is disposed on the buffer layer. A channel layer is disposed in the buffer layer and is adjacent to the interface between the buffer layer and the barrier layer. A gate electrode is disposed on the barrier layer. A drain electrode is disposed on the barrier layer on a first side of the gate electrode. A source electrode is disposed on the barrier layer on a second side of the gate electrode. A first enhancement layer is disposed on the barrier layer and the channel layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode and is not in direct contact with the gate electrode, the source electrode, or the drain electrode. The first enhancement layer is an N-type doped III-V semiconductor.
US10002955B2

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductive substrate. A donor-supply layer is over the semiconductive substrate. The donor-supply layer includes a top surface. A gate structure, a drain, and a source are over the donor-supply layer. A passivation layer covers conformally over the gate structure and the donor-supply layer. A gate electrode is over the gate structure. A field plate is disposed on the passivation layer between the gate electrode and the drain. The field plate includes a bottom edge. The gate electrode having a first edge in proximity to the field plate, the field plate comprising a second edge facing the first edge, a horizontal distance between the first edge and the second edge is in a range of from about 0.05 to about 0.5 micrometers.
US10002952B2

A silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor device, including a SiC substrate, a first SiC layer formed on the substrate, first and second impurity layers selectively formed in the first SiC layer, a second SiC layer formed on the first SiC layer, a third impurity layer selectively formed in the second SiC layer and on the second impurity layer, a third SiC layer formed on the second SiC layer, a fourth impurity layer selectively formed in the third SiC layer, a trench that penetrates the fourth impurity layer and the second and third SiC layers, a bottom thereof reaching the first impurity layer, and a gate electrode formed in the trench via a gate insulating film. The first SiC layer has first and second regions adjacent respectively to the first and second impurity layers on a side facing the substrate, an impurity concentration at the first region being lower than that at the second region.
US10002950B1

A bipolar transistor has a subcollector layer and a stack of collector, base, and emitter layers on the subcollector layer. On the subcollector layer are collector electrodes. On the base layer are base electrodes. The collector layer includes multiple doped layers with graded impurity concentrations, higher on the subcollector layer side and lower on the base layer side. Of these doped layers, the one having the highest impurity concentration is in contact with the subcollector layer and has a sheet resistance less than or equal to about nine times that of the subcollector layer.
US10002945B2

A semiconductor device that includes at least one fin structure and a gate structure present on a channel portion of the fin structure. An epitaxial semiconductor material is present on at least one of a source region portion and a drain region portion on the fin structure. The epitaxial semiconductor material includes a first portion having a substantially conformal thickness on a lower portion of the fin structure sidewall and a second portion having a substantially diamond shape that is present on an upper surface of the source portion and drain portion of the fin structure. A spacer present on first portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material.
US10002931B2

A silicon carbide semiconductor device capable of effectively increasing a threshold voltage and a method for manufacturing the silicon carbide semiconductor device. The silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a gate insulating film formed on part of surfaces of the well regions and the source region; and a gate electrode formed on a surface of the gate insulating film so as to be opposite to an end portion of the source region and the well regions. Furthermore, the gate insulating film has, in an interface region between the well regions and the gate insulating film, defects that each form a first trap having an energy level deeper than a conduction band end of silicon carbide and that include a bond between silicon and hydrogen.
US10002925B2

A semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor fin having a first width, the first semiconductor fin is arranged on a first portion of the strain relaxation buffer layer, where the first portion of the strain relaxation buffer layer has a second width and a second semiconductor fin having a width substantially similar to the first width, the second semiconductor fin is arranged on a second portion of the strain relaxation buffer layer, where the second portion of the strain relaxation buffer layer has a third width. A gate stack is arranged over a channel region of the first fin and a channel region of the second fin.
US10002922B1

The present disclosure describes a method which can selectively etch silicon from silicon/silicon-germanium stacks or silicon-germanium from silicon-germanium/germanium stacks to form germanium-rich channel nanowires. For example, a method can include a multilayer stack formed with alternating layers of a silicon-rich material and a germanium-rich material. A first thin chalcogenide layer is concurrently formed on the silicon-rich material, and a second thick chalcogenide layer is formed on the germanium-rich material. The first chalcogenide layer and the second chalcogenide layer are etched until the first chalcogenide layer is removed from the silicon-rich material. The silicon-rich material and the second chalcogenide layer are etched with different etch rates.
US10002921B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor-on-insulator water having a buried layer. The buried layer includes therein opposing etch barrier regions and a gate region between the etch barrier regions. The semiconductor device further includes at least one nanowire having a channel portion interposed between opposing source/drain portions. The channel portion is suspended in the gate region. A gate electrode is formed in the gate region, and completely surrounds all surfaces of the suspended nanowire. The buried layer comprises a first electrical insulating material, and the etch barrier regions comprising a second electrical insulating material different from the first electrical insulating material.
US10002918B2

Display substrates, methods of manufacturing the same and display devices including the same disclosed. In one aspect, a display substrate includes a base substrate and a stack structure over the base substrate, the stack structure including an active pattern, a gate electrode and a plurality of insulation layers. The display substrate also includes a plurality of wirings over the stack structure and a plurality of colored capping patterns over respective ones of the wirings.
US10002917B2

The present disclosure provides a circuit and method for repairing signal line disconnection and a display panel associated therewith. The circuit comprises a signal analysis module, a first control module and a second control module. The signal analysis module detects signals at a first and second node of a first signal line, and outputs a control signal at its output under control of the signals at the first and second node. Under control of the control signal, the first control module conductively connects the first node of a first signal line with a first node of a second signal line, and the second control module conductively connects the second node of the first signal line with a second node of the second signal line. The present disclosure may be applied to manufacturing of displays, which solves the problem that existing approaches for repairing signal line disconnection are time-consuming and low-efficiency.
US10002916B2

An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a semiconductor layer including a driving channel, a first gate insulating layer at least partially covering the semiconductor layer, and a first driving gate electrode formed over the first gate insulating layer and overlapping the driving. A second gate insulating layer at least partially covers the first driving gate electrode. The display also includes a second driving gate electrode formed over the second gate insulating layer and overlapping the first driving gate electrode, an interlayer insulating layer at least partially covering the second driving gate electrode, a driving voltage line formed over the interlayer insulating layer and overlapping the second driving gate electrode, and a connector formed over the interlayer insulating layer and connected to the first and second driving gate electrodes.
US10002904B2

Methods and devices are provided to construct magnetic devices, such as magnetic random access memory devices, having MTJ (magnetic tunnel junction) structures encapsulated in organic photopatternable dielectric material. For example, a method includes forming an MTJ structure on a semiconductor substrate, encapsulating the MTJ structure in a layer of organic photopatternable dielectric material, patterning the layer of organic photopatternable dielectric material to form a contact opening in the layer of organic photopatternable dielectric material to the MTJ structure, and filling the contact opening with metallic material.
US10002900B2

A method is provided for three-dimensional wafer scale integration of heterogeneous wafers with unequal die sizes that include a first wafer and a second wafer. The method includes selecting a periodicity for the second wafer to be manufactured that matches the periodicity of the first wafer. The method further includes manufacturing the second wafer in accordance with the selected periodicity. The method also includes placing, by a laser-based patterning device, a pattern in spaces between dies of the second wafer. The method additionally includes stacking the first wafer onto the second wafer, using a copper-to-copper bonding process to bond the first wafer to the second wafer.
US10002889B2

The present invention provides a low-temperature polysilicon thin film transistor array substrate and a method of fabricating the same, and a display device. The array substrate comprises: a substrate; a polysilicon active layer provided on the substrate; a first insulation layer provided on the active layer; a plurality of gates and a gate line provided on the first insulation layer; a second insulation layer provided on the gates; a source, a drain, a data line and a pixel electrode electrically connected with the drain, which are provided on the second insulation layer, the source covers the plurality of gates. The plurality of gates are provided directly below the source, so that the leakage current is reduced and the aperture ratio of panel is improved.
US10002887B2

The present disclosure provides an array substrate, a method for producing the same and a display apparatus. The array substrate has a display region and a driving circuit region adjacent to the display region, wherein the display region and the driving circuit region share a same base substrate; the driving circuit region includes a timer control register and/or a system on chip; wherein the timer control register is configured to achieve the timing control of the array substrate, the system on chip being configured to achieve the driving control of the array substrate.
US10002878B2

Methods of integrating complementary SONOS devices into a CMOS process flow are described. The method begins with depositing and patterning a first photoresist mask over a surface of a substrate to expose a N-SONOS region, and implanting a channel for a NSONOS device through a first pad oxide, followed by depositing and patterning a second photoresist mask to expose a P-SONOS region, and implanting a channel for a PSONOS device through a second pad oxide. Next, a number of Nwells are concurrently implanted for the PSONOS device and a PMOS device in a core region of the substrate. Finally, the first and second pad oxides, which were left in place to separate the P-SONOS region and the N-SONOS region from the first and second photoresist masks, are concurrently removed. In one embodiment, implanting the Nwells includes implanting a single, contiguous deep Nwell for the PSONOS and PMOS device.
US10002876B2

A plurality of fin structures containing, from bottom to top, a non-doped semiconductor portion and a second doped semiconductor portion of a first conductivity type, extend upwards from a surface of a first doped semiconductor portion of the first conductivity type. A trapping material (e.g., an electron-trapping material) is present along a bottom portion of sidewall surfaces of each non-doped semiconductor portion and on exposed portions of each first doped semiconductor portion. Functional gate structures straddle each fin structure. Metal lines are located above each fin structure and straddle each functional gate structure. Each metal line is orientated perpendicular to each functional gate structure and has a bottommost surface that is in direct physical contact with a portion of a topmost surface of each of the second doped semiconductor portions.
US10002875B2

A semiconductor device may include gate electrodes and interlayer insulating layers alternately stacked on a substrate, a channel layer penetrating the gate electrodes and the interlayer insulating layers, a gate dielectric layer between the gate electrodes and the channel layer, a filling insulation that fills at least a portion of an interior of the channel layer, a charge fixing layer between the channel layer and the filling insulation and including a high-k material and/or a metal, and a conductive pad connected to the channel layer and on the filling insulation. The conductive pad may be physically separated from the charge fixing layer.
US10002866B2

A miniaturized transistor is provided. A transistor with low parasitic capacitance is provided. A transistor having high frequency characteristics is provided. A transistor having a large amount of on-state current is provided. A semiconductor device including the transistor is provided. A semiconductor device with high integration is provided. A novel capacitor is provided. The capacitor includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator. The first conductor includes a region overlapping with the second conductor with the insulator provided therebetween. The first conductor includes tungsten and silicon. The insulator includes a silicon oxide film that is formed by oxidizing the first conductor.
US10002865B2

A 3D structure, the structure including: a first stratum overlaid by a second stratum, the second stratum is less than two microns thick, where the first stratum includes an array of memory cells including at least four rows of memory cells, each of the rows is controlled by a bit-line, where the array of memory cells includes a plurality of columns of memory cells, each of the columns is controlled by a word-line, and where the second stratum includes memory control circuits directly connected to the bit-lines and the word-lines, where the second stratum includes a first layer including first transistors and a second layer including second transistors, where the first layer includes a first bus, the first bus interconnecting a plurality of first logic units, where the second layer includes a second bus, the second bus interconnecting a plurality of second logic units.
US10002863B2

A semiconductor device is capable of accurately sensing a temperature of a semiconductor element incorporated in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor includes a first nitride semiconductor layer of p-type, a first sense electrode, and a second sense electrode. The first sense electrode and the second sense electrode are located to be capable of passing an electric current between the first sense electrode and the second sense electrode through the first nitride semiconductor layer.
US10002858B2

A first conductive pattern includes: a first feeding point for supplying a potential to the first conductive pattern located at one end thereof; one or more diode elements located over the first conductive pattern; and a plurality of switching elements over the first conductive pattern on the opposite side to the first feeding point with the diode elements in between. A second conductive pattern includes a second feeding point that is provided in proximity to the first feeding point and supplies a potential different from that for the first conductive pattern to the second conductive pattern. The plurality of the switching elements is electrically connected with the second conductive pattern through a plurality of bonding wires. The second conductive pattern is provided with a slit pattern that defines an area of connection of the plurality of the bonding wires with the second conductive pattern over the second conductive pattern.
US10002853B2

A semiconductor package includes a substrate, and a first semiconductor chip stack disposed on the substrate. The first semiconductor chip stack includes a plurality of first semiconductor chips. The first semiconductor chips are stacked in a staircase configuration along a first direction. A first support is disposed on the substrate. The first support is spaced apart from the first semiconductor chip stack. A second semiconductor chip stack is disposed on the first semiconductor chip stack and the first support. The second semiconductor chip stack includes a plurality of second semiconductor chips. The second semiconductor chips are stacked in a second staircase configuration along a second direction opposite the first direction. A height of the first semiconductor chip stack is substantially equal to a height of the first support.
US10002847B2

An OLED pixel unit is disclosed, which comprises an opaque region and a transparent region which are arranged side by side, the opaque region comprises an opaque display element, and the transparent region comprises at least one transparent display element. Independent operation of the opaque display element and the transparent display element is realized without affecting the transparent display in the transparent region of the OLED pixel unit, thus increasing the resolution of the OLED pixel unit. A transparent display device comprising the OLED pixel unit, a method for fabricating a transparent display device, and a display apparatus are further disclosed.
US10002840B1

Semiconductor devices having discretely located passivation material are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device assembly can include a bond pad having a bonding surface with a process artifact. A passivation material can be positioned to at least partially fill a portion of the process artifact. A conductive structure can be positioned to extend across the bonding surface of the bond pad, and a conductive interconnect can extend from the conductive structure.
US10002837B2

A semiconductor device includes a metal member, a first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip, a first solder and a second solder. A quantity of heat generated in the first semiconductor chip is greater than the second semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip is formed of a material having larger Young's modulus than the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip has a first metal layer connected to the metal member through a first solder at a surface facing the metal member. The second semiconductor chip has a second metal layer connected to the metal member through a second solder at a surface facing the metal member. A thickness of the second solder is greater than a maximum thickness of the first solder at least at a portion of the second solder corresponding to a part of an outer peripheral edge of the second metal layer.
US10002836B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor product including processing of a semiconductor wafer from a front surface including structures disposed in the substrate of the wafer adjacent to the front surface and forming a wiring embedded in a dielectric layer disposed on the front surface. The wafer is mounted to a carrier wafer at its front surface so that material can be removed from the backside of the wafer to thin the wafer. Backside processing of the wafer includes forming implantations from the backside, forming deep trenches to isolate the structures from other structures within the wafer, forming a through-silicon via to contact features on the frontside of the wafer, and forming a body contact. Several devices can be generated within the same wafer.
US10002832B2

Disclosed herein is a configuration for ensuring sufficient power supply ability and ESD protection capability for I/O cells in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, without increasing its circuit area. In two I/O cell rows, a pair of I/O cells for supplying a power supply potential or ground potential are connected together via a common power supply interconnect. The I/O cells are arranged so as to overlap with each other in a first direction in which the I/O cells are arranged. The common power supply interconnect extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and is connected to first pads that are located closest in the first direction to the common power supply interconnect.
US10002831B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming a plurality of openings in the dielectric layer, conformally depositing a barrier layer on the dielectric layer and on sides and a bottom of each one of the plurality of openings, depositing a contact layer on the barrier layer in each one of the plurality of openings, removing a portion of each contact layer from each one of the plurality of openings, and removing a portion of the barrier layer from each one of the plurality of openings, wherein at least the removal of the portion of the barrier layer is performed using an etchant including: (a) a compound selected from group consisting of -azole, -triazole, and combinations thereof; (b) a compound containing one or more peroxy groups; (c) one or more alkaline metal hydroxides; and (d) water.
US10002828B2

A magnetic polymer for use in microelectronic fabrication includes a polymer matrix and a plurality of ferromagnetic particles disposed in the polymer matrix. The magnetic polymer can be part of an insulation layer in an inductor formed in one or more backend wiring layers of an integrated device. The magnetic polymer can also be in the form of a magnetic epoxy layer for mounting contacts of the integrated device to a package substrate.
US10002827B2

Methods for identification and partial re-routing of selected areas (e.g., including critical areas) in a layout of an IC design and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include comparing design data of an IC device against criteria of manufacturing processes to manufacture the IC device; identifying in the design data a layout area based, at least in part, on proximity of metal segments, interconnecting segments, or a combination thereof in the layout area; performing partial re-routing in the layout area to substantially meet the criteria, wherein at least one interconnecting element is shifted or extended; and integrating the partial re-routing into the design data for use in the manufacturing processes.
US10002823B2

A packaging substrate is provided, which includes: an insulating layer; a plurality of conductive bumps formed on the insulating layer, wherein each of the conductive bumps has a post body exposed from the insulating layer and a conductive pad embedded in the insulating layer, the post body being integrally formed with and less in width than the conductive pad; and a plurality of conductive posts disposed on the conductive pads and embedded in the insulating layer. As such, a semiconductor chip can be bonded to the packaging substrate through the conductive bumps. The present disclosure further provides a method for fabricating the packaging substrate.
US10002819B2

A method affixes a heat sink to a module lid. A module lid is mounted to a substrate by use of a lid adhesive. The module lid has a threaded exterior portion. The module lid is thermally interfaced to a die by use of a thermal interface material. The heat sink is then screwed onto a module lid, where the heat sink includes a threaded heat sink base pocket that mates with the threaded exterior portion of the module lid, and wherein the heat sink is screwed down onto the module lid until 1) a solid mechanical and thermal contact is established between the heat sink and the module lid, and 2) an airflow from an air moving device flows unobstructed across vanes on the heat sink.
US10002816B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit, a radiation detection unit and a cooling unit are provided. Here, a radiation detection unit is provided near the semiconductor integrated circuit and detects a radiation quantity. The cooling unit cools the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the detected radiation quantity. In an environment where a radiation quantity is more, the generation of a malfunction can be restrained by cooling the semiconductor integrated circuit.
US10002810B2

Methods and circuits for monitoring circuit degradation include measuring degradation in a plurality of on-chip test oscillators that vary according to a quantity that influences hot carrier injection (HCI) degradation. The measured degradation for the plurality of test oscillators is extrapolated to determine a bias temperature instability (BTI) contribution to the measured degradation. The BTI contribution is subtracted from the measured degradation at a predetermined value of the quantity to determine the HCI degradation for devices represented by the predetermined value.
US10002805B2

Wafer treatment process and apparatus is provided with a wafer carrier arranged to hold wafers and to inject a fill gas into gaps between the wafers and the wafer carrier. The apparatus is arranged to vary the composition, flow rate, or both of the fill gas so as to counteract undesired patterns of temperature non-uniformity of the wafers.
US10002800B2

Methods and systems method for checking a semiconductor device for compliance with a rule include determining one or more device type categories to which a fully depleted semiconductor on insulator (FDSOI) device in a chip layout belongs based on which, if any, of a gate, a source/drain region, and a well of the FDSOI device are connected to each other or to a substrate. It is determined whether the FDSOI device complies with a first design rule that considers antenna area connected to the gate and the source/drain region of the FDSOI device. It is determined whether the FDSOI device complies with a second design rule that considers antenna area connected to the well and the source/drain region of the FDSOI device. The chip layout is modified, if the FDSOI devices fails to comply with the first and second design rules, to bring the non-compliant FDSOI device into compliance.
US10002796B1

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming first and second fin structures on a substrate and a patterned polysilicon structure on first portions of the first and second fin structures. The method further includes depositing an insulating layer on second portions of the first and second fin structures and on the patterned polysilicon structure, which may be followed by selectively removing the insulating layer from the second portions and patterning a first hard mask layer on the second portion of the second fin structure. The method also includes growing a first epitaxial region on the second portion of the first fin structure, removing the patterned first hard mask layer from the second portion of the second fin structure, patterning a second hard mask layer on the first epitaxial region, and growing a second epitaxial region on the second portion of the second fin structure.
US10002780B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes providing a substrate, disposing a first semiconductive material over the substrate at a first temperature, disposing a second semiconductive material over the first semiconductive material at a second temperature, and disposing a third semiconductive material over the second semiconductive material at a third temperature, wherein a first interval between the first temperature and the second temperature is substantially same as a second interval between the second temperature and the third temperature.
US10002779B2

A thermal array system is provided. The system includes a first thermal element and a second thermal element connected between a first node and a second node. The first thermal element being activated and the second thermal element being deactivated by a first polarity of the first node relative to the second node. Further, the first thermal element being deactivated and the second thermal element being activated by a second polarity of the first node relative to the second node.
US10002778B2

A substrate cleaning apparatus includes outer circumference supporting members 32 that support the outer circumference of a rotating substrate W, a swing cleaning member 34 that swings between a first peripheral position B and a second peripheral position B′ of the substrate W while passing a center portion A of the substrate W to clean a front surface of the rotating substrate W, and an elongated supporting member 36 that extends long from a third peripheral position C to a fourth peripheral position C′ of the substrate W so as to pass the center portion A and supports the rear surface of the rotating substrate W. The first peripheral position B is disposed between a position D of the outer circumference supporting member 32 of the plurality of outer circumference supporting members 32 and closest to the third peripheral position C and the third peripheral position C.
US10002776B2

A cleaning wafer or substrate for use in cleaning, or in combination with, components of, for example, integrated chip manufacturing apparatus. The cleaning substrate can include a substrate having varying predetermined surface features, such as one or more predetermined adhesive, non-tacky, electrostatic, projection, depression, or other physical sections. The predetermined features can provide for more effective cleaning of the components with which they are used, such as an integrated chip manufacturing apparatus in the place of the integrated chip wafer. The cleaning substrate can be urged into cleaning or other position by vacuum, mechanical, electrostatic, or other forces. The cleaning substrate can adapted to accomplish a variety of functions, including abrading or polishing. The cleaning substrate may be made by a novel method of making, and it may then be used in a novel method of use I combination with chip manufacturing apparatus.
US10002775B2

In a manufacturing process of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, oxygen doping treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film, and then heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film and an aluminum oxide film provided over the oxide semiconductor film. Consequently, an oxide semiconductor film which includes a region containing more oxygen than a stoichiometric composition is formed. The transistor formed using the oxide semiconductor film can have high reliability because the amount of change in the threshold voltage of the transistor by a bias-temperature stress test (BT test) is reduced.
US10002772B2

A method is described for vapor phase etching of oxide material including at least one of hafnia (HfO2) and zirconia (ZrO2), in the absence of plasma exposure of the oxide material. The method involves contacting the oxide material with an etching medium including at least one of phosphorus chloride and tungsten chloride under conditions producing a removable fluid reaction product, and removing the removable fluid reaction product. The etching process may be controllably carried out by use of pressure swings, temperature swings, and/or modulation of partial pressure of Hf or Zr chloride in the reaction, e.g., to achieve precision etch removal in the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as 3D NAND, sub-20 nm DRAMs, and finFETs.
US10002769B2

The invention relates to a method for functionalizing an electrically conductive substrate, which is not a substrate made of gold, via a layer of chemical compounds, said method comprising the following steps: a step in which the electrically conductive substrate is placed in contact with chemical compounds comprising at least a disulfide terminal group; a step in which the disulfide terminal group of said chemical compounds is electro-oxidized, causing said chemical compounds to form a layer at the surface of the electrically conductive substrate.
US10002768B2

In a semiconductor device, a memory cell is formed of a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode adjacent to each other, a gate insulating film formed below the control gate electrode and an insulating film formed below the memory gate electrode and having a charge accumulating part therein. Also, in this semiconductor device, a capacitive element is formed of a lower electrode, an upper electrode and a capacitive insulating film formed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. A thickness of the lower electrode is smaller than a thickness of the control gate electrode.
US10002767B2

A multitier stack of memory cells having an aluminum oxide (AlOx) layer as a noble HiK layer to provide etch stop selectivity. Each tier of the stack includes a memory cell device. The circuit includes a source gate select polycrystalline (SGS poly) layer adjacent the multitier stack of memory cells, wherein the SGS poly layer is to provide a gate select signal for the memory cells of the multitier stack. The circuit also includes a conductive source layer to provide a source conductor for a channel for the tiers of the stack. The AlOx layer is disposed between the source layer and the SGS poly layer and provides both dry etch selectivity and wet etch selectivity for creating a channel to electrically couple the memory cells to the source layer.
US10002755B2

A process is provided for depositing a substantially amorphous titanium oxynitride thin film that can be used, for example, in integrated circuit fabrication, such as in forming spacers in a pitch multiplication process. The process comprises contacting the substrate with a titanium reactant and removing excess titanium reactant and reaction byproducts, if any. The substrate is then contacted with a second reactant which comprises reactive species generated by plasma, wherein one of the reactive species comprises nitrogen. The second reactant and reaction byproducts, if any, are removed. The contacting and removing steps are repeated until a titanium oxynitride thin film of desired thickness has been formed.
US10002738B1

In an example, a method to form a low work function insert includes preparing a mixture that includes a first powder that contains barium, a second powder that contains calcium, a third powder that contains at least one of aluminum, samarium, or magnesium, and a fourth powder that contains a refractory metal. The method may also include heating the mixture, contained in a crucible, in a furnace. Oxygen concentration in the furnace may be maintained at a low partial pressure during heating of the mixture in the furnace. The low work function of the insert allows electrons to be readily extracted from its surface.
US10002737B2

An embodiment of a fuse module has been disclosed. The fuse module includes a housing, a fuse element unit disposed within the housing, and a pair of terminal blades between which the fuse element unit is electrically connected. Each terminal blade has a pair of connection portions.
US10002736B2

An interrupter module (10) of a molded case circuit breaker (2) includes two stationary electrical contacts (20), and a blade carrier assembly (100) with a blade assembly (130) and a carrier (160) for the blade assembly. The blade assembly includes two conductive blades (140A, 140B). Each blade includes a movable electrical contact (150A, 150B) for engaging a corresponding stationary electrical contact in a closed position and for disengaging from the corresponding stationary electrical contact in an open position. Each blade has an independent over travel and contact force to maintain contact between the movable electrical contacts and corresponding stationary electrical contacts in the closed position.
US10002734B2

The invention essentially relates to a contact-breaker (1) for a heat engine starter, comprising: —a cap (30); and —a micro-solenoid (41) that comprises a coil (42) which is stationary relative to the cap (30), and a core (43) which is translationally movable relative to the cap (30) between a starting position and an end position. The contact-breaker (1) comprises a means (51) for retaining the core (43) of the micro-solenoid (41) in the end position.
US10002730B2

In an inhibiter switch, a detent plate may be rotated on one side around a rotational shaft to be assembled in a pole board, and a stopper may be provided in the pole board to define a rotation range of the detent plate on the one side. An interference portion may be provided on a movement track of a movable contact piece when the detent plate rotates around the rotational shaft, wherein the interference portion may interfere with the movable contact piece to become resistance to rotation of the detent plate to the other side around the rotational shaft.
US10002717B2

The present invention provides for high performance lithium-ion capacitor laminate cells that include positive electrodes, negative electrodes and organic solvent electrolyte with lithium salt, and a method for making said high performance lithium-ion capacitor laminate cells. These high performance lithium-ion capacitor laminate cells of the present invention, include a negative electrode which is pre-doped with sufficient lithium ions by employing lithium sources including lithium powder known as SLMP or thin lithium films on the surface of negative electrodes, and this pre-doping with placing lithium sources on negative electrode surface results in LIC laminate cells with considerably higher performance in specific energy, specific power and cycle life.
US10002716B1

Differing from conventional technology utilizing double-layer electron transport layer (ETL) to improving power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cell, the present invention discloses a novel electron transport structure comprising an interfacial diploe moment enhancing layer, an electron transport layer and an interfacial layer. After applying this electron transport structure in a perovskite solar cell, it is found that an interfacial dipole moment formed between the electron transport layer of the electron transport structure and an active layer of the perovskite solar cell is amplified, so as to give rise to an enhanced driving force for the separation of photogenerated carriers and accelerating charge extraction. Moreover, a variety of experimental data have proved that, compared with the perovskite solar cell having double-layer ETL, the perovskite solar cell using this novel electron transport structure exhibits understanding performances including short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, filling factor, and power conversion efficiency.
US10002710B2

A module includes a multilayer body including laminated ceramic green sheets that have been fired, multiple mounting terminals arranged to mount a component thereon, the mounting terminals each including an end surface that is exposed at a main surface of the multilayer body, and multiple via conductors disposed inside the multilayer body so as to correspond to the mounting terminals at positions overlapped by the corresponding mounting terminals when viewed in a plan view. The lengths of the via conductors are adjusted so that predetermined points on the mounting terminals are positioned on the same plane.
US10002703B2

An embedded transformer device includes first, second, and auxiliary windings, defined in an insulating substrate by conductive vias joined together by conductive traces. The positions of the conductive vias are arranged to optimize the isolation properties of the transformer, while the conductive traces are arranged to optimize the coupling between the primary and secondary side windings. The embedded transformer device provides favourable isolation and energy transfer between input side and output side windings, in a device with a small component size.
US10002700B2

In a particular embodiment, a device includes a low-loss substrate, a first inductor structure, and an air-gap. The first inductor structure is between the low-loss substrate and a second inductor structure. The first inductor structure is aligned with the second inductor structure to form a transformer. The air-gap is between the first inductor structure and the second inductor structure.
US10002699B2

The present invention is to provide a magnet coil drive control device that can efficiently suppress conduction noise while reducing the capacitance of a capacitor. A capacitor and an impedance element are arranged in series on the connecting line connecting the positive electrode line and the negative electrode line of a DC power supply, the connecting line between the capacitor and the impedance element is connected to one end of a magnet coil via a freewheeling diode, and the portion between the freewheeling diode and the one end of the magnet coil is connected to the positive electrode line or the negative electrode line by a switching element. Conduction noise caused by the driving current of the magnet coil can be suppressed by the impedance element, and the capacitance of the capacitor can be further reduced. Accordingly, the magnet coil drive control device can be made smaller in size.
US10002696B2

A conductor assembly and method for constructing an assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, induces a voltage. In one embodiment the method provides a first insulative layer tubular in shape and including a surface along which a conductor segment may be positioned. A channel formed in the surface of the insulative layer defines a first conductor path and includes a surface of first contour in cross section along a first plane transverse to the conductor path. A segment of conductor having a surface of second contour in cross section is positioned at least partly in the channel and extends along the conductor path. Along the first plane, contact between the conductor surface of second contour and the channel surface of first contour includes at least two separate regions of contact.
US10002686B2

A method of infusing fibrous substrates with conductive organic particles (e.g. graphene/graphite) and conductive polymer, and the resulting electrically conductive fibrous substrates prepared therefrom are disclosed. All organic electrically conductive fibrous substrates prepared from synthetic fibrous substrates, graphene/graphite, and conductive polymer have been prepared having high electrical conductivity.
US10002681B2

A fuel assembly for use in a core of a nuclear power reactor. The fuel assembly can include a frame and a plurality of elongated, extruded fuel elements supported by the frame. The frame can include a lower nozzle that is shaped and configured to mount to an internal core structure of the nuclear power reactor. Each of the fuel elements can include a fuel kernel having fuel material disposed in a matrix of metal non-fuel material, the fuel material including fissile material, and a cladding surrounding the fuel kernel. The fuel assembly can have a moderator: fuel ratio in a region of the fuel elements of 2.4 or less.
US10002672B2

A memory device includes a memory array with memory cells arranged in rows and columns and with word lines and bit lines. A dummy structure includes a dummy row of dummy cells and a dummy word line. A first pre-charging stage biases a word line of the memory array. An output stage includes a plurality of sense amplifiers. Each sense amplifier generates a corresponding output signal representing a datum stored in a corresponding memory cell pre-charged by the first pre-charging stage. A second pre-charging stage biases the dummy word line simultaneously with the word line biased by the first pre-charging stage. The output stage includes an enable stage, which detects a state of complete pre-charging of an intermediate dummy cell.
US10002671B2

A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory cell arrays, and first and second control circuits configured to execute an operation on the first and second memory cell arrays. The first control circuit executes an operation on the first memory cell array responsive to a first command set that is received by the semiconductor memory device. The second control circuit executes an operation on the second memory cell array responsive to second and third command sets that are received by the semiconductor memory device while the first control circuit is executing the operation on the first memory cell array.
US10002667B1

A memory device may include N memory areas that are divided into a first group and a second group, and are selected by area selection signals corresponding to the N memory areas among N area selection signals, N*M pipe latches that store output data of memory areas corresponding to the N*M pipe latches among the N memory areas, a first pipe output signal generation circuit that generates 1-1th to 1-Mth pipe output signals of pipe latches, which correspond to memory areas belonging to the first group, in response to an area selection signal corresponding to a predetermined memory area of memory areas, and a second pipe output signal generation circuit that generates 2-1th to 2-Mth pipe output signals of pipe latches, which correspond to memory areas belonging to the second group, in response to an area selection signal corresponding to a predetermined memory area of memory areas.
US10002666B2

Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. One method includes determining whether to access a first memory cell of a first memory cell array or a second memory cell of a second memory cell array, where a first digit line coupled to the first memory cell is coupled to a paging buffer register including a sense amplifier. The method further includes operating a transfer gate based at least in part on determining to read the second memory cell of the second memory cell array, where the transfer gate is configured to selectively couple a second digit line coupled to the second memory cell to the paging buffer register through the first digit line.
US10002657B2

Various implementations described herein are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a memory cell configured to operate in multiple retention states including a static retention state and a dynamic retention state. The integrated circuit may include a controller configured to selectively apply different voltage levels to the memory cell based on the retention state of the memory cell.
US10002654B2

In some embodiments, disclosed is a wordline boosting technique using a self-timed capacitive charge boosting approach.
US10002651B2

A semiconductor device may include a valid command generation circuit and a training control circuit. The valid command generation circuit may be configured to latch an internal chip selection signal and an internal control signal in synchronization with a division clock signal to generate a latch chip selection signal and a latch control signal. The valid command generation circuit may be configured to generate a valid command for executing a predetermined function from the latch control signal. The training control circuit may be configured to generate a training result signal from the latch chip selection signal or the latch control signal based on a flag.
US10002647B1

Apparatuses and methods for transmitting die state information between a plurality of dies are described. An example apparatus includes: a plurality of dies, wherein each die of the plurality of dies includes a first through electrode and a second through electrode; a first path including the first electrodes of the plurality of dies in series; and a second path including the first electrodes of the plurality of dies in series. The first path transmits first internal state information related to a first state of at least one die of the plurality of dies. The second path transmits second internal state information related to a second state of at least one die of the plurality of dies.
US10002644B1

Techniques are described for dynamically restructuring an encoded video stream to support a wide range of high-speed playback with accompanying visual feedback of the underlying video content. For a particular range of playback speeds, frames in each fragment are retained or dropped based on the encoded dependencies among the frames in the fragment and the selected playback speed. The set of frames in each fragment is analyzed to determine the optimal pattern of frames to retain or drop for a given playback speed. The time stamps of the retained frames are adjusted to achieve the proper spacing for the decoder.
US10002643B2

A reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing section, a notifying section, and a notification controlling section. The reproducing section reproduces content data. The notifying section notifies a user that there are content data correlated with content data reproduced by the reproducing section. The notification controlling section determines whether content data correlated with content data reproduced by the reproducing section have been retrieved and controls the notifying section to notify the user that there are the correlated content data when the correlated content data have been retrieved.
US10002641B1

A system and/or method configured to determine highlight segment sets. Content files that define content in content segment sets may be obtained. Individual highlight segment sets of content segments may be determined from the content segment sets. Determining a first highlight segment set of content segments included in the first content segment may include iterating (a)-(c) for multiple iterations. At (a), individual content segments included in the first content segment set may be selected as a selected content segment for inclusion in the first highlight segment set. At, (b) diversity scores for content segments that are (i) included in the first content segment set and (ii) not yet selected for inclusion in the first highlight segment set may be determined. At (c), one or more of the content segments may be disqualified for inclusion in the first highlight segment set for future iterations based on the diversity scores.
US10002636B1

A method for creating RFID copies from an original sheet using an imaging device having a scanner system and a printer system, each system having a RFID reader programmer. RFID copies made be made from an original sheet having a RFID tag or an original sheet having no RFID tag. Document control of the RFID copy may also be provided using a document lifecycle database and a user credentials database in communication with the imaging device.
US10002627B2

A tape head including a body exhibiting a tape-bearing area is provided. The body includes at least one transducer that is a read element or a write element, configured in the tape head so as for the tape head to read from or write to a magnetic tape, in operation. The tape-bearing area is essentially covered by an electrically conducting layer of material. This way, the exposed surface of the electrically conducting layer essentially forms the tape-bearing surface of the tape head, which surface contacts the magnetic tape, in operation. A tape head apparatus for recording or reproducing multi-track tapes including the tape head is also provided.
US10002621B2

Apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal including an encoded core signal, including: a core decoder for decoding the encoded core signal to obtain a decoded core signal; a tile generator for generating one or more spectral tiles having frequencies not included in the decoded core signal using a spectral portion of the decoded core signal; and a cross-over filter for spectrally cross-over filtering the decoded core signal and a first frequency tile having frequencies extending from a gap filling frequency to an upper border frequency or for spectrally cross-over filtering a first frequency tile and a second frequency tile.
US10002613B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining hotword suitability. In one aspect, a method includes receiving speech data that encodes a candidate hotword spoken by a user, evaluating the speech data or a transcription of the candidate hotword, using one or more predetermined criteria, generating a hotword suitability score for the candidate hotword based on evaluating the speech data or a transcription of the candidate hotword, using one or more predetermined criteria, and providing a representation of the hotword suitability score for display to the user.
US10002608B2

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for approximating relevant responses to a user query with voice-enabled search. A system practicing the method receives a word lattice generated by an automatic speech recognizer based on a user speech and a prosodic analysis of the user speech, generates a reweighted word lattice based on the word lattice and the prosodic analysis, approximates based on the reweighted word lattice one or more relevant responses to the query, and presents to a user the responses to the query. The prosodic analysis examines metalinguistic information of the user speech and can identify the most salient subject matter of the speech, assess how confident a speaker is in the content of his or her speech, and identify the attitude, mood, emotion, sentiment, etc. of the speaker. Other information not described in the content of the speech can also be used.
US10002598B2

Presented is a method for controlling an electronic stringed instrument. Embodiments of electrical stringed instruments according to the present invention can be actual stringed instruments or virtual representations of stringed instruments. The methods provide a way in which to teach and play electronic stringed instruments which allow a novice musician to focus on a small portion of playing of a stringed instrument while maintaining overall musicality and ability to play the instrument.
US10002591B2

Disclosed is a display device and an image rendering method thereof in consideration of a saturation of a text image that improves the legibility of the text image by, for example, adjusting a sub-pixel rendering application ratio and a direct rendering application ratio for pixel data using a weight in proportion to a saturation.
US10002590B2

A display device and a method for driving the same are discussed. The display device includes a display panel including a common electrode commonly connected to pixels, a display driving circuit for applying a data voltage to the pixels during a vertical active time, and a sensor driving circuit which applies a gesture sensing driving signal to the common electrode during a vertical blank time and senses a gesture input.
US10002588B2

A display device is described that comprises an electronic paper display but that does not include a power source that is capable of providing sufficient power to update the electronic paper display. Instead, the electronic paper display can only be updated when receiving external power via a digital data and power bus. The bus also provides pixel data for content to be displayed on the electronic paper display and at least one externally generated bias voltage level for the electronic paper display. The display device further comprises a processor that configured to drive the electronic paper display.
US10002587B2

A display apparatus includes a display section that includes a light source and displays a displayed image based on image data and an image correction section that corrects the image data based on correction data. The image correction section corrects a color in the image by switching the correction data between first correction data which enables correction in which a displayed color in the displayed image conforms to a reference color and second correction data which enables correction in which a displayed color in the displayed image conforms to a color within an allowable range set in advance.
US10002585B2

For selectively transmitting signals, a data lane interface communicates signals of at least one data lane of a serial bus. A video interface port receives a video display signal from a video card. A traffic circuit transmits the signals of the at least one data lane and the video display signal to a high-speed signal combiner in response to determining that the high-speed signal combiner is processing the signals of the at least one data lane and the video display signal for output as a combined video display signal. Else the traffic circuit transmits the video display signal to a video output port in response to determining that the high-speed signal combiner is not processing the signals of the at least one data lane and the video display signal for output as the combined video display signal.
US10002581B2

A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel which includes a plurality of pixels and a plurality of data lines connected to the plurality of pixels and a data driver which applies data voltages having different polarities to adjacent data lines among the plurality of data lines and performs a first charge sharing to short the data lines having the different polarities and a second charge sharing to short the data lines having the same polarity, wherein the voltage of at least one of the data lines is step-wisely changed by the second charge sharing.
US10002570B2

Systems and method for improving display quality of an electronic display. In one embodiment the electronic display includes a first display pixel that facilitates displaying a first image frame using first amplified image data and facilitates displaying a second image frame using second amplified image data; a second display pixel that facilitates displaying the first image frame using third amplified image data; a first amplifier that operates in a first operational mode to generate the first amplified image data based on image data corresponding with the first image frame and operates in a second operational mode to generate the second amplified image data based on image data corresponding with the second image frame; and a second amplifier that operates in the second operational mode to generate the third amplified image data based on the image data corresponding with the first image frame.
US10002568B2

A display unit of the disclosure includes a pixel array section and a drive section. In the pixel array section, unit pixels each including a light-emitting section are disposed. The drive section causes, during a non-display period other than a display period, a transistor to be corrected to be in an electrically conductive state, and performs, during the non-display period, light emission driving of the light-emitting section on a basis of a predetermined voltage. The transistor is provided in each of the unit pixels. The display period is a period during which display driving is performed on a basis of a display signal.
US10002564B2

To provide a display device which can perform external correction and has a reduced area occupied by a read circuit. The display device includes a pixel and the read circuit. The pixel includes a transistor and a display element. The read circuit includes a function selection portion and an operational amplifier. The transistor is electrically connected to the function selection portion through a wiring. The operational amplifier is electrically connected to the function selection portion. The function selection portion includes at least one switch and can select the function of the read circuit by switching of the switch.
US10002555B2

A display apparatus and a display method are disclosed. The display apparatus includes at least one display unit and a control unit. The display unit includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) module and a self-luminous display module. The self-luminous display module is disposed on an edge of the LCD module. The control unit is electrically connected to the LCD module and the self-luminous display module, and matches optical parameters of the LCD module with optical parameters of the self-luminous display module. The display apparatus makes an effective use of a frame region of the LCD module for displaying, and maintains the characteristic of the LCD module, and the display method matches display effects of the LCD module and the self-luminous display module.
US10002546B2

A model for anatomical training includes a clear thermoplastic elastomer matrix formed with at least one contoured surface that simulates at least a portion of a human body. The visibly clear thermoplastic elastomer matrix provides visible needle tracks upon needle penetration that may be fused closed upon heating the thermoplastic elastomer matrix. The model includes at least a portion of a vertebral column with a synthetic spinal sheath passing through a portion of the vertebral column, the synthetic spinal sheath providing tactile feedback upon needle penetration that simulates the tactile feedback of a needle penetrating a natural human spinal sheath.
US10002543B2

A computer operable method is described for transforming phonemes, graphemes, and other language structures into interactive elements. The method may comprise, receiving a word, wherein the word consists of a group of phonemes; forming a group of graphemes, wherein the group of graphemes is constructed using information relating to the group of phonemes; and forming a group of manipulatives, wherein the group of manipulatives is constructed using information relating to the group of phonemes or the group of graphemes.
US10002537B2

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for determining lane information of a roadway segment from vehicle probe data. Probe data is received from radar sensors of vehicles at a road segment, where the probe data includes an identification of static objects and dynamic objects in proximity to the respective vehicles at the road segment, and geographic locations of the static objects and the dynamic objects. A reference point, such as a road boundary, at the road segment is determined from the identified static objects. Lateral distances between the identified dynamic objects and the reference point are calculated. A number of lanes at the road segment are ascertained from a distribution of the calculated distances of the identified dynamic objects from the reference point.
US10002532B2

According to an embodiment, a communication device is provided in a movable body and is wirelessly communicable with a transceiver unit and another movable body. The communication device includes a transmitter, a receiver, a synchronization unit, a registration unit, and a stop control unit. The transmitter transmits movable body information on the movable body to a predetermined channel. The receiver receives transceiver unit information that the transceiver unit has transmitted to the predetermined channel. The synchronization unit performs synchronization of reception timing when the transceiver unit information can be received. The registration unit registers a communication area of the transceiver unit calculated based on a position where the other movable body receives the transceiver unit information in storage. The stop control unit stops transmission of the movable body information at a reception timing of the transceiver unit information, when a position of the movable body is within the registered communication area.
US10002529B2

An operating table system is disclosed. The operating table system has a first transmitting-receiving device that is mountable to a transport device, a second transmitting-receiving device that is mountable to an operating table column, and a coupling device that couples a patient support and the operating table column. The first transmitting-receiving device is configured to transmit a request command and a transfer command to the second transmitting-receiving device. The second transmitting-receiving device is configured to transmit a device address to the first transmitting-receiving device. The coupling device is actuated based on the second transmitting-receiving device receiving the request command and the transfer command and the first transmitting-receiving device receiving the device address.
US10002526B1

Disclosed systems, methods and components or features thereof generally enable redesign of a legacy non-IoT device or appliance into an IoT device and incorporation into an IoT system. A communication module receives from an appliance a message with which the IoT system identifies the appliance. The communication module is provided with appliance-specific data with which it can control the appliance as an IoT device. A parser in an IoT platform uses rules and a schema to parse the appliance messages. New rules can be added for handling new communication modules for new appliances. Other features are also described.
US10002524B2

A method and apparatus for controlling groups of devices in a home network system are provided. The method includes receiving a request message for executing a first operation mode from a mobile station through the Internet, reading a control list stored for the first operation mode, in order to determine home devices associated with the first operation mode and in order to determine functions of the home devices, in response to the request message, transmitting control commands, instructing the home devices to execute the functions, to the home devices, respectively, according to the control list, and reporting the results of execution of the functions, according to the control commands, to the mobile station.
US10002523B2

Hazard detector for providing a pre-alarm of a developing hazardous condition can include a detection module that detects a hazard level of smoke or carbon monoxide, a light source that generates light, a speaker that generates an audible sound, a horn that generates an audible alarm that a higher volume than the speaker, and a processing module. The processing module can receive the detected hazard level and compare it with the pre-alarm threshold and the emergency threshold. The processing module can determine that the hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold and cause an audible pre-alarm speech to be generated via the speaker that warns of the developing hazardous condition.
US10002517B2

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for adherence monitoring, and devices, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring use of consumable dispensers. In general, the devices, systems, and methods can facilitate an individual's adherence to a schedule for consuming consumables and can facilitate monitoring and tracking of the individual's adherence to the schedule. The devices, systems, and methods can allow data regarding the individual's historical adherence to the schedule to be accessible via a computer system. In one embodiment, an accessory is provided that can be configured to attach to consumable dispensers. The accessory can be configured to be removably and replaceably coupled to the dispenser. The accessory can be configured to provide a notification to a user indicating that a certain event occurred and/or that a certain action needs to be taken. The accessory can be configured to sense attachment thereof to and removal thereof from the dispenser.
US10002515B2

A tracking system can provide intervention notifications to a user to notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or is in a predicted state. The tracking system may notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or in a predicted state based on a number of factors, including: a proximity of a tracking device to other tracking devices or a user's mobile device, a movement of a tracking device to more than a threshold distance away from a mobile device or other tracking devices, a location of a tracking device relative to a geographic location or to geographic boundaries, a usage or movement behavior of the tracking device, a usage or movement behavior of a user or owner of a tracking device, information received from an external source, or information received from sensors within the tracking device or a user's mobile.
US10002502B2

Apparatus, systems, and methods for providing transmission and localized reception of audio, visual, and tactile signaling are taught for a myriad of useful purposes, including embodiments that permit differentiation between selected groups of intended recipients to permit simultaneous use of multiple instances of this technology in close proximity, if desired.
US10002501B2

An electronic device includes a display unit 13, a panel 11, a tactile sensation providing unit 12 configured to vibrate a touch face of the panel 11, and a control unit 16 configured, when detecting contact to a tactile sensation providing area of the touch face corresponding to a predetermined word displayed on the display unit 13, to drive the tactile sensation providing unit 12 based on tactile sensation providing information associated with the predetermined word, such that a tactile sensation is provided to a contact object in contact with the tactile sensation providing area.
US10002500B2

Improvements in an emergency inflatable signal locator is disclosed the emergency inflatable signal locator is a portable self-contained emergency inflatable illuminated signal location indicator generally provides a carrying case defining an interior volume carrying a container of compressed helium and an inflatable balloon having a reflective exterior surface and carrying a light source, the inflatable balloon connected to one end of a length of tether. The tether having a second end portion securely fastened to a reel that is securely interconnected to the interior of the carrying case allowing the inflated balloon to be retracted if necessary.
US10002499B2

A technology for delivering an audible notification from a process control system in a control room environment, where the delivery is made by one or more first speakers having a first coverage for audible notifications and one or more second speakers having a second coverage for audible notifications. A determination if the location of an operator is covered by the first coverage is made. The audible notification is delivered by the one or more first speakers if it is determined that the location of the operator is covered by the first coverage. The audible notification is delivered by the one or more second speakers if it is determined that the location of the operator is not covered by the first coverage.
US10002479B2

A dongle module to be installed in a vehicle is discussed. The dongle module has memory buffers and processors. The dongle module also has a first transceiver that couples the on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of the vehicle to communicate with a fault and diagnostic module of the vehicle. A second transceiver uses wireless communications to communicate with one or more client devices. An RF transmitter transmits RF signals to Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) module of the vehicle. A mapping module either include a first map calculating chip to calculate map coordinates of the vehicle, or periodically receive map coordinates from a client device. A security module is configured either to receive, or to implement an algorithm to determine, a rolling security key of the RKE module of the vehicle. The security module also receives commands to be transmitted by the RF transmitter to the RKE module to be executed.
US10002478B2

A system includes a memory configured to store data associated with a service that is available. The system also includes a microphone associated with an acoustic space and configured to receive an audio input produced by a person. The system further includes a sensor located within the acoustic space and configured to detect vibrations produced by the person. The system includes a processor coupled to the memory, to the microphone, and to the sensor. The processor is configured to conditionally authorize execution of the service requested by the person, the service conditionally authorized based on the audio input and the vibrations.
US10002465B2

A computer-implemented method for creating a set of bounding boxes on a three-dimensional modeled assembly in a three-dimensional scene. The method comprises providing three-dimensional modeled objects forming a three-dimensional modeled assembly in a three-dimensional scene; computing a main bounding box encompassing the three-dimensional modeled assembly, creating a set of three-dimensional modeled objects that meet at least one property of the three-dimensional modeled assembly, computing two or more bounding boxes encompassed by the main bounding box, one of the two or more bounding boxes comprising the three-dimensional modeled objects of the set.
US10002452B2

An image editing device is configured to automatically apply special effects to a digital image. In the image editing device, a digital image is obtained, and a selection is retrieved from a user, where the user selection specifying at least one criterion. At least one attribute of the digital image is analyzed, and a determination is made on whether the at least one attribute coincides with a target attribute associated with the at least one criterion. Responsive to the at least one attribute coinciding with the target attribute, a special effect is obtained from a data store, and the obtained special effect is applied to the digital image.
US10002447B1

The present disclosure provides a system and method for CT image reconstruction. The method may include combining an analytic image reconstruction technique with an iterative reconstruction algorithm of CT images. The image reconstruction may be performed on or near a region of interest.
US10002446B2

In an image processing apparatus, a display control unit controls displaying such that a subtraction image between a plurality of fundus images of an eye corresponding to a plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images obtained by capturing images of the eye at different times is displayed on a display unit, and a specifying unit specifies a plurality of two-dimensional tomographic images, in the plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images, to be displayed on the display unit, by a position specified on the displayed subtraction image.
US10002441B2

An image processing apparatus includes an imaging unit that divides an image of a subject into blocks, a quadric-surface fitting unit that calculates a distance from a reference position to the subject that corresponds to each block, a weight calculating unit that calculates a weight of each block according to the distance, and a barycenter calculating unit that corrects information about a size of the subject projected in each block based on the weight, and calculates barycentric coordinates based on the corrected information about the size of the subject.
US10002438B2

An example method of rapid image registration includes recovering an affine transform of a quasi-periodic object based on peak locations of Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) in a captured image. The example method also includes filtering a region of the captured image to match a filtered version of a reference image including the quasi periodic object. The example method also includes recovering translation parameters to reduce image differences between the reference image and the captured image for a subset of the image locations of the filtered image and outputting an approximate transform including translation.
US10002431B2

Aspects herein use a feature detection system to visually identify a feature on a component. The feature detection system includes at least two cameras that capture images of the feature from different angles or perspectives. From these images, the system generates a 3D point cloud of the components in the images. Instead of projecting the boundaries of features onto the point cloud directly, the aspects herein identify predefined geometric shapes in the 3D point cloud. The system then projects pixel locations of the feature's boundaries onto the identified geometric shapes in the point cloud. Doing so yields the 3D coordinates of the feature which then can be used by a robot to perform a manufacturing process.
US10002429B2

A virtual reality apparatus comprising: i) a plurality of sensors for detecting objects in the vicinity of a user of the virtual reality apparatus; and ii) a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to determine that an object has been detected. The controller determines a direction of the detected object with respect to the user. The controller generates a glowing region in a virtual reality image being viewed by the user. The location of the glowing region in the virtual reality image notifies the user of the direction of the detected object. The controller generates an audible notification in response to detection of the detected object and determines a distance of the detected object with respect to the user.
US10002426B2

Certain aspects of an apparatus and method for automatic ER/PR scoring of tissue samples may include for determining a cancer diagnosis score comprising identifying a positive stained nucleus in a slide image of the tissue sample, identifying a negative stained nucleus in the slide image, computing a proportion score based on number of the positive stained nucleus identified and number of the negative stained nucleus identified and determining the cancer diagnosis score based on the proportion.
US10002422B2

An ultrasound image processing apparatus includes a structural object extracting unit, an abnormal candidate spot detecting unit and a cine information generating unit. The structural object extracting unit extracts a structural object in an ultrasound image of each frame from ultrasound image data of a plurality of continuous frames. The abnormal candidate spot detecting unit detects an abnormal candidate spot in the extracted structural object. The cine information generating unit generates cine information where the detected abnormal candidate spot is made to be associated with a frame in which the abnormal candidate spot is detected.
US10002420B2

A system (100) is provided for performing a model-based segmentation of an anatomical structure in a medical image. The system comprises a processor (140) configured for performing a model-based segmentation of the anatomical structure by applying a deformable model to image data (042). Moreover, definition data (220) is provided which defines a geometric relation between a first part and a second part of the deformable model of which a corresponding first part of the anatomical structure is presumed to be better visible in the image data than a corresponding second part of the anatomical structure. The definition data is then used to adjust a fit of the second part of the deformable model. As a result, a better fit of the second part of the deformable model to the second part of the anatomical structure is obtained despite said part being relatively poorly visible in the image data.
US10002412B2

A device for removing haze from an image includes an image decomposer that decomposes a near-infrared (NIR) image to generate an NIR detail layer image and decomposes an RGB image to generate an RGB detail layer image and an RGB base layer image, a weight generator that generates a mixing weight value based on a similarity between high frequency (HF) components of the NIR image and the RGB image, a detail layer mixer that mixes the NIR detail layer image and the RGB detail layer image based on the mixing weight value to generate a mixed RGB detail layer image, a base layer dehazer that removes haze from the RGB base layer image to generate a compensated RGB base layer image, and an adder that adds the mixed RGB detail layer image and the compensated RGB base layer image to generate an output RGB image.
US10002411B2

An image processing apparatus includes an acquirer which acquires a blurred image and a generator which acquires a first blur estimation area of at least a part of the blurred image to generate an estimated blur, and the generator determines a second blur estimation area based on a signal variation in the first blur estimation area, generates the estimated blur by performing iterative calculation processing that repeats correction processing and estimation processing, and determines the second blur estimation area having a signal variation larger than the signal variation in the first blur estimation area when the signal variation in the first blur estimation area is smaller than a first threshold value.
US10002405B2

A mechanism is described for facilitating smart optimization of unused graphics buffer memory in computing environments. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes detecting a software application at a computing device, where the software application to place a request for a task capable of being executed by a processor of the computing device. The method may further include allocating a composition of buffers and facilitate allocation of physical memory to the buffers to be used to perform the task, where a first portion of the physical memory and a second portion of the physical memory are allocated to first one or more of the buffers and second one or more of the buffers, respectively. The method may further include purging first one or more of the buffers, if the first one or more of the buffers are determined to be unused for the task, where purging includes disallowing commitment of the first portion of the physical memory to the first one or more of the buffers such that the first portion of the physical memory remains available for other tasks despite being allocated to the first one or more of the buffers.
US10002399B2

An exemplary embodiment provides for a computer-implemented method for self-selection into a familial-based discount telephonic rate program. The method includes receiving an indication that a person is related to a current participant of the familial-based discount telephonic rate program and adding a person to the familial-based discount telephonic rate program as a relative to a current participant. The computer-implemented method further includes providing discounted telephone call rates for phone calls between the person and the current participant.
US10002397B2

A payment system can accept an electronic reservation for a merchant restaurant in response to a reservation request received from a user. The payment system can detect that the user is present at a location associated with the merchant restaurant based at least in part on an indication received from a mobile device associated with the user. The payment system can determine a completion of a service associated with the electronic reservation. The payment system can provide an electronic bill for the service to be displayed on the mobile device of the user. Based on receiving an authorization of the electronic bill from the mobile device of the user, the payment system can charge, through a card-less payment transaction, the user for at least an amount disclosed in the electronic bill.
US10002396B2

Disclosed is an approach for receiving, via a user interface of a browser, user input in an input field and presenting an object in response to the user input, the object configured such that when a user interacts with the object, the method includes transitioning the user to a second site associated with the object, filling the user input into a second site input field and causing the user input to be processed at the second site as though the user entered the user input into the second site input field.
US10002395B2

Embodiments of the invention comprise systems, computer program products, and methods for an interactive mapping system. The system provides improved tracking and management related to activity resource requirements in a time/geographic locational relationship. The system captures activity information and images and identifies relationship resource requirements for the activity. The system generates an interactive mapping system for user experience augmentation.
US10002392B2

The technology disclosed relates to manipulating and visualizing database objects that represent layers and parts of layers in an insurance or other risk transfer program. In particular, a special purpose database system replaces manual use of spreadsheets and supports data visualization. The technology disclosed provides systems and methods for processing and displaying database objects that build a composite coverage structure capable of representing a complex program of multiple insurance policies or other risk transfer instruments during planning and placement. Reporting from the database of progress against the composite coverage structure and updating objects using a visual interface are described.
US10002380B2

Disclosed herein are a beacon service method, and a device and a sever employed by the method. Contents information associated with a shop that a user is visiting is provided to the user by using only a beacon signal transmitted from the shop. For providing a beacon service, contents are filtered, so that only useful contents are displayed. In addition, a user terminal carried by a user is prompted to output a beacon signal, so that a nearby user terminal having recognized the beacon signal may be provided with location-based contents.
US10002372B2

In an example embodiment, a method of handling duplicate records in a computer database is provided. A record is received via an API. An item type associated with the record is identified. A duplicate check schema corresponding to the item type is obtained. A string is generated for the record by extracting values for each of a plurality of fields, defined in the duplicate check schema, located in the record and concatenating the values. Then a hash algorithm is applied to the string to create a hash for the record. The hash for the record is compared to hashes from previous records stored in the computer database to identify whether the hash is a duplicate. In response to a determination that the hash is a duplicate, one or more processing rules from the duplicate check schema are executed.
US10002369B2

A first set of data including a first tracking identifier for a first webpage component and a destination address for the first webpage component is accessed. A second set of data that includes an address for retrieving a second webpage component, is accessed. The address includes a second tracking identifier. Whether the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier is determined. The second webpage component is associated with the destination address when the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier.
US10002362B1

The present invention relates to the field of anti-counterfeit protection of products. Specifically, the invention is directed to a composite security marking for a physical object, in particular to an anti-counterfeit product marking. In particular, without limitation, such composite security marking can be used in connection with or can form a component of a multi-component security system, in particular of an anti-counterfeit protection system, which is also disclosed herein as part of an overall solution for anti-counterfeit protection. The composite security marking comprises a physical unclonable function, PUF, and a representation of a digital signature or of a pointer indicating a location where said digital signature can be accessed. The digital signature digitally signs a hash value resulting from application of a predetermined cryptographic hash function to data representing a response generated by the PUF in reaction to a challenge of a predetermined challenge-response authentication scheme.
US10002360B2

Briefly, an intelligent label is associated with a good, and includes one or more permanent and irreversible electrochromic indicators that are used to report the condition of that good at selected points in the movement or usage of that good. These electrochromic indicators provide immediate visual information regarding the status of the good without need to interrogate or communicate with the electronics or processor on the intelligent label. In this way, anyone in the shipping or use chain for the good, including the end user consumer, can quickly understand whether the product is meeting shipping and quality standards. If a product fails to meet shipping or quality standards, the particular point where the product failed can be quickly and easily identified, and information can be used to assure the consumer remains safe, while providing essential information for improving the shipping process. It will be understood that the label may take many forms, such as a tag attached to the good, integrated into the packaging for the good, integrated into the good itself, or may even be an information area on a prepaid card for example. The label may also include, for example, print information regarding the good, usage or shipping rules, or address and coded information.
US10002359B2

Briefly, an intelligent label is associated with a good, and includes one or more permanent and irreversible electrochromic indicators that are used to report the condition of that good at selected points in the movement or usage of that good. These electrochromic indicators provide immediate visual information regarding the status of the good without need to interrogate or communicate with the electronics or processor on the intelligent label. In this way, anyone in the shipping or use chain for the good, including the end user consumer, can quickly understand whether the product is meeting shipping and quality standards. If a product fails to meet shipping or quality standards, the particular point where the product failed can be quickly and easily identified, and information can be used to assure the consumer remains safe, while providing essential information for improving the shipping process. It will be understood that the label may take many forms, such as a tag attached to the good, integrated into the packaging for the good, integrated into the good itself, or may even be an information area on a prepaid card for example. The label may also include, for example, print information regarding the good, usage or shipping rules, or address and coded information.
US10002356B2

A biotransaction system and method. An example method includes receiving a first signal from a first device that is positioned at a first location, wherein the first device includes a biometric scanner adapted to scan biometric information of a first user and to use scanned biometric information to facilitate generating the first signal; employing the first signal to match information associated with the first user to information associated with a second user based on the information associated with the second user, resulting in a match in response thereto; and exchanging information between a first portion of a database associated with the first user and a second portion of a database associated with a second user in response to the match.
US10002354B2

A method and apparatus for facilitating payment transactions in multiple currencies between participants is provided. In one embodiment, an option is provided to a user to select a currency in which to make a payment. An indication of the selected currency in which to make the payment is received. A determination is made as to whether the selected currency is a primary currency of an account of the user. Based on the selected currency being different from the primary currency of the account of the user, the payment is converted to the selected currency.
US10002352B2

Embodiments are directed to reducing digital wallet exposure. Embodiments determine that a potential exposure associated with a first payment credential associated with a digital wallet has been detected; determine that the digital wallet has at least one additional associated payment credential; and, in response to determining the potential exposure has been detected and determining that the digital wallet has at least one additional associated payment credential, initiate at least one exposure reduction measure intended to reduce potential exposure to the at least one additional associated payment credential.
US10002345B2

To generate agendas for meetings, an agenda planning system is provided. The agenda planning system can generate suggested agenda items for scheduled meetings based on various available data, such as emails sent on the topic, previous meetings materials, subject and participants in the meeting appointment. The agenda planning system can determine the topic of the meeting based on the meeting request or calendar invitation. With the topic or subject of the meeting, the agenda planning system can then mine various resources in order to determine possible agenda items. The agenda planning system can propose potential agenda items based on agenda items in previous meetings, and perform searches through emails sent between the meeting invitees and/or participants. The email search terms can be based on the meeting topic or subject determined by the agenda planning system.
US10002339B2

A disaster assessment system is presented. The disaster assessment system generates one or more impact reports detailing the nature of how a disaster has impacted a building site based on sensor data associated with the building site that is collected after the disaster. According to one aspect of the inventive subject matter, the disaster assessment system includes a sensor platform, a pre-disaster database, a historic disaster database, and an impact assessment engine. The sensor platform obtains sensor data reflecting a building site before, during, and/or after an event. The impact assessment engine derives a pre-event 3D model based on sensor data collected by the sensor platform before the event, and derives a post-event 3D model based on sensor data collected by the sensor platform after the event. The impact assessment engine then generates the impact reports based on a difference between the pre-event 3D model and the post-event 3D model.
US10002337B2

The methods and systems described herein relate to online methods of collaboration in community environments. The methods and systems are related to an online apparel modeling system that allows users to have three-dimensional models of their physical profile created. Users may purchase various goods and/or services and collaborate with other users in the online environment.
US10002336B2

A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data.
US10002335B2

A dynamic workflow system and process for use in logistic support and management. The dynamic workflow system includes a central server that maintains all of the customer's requirements for each of its orders. The central server can generate unique workflows to follow to meet the requirements for each order submitted by the customers. The central server creates instructions from the workflows that it transmits to a remote device for an individual to follow in order to fulfill the customer's order. The remote device includes a shell program application which generates the workflows based upon the instructions received from the central server. The shell program application replaces the need for the remote device to store profiles for each customer that reflect their requirements.
US10002331B2

Order fulfillment systems and methods, which may enable a recipient to retrieve an ordered product from a plurality of providers, and may additionally deliver a virtual representation of the ordered product to the recipient. The order fulfillment method may be a paperless process comprising electronically receiving an order from a customer for a product to be retrieved by the recipient. A virtual representation of the ordered product may then be delivered and displayed to the recipient. A status module may be provided to indicate to providers whether the order has yet been fulfilled. The method may further comprise receiving an update to the status module when the recipient selects a provider and retrieves the ordered product from the selected provider.
US10002326B2

At least one per-pattern non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA) may be generated for a single regular expression pattern and may include a respective set of nodes. Nodes of the respective set of nodes of each per-pattern NFA generated may be distributed for storing in a plurality of memories based on hierarchical levels mapped to the plurality of memories and per-pattern NFA storage allocation settings configured for the hierarchical levels, optimizing run time performance for matching regular expression patterns in an input stream.
US10002322B1

Systems and methods for predicting transactions. A record is stored for each of a plurality of transactions, each record comprising an indication identifying each item from a set of items involved in the transaction and an indication of a time elapsed between the transaction and a previous transaction. A sequential plurality of the transactions is analyzed using a unidirectional long short term memory (LSTM) network to produce a probability that each item from the set of items will be involved in a next transaction, and a time estimate value for a future time when the next transaction will occur. The probability for each item and the time estimate value is stored in the memory as a prediction.
US10002319B1

A transaction card may comprise a first card component having an electrically conductive surface configured to receive an electrically applied coating. An electrically applied coating may be formed on the electrically conductive surface. The transaction card may be manufactured by forming a first card component having an electrically conductive surface configured to receive an electrically applied coating. The method may also include applying an electrically applied coating to the electrically conductive surface.
US10002317B1

A label adapted to be attached to an item and a system for validating a label are provided. The label contains an identifying portion of a circuit path extending between at least a pair of contact points in which the identifying portion of the circuit path includes a segment containing graphene. The system can include this label and a validating device. The validating device includes a testing portion of the circuit path adapted to contact the at least the pair of contact points of the identifying portion of the circuit path in the label to thereby complete the circuit path. The testing portion of the validation device is configured to internally process and validate the label in the validating device.
US10002316B2

The disclosure provides for methods, compositions, systems, devices, and kits for determining the number of distinct targets in distinct spatial locations within a sample. In some examples, the methods include: stochastically barcoding the plurality of targets in the sample using a plurality of stochastic barcodes, wherein each of the plurality of stochastic barcodes comprises a spatial label and a molecular label; estimating the number of each of the plurality of targets using the molecular label; and identifying the spatial location of each of the plurality of targets using the spatial label. The method can be multiplexed.
US10002315B2

There is provided an image forming apparatus including a display, a storage unit, an image forming unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to perform acquiring bibliographic information about a plurality of print data including the first print data and the second print data, and then displaying a print data selection screen on the display unit based on the bibliographic information so that an instruction to select the print data based on which the image forming unit forms the image can be issued, determining that the first print data can be acquired from the external apparatus and bringing the selection screen into a first display state, and determining that the first print data cannot be acquired from the external apparatus and bringing the selection screen into a second display state.
US10002302B2

A method of host-directed illumination for verifying the validity of biometric data of a user is provided that includes capturing biometric data from a user with an authentication device during authentication and directing illumination of the biometric data from a host authentication system during the capturing operation. Moreover, the method includes comparing illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data against illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation, and determining that the user is a live user when the illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data match the illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation.
US10002299B2

An information presentation device according to embodiment includes acquisition unit, generation unit, and output unit. Acquisition unit acquires information of driving history with respect to driving position in driving lane of vehicle, where information is generated by on-vehicle device based on image captured by imaging device that is mounted on vehicle. Generation unit generates information of graph that indicates transition of positional change of vehicle in driving lane, based on information of driving history acquired by acquisition unit. Output unit outputs information of graph generated by generation unit to display device. Acquisition unit acquires information of driving history that includes distances of right and left edge of driving lane with respect to vehicle. Generation unit generates information of graph based on difference between distances of right and left edge of driving lane with respect to vehicle that is included in information of driving history acquired by acquisition unit.
US10002290B2

Disclosed is a learning device. A feature-quantity calculation unit extracts a feature quantity from each feature point of a learning image. An acquisition unit acquires a classifier already obtained by learning as a transfer classifier. A classifier generation unit substitutes feature quantities into weak classifiers constituting the transfer classifier, calculates error rates of the weak classifiers on the basis of classification results of the weak classifiers and a weight of the learning image, and iterates a process of selecting a weak classifier of which the error rate is minimized a plurality of times. In addition, the classifier generation unit generates a classifier for detecting a detection target by linearly coupling a plurality of selected weak classifiers.
Patent Agency Ranking